Chicago Bears - New York Giants Postgame

Summary

Forward Progress: Chicago Bears - New York Giants Postgame Recap

Podcast: Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast

Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola

Episode Air Date: November 9, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the Chicago Bears’ gutsy 24-20 comeback victory over the New York Giants. Dan and Matt dissect how the Bears, despite playing a sloppy and at times uninspired game, managed to elevate in the fourth quarter—thanks largely to rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and a defense that made big plays in key moments. While critical of both coaches and players, the hosts strike a balance between skepticism and optimism, exploring what this win means for the trajectory of the team as they move to 6-3 on the season.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bears' Sloppy Offensive Performance Early

• Lack of Rhythm & Execution: Both hosts agree the Bears’ offense was “off the entire game” (Matt, 02:05), pointing to issues with rhythm, timing, drops by wide receivers, and questionable play-calling.
• Caleb Williams’ Inconsistency: Williams struggled for much of the day, especially with hot reads and reacting to pressure, until the final two drives.
  • “He was having problems with hot reads all game until those final two drives. And he was brilliant… This was in the end… a win because Caleb Williams was their quarterback.” — Dan (03:37)

2. The Fourth Quarter Turnaround & Clutch Play

• Caleb Williams’ Clutch Factor: Williams’ ability to slow the game down in pressure situations is a recurring theme.
  • “When the pressure is highest, he slows down. Everything slows down for him.” — Matt (04:12)
• Discussion over whether Caleb can translate this poise and focus to other parts of the game, not just late moments.

3. Play-Calling and Coaching Critique

• Ben Johnson’s Game Management: Questions were raised on several play-calling decisions, especially the lack of commitment to the run and failure to exploit the Giants’ weak run defense.
  • “I don’t think they ran the ball enough today… Where was the damn screen game? The Giants were begging to be screened.” — Dan (08:14)
• A Lucky Outcome?: Hosts concede that poor play from the Giants’ coaches and the injury to Giants QB Jackson Dart may have been contributing factors to the win.

4. Defense Delivers in Key Moments

• Montez Sweat & C.J. Gardner-Johnson: Both stand out as critical difference-makers with sacks and key tackles in the clutch.
  • “C.J. Gardner-Johnson… this was a savvy pickup by Ryan Poles… That sack was huge.” — Dan (06:55)
  • Gardner-Johnson: 9 tackles, 2 sacks, forced fumble — “What an exceptional game… in game number two with the Chicago Bears. He’s been here just over a week now.” — Matt (34:17)
• Jaquan Brisker & Other Contributors: Brisker’s late pass break-ups and hard tackling were highlighted as pivotal (10:12).

5. Officiating Controversies & Broadcast Commentary

• Inconsistent Flagging on QB Hits: The hosts bristle at Fox’s Greg Olson for focusing on one penalty but ignoring a dangerous hit on Caleb Williams.
  • “Don’t lecture me… not say that… when Caleb Williams gets kneed in the back of the head after giving himself up.” — Matt (11:59)
  • “A knee to the head… that is absolutely… dangerous…” — Dan (13:10)

6. Personnel Notes: Who Helped and Who Hurt

• Noah Sewell’s Difficult Day: Both hosts agree linebacker Noah Sewell struggled and that the Bears “missed T.J. Edwards” (17:10, 22:39).
• Luther Burden’s Emergence: Both urge for more snaps for Burden, noting his toughness and playmaking (17:06).
• Special Teams Woes: Devin Duvernay’s ineffectiveness in the return game is a notable disappointment (17:36).
• Darnell Wright’s “Gymnastics”: The rookie lineman’s athleticism, including a somersault recovery, delighted the hosts (18:27).

7. The ‘Blob’ and NFL Parity

• Chicago is “a blob team”—capable of beating anybody or losing to anybody.
  • “The smarter football mind in me… still thinks the Bears are a blob team.” — Dan (08:14)
• Ongoing commentary on NFL’s week-to-week unpredictability and the importance of building belief and confidence as a franchise.

8. Penalties and Discipline

• Clean Play Wins Games: The Bears managed only three penalties, while the Giants had ten—a major difference (02:05, 20:30).
  • “That’s how you beat a bad team… when you don't hurt yourself like the Bears have been known to do this year, you can find a way to win…” — Matt (02:05)

9. Summary of Key Stats (Team & Player Highlights)

• Caleb Williams (QB): 20/36, 220 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT; 63 yds rushing, 1 TD
• DeAndre Swift: 13 carries, 80 yds; 5 catches, 18 yds
• Rising Stars: Colston Loveland (4 catches, 55 yds), Luther Burden (3 catches, 51 yds)
• Drop Issues: Seven drops by Bears receivers (29:11)

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Notable Moments & Quotes

• Caleb Williams on Late Heroics
  “This was in the end… a win because Caleb Williams was their quarterback.” — Dan (03:37)
• On Defensive Standouts
  “C.J. Gardner-Johnson… that sack was huge.” — Dan (06:55)
• On Officiating Double Standard
  “Don't lecture me… and not say that… when Caleb Williams gets kneed in the back of the head after giving himself up.” — Matt (11:59)
• On the ‘Blob’ State of the Team
  “Still thinks the Bears are a blob team. Still thinks the Bears are capable of beating anybody and losing to anybody.” — Dan (08:14)
• Colston Loveland’s Catch:
  “Colston Loveland made a remarkable fingertip catch. And especially coming on the heels of the missed connection before, that was… it was Loveland that kept that alive with a terrific play.” — Dan (21:23)
• C.J. Gardner-Johnson Postgame:
  “I love winning. I guess these guys love winning. It's a great feeling and we're all happy.” — Gardner-Johnson via locker room (42:34)
• Big Picture Takeaway
  “The seeds of belief in your coach… the fact that they think they're good might be more important than whether or not I think they're good or whether you think they're good.” — Dan (43:08)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Early Game Summary and Bears’ Offense Struggles: 00:58–03:34
• Caleb Williams’ Late-Game Turnaround: 03:34–05:48
• Defensive Key Plays (Sweat & Gardner-Johnson): 06:55–08:14
• Coaching and Play-Calling Criticism: 08:14–09:11
• Special Teams & Individual Performances: 17:06–19:46
• Discussion on Drops, Penalties, and Discipline: 20:30–22:39, 29:11–30:17
• Key Offensive Stats Recap: 30:45–34:17
• Locker Room Quotes: 39:10 (Ben Johnson), 42:34 (Loveland & Gardner-Johnson)
• ‘Blob’ Theory & Building Belief: 44:07–45:13
• Outlook and Next Week: 47:58–50:48

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Conclusion & Outlook

Despite many warts—sloppy offense, missed opportunities, and questionable play-calling—the Bears escape with a win that says as much about belief and resilience as it does about talent. The team’s ability to limit penalties and rally in the fourth quarter, particularly behind Caleb Williams’ composure, forms the backbone of current optimism. Ben Johnson’s learning curve as head coach and the emergence of new defensive stars were also major storylines.

With the Vikings up next and a possible shot at first place in the NFC North, this win—ugly but meaningful—may mark a true turning point in a season defined as much by mental toughness as by football precision.

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Next Episode Tease:
Special guest Tim Jenkins joins later in the week to preview the upcoming Vikings matchup and dive further into Bears QB play.

Memorable Closing Quote:
“They are absolutely making this worth our time on Sundays… Even if they're beating teams that are… and they're beating a bunch of horseshit quarterbacks, the fact that they think they're good might be more important than whether or not I think they're good or whether you think they're good.” — Dan (43:08)

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Compiled by Forward Progress Listener Recap Team

Transcript

[Matt Abaticola]

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[Matt Abaticola]

Forward progress A Chicago Bears Podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 sports.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well this has certainly turned into a very different post game show than I thought we were going to be doing. I had a list of all the reasons why the Bears were not up to snuff, why this was the market correction that had been coming for a long time. And I'll be damned if Ben Johnson on what was not his best day as Bears head coach slash play caller that his team did exactly what he said they would do in the locker room after the last game is that you can never count this team out in the fourth quarter. Right now we are brought to you here on 312 Sports by Beer Church Brewing New Buffalo's Brewery Pizzeria in a historic church wood fired Neapolitan Pizza small batch craft beer brunch every day. Visit beerchurchbrewing.com I am Dan Bernstein, that is Matt Abaticola and the Chicago Bears somehow down 20 to 10 thanks to a miscalculation by Brian Dabel in my estimation have been able to come back and win this game and the Bears are now 6 and 3 on the season with the Giants dropping to 2.

[Matt Abaticola]

And 8 well in a game. And that by the way was the Giants 11th straight road loss. They were looking to get off the snide there with with 10 in a row going into this game. It is now 11 in a row. The last time they won on the road was October of last season. And there's a few things about this game the Bears offensively were just off. I know we've talked about rhythm and timing. They were off the entire game. The wide receivers had too many drops. The play calling I thought was questionable at times. Caleb Williams was off for most of this game. But there are two things about this game that will stand out to me. Number one, the Giants are not a Very good team and that helps and that's great. And you play who's on your schedule and a win is a win. And the second thing that will stand out for me in this game, the Giants being bad. And the second thing for this game is that the Bears finished with three penalties against them in this game. Three penalties. That's how you beat a bad team. When you are less, less than playing anywhere near your ability to play offense in this league. And we've seen this Bears team can be a very good offensive team with explosive plays on the run game. Explosive plays in the past games and it was off today. And when you play a bad team and you don't hurt yourself like the Bears have been known to do this year, you can find a way to win a game like this at home. Your quarterback in the fourth quarter turns clutch with his feet. Well, that plays.

[Dan Bernstein]

I was going to add that, that.

[Matt Abaticola]

Are, that are there, that are there to be made.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think it would be, it would be remiss not to add to that list a star turn by Caleb Williams on those final two drives in the fourth quarter where he absolutely, with his, with his feet being able to stay alive in the pocket, being able to keep his eyes downfield on a game. When I, when I saw his eyes dropping too often, he was having problems with hot reads all game until those final two drives. And he was brilliant. He absolutely. This was in the end when it mattered a win because of game because Caleb Williams was their quarterback.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And it's interesting. We've heard Ben Johnson talk about Caleb how and other coaches have talked about this too. And even Caleb says it. When the pressure is highest, he slows down. Everything slows down for him. And it's really interesting when I've heard that because I want to know what, how can a, how can a professional take that mindset and that approach when it's not like a super high impact situation when it's the middle of the game and there's still a lot of time left. How does he lock in so well with the high pressure? Maybe that's just how he's built and that's just how he focuses. And he focuses even more when the pressure is on at a very high level. But I'd love to be able to see him be able to utilize that type of focus and, and, and utilization of his skills when it's not like the end of the game, do or die, my hair is on fire type thing. You know, one thing Dan, I love about Caleb is his ability to Elude, pass rush in the pocket. I think what he needs to do, though, is when he eludes that first guy, just go.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, I would also stop looking for.

[Matt Abaticola]

The second or third guy to find like, just go.

[Dan Bernstein]

My issue is when eluding the first guy is due to his inability to identify the hot receiver created by that guy. He shouldn't have to elude him. He should be able to throw to whoever that guy was covering or wherever they've, wherever they've rotated. That's the next level of this. I'm not disagreeing with you, but if this is going to get where it's got to be, I don't need him dancing back there. I need him saying this guy's coming. That means that the throw is to this guy because that's where we're going with it and to know it.

[Matt Abaticola]

But even on guys, when it's coming from the defensive line and that, that maybe it's a, it's a bad tackle or a bad adjustments or a missed assignment and that defensive lineman gets in and he eludes that guy, does that, that 360 spin that he does, then take off there instead of looking, you know, instead of trying to spin back around and look for a guy. And I, you know, I do want to say something about what you've said there because there was a play where Greg Olson got on Caleb Williams and it was a late and a bad pass to DeAndre Swift coming out of the backfield. I think it was on the third, the third to last drive. And if you watch that replay on it, yeah, it wasn't a very good throw and he could have identified it sooner, but DeAndre Swift got stuck behind an offensive lineman and a defensive lineman and he, it wasn't an immediate release where he got to that area where the pressure came from. So that, that was not totally on Caleb Williams there. I know it got highlighted by Olson who found several opportunities today to highlight some negative things about Caleb Williams. And Fox really used their replays while missing other opportunities to show replays to keep going back forth and back and forth to what Greg Olson wanted to point out about the deficiencies of Caleb Williams. I thought it was pretty interesting today.

[Dan Bernstein]

I've got a couple bouquets to throw. One is at Montez Sweat who when it mattered most on consecutive plays, he got the sack of Wilson and then he was the primary tackler on Devin Singletary to hold him to three yards. That set up the third and seven. And I want to, I can quote you, I can show you the timestamp on what I said in, in my little friend's group chat here that before that play on third and seven. I'm. I'm quoting myself. 2:55pm Heat him the fuck up here. Zero blitz. And indeed they sent the house and C.J. gardner. Johnson, who had a terrific game, he, he may be a handful to deal with, but until they have some issues with him, this that was a savvy pickup by Ryan Poles, Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen because he's been one of the more impactful players on this defense. That sack was huge. The next play was the shanked punt shades for the number of people who have pointed out the Sean Landetta, the Giants in, in Bears weather and watching a Giants punter nearly miss his foot. Maybe, maybe that's contagious now after the Broncos punter was was doing that.

[Matt Abaticola]

But.

[Dan Bernstein]

It'S weird because it's the, the smarter football mind in me, even fresh off the excitement of that win, still thinks the Bears are a blob team. Still thinks the Bears are capable of beating anybody and losing to anybody. And yet the this fourth quarter identity that they seem to be forging here, though, it's not something I can quantify you. It has to be. It has to mean something to them. And I guarantee you as we speak in the locker room somewhere, as they're doing their good, better, best, that Ben Johnson is reminding his team of that. I don't think they ran the ball enough today. I don't think they ran the ball against a terrible run defense. I don't think they established the run. Where was the damn screen game? The Giants were begging to be screened and I would love to know why. They tried it early with DJ Moore and that my over not great on DJ Moore today.

[Matt Abaticola]

Remember, that's the third time now a defensive end has read a play, has read that flat screen pass and made a play on the ball. That's the third time it's happened.

[Dan Bernstein]

Now it was Andrew Van Ginkel, right?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

Who did it and then you.

[Matt Abaticola]

You.

[Dan Bernstein]

Was it Crosby or. I know there was another one.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Raiders game where you reference Van Ginkle. Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

Burns in this game. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

This was the. I think we want to take that one out of the playbook or run it out of a different formation because there were. I, I don't know how they won this game. Also, while I'm saying some nice things, Noah Sewell had a rough one.

[Matt Abaticola]

He did have a rough one. Oh, and there's one other thing I want to point out about this Bears victory and I'M going to. I'm going to throw a big bouquet of flowers to Russell Wilson and Jackson. Dart being hurt probably helped the Bears. Probably.

[Dan Bernstein]

Probably.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, possibly. Possibly. Because I know there's a little bit of a difference between Dart and Wilson. But yeah, I'd say that probably played a little bit of a factor in why the Bears were able to pull this game out. Wow.

[Dan Bernstein]

And, and think, Think about that play by Jaquan Brisker busting up the triangle, playing the pocket to break up that touchdown. Think about the, the tackle breaking play on fourth down by DeAndre Swift.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, my God, that was a great, great.

[Dan Bernstein]

He ran into two guys who, who also collided with each other a little bit. There were a lot of little things that ended up mattering in this game. Some busted coverages. It was mostly bad defense by the Bears until Dart left the game. And I had, I had Russell Wilson in for the first play of the fourth quarter. Was, was when they were facing that first and 10 after the defensive holding.

[Matt Abaticola]

Call and Grady Jarrett you talked about, which was a bullshit call. You. You talked about the opportunities for screenplays for the Bears, which they didn't take advantage of. I talked about, I mean, the Bears and the Giants both in the bottom four of the league in yards per carry allowed. The Giants were number one. They were 32nd in the league at 5.5. I thought, even though they rushed for a lot of yards, but a lot of that came off of scramble plays from Caleb Williams. I thought they could have run the ball more and been a little more effective with it with a team that loves to give up the run. But I do want to point out one thing that really, really pissed me off. And if the broadcast and Greg Olson is going to lecture me as a fan about the hit to the hat on the quarterback and now the really bad call in Noah Sewell. There's three guys that are wrapping the quarterback up, and he gets spun into Noah Sewell, who's now running, still in motion, and they collide and he hits him in the head. I'm not going to dispute that.

[Dan Bernstein]

And, and his logic is sound. He said the onus is on the defensive player. You simply cannot do that. You cannot make contact. And that is wherever your limbs are in space is. Is your responsibility.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right? But don't lecture me because as. As he's going through the previous play and still and not talking about what happened to Caleb Williams, he's still showing a replay of that play in the end zone that Brisker breaks up, Caleb Williams slides, gives himself up and Gets kneed in the back of the head. Do not lecture me. He even pointed out Bears fans, oh, the Bears fans are going wild here watching the replay. Shut the fuck up. Don't lecture me about this rule and then not say that. Not call that play out and not have a flag thrown when Caleb Williams gets kneed in the back of the head after giving himself up.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's why I said it exactly the way I said it, because by the letter of his case, when he explained, no matter how that contact is made.

[Matt Abaticola]

The onus is on the defensive player.

[Dan Bernstein]

The burden is on the defensive player to not make it. Especially because the number of concussions, the number of traumatic brain injuries that are incurred by a knee to the head or an elbow to the head, it can happen. It is. Has nothing to do with wearing a helmet. And then he saw it. I, I don't think he saw it before the replay.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, he didn't.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I think he was too excited.

[Matt Abaticola]

To get back to replay.

[Dan Bernstein]

He was in too deep. And. And I think. I think he was in too deep. And then he just tried to. To slough it off after it happened. And I was standing there screaming, no, no, no. A knee to the head. For the reasons that you just listed in fine detail.

[Matt Abaticola]

Lectured us. Dan lectured us about it and criticized the Bears fans for watching the replay at Soldier Field. And all the fans are going wild on a replay here because they should.

[Dan Bernstein]

They should. You know what? I was going wild, too. I was one of those fans.

[Matt Abaticola]

I was, too. I was. That.

[Dan Bernstein]

That is. That is absolutely. When he said, oh, he's just trying to jump over him. I don't care based on what you were saying before trying to jump over him or not, he need him in the head. But I don't want to get too bogged down in that. We'll have plenty of time to do that on forward progress tomorrow and throughout the week.

[Matt Abaticola]

I needed to bring it up while I was still fresh and angry because by tomorrow I won't be.

[Dan Bernstein]

So I'm not. I'm not mad. And by the way, did I. Did I read the weather forecast correctly? 10 inches of snow between now and tomorrow morning.

[Matt Abaticola]

Here. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Did I read that right?

[Matt Abaticola]

I hope not.

[Dan Bernstein]

I hope I did. I thought I saw a change of the forecast that said we. We might be in these. In these very same seats.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's the case. Hope your seat's comfy, pal.

[Dan Bernstein]

Because I was going to say, depending on what's going on, this, this was a fascinating game that I want to shake. Brian Day Ball's hand for not only, not only deciding to go for the field goal on the one yard line. Not only that, but even with the penalty giving him enough time to think, hey, you know, maybe we consult the win expectancy charts here. Maybe we understand that this is all you're doing is leaving a door open for a team that does feel that it can come back in the fourth quarter. Amazing to me that the that and that. Exactly that is when Wilson that was the first time he had been in and I don't know if that changed their calculus, but it's still just wrong.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, I'll tell you what, if I'm a Giants fan, I'm going absolutely crazy after this game. And for Brian Dable to the last two seasons, Dan, they were two and seven after nine. Two and seven after nine, two and seven going into this game and now two and eight. And that decision there, that, that to me with the history of what he's done the last couple of seasons is enough be fired. I launch him after this game because you, you actually have a quarterback and I haven't watched too much Jackson dart and I know there were some people that were really high on him coming out of the draft and some that weren't. He's, he's a, that, that's a, that's a, that's a really good young quarterback in the NFL that has some it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is potential but he can't run that much. The stuff that they're running with him. Yeah, the stuff that they're running with him is, is not really quarterback stuff, it's college stuff. And he's not going to last very long if they continue to use him.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, and we saw it here. He got, he got hit by on that carry which eventually got him out of the game. And that, oh that, that tackle to that hit, that forced fumble was C.J. c.J.

[Dan Bernstein]

Gardner Johnson. Yep.

[Matt Abaticola]

So I mean he, he really for two sacks had a forced fumble. Yeah. I think one of our listeners said earlier that he's the, has to be the defensive player of the week. And I think as it stands right now, without looking at other games, he's got to be a name up there for consideration. What, what a, what a great two first two games he's had as a.

[Dan Bernstein]

Chicago Bear and came back from injury. At one point, I believe that he was out and his return was questionable. And then he came right in and Dennis Allen felt great blitzing him off the edge. I don't know how you don't have somebody designated to keep an eye on him or at least scream something that he might be coming. Tell me if you're with me on this. I've got two things that I want to raise for. For a vote from. For the committee here. One is more Luther Burden. Yeah, more Luther Burden.

[Matt Abaticola]

He runs hard. I didn't know he. He ran so hard with that.

[Dan Bernstein]

That. That dude is a. Is a playmaker. And I don't. However, wherever you want to put him, if it means less Olamide Zacchaeus, fine, because he was awful. Also, when I mentioned Noah Sewell, they really miss TJ Edwards. So if they, if they want to club up that broken hand and he can heal from his hamstring, the sooner he gets back, the better because it's a big difference. When he's not in. What does Devin Duvernay do?

[Matt Abaticola]

Nothing.

[Dan Bernstein]

What does he do?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, that's.

[Dan Bernstein]

Come on, man, like, start your feet, move your feet, dude. There were holes, there were places to go. He just couldn't get up to speed.

[Matt Abaticola]

I would rather have a third kicker on the roster than having him. Seriously. Like, I don't. He doesn't do anything on the kick game, on the return game at all. Let's go. I mean, let's go. I do want to point out our guy, my new favorite player, Darnell Cartwright. There's two plays on him I want to highlight. I don't. Early in the game, the first quarter, he gets tripped up and he trips and falls forward and then he's going down face first and turns it into a somersault. So he trips over someone's foot and turns the fall into a somersault and hops back up. And the second play late in the game, the one handed punch, the chest of Burns number zero and knocks him to the ground like he's a child.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, what we need with the summer.

[Matt Abaticola]

Amazing.

[Dan Bernstein]

I believe that an intrepid reporter should follow up on this. The Bears are lucky enough to have in Jonathan Owens's wife somebody who I believe can maximize the gymnastic possibilities of Darnell Wright. And if he is going to have now both a cartwheel and a somersault, there's gotta be some kind of trick play in here where Ben Johnson needs to hire Simone Biles. Who's Jonathan Owens? His wife. We need Simone Biles to be a special consultant to the offense. Put something in there to get that man something, you know, have him. I'm telling you. I said. What did I say last time? Round off, flip flop back. Or maybe just round off, flip flop, something rudimentary. That he'll be able to do without a springboard.

[Matt Abaticola]

I love it, dude. I love it. I, it was just, it was so great when I saw it a trip. He turns into a somersault and pops right back up. Just really, really great. And then I seriously, it was a left hand, one handed punch to the chest and he went down and then he stood over him and then he kind of helped him up at the end because the play went the other way and he wasn't gonna get involved in a play. And he kind of, he's like, oh, here little boy. Are you okay? Let me help you up. It's okay. But wow, what a play. I love it, man. So good.

[Dan Bernstein]

And a couple times we saw Nishan Wright show up with the fumble recovery and the interception that was then knocked out of his hands by Olszewski, which is one where just take a step away from him, take a knee, whatever you have to do. But it was in position to make that play. He's certainly not standing out as not belonging out there for the moment. And certainly with Malik Neighbors hurt and obviously with Cam Scatterboo hurt and then with Jackson dart hurt. Those are all mitigating factors in this Bears win. But they are, it is, it's apparent that they're conspiring to shorten our lives here with some of these games. It really is, is fascinating what they've done the last couple of weeks.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And the Bears with three penalties for 25 yards and you know, you've talked about getting six or less and again it's one of those things that you do where you're not playing your best football but you're a better team, you're not clicking really. There's really no good offensive rhythm. And when you, when you don't hurt yourself with 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 penalties like the Giants did today, 10 penalties against them. You can pull out these kind of games late, late in the game. You know, you get some bad coaching decisions, you get some fortunate injury for the opposing quarterback who is really playing pretty well all game against you. And then you bring in a guy who really probably shouldn't be a second, a second string quarterback in this league anymore and you're able to get a win that you probably shouldn't have won. But luckily on the road or playing at home against a bad road team, you're able to pull out the four point victory.

[Dan Bernstein]

How about the catch by Colston Loveland? On 3rd and 10 the Bears started at their own 9. There was the Theo Benedict holding Call that they did a very, very nice job of uncalling.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

Then it was the missed throw to Roma Dunes A where he had him open. He, he, he might have been able to make a spectacular catch, but it was more an overthrow than it was a drop on a day of drops. And it was then Williams with that patented spin, although Justin Fields said the same kind of spin, it really is that both of them are particularly good at that. And as he raced to his left, made a pass you're not taught to throw and that is across your body. A right handed quarterback running left to the middle of the field. And Colston Loveland made a remarkable fingertip catch. And especially coming on the heels of the missed connection before that was, then it was sandwiched between two drops because the next one Zacchaeus dropped and that's what set up the 29 yard scramble, the longest run that Caleb Williams has had as a Bear. So that was, it was Loveland that kept that alive with a terrific play.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, and I see a few, few people have mentioned in the, in the chat, in the messages about Noah Sewell and as you highlighted and pointed out, Noah Sewell having a rough game, you know, he, we highlighted him a few times early on when he, when he wasn't, wasn't needed to play more. And I think we're seeing the impact of having more time on the field kind of taking away from his effectiveness and utilization that, that Dennis Allen can have for him. So like you said, if you need to club that up and get that all taped, that broken hand as soon as possible, that would probably be helpful because the Bears really did Ms. T.J. edwards today.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, it was. And even before the breakaway where he, where Sewell missed that tackle, I thought there were a couple times that he struggled, that he was, his eyes were easily getting fooled and there was a completion that was made over him when he didn't have his zone dropped deep enough in what looked like a two deep, essentially a cover two where he was the buzz guy moving back and just didn't get enough depth in that drop. But to make, to make sense of this, you know, last week I believe I said it signifies nothing at some point. I think the aggregation of these kinds of wins over overmatched teams and having to come back to do it in games, it looks like you deserve to lose at some point. The larger story is it has to be a desire, it has to be an understanding that we're not out of it until that clock shows zeros and maybe they don't see the benefits of it this year. I think if I can distill any larger meaning for the Bears being 6 and 3 and how they've gotten to 6 and 3, it would be the seeds of belief in your coach. And I think he's. He's got a little bit of a thumb to point today on some of this. It wouldn't be so bad if he stood up in front and said, say, hey, Caleb bailed me out today. There were a lot of you guys in a lot. And the blocking by Cole Comet on the. On the Williams scramble touchdown. A lot of you guys kind of bailed me out today. I think that would go a long way because he is pouring a foundation for his players to believe in their chances even when it looks bleak. I can't quantify the value of that, but I can't ignore it either.

[Matt Abaticola]

Correct. And as. As you just pointed out with Cole Comet and what our listener here is, Fred, big props to Comet. Yeah, he did have some really big blocks today. Thanks for bringing that up because I would have forgot to mention his blocking, which was exceptional. Lined up as a fullback at one play. Made some exceptional block out of the backfield as the tight end as well. So really good. And we've seen Ben Johnson take blame at times, you know, and sometimes I think we've discovered and kind of learned that he's doing it to cover up for players or kind of take away a little bit of the focus. And I think. I think he will say, hey, I just didn't call a good game, or I need to do better at this. And remember, he's still learning, too. He's still learning, too, but it's just. It's amazing how he's learning on the job and still being so impactful and in what the Bears are able to do in his first season ahead. Coach, real quick, before I forget, I want to just run through these scores because we talk about the blob of. Of the NFL.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's so funny. I was. I was just calling up the NFL scoreboard as you were talking because I was going to point out that their opponent next week, the Vikings, has Now dropped to 4 and 5. And if I saw that Jonathan Grinard left this game and I do not know if he returned, but that is something to watch going into next week.

[Matt Abaticola]

The Texans beat the Jaguars 36 29. A fun game this morning. Colts and Falcons in Berlin. The Colts with the win in overtime. 3,125. Jonathan Taylor went off. Dude, we were driving back from Michigan and I was listening to the game on Sirius and Oliver Wilson and who was it? Arbuckle. Who. Who's he with? God darn it. I don't know if it's Charles. Gosh, I can't remember who it was.

[Dan Bernstein]

But Oliver Wilson, I only go too deep in Arbuckles. I've got Fatty Arbuckle and I've got John Arbuckle from Garfield.

[Matt Abaticola]

I think look up who it was. Former. He was a coach. He played the NFL. I think he was a tight end, maybe in the NFL. But man, what a really. Oliver Wilson is such a. Westwood One. Just a really enjoyable call. I mean, the British accent, it just. It's so fun to hear American football with a really heavy British accent and just the, the different terminology. And he talked about Jonathan Taylor tying Edgar and James for touchdowns for the Colts. And he says he leveled up. You know, it's just the different, the different use of the phrases. It was really interesting and a fun list. And of course, Bears get the win over the Giants. The Dolphins, Dan, beat the Bills 30 to 13. And the Bills didn't score till the fourth quarter. There was about eight minutes to go in the game before they got their first points on the board. So 30 to 13, the Bills lose. Ravens down. The Vikings, like you mentioned, 27 19. It was the jets over the Browns 27 to 20. So another win there for Aaron Glenn and the Jets. Patriots over the Buccaneers 28 23.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, they're good.

[Matt Abaticola]

The Saints down the Panthers 17 2, 7. And early on in the second games, the Lions have a seven nothing lead over the Commanders. The Rams 70 on the 49ers and the Seahawks up two touchdowns early on. The Cardinals 14 to 0. Take a quick look here at the standings, Dan. As it goes right now, the Lions do have the lead early in that game, but at 6 and 3, if the Lions were to lose and the packers were to lose tomorrow, Dan, that would put the Chicago Bears in first place in the NFC North.

[Dan Bernstein]

All alone atop the NFC North. I'm sorry for laughing, but what this team is putting us through this year is quite something. It really is. It's. They're. They're making it worth our time on Sundays. I'll say that. They are absolutely making this. And for a game that, once again, for one of the standards that we set on forward progress from the beginning of the season, for the first time we. We did a post game was make it look like something other than a Bears game. And it sure did for a while. It sure looked a whole lot like A Bears game and I didn't like the play calling. It was. And oh boy, bear weather. This was about to be a repudiation of what we know about bear weather.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I'm kidding because we know it doesn't actually exist. It exists. It just doesn't help the Bears. I was very concerned that this was going to be an epic drop game and it probably was. Is there a website? Does anyone. I'm sure the gamblers might know. Is there a site that actually has a list of the. The dropped passes by a team in real time? I counted seven.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, that's what a couple listeners have pointed out. There were seven drops.

[Dan Bernstein]

I could be wrong though, depending on how some are and if I don't know if there's an official in an official score that actually will rule whether or not it constitutes a drop and how catchable it is and how they decide that like a baseball score ruling an error. But I counted seven. And if you, if you're telling me that you can win a game on a day where you're. Where one team drops seven passes, that gets back to what you said about the three penalties. You better be buttoned up elsewhere.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, you have to. You have to. That's the only. You know, it's a formula. There's that. That you can come back and win a game when you're not playing. Your best is to not shoot yourself in the foot with penalties. Now, yeah, you have some drop passes at all different aspects of the. Of the roster, but if you're, if you're not playing really stupid football, you can overcome those mistakes by not hurting yourself with extra penalties.

[Dan Bernstein]

The Bears win 24 to 20. Let's look at some of the totals.

[Matt Abaticola]

It was just pulling up.

[Dan Bernstein]

Caleb Williams finished 20 of 36, 220 yards, a passing touchdown and no interceptions. DeAndre Swift rushed 13 times for 80 yards with a long of 25. Caleb Williams 63 yards rushing, almost all of them the fourth quarter on eight attempts with a touchdown and that long of 29. Kyle Nungai rushed seven times for 28 yards in a workmanlike complimentary performance from him. Roma Dunze targeted 10 times. James Odunze. Are you paying attention? James? Attention James O'Dunze.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, who say that he got those targets because of him?

[Dan Bernstein]

Now your son was targeted 10 times. He caught six. He had 86 yards and a touchdown with a long at 27. Colston Loveland caught all four of his targets for 55 yards. Luther Burden caught all three of his for 51 yards. DeAndre Swift targeted eight, eight times and he caught five for 18 yards. Lama Day Zakus, four targets, one catch, five yards. Cole commit, two targets, one catch. D.J. moore, four targets, no catches.

[Matt Abaticola]

You know, we talked about it early in the year because Ben Johnson brought it up about body language and specifically talking about DJ Moore and the body language and doesn't want that. And, you know, I think you correctly called out Ben Johnson at times for his body language on the sideline. Is, is this, is this a game where he talks to Caleb Williams about his body language?

[Dan Bernstein]

I think so. Especially after the Zacchaeus end zone drop.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

He had a little bit of a Carlos Zambrano reaction to that. And that's a no good. Yeah, no, thank you.

[Matt Abaticola]

You can't do that when you, when you miss passes yourself as often as you do as the quarterback. You can't. I know you're the leader, you're the quarterback, but, dude, you can't hang your head and put your head back and look up at the sky and be so dramatic about a drop when you're not. When you're not throwing good balls every time either.

[Dan Bernstein]

I get it.

[Matt Abaticola]

I get being frustrated, but your coach can't call that out and then have you do that as the quarterback either.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm glad you brought that up as I think that's. It's not a huge deal. I mean, it's not a huge deal, but it is. That might be, hey, kid, don't be that guy because you got too much going on here. And I think it'll be especially. It'll be better received after a win once again than it would after a loss. After a loss, it might look like piling on, depending on how it's delivered. But I think in this case to say, great job, memorable rally, outstanding last two drives, but, you know, that could have been better. I would have no problem if you pointed I pointed that out. I would expect it, in fact.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, probably. Yeah. I just don't know if we'll hear about it or if that's something they do want to one off, but I get it. I get being frustrated. But, you know, you make sure that you're throwing good passes every time. The one, the one drop that Dunes they had just off his fingertips, is that. Is that pass just a little too far? Yes, that's all that was. Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

You got to hit him even if he's got to stop for a second. He had a ton of separation there. That is not one where. And I did think he could have laid out for it too okay. He could have left his.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, that's what I was wondering. I didn't know if it was. It. What. Combination of both guys.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Wasn't quite there. The. Maybe a little. Little better effort for it.

[Dan Bernstein]

I. I would say. I wouldn't say 50. 50. It's skewed more to the passer than the receiver, but the receiver could have done a better job with effort to bail out the passer.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And look at the. The line for C.J. gardner Johnson. Nine total tackles, seven solo, two sacks, two for loss, force the fumble, two QB hits. I mean, it's just. What, what, what a exceptional game for CJ GJ in game number two with the Chicago Bears. He's been here just over a week now.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I know it's a good problem to have, but it's going to be awfully hard to take him off the field when Kyler Gordon comes back. But it's. You don't have a position for him.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, because. Yeah. I mean, he. He wants to play interior. He wants to.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's not a boundary corner quarterback.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, no, for sure.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's not a safety. He's not a boundary corner. And then the question arises, would you be willing to play Gordon on the outside? Is he good enough to keep Gordon out of his primary position? The answer's probably not. And that you probably look at this as found money, that this is just gravy and a feather in the cap of your pro scouting department and your coaches and your personnel people being on the same page. But, I mean, even if right now he just vanished, what a positive CJ Gardner Johnson has been.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. I don't think you can't. You can't replace the. The position of. Of Kyler Gordon with him. But, you know, it's football, too, and it's. It's really hard to take productive guys off the field. I mean, when he's having such impactful plays. I mean, those. Those are significant, impactful plays. Forcing fumbles, getting to the quarterback, and a team that doesn't really sack the quarterback all that much. It's hard. It's going to be hard to take him off the field, though.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, this is why I'm trying to figure out what to do if I want more plays out of Luther Burden and I want Devin Duvernay to figure out what's going on. If Burden is the backup to Duvernay. If you're playing Burden more, that would be a reason to not play him in the return game. So that also is a bit of a catch 22.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

You don't want to over expose him in that regard. And maybe you take this for Zacchaeus and you take the whole idea of this. However many drops, whether it's six or seven or eight, as, as high variance, they're never going to drop this many passes again. Maybe it's the cold, maybe it's the wind, maybe it's the something about the football, whatever it is. I don't think for, for better or for worse, that's. That is anything that's going to repeat itself necessarily.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And one of our listeners can Caleb play the way he plays in crunch time of the fourth quarter for the whole game. We talked about that early on in this show. That I don't know what it is. I don't know if it's the focus or just the I need to do more and be less of a team guy and just kind of do what I can do to make things happen. If he needs to develop that mentality earlier in a game or in different situations, I'm not sure. And you know, some people just react differently and like. And you know, Ben Johnson's talked about it, that it just, everything slows down for him when the pressure's on. And you just, you can't recreate that or make that happen in your brain like on your own.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think part of it might just be the fact that he knows he's going to throw it, throw it or run it. It may just be that this. He's not handing it to someone. It's not an rpo, it's not an option read. He knows for sure that he's either chucking it down the field or he's taken off and running or he's taken off and running to start and then chucking it down the field.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Maybe, maybe it is. Maybe that sharpens his focus. But I'm guessing, yeah, I don't know.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, that's good. And you know, maybe Ben can incorporate some plays throughout the game that it's just, hey, there is no other option here. You're either throwing it or running it or run to throw and see what happens and develops on it. But, you know, I think, I think we saw that play out a lot today in what Jackson Dart was doing, what Brian Davel wanted to do with him, that those were a lot of deliberate quarterback run plays, a lot of, a lot of college stuff, as you pointed out, and that that's. You can't sustain that. That is not, it's not sustainable. And it clearly showed here in this game he gets hit by cj, GJ and ends up coming out of the game eventually. And then you bring in, you know, Russell Wilson who clearly looks like he's not, he's not able to play the quarterback position in this league anymore. You know, at one point in the, it might have been late third or early fourth. I think his passer rating, Caleb Williams was like in the 60s, he finished at 83 as a passer rating. So when it looked like it was just one of these games that they weren't going to be able to, to really dig themselves out of the hole they created by not being in a good rhythm. Good rhythm. Offensively he was able to step up, make some plays and finished with a, with a. With decent numbers for where this game really went to the first three quarters.

[Dan Bernstein]

Ben Johnson is meeting the media as we speak. He just said these guys are finding a way to fight until the end and win these games. He also added, there's growth each and every week right now. We'll be playing our best football in December.

[Matt Abaticola]

In December. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, they did say they were going to clean up the penalties and this is the first time we have seen evidence of that.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, it's been a couple of weeks now of looking better penalty wise since it was on the team and it was to see something, say something mentality and it was on the leaders and you know, go talk to them because I'm done. We've done all we could, you know, the leaders or the coaches, myself. We've done everything we can. It's on these guys now. It's on the leaders to, to straighten this out and that's had an impact the last couple of weeks.

[Dan Bernstein]

I want to go back to your point about what seems obvious here, that when things start to get a little crazy, Caleb Williams gets better, that when everybody else's heart rate goes up, his seems to slow down. And you'd much rather have that than the opposite. For a young quarterback and in his first year in this system with this coach, I don't necessarily think they have to work too hard to figure out the whys on this one. And this isn't really a puzzle to be solved at this point. I think you appreciate that and I don't think it means that you run more, no huddle early. I don't think it means you speed anything up. I think you continue to do what you're doing because early in the season he was fine on the scripted place and overall the offense has been better and more productive and more explosive. And I don't want them to try to overthink this and try to work too hard. If the coaches when, when they have a little bit of time can say, hey, maybe a series here, a series there. If we get opposing personnel we like, let's go tempo and let's let him do some of this stuff. But I just think you appreciate it more than try to work too hard to replicate it.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. No, I agree. I see what you're saying there and I can appreciate that. Looking up at the current scoreboard right now to the Seattle Seahawks. Dan have jumped up to a 27. 0 lead on the Cardinals in the second quarter. They're up 27 0. It's just. Man at Cardinals. That's a, that's a, that's a tough looking organization.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. This especially after it appears more likely.

[Matt Abaticola]

Didn't they. Didn't they. It appears more Cowboys last week.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. And they did it with Jacoby Brissette looking much more in command of their offense than Kyler Murray. And rumors coming out of there that they're when with the contract decision they have to make on Murray that they were leaning against that. And maybe this is independent of that, regardless of what Jacoby Brissette does. But the real issue is how good Seattle is. Yeah, that. That's, that's no joke.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, that's a, that's a real deal. Defense too.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yep. Some more quotes coming out from the Bears locker room. Colston Loveland saying, I presume. Tongue in cheek. Never a doubt. He said, we got the whole quarter left to go make something happen. We went out there and did it. CJ Gardner Johnson has the microphones in front of him and he said, I love winning. I guess these guys love winning. It's a great feeling and we're all happy.

[Matt Abaticola]

Cool.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm with it. The Bears with win number six.

[Matt Abaticola]

Have.

[Dan Bernstein]

Topped last year's total. That's no small thing.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

It is. It isn't even Thanksgiving yet. The Bears are six and three.

[Matt Abaticola]

Eight games to go. Eight games to go. We have the Minnesota Vikings up next in Minnesota going to be the revenge game for the Bears for that week one loss that they probably shouldn't have had at home.

[Dan Bernstein]

I. I wish I could quantify their belief in themselves and their belief in their quarterback, but you'll love to see this. Even if they're beating teams that are and they're beating a bunch of horseshit quarterbacks, the fact that they think they're good might be more important than whether or not I think they're good or whether you Think they're good?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. No, I mean this, this whole idea of building confidence, it. There, there, there is something to that mentally and being able to appreciate that, hey, the execution of plays, when we execute them properly, we can, we can do some positive things. And just that repetition of being able to build in more plays that Ben Johnson wants to run and to be successful and win games, it's just, it's going to go a long way in what we hope to see is a very successful era of Ben Johnson football here for the Chicago Bears.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I had this text come in. We always talk about the blob and we mention it sort of from a physics perspective about the size of the blob itself. And can you escape the gravity of the blob? Do you sink to the molten core of the blob? And it was put this way by a friend of mine. It's a positive blob ions year last year. Negative blob ions. Does that mean that the movement of the electrons gives them more energy? Is that. What are we going to start talking about, valence shells? Because I took three years of chemistry between high school and college, but I was bad at valence. Valence shells and electron affinity. But I'm willing to take it under advisement, you know.

[Matt Abaticola]

And the Bears, with each win, we're getting closer to their point point differential. Bears are at negative eight right now. They're getting close to that positive mark. We're getting there, working our way slowly towards it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, you know, one game kind of skewed that, I think.

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't know. Lions game, maybe.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, maybe you're still digging yourself out from that one.

[Matt Abaticola]

That Lions motorboating. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And the Lions have just scored another touchdown as Amanra St. Brown has crossed in to make it 13 to 3 with an extra point pending one of.

[Matt Abaticola]

The top 10 saints of all time.

[Dan Bernstein]

Which one?

[Matt Abaticola]

The Lions wide receiver. I'm on Ross St. Brown. Remember he was in the committee's top 10 list.

[Dan Bernstein]

He was on the top 10 of all the Saints.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

I thought he was. Was honorable mention.

[Matt Abaticola]

Or maybe he was.

[Dan Bernstein]

I thought he was honorable.

[Matt Abaticola]

That was so long ago.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, I know.

[Matt Abaticola]

That was when the Bears weren't good. Yeah, we.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm not sure they are. I'm really not sure they are.

[Matt Abaticola]

I know this. Today though, they were better than the Giants and that's all that matters. Yeah. And every Sunday they have one team they have to be better than. And today it was the Giants and they ended up being better than the Giants.

[Dan Bernstein]

I also Think that Ben Johnson won a game where he wasn't all that good. I think going back, if he, whatever their game plan was against a terrible rushing defense, to not trust, to pound away with the run game, to set up play action, to just set up the screen game, little delay stuff, I thought this was, was an easy game plan and they thought otherwise. And maybe they just thought that they'd hit him on a couple big ones early and to be, you know, truth be told, with some of those drops, maybe he would have ended up right. Maybe this thing's a blowout without the drops.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. I mean, if you counted seven and you had two and two. Two. Is it in the end zone? Two that were dropped in the end zone. Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

Maybe it's a blowout without the drops and maybe if you, then you've got a rookie quarterback who is, who has to throw the ball, who isn't able to run all the stuff that the little trap plays and guard lead and all the things that they were blocking. Maybe his game plan was more right than I care to admit, and I'm just using outcome bias, but maybe they saw something and that was the plan. Had those passes not all been dropped and this thing could have been a laugher. But that's the way this game goes sometimes. And I want to avoid creating outcome based narratives because I'm, I'll tell you everything I wrote down. And it was. I wrote down the Bears lost this game because of bad defense, too many drops, and a lack of commitment to the run. I had written that down when I thought the Bears were going to lose.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And they didn't. I like this comment here. Blob from Niles. This is a really, this is a really good, a really good comment too, Dan. And both of us need to be, to be putting time out for this. Oh, Giant pile of salt. That's a big miss.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, that's very. And, and it was a huge miss. We see. We'll, we'll address this at some point. I don't know if we would do it on DBU or forward progress, but we, we absolutely need to address this. Somebody else really tagged me too for not putting the Cardiff Giant on there. The great hoax of the Cardiff Giant. Oh, yeah, my bad.

[Matt Abaticola]

That came an email, I think.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, my bad. And the problem is like the misses that we may have had with the Vikings or the Lions or eventually we do the packers. We can make up for those.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Because we have a second game coming. We can't make up there. There is no second Giants game. All I can do. And when we did the Bears on the bye week, the fact that I forgot the Conan o' Brien show, Masturbating Bear. I'm still kicking myself over that one.

[Matt Abaticola]

You should.

[Dan Bernstein]

At least I'm kicking myself over it. There could be other things I'd be doing to myself over it. There would be perhaps more on theme. I'm not.

[Matt Abaticola]

It is.

[Dan Bernstein]

It would be kicking that I would be doing on that. But yes, I obviously appreciate when all of that feedback comes in on ones that we missed.

[Matt Abaticola]

But. All right, the lions are up 14 to 3 right now, Rams 14 nothing on the Niners and the Seahawks 28 to 0 on the Cardinals. So those are the late games here. Then what's tonight? Tonight we have Steelers at Chargers and then Monday Night Football is the Eagles at Green Bay, where if the, if the Lions somehow lose this game and the packers find a way to lose tomorrow to Philadelphia, the Bears could find themselves on top of the NFC North, Dan. And maybe they'll never give it back.

[Dan Bernstein]

We're gonna have so much to talk about, too, especially with the information about the Emanuel Classe indictment and everything that is going down with this latest gambling issue now in mlb. We're going to talk about that on dbu. I watched a bunch of college games yesterday, certainly with the Heisman in mind. We're going talk about all that, too. There is, there is a ton going and I'm going to be. I'm headed to Bull spurs tomorrow night. I want to see Wemby in person. I want to, I want to stand on the floor close enough to Victor Wembanyama to actually get to climb inside his pocket to get, to get a sense for what this, this phenomenon is and what it looks like. But man, are we going to be busy with Bear stuff not just tomorrow, but how this, how a 6 and 3 record right now changes everything. This is setting up to be more than just in the hunt.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, yeah, no, for sure. I mean, they're, you're. I mean, if you're on top of this division, I mean, just think about it. It's a possibility. Now the Lions are looking good here early, but still a lot of football to go. But the Bears have a chance to be on top of their division in Week 10 of the NFL. One other thing too I want to get into this week. We will in the shows is the second version of the College Football Playoff will come out Tuesday. The bracket will be out Tuesday. So I want to get into that during DBU on Wednesday. Thursday we have a special guest for Forward progress lined up. Tim Jenkins will join us.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh sweet.

[Matt Abaticola]

Talk a little football. And then we will line up a Minnesota Vikings guest for Friday. So we'll get some some guests coming in to talk football as as we do throughout the the week and upcoming opponents.

[Dan Bernstein]

Fantastic. That's going to do it for this edition of Forward Progress Bears Post game. Thanks for everybody in the chat. Thanks for checking in and we're here for you. This is fun stuff and I love the community that's building here in what we're doing for post games. So I can't wait tomorrow. I can't wait to hear your review of Beer Church Brewing. I know you what you have two meals there in the last two days.

[Matt Abaticola]

Had two meals and that was planned. We talked about going twice because I wanted to try different portions of the menu, but I ended up doing something the second day. I didn't, I didn't quite plan on doing. But we'll get into it in full detail and keep in mind, I'm just going to give you a little preview. It was less than three months ago. I was in Naples, Italy and had pizza at one of the oldest pizzerias in the country of Italy. So I still have that taste and that memory very vivid on my palate of being in Naples, Italy and then having Neapolitan pizza this weekend.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's a high bar at Vulture Brewing. I look forward to hearing that comparison when we gather once again tomorrow. So like I say, I hope I'm wrong about that weather forecast, but believe me, I'm going to go find out. That's going to do it for us. The Bears come back in again in improbable fashion to defeat the Giants 24 to 20. And this has been Forward Progress, which comes to you via 312 Sports.

[Matt Abaticola]

Sam.