← Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast
Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast
Chicago Bears Playoff Push | Ben Johnson, Ozzie Trapillo & NFC North Race
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- [00:00]
A
Vrbo's last minute deals make chasing fresh.
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Mountain powder incredibly easy.
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With thousands of homes close to the slopes, you can get epic pow freshies, first tracks and more. Find last minute deals with the last minute filter on the app.
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Book a private vacation rental now@vrbo.com I mean, if you're a Bears fan, you're thinking Forward progress.
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A
Come on, 10.
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B
219. 219Forward progress. A Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.
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A
It's Bears packers week and with the bears holding that 104 record, we actually have playoff permutations to discuss. It's the first time we actually have a flowchart with outcomes that can get the Bears in into the playoffs.
- [00:59]
B
That is correct, Dan. With the Bears win on Saturday night and a Detroit loss or a Detroit.
- [01:05]
A
Tie, the Bears are in and. Or if the Bears tie the packers and Detroit loses to the Steelers, the Bears are in.
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B
We don't want to tie that. We want to win.
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A
Beat the packers ties better than a loss though.
- [01:24]
B
It sure is. Dan. That's a great point by you.
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A
See, that's. That's why you have me here.
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B
Because a tie is not a loss.
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A
Correct?
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C
Right.
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A
Correct.
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B
Is there an NFL team with two ties in a season?
- [01:35]
A
That's a great question.
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B
Recent history.
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A
I. Not only do I not know the answer, I am not that interested in trying to find out.
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B
So you don't care? No, I don't either.
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A
Okay, good.
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B
You might know a lot of things.
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A
That could be tabled until the next meeting.
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B
Yes, Yes.
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A
I do not know.
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B
Tables.
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A
There you go. Done. But the Bears have an opportunity here if things work to squeeze their way in. I think a win over the packers will. Will pave the way one way or another. And it's here. It's packers week. Welcome to it all. Building toward a Saturday night. Live from Chicago. It's Saturday night.
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B
Yeah, I can't wait, man. I'm very excited about it. You have, you know, the collision of holiday get togethers and holiday festivities. Whatever plans you had maybe have been changed or altered now because of Bears Packers.
- [02:26]
A
Well, the plans I'm worried about are those of the Bears themselves more than anything else. And what this means for Luther Burden's ankle, what it means for Roma Dunes foot. And I am worried with the lack of information on both counts that neither one is real good. And frankly, Burden is almost more important right now. You can put him out there at the speed guy. I don't want to push Roma Dunze into action when things could get worse. At the moment they say he doesn't need surgery. My bet is at the end of the season he'll have some kind of procedure and he's just dealing with the pain of it right now. If they don't feel it can get worse. It seems the decision to make is let him go with how he feels day to day, game to game. Or you just shut him down and you do whatever you have to do right now.
- [03:14]
B
Well, let's do this instead of talking about it. Let's hear from the Bears head coach who met with the media. He talked about Luther Burden and Roma Dunes A. We'll listen to what he said about Luther.
- [03:24]
A
First, Ben on the the 40 yard reception to Luther Burden in the middle of the field. Is that by design or does Luther sit there and Caleb just finds him and then a follow up. Is there any update on Luther's Luther's ankle today?
- [03:36]
C
That was, that was by design. That was a good find by press Taylor. We felt like going into the week that that that one could pop based on some of their, their zone coverages and sure enough it did. So good throw by Caleb. He was anticipating that one. Luther had a good run after catch, made it a big play for us. Yeah, his ankles is something where we're still working through and talking about. We'll see how this week goes in terms of whether we'll have him available for Saturday night or not. But it's more of a day by day type deal with him.
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B
So here's what I think. I think Luther Burden is not going to play Saturday.
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A
Why?
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B
Just from hearing what Ben Johnson said there. I just, to me, I just I heard he's not going to play.
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A
I don't necessarily concur.
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B
I know I don't.
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A
I think that could just as easily be knowing he there he's going to be all right. The prognosis is good. They're going to wrap it and he'll play. And he just wants to make it as difficult as possible to plan for anything.
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B
And I hope you're right. I hope I'm wrong. I hope he does play, obviously.
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A
But I also, I'm not predicting he's going to play.
- [04:49]
B
I know, I know, I know. But I also have having listened to Ben Johnson and listened to everything he says over the last 17 weeks, to me I just hear him saying that he's because he can't help but tell the truth.
- [05:02]
A
You've been pretty good at it. I will say that your interpretation, your ability to translate Ben Johnson's developing Coach speak and relationship with Coach Speak. I think you've had a pretty good sense, a pretty good compass on that.
- [05:18]
B
So I really hope I'm wrong. I hope I'm wrong. I hope that he does play, obviously, but I think if you're going to ask me right now, I don't think he plays. And then he was asked about Roma Dunes also. And with Roma Dunes, I know you've said yesterday you didn't have any update initially update on him, but also he told us in October that the foot heel wasn't a simple fix. If. Is there any thought to maybe shutting him down for a little bit to get him healthy or where do things stand with him right now?
- [05:41]
C
Yeah, all options are on the table. We're going to do what's best for. For Rome, first and foremost. I know he. He wants to be out there and helping. You know, he. It's hard to tell him no sometimes. He just. He just wants to be out on the field competing and contributing and helping our team win. And so, you know, there may be a case that we got to protect him from himself a little bit just to make sure we. We get him right and he'll be able to help us down the road.
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B
So protect Rome from himself. And did we realize that this was something happening way back in October? No. Right. That was kind of new, wasn't it?
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A
And then we have to ask, when did it happen? When did they know about it? What was the initial prognosis and what advice did he get about making it worse potentially? I'd love to know all this. And this is the kind of thing that comes out after the season, after the procedures are done, and then you find out the truth on all of these things. We will not find out during the season. Can I go back real quick for a moment and just point out that Ben Johnson, when asked about the play of finding burden in zone, he said, that was a good find by Press Taylor. Yeah, that's really cool. That's great for a head coach to credit someone on his staff publicly.
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B
He does that a lot.
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A
I know, but that's how you talk about relationship building and you talk about that's a guy people want to work for. He put his name out there so people like us can notice it and say, all right, who's Press Taylor? As you should know, he is the passing game coordinator of the Bears and that means different things on different teams. But it's a nice title to have. He was the offensive coordinator of the Jaguars and it appears to be another valued offensive Mind that Ben Johnson likes to have around and to say, hey, yeah, you asked about that play. To immediately want to give credit to someone other than you is. Is just really. It's just really cool. I love that.
- [07:49]
B
Yeah, no, it was very cool. And again, something that he's. He's done a lot to mention the. All the. All the guys on his staff, whenever a specific area comes up, he's got no hesitation to mention them by name. Looking at Roman dunes a to October games. So that was October 13th against Washington.
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A
Oh, is that when he hit his. His slow streak?
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B
Here's what we're looking at. So looking at two receptions on five targets against the Commanders. Okay. Against the Saints, he had two catches on six targets. Now, remember, there was that hubba blue from his father. And going into the Ravens game where he had 10 targets and seven catches. Then after that, the production goes from zero catches on three targets against the Bengals, in a game where the Bears scored 47 points, he had three targets and zero catches.
- [08:43]
A
Hmm. Okay.
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B
Then the Giants game, he had six catches on 10 targets. And then he goes to two catches on six targets against Minnesota, three and nine against Pittsburgh, two and six against Philly. So if this is something that started bothering him because he talked to the media about his heel, Right. And the issue back in October, at what point did it happen? Because he had one of his, statistically speaking, one of his better games against Baltimore.
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A
And we know this is the same injury as the heel.
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B
We don't know. But that was the question that was asked. The question was asked about. He told us about his heel.
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A
Right.
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B
In October.
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A
That's a statement.
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B
And we know that there's a stress fracture that he's dealing with.
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A
Right.
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B
So I don't know if the heel and the stress fracture are the same thing. Just assuming they are. Maybe they're not. Maybe there's. Maybe the heel issue caused the stress fracture. We just don't know.
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A
Sometimes stress fractures are hard to diagnose, and that, to be fair, that there is some gray area in here, sometimes the imaging changes, and sometimes you may be getting a situation where there had been a stress fracture. They didn't know exactly what it was. They were treating the pain and treating what was going on symptomatically. And it's only later that it emerges exactly what's causing it. That does happen.
- [10:01]
B
It could have, you know, heel pain. I'm having this heel pain. I'm dealing with his heel pain.
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A
So they treat either way. The bottom line is when he says anything is on the Table. That means yes, we could shut him down.
- [10:09]
B
Yeah.
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A
Could be done for the year.
- [10:11]
B
Could be done for the year. Okay, well, now he could play on Saturday. But when he also said we need to protect Rome from himself, that to me that made me think, well, when should he have not played that he did play.
- [10:23]
A
When did you learn he could hurt himself more.
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B
I just wonder if there's one of these games here. Looking at his game log, if there was a game that maybe he should have sat or have been sitting sooner.
- [10:34]
A
That's too hard to do.
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B
I know it is. But to protect Rome from himself.
- [10:38]
A
Yeah. You don't want to get into that game because just sometimes you got to just listen to the patient and you've just got to say, how bad's the pain? You've got to trust your imaging and trust your doctors to say, hey, if you can play through it, it's not going to get any worse. And it could be protect him from himself just because of how he's performing sometimes. I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine. And the coach is like, no, you're.
- [11:00]
B
Not, because you're not producing like we need you to.
- [11:03]
A
Right. And you get some tough guys out there where you say, I'd rather have 100% of your replacement than 60% of you.
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C
Right.
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A
Nothing against you, but he also at the X receiver has less Usually in most offenses, I can't speak for this offense, but generally it's less complicated. A route tree when you're the split end, then it's a lot of go routes. There's a lot of deep stuff. There's some deep digs, but it's. It's a lot more linear, let's say that than it is for the Z receiver.
- [11:39]
B
So just taking a look at the old depth chart here. Alamina Zakias and Jeda Walker, possibility of being your two starting wide receivers this weekend.
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A
That's trouble.
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C
That.
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A
Well, you still have probably the well.
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B
And DJ Moore obviously.
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A
Yeah. But you've got your most dangerous target that is developing to be that in Colston Loveland.
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B
Right.
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A
He's really good.
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B
So you probably.
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A
If.
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B
If these guys are both out. Your starters are DJ Moore and Zacchaeus with Walker, who was Walker inactive last week or out with injury last week?
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A
I will tell you Walker was inactive.
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B
Inactive.
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A
Okay.
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B
Yep. And has he been on the field at all this year in a game?
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A
I believe so.
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B
Okay.
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A
But I will, that, that I will check for you because he did have a.
- [12:37]
B
He did have a memorable preseason, if I remember. Correctly.
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A
Let's see. Yeah, I don't if I'm already. Yeah, he's played in six games but zero targets though he has been a special teams player and he has made a total of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 tackles.
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B
Okay.
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A
No, no, maybe that's. Total of three tackles. I believe three.
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B
But I'm seeing zero targets here though.
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A
Three tackles, all assisted. Six games. Zero. Yes, all zeros except for assisted tackles and combined tackles that include the assisted tackles.
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C
Okay.
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A
So that's it.
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C
Yeah.
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B
So we'll see how this continues to develop with both these guys.
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A
Well, it might be a lot of 12 personnel, but like we were talking.
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B
So D.J. moore had a nice game, had two catches. He became more the primary receiver obviously going into this week. I would imagine the focus in the game plan is as DJ Moore as the primary wide receiver, which I'm fine with that. If he wants to show up and run his routes and catch those balls in spectacular fashion like he did, that's fine. And I think what we were discussing earlier too, and maybe this was even off one off the shows. I'm not even sure. Of course I don't want Burden or Rome out, but I would feel worse having Loveland or Comet out with what they do in the run game. Loveland in the past game as well too.
- [14:11]
A
Yes, tight ends matter more because of the multiplicity of deployment. Yeah, I agree with that. But Burden and a dunes a kind of put you behind as asking a lot of Zacchaeus who's dropped a lot of passes.
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B
Oh, and then I forgot DuVernay. Yeah, mentioned DuVernay who's had two big first down catches in the last couple of weeks.
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A
Still not great. And let me see who's on the practice squad who might be elevated at the moment.
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B
Yeah, I couldn't remember off the top my head wide receivers.
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A
It is JP Richardson and Maurice Alexander. Okay. On that roster at the moment.
- [14:55]
B
So then they probably, if they if needed are elevated for special teams.
- [14:59]
A
Yeah, we would find that out relatively soon, I think. JP Richardson, a wide receiver out of TCU 511192 who was signed as a free agent in April, waived on the day this show. Deb. No, that was. Yeah. August 25th waved and then was added to the practice squad and has been on the practice squad ever since. I've not heard much but he is number 83.
- [15:27]
B
83.
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A
So that would be a possibility. And the other is Maurice Alexander who is 511173 who has been on and off of Detroit's bottom of the Roster and then to Chicago. That looks like a Ben Johnson guy who he wanted around, familiar with the schem set up.
- [15:48]
B
Yeah.
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A
Out of Florida International, a 28 year old.
- [15:51]
B
So, you know, let me ask you a question here, Mr. Bernstein.
- [15:55]
A
Yes.
- [15:56]
B
The Bears were very deliberate in guys they brought in who they had familiarity with, whether it's CJ, GJ DeMarco Jackson, Nishan Wright, this wide receiver. Now as you mentioned, the guy who was on the Lions bottom of the roster. Can you recall of a time, another coaching regime that was deliberate in how they did that with bringing the extra guys in on the roster?
- [16:24]
A
A lot of them are good.
- [16:26]
B
Bears. Bears.
- [16:27]
A
I mean Bears.
- [16:28]
B
Yeah. I'm talking about. I don't give a shit about anybody else.
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A
Yeah. When Mike Martz wanted Brandon, Manu Malayuna.
- [16:33]
B
Okay, so that's Mike Martz. You're going back how many offensive coordinators?
- [16:36]
A
Well, I'm just off the top of my head.
- [16:37]
B
I know, I know. Yeah. I'm just saying.
- [16:38]
A
I'm just trying to remember people who brought in their guys.
- [16:41]
B
Like, I just. I have a hard time and maybe it's just my. My infatuation with Ben Johnson. He's very deliberate in everything he does. Like talking about. About Press Taylor. Press spotted that like they're very deliberate in what they're looking for to do in a specific game plan. Down to the point that. Looking for very specific defenses to go out and seek and hunt. Very deliberate in looking at guys to fill their roster that they have that they know.
- [17:09]
A
Yeah, he's smart. It's the same thing we were talking about of yesterday, of waiting. They put in a new form. They installed a formation in training camp and then waited until 15. Yeah. 14 weeks into the season to use it. That stuff. Who knows what's still in the playbook. Who knows what he installed.
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B
So is it just the PTSD of having bad coaching staffs that.
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A
Yeah. Yeah.
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B
Or is this something that's very common, you think practice among Matt Nagy, that that's the kind of way they went about their business? We just didn't see the success with it.
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A
Let's not forget who was. Was Neg Nagy's pet.
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B
Oh, yeah, right. Yeah.
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A
He had to have him.
- [17:52]
C
You know, that was.
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A
That was his quarterback. I get.
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B
But like a bottom of the roster guy, a practice squad guy. I'm sure there were other.
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A
You know, it's better than.
- [18:00]
B
I just want to find more ways to give Ben Johnson kudos.
- [18:03]
A
It is better than. What I remember the Wanset regime always did was if a Guy had a good game against the Bears, then they would go get him.
- [18:14]
B
It's like a baseball move.
- [18:16]
A
They'd be like, I remember that guy. Killed us. Go get that guy.
- [18:20]
B
Yeah. It's like he had six catches and five against your team with two touchdowns in his career.
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A
And you think he's good rather than you're bad.
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B
Right.
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A
Chris Penn, that receiver was a Carrie Cash.
- [18:32]
B
That's a good call.
- [18:33]
A
It always used to be. And I remember when the. It was the Bears were playing the Patriots in one of the preseason scrimmage training camp scrimmages, and they signed Kravon LeBlanc.
- [18:51]
B
Oh, I remember the name. Yeah.
- [18:52]
A
Remember Kravon LeBlanc?
- [18:54]
B
Yes.
- [18:54]
A
Because he was awesome. Against the Bears in those practices, the other team had more good players than you did. And they had a good player who they then released. You're like, get that guy because he's on a good team.
- [19:08]
B
Yeah. That's a total baseball move. And good, good catch on your part for coach.com.
- [19:13]
A
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, just that's. That's what you did. I. That guy blew us up. Let's go.
- [19:18]
B
I'm sure, Coach, all coaches, staff do it. I don't know, it just seems. Or maybe it's just that everything's really coming up really fortunate for the Bears with these moves. I mean, that. That CJ GJ move is just. It's paying dividends. You never could have expected. Yeah.
- [19:33]
A
I was ever watching a breakdown of his interception against Browns.
- [19:36]
B
Like the low bar was like, just don't be a dickhead and ruin the locker room.
- [19:40]
A
That's what we said. Yeah.
- [19:41]
B
That was it like just now. Not only that, but he's producing on the field. I mean, getting beat by a wide receiver on deep.
- [19:47]
A
But still, I think they're asking a.
- [19:49]
B
Little too much of him.
- [19:49]
A
Yeah. Quick note before we move on here as we're talking about injuries. The 21 day practice window yesterday. Right. When we finished taping.
- [19:57]
B
Yes.
- [19:57]
A
Was opened for Tremaine Edmonds and that means there's a possibility that he could return this week. Okay. I think it's unlikely because it usually is unlikely for somebody to pop right off the injured list and come back that initial week. Yeah. Right. Or off the so. But it is. It is possible.
- [20:16]
B
Okay.
- [20:16]
A
And of course, it comes at a time when DeMarco Jackson's playing as well as he is.
- [20:22]
B
It's a game ball.
- [20:22]
A
Yeah. And. But hey, always figure out where to, where to get them out there and use all these good players that you can it's good news that he is progressing from his injury.
- [20:32]
B
All right, more from Ben Johnson. One more on Caleb. I know the accuracy has been a talking point all year long, and it seemed like it was much better yesterday. Now that you reviewed the film. Other things that you noticed mechanically or just anything that. That was really working for Caleb yesterday.
- [20:48]
C
Yeah, he was comfortable. He did a great job, you know, and that's. It's a hard thing to do, is be comfortable when a pass rush is like that, you know. You know that there's a. Miles Garrett gets all the attention, but across the board, they do a great job collapsing that pocket. He has a lot of confidence in his protection unit up front. I thought those guys did a good job. We had a good plan, I thought. And work to execute it accordingly. So I know we gave up a few sacks, but I do. I always think it starts there when it comes to the quarterback, and just. He's got to have that confidence in the people out in front of him that he's going to have some time to work through his progression and. And he certainly looked that way. When you turn on the tape, you know, he's taking the drop. His eyes are in the right spot. I think he kind of. He was anticipating what coverages they were going to be in, and that was able to help him speed up his play and get through his progressions a little bit cleaner, too. So, yeah, I thought it was a good week for him, a step in the right direction. And, you know, I told him this afternoon, I said, whatever he ate for breakfast yesterday, we just need to keep doing that on game day from here on out.
- [21:54]
B
And he mentions Miles Garrett. You've seen the video. That chip block, when Loveland puts him on his. On his ass.
- [22:01]
A
There's that block, and there's the Jonah Jackson trap, the one that.
- [22:05]
B
Yeah. Ben Johnson talked about, where he erases the. Yes.
- [22:08]
A
There are techniques and I mean, you.
- [22:11]
B
Saw both videos, right? Because that. That one where he erases him.
- [22:13]
A
It's. It'll.
- [22:15]
B
It'll say he swallows him whole.
- [22:16]
A
It. If you like football, it'll make your dick hard.
- [22:23]
B
All right, then.
- [22:25]
A
Wow.
- [22:25]
B
Okay. It sure will. Thanks for letting me know. I'll be sure to stay over here when you're watching football videos.
- [22:33]
A
Yeah. Be careful. Don't get too close. I think you're in safe range over there. Well, let me. Let me get a yardstick and see.
- [22:40]
B
Yeah, well, you were using that rouge yet. Ready? So.
- [22:44]
A
Yeah.
- [22:49]
B
What are you doing, Dan? Got a date? No, no, no, no, no.
- [22:52]
A
Watching Film. Watching film. Watching film. Watching. Watching line play.
- [22:55]
B
Okay, here's. Ben was asked about Caleb and because Caleb talked about how excited he is to play Green Bay, like, he talked about it immediately after the Browns game, as did DeMarco Jackson, who talked about it in the locker room while receiving his game ball. I mean, they, they, they got, they turned that page. The Browns, immediately.
- [23:18]
A
Good.
- [23:18]
B
I'm glad. Great.
- [23:19]
A
I don't like. Me too.
- [23:20]
B
I'm glad because I turned it after the first quarter. When Caleb was asked yesterday whether he was looking forward to the rematch against the packers, he brought up the way the game ended and, you know, seemed to already be motivated by it as his coach. Is there a fine line between that motivating him and kind of him putting that in the past and, and moving forward with, with, you know, without really thinking about it?
- [23:45]
C
Oh, yeah. I mean, I, I think it's good. All of our guys, we were pretty quick. You know, I feel like after, after yesterday's game to start to turn the page already. We're looking forward to playing meaningful football here this late in December. I think that's a, That's a good thing for our football team. I think that's a good thing for the city. It's. It's really what we were all expecting going into the season. And so it's, It's a good thing to come to light just like it has, you know, I'm glad Caleb didn't like how the last one ended. None of us should. You know, no one likes to lose. And so the only way you can, you can shake that feeling is, is to look. To stack more victories. And so that's our intent.
- [24:25]
B
And let the record show, Pat Finley did ask if Ben found out what Caleb did eat for breakfast, and he didn't know at that point.
- [24:32]
A
Well, what do you hope it is?
- [24:38]
B
Wiener Circle hot dogs for breakfast? Yes.
- [24:42]
A
No, I picture like, that'd be the ideal answer. I picture a full English.
- [24:46]
B
Oh, really?
- [24:47]
A
Full English breakfast. Like with the baked beans and the black pudding. Everything. Which is why, let the record show I prefer the full Irish breakfast because that is, they don't have the baked beans, but it's the black pudding. White pudding, stewed tomatoes, fried mushrooms, eggs, potato, everything.
- [25:08]
B
Yeah.
- [25:08]
A
Oh, it's so good.
- [25:09]
B
It's good we had it. White Pudding is the best restaurant we were at. We ate it once in, In Dublin. Had a good. Had a good breakfast.
- [25:16]
A
The Shelburne.
- [25:17]
B
I can't remember where we were.
- [25:18]
A
The, the brunch, the. That. The full Irish at the Shelburne.
- [25:21]
B
Good stuff.
- [25:22]
A
Remarkable.
- [25:23]
B
Yeah, yeah. I'm thinking Wiener Circle hot dogs, breakfast.
- [25:30]
A
At five in the morning or whenever. That doesn't count. If he's going there late, late, late after going out. That's not breakfast. That's second dinner.
- [25:37]
B
Well, no, he wasn't being out late on the.
- [25:40]
A
You know, I don't think Wiener Circle is open for breakfast.
- [25:42]
B
Well, I think. I think your guy would bring him some hot dogs if he requested them.
- [25:46]
A
Well, I'm sure he would, but I don't think. I don't think Ari is walking over to his house with a bunch of char dogs.
- [25:50]
B
Or maybe he has, you know, some traditional Chicago deep dish pizza left over from the night before and flares that up.
- [25:57]
A
Floor pizza?
- [25:58]
C
Yeah.
- [25:58]
A
Oh, yeah, sure. Yeah. Room temperature pizza.
- [26:01]
B
All right. Ben was asked about Drew Dahlman. Hey, Ben, with the way your offensive line has played really, since the, the bye week, how would you characterize Drew Dahlman's place in the middle of everything? The run game, working the. All the stuff that happens at the line of scrimmage, and especially working with. With Caleb, like, how would you describe his impact?
- [26:21]
C
Yeah, significant. He. He wears a lot of hats in terms of what we ask him to do. He's so smart. There's really not a whole lot we get stumped by. It's rare that we've gone into our post game film review and we feel like we're Ms. Targeted. He takes a lot of pride in that. He understands his role to play and then, and then he's very big part of what we're doing on the ground game. You know, he's excellent in terms of this wide zone scheme that we're looking to implement. He runs off the ball. I think he does a fantastic job in that regard. I mean, I think it carries over to that whole interior of the offensive line. I think they're playing at a super high level. I mean, I went to sleep last night just thinking about that trap block that Jonah Jackson had with about two minutes left in half. You know, he absolutely annihilates the three technique and, you know, things like that just put a little smile on my face. So Drew's a huge part of what we're doing. But. But I can't say enough good things about that entire offensive line.
- [27:22]
B
Just to follow up on Drew, like his connection with Caleb and working together and identifying everything you have to see at the line of scrimmage. Can you take us through that a little bit?
- [27:31]
C
You know, there's a lot of moving parts there with identifying the fronts. It's rare that you have a defense that just lines up in the same generic front these days. And so over under eye, I mean it seems like every team is very multiple. And so that's really a big part of what True has to identify from the get go. Make sure our blocking core is all on the same page. Our protection unit's all on the same page. I think Caleb and him do a great job over the course of the week sitting in protection meetings and articulating what we want to do if we need to flip the protection, understanding where our issues are. And so it's been a really good, cool thing to watch their relationship really blossom.
- [28:16]
A
And when they signed him, we said this means they're likely going to be an outside zone heavy run team because that's when Dolman was at his best. And you're hearing that that was the plan and that is what they've done.
- [28:30]
B
It's just, it's so bizarre that those. The signing of the three offensive linemen by Ryan Poles made that.
- [28:38]
A
Well, they weren't all signings, they were trades. The Dalman was assigning Dalma was a signing.
- [28:43]
B
Oh yeah.
- [28:44]
A
Or trades and trades.
- [28:45]
B
Yeah. So the transactions I'll say from Ryan pols for to all work. Like all three, to not only work, but to be exceptional at what they're doing.
- [28:59]
A
Can I allow that to take us into the next topic that I wanted to discuss and that is the fact that we're already at the point where we are taking the accelerated development of a second round rookie left tackle kind of for granted that I want to stop. And I went out of my way to mention in our forward progress post game, the play of Ozzy Trapillo went out of my way to say against Miles Garrett and against a top three defense that only once did we really hear his name called. That's not a practice game. That's not a training camp scrimmage. That was a must win December NFL game. And if you go back to training camp, that competition for left tackle was scary bad, scary bad. Nobody wanted it. Braxton Jones didn't want it. He gets hurt. They give Tropillo a shot. He was bad. They're thinking of moving Darnell right over. They end up defaulting to Benedict because he was good enough. But if you then they start working Tropillo in, he starts coming in as a tackle eligible, gets an opportunity on the right side when Darnell Wright hurts his elbow. Then they move him over to left. Watch what's happening here. And whatever Dan Roshar has been doing with these guys. And I'm not going to give Roshar all the credit for guard, center, guard, because those are vets.
- [30:39]
B
Yeah. I mean, those are guys that are coming in.
- [30:41]
A
They know their business.
- [30:42]
B
Yeah, for sure.
- [30:43]
A
And obviously he's not doing anything bad with them. But I think some of those individuals have the agency and the understanding to deserve a lot of that credit. But whatever Roshar has done with Tropillo, that this is one of the best offensive lines in football, let's say it. It is.
- [31:00]
C
That's.
- [31:00]
B
You can say that confidently.
- [31:01]
A
It is one of the best offensive lines in football. They have a rookie left tackle, a rookie left tackle who looked far away to start the year. Do you know how rare it is to have this level of developmental acceleration during the season in practice? What does that say about the quality of their practices?
- [31:21]
B
Well, it also speaks to the quality of Joe Tuney being right next to him. I mean, that's true.
- [31:26]
A
These are all true. But just this idea of, well, we'll practice this, we'll practice that, we had a good week of practice. This is what good practices actually look.
- [31:35]
B
Like and what it develops into. These are. Yeah, this is the byproduct of a good practice.
- [31:39]
A
And it's hard with you barely hit anymore in practice. It's really, really hard. In fact, the lack of practicing and the lack of full padded practices have been used in these think pieces I've read about what's happening to offensive line play. Why is it so hard, hard to develop an offensive line? Why are tackles so difficult? And it's. Well, they don't. This is going against trend even, right?
- [32:05]
B
Yeah. And the scheme and the offensive mindset of Ben Johnson also plays into a part in helping. They do a lot with Cole Comet and with Colson Loveland and Derm Smythe, they help out a lot. But when he's out there one on one. Yeah, he. I think Miles Garrett got to him a few times and that's going to be expected. Miles fucking Garrett.
- [32:26]
A
He's a little slow of foot, a.
- [32:28]
B
Great mover, but he played really, really well. And even so with Theo Benedict, he didn't go out there and embarrass himself. No, he wasn't like this link that caused destruction in the backfield. And why a Bears, Why the Bears lost a game. He handled himself. And again, that goes to teammates, it goes to scheme, it goes to coaching. And also, let's give credit to the guy himself putting the effort out there on the field. But when you're lined up with those three now four guys with the way Darnell Wright is playing incredibly well. That's got to boost your confidence so much as a player.
- [33:01]
A
Well, and what did Ben Johnson say about you got to stay in the house when it's burning?
- [33:06]
B
Yeah. Talk about Caleb Williams. Yeah, you've got to.
- [33:09]
A
And now it's his choice.
- [33:11]
B
And we've seen that, we saw that play out where there were some pressures. They did have I think three sacks in the game. The Browns did. That's a byproduct of Caleb Williams staying within that house while it's burning, while looking for options downfield to get the ball in playmakers hands. You're going to see that now he does a really good job. Even better than Jacoby Brissette in, you know, protecting the football, not throwing interceptions. We've learned that about Caleb now. That's there.
- [33:37]
A
Even better.
- [33:38]
B
Even better than Jacobi.
- [33:39]
A
Historically better.
- [33:40]
B
Yeah.
- [33:40]
A
It's crazy. Amazing.
- [33:41]
B
Amazing. And it is, you know, not to take anything away that that is amazing accomplishment from what he's doing as a second year quarterback. 31 games.
- [33:49]
A
We're just, we're making fun. We're making very much fun with stats. The stat we're making fun of, if you missed it, is Caleb now has the fewest interceptions thrown in a quarterback's first 1,000 NFL passes. The 12 he's thrown 12. Yeah. And he breaks the record of 14 that was set by Jacoby%.
- [34:09]
B
And so when, when he's, when he's playing within the scheme of what the offensive coordinator the head coach wants, you're going to some. The byproduct of that at times will be sacks, will be interceptions. He's really good though at not throwing those interceptions, but he's going to give up those sacks. If you're being asked to stay in the house while it's burning, that's going to happen at times.
- [34:28]
A
You're going to get singed.
- [34:29]
B
Yeah, you're going to, you're going to get hit, you're going to get knocked down. But part of his offense is you're going to have to take hits. Like if you're, you're going to need to stay in there that half a second longer before you deliver that ball to get that route open where it needs to be in the scheme, you're going to get hit. And I think he's learning that. That's part of the learning process as well too.
- [34:48]
A
For Caleb. Do we have any more Ben Johnson?
- [34:51]
B
No, I think you're good to move on.
- [34:53]
A
All right, here's my next question. And this also gets back to a frequent subject of our jokes and jibes.
- [35:02]
B
I know who comedy bits.
- [35:06]
A
Okay. We know Andrew Billings is enormous and we love him for it. We got a comp yesterday. Somebody reached out to us after forward progress yesterday and said that he looks like an exploded tube of biscuits.
- [35:27]
B
You get the Pillsbury biscuits, you open.
- [35:29]
A
The grands and you peel off and then you turn it and it just comes out. That's what it looks like. What do you think of this theory? Let me just bounce this off you.
- [35:40]
B
Okay.
- [35:41]
A
All right. Andrew Billings is here and he does not fit the ideal Dennis Allen prototype for a defensive tackle. We've seen all different prototypes of whether you are. Some use classic three technique, some will have a zero technique right on the center's nose. Some will have a one what that Billings we know is not an ideal prototype.
- [36:10]
C
Yet.
- [36:10]
A
He's good. He can be effective, especially in short areas. Serves a purpose, does what he does well. And Dennis Allen is just getting here and you don't want to necessarily in a season where you might be good get rid of a guy who's good and a good leader, well liked. He does the line called the move call and all that. So you have him around. Is it possible, as we've noticed, he looks bigger every game we see him, that they told him, hey, here's what we figured out. Here's our plan for you. We know that you're not one of these like Roy Robertson Harris 66280 guys.
- [36:56]
B
Yeah.
- [36:58]
A
So get bigger.
- [36:59]
B
Yeah.
- [37:00]
A
If you're going to be this guy, don't literally half ass it. Whole asset double.
- [37:07]
B
If you're, if you're, if you're going to engage a center and a guard.
- [37:11]
A
Play be closer to Vita Veya. Like maybe you're just like that. They're thinking this is what you do. Commit to that instead.
- [37:22]
B
Yeah.
- [37:22]
A
And I think a good coordinator realizes, look, I got a 400 pound guy here. I can just use him as a 400 pound guy and not try to fit him into. Into something else. Maybe next year they move on. It wouldn't surprise me if they replace him next year. And then you've got, you know, Shemar Turner and Javon Dexter and somebody else inside and then this is they, they just. But for the moment you're. They'll make value out of him by telling him don't lose weight. If anything err on the other side of it.
- [37:51]
B
I just get bigger. Yeah. Yeah. It'd be, I mean impossible to answer but a great Question to ask and see how they respond.
- [37:58]
A
Because we've seen when you go to these NFL buildings, everybody has an ideal weight. Talk to Alex Brown about this sometime. About what they made him. You know, gain 20, lose 20, depending on your. Dick Giron wanted him big, and then Levy Smith wants him the size of a safety. And that's part of it is these, these resources, you can say you got to carry 20 more pounds. I'd rather you move a little slower, be a little bigger, or I'd rather you move a little faster, be a little smaller. And there's a target weight for everybody and a plan with the trainers and staff and your nutritionists.
- [38:34]
B
You know, it's a great point and a great question, one that I would love to ask and get a response from the coaching staff on it.
- [38:40]
A
And then if they did want him bigger, I want to know what he.
- [38:43]
B
Ate, what he's doing.
- [38:44]
A
Yeah, that's what I want to know. If it's cheese fries, if it's, you know, oatmeal pies. I, I just love to know what.
- [38:52]
B
It'S all like banquet pan size lasagnas.
- [38:56]
A
That was Aaron Gibson.
- [38:57]
B
Yeah.
- [38:58]
A
Or is it just like, you know, you, you stop on the highway and you eat a, you know, roadkill or something. It just, you know, get back.
- [39:07]
B
So with, with that question in mind, I'm gonna try to keep an eye on. In games like what. When he's in. Who he's in with and see how that, that rotates and changes. See? Yeah, like when, when he's there. What, like what's the game situation? What's the down situation? Who's in on that package with him and see if that, you know, if that corresponds consistently.
- [39:31]
A
Just. It's a little late to start watching. It doesn't really matter.
- [39:34]
B
No, it doesn't matter. But it's, it's curious. I'm curious about it now, especially when.
- [39:38]
A
It comes to decision making for next year. I'm much more interested in.
- [39:42]
B
It's a good thought, but I like where your brain went with it. Because he has. It looks like he's gotten bigger.
- [39:48]
A
Yes.
- [39:49]
B
And he almost had a sack too. I wish he would, I wish he.
- [39:52]
C
Would have gotten it.
- [39:52]
A
How do you get out of his arm? Like just.
- [39:55]
B
Well, he just, he didn't grab his throwing arm. He had, he had his non throwing arm and he had. His right arm was around like his hip area.
- [40:01]
A
I know.
- [40:02]
B
And he still had the arm out.
- [40:03]
A
Pull down, grab the. Get the hands of the fabric and twist it.
- [40:06]
B
I know.
- [40:06]
A
You know?
- [40:07]
B
Yeah. It's. It's a good. That's a good. That's a good question.
- [40:09]
A
Maybe. Because maybe. Maybe they just said, hey, if you're gonna. You're gonna be you.
- [40:12]
B
Really, this is what we have envisioned for you.
- [40:16]
A
It's not.
- [40:16]
B
And I'm sure Dennis Allen is transparent. It's like, hey, this is not the ideal, you know, role for you. But here's what. Here's what we figured we can do. Get bigger. Okay.
- [40:27]
A
If you're gonna be big, be really big.
- [40:29]
B
Yeah, don't. Yeah, that's right. Don't half ass it. Go full ass.
- [40:34]
A
We want that ass visible from 40,000ft.
- [40:37]
B
No, I like it. That's a good question.
- [40:40]
A
Just a thought. That's all I got. Just our guy. I love him. Dilly and I have elevated him to body pillow status.
- [40:47]
B
Yeah, no, I think rightfully so.
- [40:48]
A
I could have Stan Van Gundy on my left. I could have Andrew Billings body pillow over here.
- [40:54]
B
And then Wario right on top of you.
- [40:55]
A
Not Wario. It would be. Alejandro Kirk was my other body pillow.
- [40:59]
B
Isn't that Wario. Is that a guy that looks like Wario? Remember we talked about this?
- [41:02]
A
Alejandro Kirk, wasn't it?
- [41:04]
B
Or who's the. Is that. Is that again, The Dodgers? That looked like Wario. Yeah.
- [41:07]
A
Alejandra. Kirk's the catcher on the Blue Jays. Oh, yeah.
- [41:10]
B
No, no, that's who it is.
- [41:11]
A
He looks like Wario.
- [41:12]
B
Yeah.
- [41:12]
A
Okay. Yeah, I don't play enough of those games to know. Yeah, Wario. Who else? And I used to have Yasil Puig on that list, but I've demoted him.
- [41:20]
B
Yeah. You took him off?
- [41:20]
A
Yeah, he's gone now.
- [41:21]
B
That's good.
- [41:22]
A
I only have three body pillow. There's no room for my wife.
- [41:25]
B
I'm sure she's fine.
- [41:26]
A
And tonight we get Maggie the dog, so the dog will be there. And Beth got mad at me because I invited Maggie. She's not allowed to sleep in the bed in her regular house, but when she's at our house, she sleeps in your bed. Oh, she can go wherever she wants. And she usually sleeps at the end of the bed.
- [41:40]
B
And you had her curled up in a little circle.
- [41:42]
A
So I came up early, as I've been doing lately. And I've been. It's like my favorite hour of the day as I come up to bed a little early, and I kind of do crossword puzzles and mess around on my phone and just let the melatonin start to work a little bit and nod off. I love it. And then Maggie was there. I'M like, okay, Maggie, you can come hang with me.
- [42:00]
B
How much does Maggie weigh? How big of a dog is this?
- [42:03]
A
70 pounds.
- [42:04]
B
Okay, so it's not a small dog.
- [42:06]
A
No.
- [42:07]
B
Okay.
- [42:07]
A
And she just was kind of. And then she wouldn't. Once I brought her up, like, promoted her to, like. Instead of being perpendicular or curled up at the end.
- [42:16]
B
She's in now.
- [42:16]
A
That's in. So. And then Beth got in and rolled over to my side, and she's like, is Maggie up here? Like, yep. And so she said, move her down.
- [42:28]
B
So you don't have Maggie in the middle. Well, she was between you and Beth.
- [42:31]
A
She was at that point. And then Beth said, no, no, no, we're not. You're not doing it.
- [42:34]
B
So how did Beth roll over and ask if the dog was there? Did she think it was you?
- [42:37]
A
Well, no, she just kind of hit with her foot, and it's like, oh, wait, wait.
- [42:40]
B
Oh, okay.
- [42:41]
A
Because she wanted to identify where the dog was. And then she kind of leans and she's like, wait, what? Because you felt a big lump over there. That wasn't me. So I said, yeah, Maggie's over here. I'm good.
- [42:51]
B
Yeah, she felt a big lump because you were watching.
- [42:53]
A
I was watching Andrew Billings. No, it's Jonah Jackson watching Offensive Line Play where they. He buried that guy.
- [43:03]
B
No, he erased him.
- [43:05]
A
He buried him. That's the kind of thing where you want to retire after somebody does that to you.
- [43:10]
B
I picture Ben Johnson laying in bed and he's smiling, and his wife walks in the room, and she's like, hey, what's on your mind, honey? He's like, nothing. The Jonah Jackson.
- [43:19]
A
Are you watching porn again? Kinda. No, I get it.
- [43:24]
B
Or she's like, just yells from the bathroom, I love you too, honey. And walks in. He's smiling, and she's like, aw. What are you thinking about? Jonah Jackson.
- [43:33]
A
Jonah Jackson at racing.
- [43:34]
B
He blocked the guy.
- [43:35]
A
It was awesome. Annihilating the three chickens. You wanna see it?
- [43:38]
B
I'll show you. Yeah, look at this. It's in my phone.
- [43:40]
A
Pulls out an object.
- [43:41]
B
He pulls out his aura frame. No. And it's on there right next to his bed. It's just videos of Jonah Jackson with.
- [43:48]
A
Blocks, pictures of his kids. But he's moved the Jonah Jackson block in front of the pict of his.
- [43:54]
B
Kids because you can filter videos through on your aura frame. So it's. It's all highlight reels of the Avengers. Yeah.
- [44:02]
A
Yep, there they are.
- [44:04]
B
That's funny.
- [44:05]
A
Oh, speaking of which, last night, DK Metcalf.
- [44:10]
B
Okay.
- [44:11]
A
Did you see the touchdown?
- [44:13]
B
Yes.
- [44:14]
A
Okay. You saw what he did to Minka Fitzpatrick?
- [44:17]
B
Oh, yes. They talked him too.
- [44:20]
A
Okay. That looked like the Hulk. Yeah, that like, that's an NFL player he did that to.
- [44:26]
B
I should have pulled that audio up from Minka.
- [44:28]
A
He. Oh, you gotta own that.
- [44:30]
B
Yeah.
- [44:31]
A
I mean, DK was like, well, he's just erased him. That.
- [44:35]
B
That's a. That's a. That's a different level, dude.
- [44:38]
A
I know. Yeah. Yeah. Talk about an X. Yes, that's. That, that's. That's prototype X receiver there.
- [44:44]
B
Do you have lovely Colson Loveland?
- [44:47]
A
You know, we kind of got to it. We kind of got around. Basically just saying that when we're talking about development of some of these rookies and playing your best football in December. I see it now. I see why they took him over Warren.
- [44:59]
B
Yeah, for sure.
- [45:00]
A
I get it. And that's again, that's Ben Johnson with his vision for what he wanted. And I'm. That there's stuff he's doing that is star level stuff.
- [45:12]
B
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm telling you, we. And we saw glimpses of that too on Sunday with Luther Burden. His ability to, you know, to run after catch is just. It's special and it's only going to get better.
- [45:25]
C
All right.
- [45:25]
B
I want to play something for you from Monday Night Football last night. I don't know. You watched the whole game. So this is late in the fourth quarter.
- [45:33]
A
I went up mid fourth and then I saw on my phone that my DBU picks had hit.
- [45:38]
B
So this is late in the fourth quarter and Troy Aikman had. He had enough watching this game. He was done watching this game.
- [45:44]
A
There's the veteran. Aaron Rodgers was not going to throw an incompletion if the throw wasn't there. So he takes a seat. Dolphins have to use their last time out with 2 minutes and 14 seconds left. I'm just. I'm flabbergasted by what we've witnessed here in this fourth quarter with the Dolphins. And now they want to call timeouts and it just is about as ridiculous, ridiculous a fourth quarter as I've seen in a long time. I mean, they had the five minute touchdown drive. That was a good part. They got in the end zone, but they were huddling up, taking the play clock down inside 10 seconds. And now they try the onside kick. Don't get it. They're calling their timeouts. They're down by 13 points with 214 to go. And Aaron Rodgers was not happy with the tackle on that last Play.
- [46:33]
B
But this is, this is just the.
- [46:35]
A
Bizarre last, last few series. And they don't go, hurry up. Now they're going, hurry up. They're calling timeouts. It's just, it's hard to understand exactly what the philosophy.
- [46:44]
B
Five yard penalty, second down.
- [46:46]
A
So the delayed game on top of it.
- [46:49]
B
So he just, he, he was done with it. He'd had enough. And I, I understood because it, it just, it didn't make sense from a head coaching standpoint, like how they were managing the end of this game.
- [46:59]
A
I get it.
- [47:01]
B
So I wanted to hear Mike McDaniel after the game. And I don't know if you've listened to him at all.
- [47:06]
A
Like him a lot.
- [47:08]
B
Okay. I do too. And I like the personal story of his own journey going through.
- [47:13]
A
And he seems like a normal dude who happens to be an NFL head coach.
- [47:18]
B
I don't know if what he's doing in post game press conferences is a bit. If he's. Because he. Let's listen to him talk. Because he wasn't talking like this early on in his, in his time as a head coach. I talked about this game. Supremely disappointed in the outcome. And you know, I think it does a disservice to, you know, really the objective, the work that we were doing on this opponent and flat out their team was better than our team.
- [47:54]
A
So this place sucks. We should go somewhere else.
- [47:57]
B
Yeah, I just like, he, like, he's. I don't know if he's, if he's just, he's kind of over it or the season itself. They just come off a four game win streak. I know they're not doing any, I mean, I don't know, playoffs.
- [48:08]
A
I'd have to hear him. I'd have to hear more context. I'd have to hear him every game.
- [48:11]
B
Because you remember him early on in his career.
- [48:13]
A
He was, he was very footbally and funny. Yeah, really funny.
- [48:17]
B
And he was a guy who's just like.
- [48:19]
A
Remember when Justin Fields is running all over them and he runs out of bounds and he kind of runs into Mike McDaniel and McDaniel grabs it and goes, stop it. Yeah, stop doing that.
- [48:32]
B
So I don't know if it's just. It's gotten to him, if it's beating him down a little bit or if he's just, he's just. This is just how he's like a little bit of a bit now. And like even his speech pattern is different than. I don't know.
- [48:44]
A
I don't know enough. I don't know enough. Maybe Just had a bad day, bad mood. I don't know.
- [48:47]
B
Maybe. And I just thought he sounded like Beavis and Butthead there in that whole thing.
- [48:53]
A
This place sucks. We should go somewhere else. All those other places suck, too. I guess you're right.
- [49:01]
B
Yeah. I just thought, you know, hearing that game last night and hearing Troy Aikman, he was. He was, like, getting borderline Al Michaels.
- [49:09]
A
But he's. He's been like that in his old age. I don't.
- [49:12]
B
I don't mind refer to him as, like, an old guy now.
- [49:16]
A
I know he's getting a little curmudgeonly, and I don't mind it.
- [49:19]
B
Yeah, no, it's fine.
- [49:20]
A
I never mind. Al Michaels doesn't care. He gets. He gets really fun. I think I mentioned this when he starts making fun of sponsors and making fun of what they're promoting.
- [49:29]
B
Oh, I saw a preview for that.
- [49:30]
A
Merv.
- [49:32]
B
On Netflix. I didn't. I haven't checked it out. It's. It's listed right now as one of the top 10 rom coms to download during the holiday season on Netflix.
- [49:40]
A
Okay, Merv. Merv.
- [49:42]
B
I'm good, though.
- [49:42]
A
The dear boy himself. Merve, you have to say it in Arthur Treacher's voice. You must. It is mandatory.
- [49:52]
B
I showed. My stepsons are watching with me the other day. Miracle. They'd never seen it.
- [49:57]
A
I've never seen it. I don't want to see it. I lived that and experienced it, and it was incredibly important to me, and I don't need it Disneyfied. I have no intention of ever seeing Miracle.
- [50:14]
C
All right.
- [50:16]
A
What do you mean, all right? What are you doing? Nothing.
- [50:18]
B
I'm. I'm good.
- [50:20]
A
What are you. What were you gonna say?
- [50:21]
B
I was gonna say anything.
- [50:22]
A
Yeah, you were.
- [50:22]
B
No.
- [50:23]
A
Yeah, you totally were. Yeah, you were. Liar.
- [50:25]
B
I'm just. I'm gonna start keeping a list.
- [50:27]
A
A list of movies that. No, that's. Not having seen it. Like, I haven't seen Christmas Vacation. I've never seen.
- [50:33]
B
Are you kidding me?
- [50:34]
A
I've never seen A Christmas Story. It's that time of year where I'm like, no, I've never seen. I'm.
- [50:38]
B
No.
- [50:39]
A
And I have no interest. I have no interest. And some I just haven't seen, but would see. Okay, but Miracle is on my pain. O Mindless. No, thank you. The story, the actual story itself was too good.
- [50:53]
B
Yeah, I remember it. I remember watching that game. I can visualize all the games.
- [50:58]
A
I watched the 2. 2 tie against Sweden. That started everything.
- [51:01]
B
Like, I remember where I was sitting in My dad's condo, watching that game with my dad and my brother. I mean, I remember. I can visualize it right now.
- [51:07]
A
So.
- [51:08]
B
Yeah, I remember, too. I still watch the fucking movie because it's very entertaining.
- [51:12]
A
I don't want to.
- [51:14]
B
And you've never seen A Christmas Story or And you've never seen Christmas Vacation? No, but you're gonna try to argue with me that Die Hards a Christmas movie?
- [51:22]
A
It is.
- [51:22]
B
Okay.
- [51:23]
A
And by the way, it is Beethoven's Ninth, not Beethoven's Fifth.
- [51:26]
B
Yeah, I was gonna call you out.
- [51:27]
A
On that, but it's Beethoven's. I know that. I misspoke. Yeah, I know. Ode to Joy is from the 9th, so.
- [51:32]
B
Yeah, I wasn't gonna go there with it because I just. It offends me when you. You always get the Beethoven stuff wrong again.
- [51:38]
A
Yeah, now I have. That's. I also have not seen the movie Beethoven.
- [51:42]
B
I never have either. Which is.
- [51:43]
A
It is Charles Grodin, though. Yes, it is Charles Grodin acting with a dog. And I love Charles Grodin.
- [51:49]
C
Yeah.
- [51:49]
B
I still haven't seen it.
- [51:50]
A
Yeah. Okay.
- [51:51]
B
I can't believe you haven't seen Miracle.
- [51:55]
A
No, I haven't. All right. I'm just.
- [51:57]
B
I don't even do with you anymore.
- [51:59]
A
You can make a list of movies that you think I should have seen, but anything that I. What do I need from Miracle? I didn't get from the actual events. Want to see who's. What actor is playing Rob McClanahan? I don't know. Who played Jack O'? Callaghan? Who played Neil Broughton?
- [52:19]
B
Okay, that's fine. I'm done whenever you're done.
- [52:23]
A
Who played backup goaltender Steve Banasak? I had all their pictures in my bedroom of the actual people. Okay. I don't need any of your highfalutin fictionalizations. Dammit.
- [52:35]
B
So you've never seen a movie that's based on historical events?
- [52:40]
A
I didn't say that.
- [52:41]
B
Well, why would you bother?
- [52:42]
A
Because, I don't know. Certain things I didn't want fictionalized.
- [52:48]
B
And the 1980 USA Hockey Team is one of them. Important to you that you don't want it fictionalized? It was you, the hockey guy, Dan Burns.
- [52:57]
A
At the time. At the time, I really. That was it. They had the Blackhawks. Could have had me for life at that point.
- [53:03]
B
You were 11 years old.
- [53:04]
C
Yep.
- [53:04]
A
They could have had me for life. And there were no games on television for me to watch. I couldn't. So I would. I would go down the basement and listen on the radio. As I mentioned, what was the.
- [53:13]
B
The the pay per view thing, Was it Sports Vision? What was it?
- [53:17]
A
There was like, on tv. That's where we got the good soft core porn that we used to try.
- [53:22]
B
To, you know, undo the antenna.
- [53:24]
A
Yeah, well, you could do it through the VCR where if you like. If you toggle. Toggle the wire, like just enough and you could get like half a nipple on there and you're like, what was it? It actually conc. Nipple would come over and dream freeze on you.
- [53:35]
B
Yeah.
- [53:36]
A
You weren't even born yet.
- [53:38]
B
Was it Sports Vision? I think. Is that the first one I remember as a kid?
- [53:41]
A
Yeah. Yes. Sports Vision.
- [53:43]
B
Right.
- [53:43]
A
Yeah.
- [53:44]
B
I can kind of picture the logo. All right, anyway.
- [53:46]
A
Yeah. Red and blue. Yeah.
- [53:48]
B
Yes. Yeah, exactly. All right, whenever you're done, you're me.
- [53:52]
A
I'm right here. Buttons over there. I know, but I can't do anything.
- [53:56]
B
But you need to end the show.
- [53:57]
A
No, I don't.
- [53:59]
B
Just end the show as I'm taking you off the screen now. Now what are you gonna do?
- [54:02]
A
I don't know. I'm off the screen.
- [54:03]
B
Well, but people can still hear you.
- [54:05]
A
Hear me through your mic or my mic.
- [54:07]
B
Your mic's still on.
- [54:08]
A
Oh, but I'm off the screen. Doesn't that take me out? Did you put me in the. What do they call it? The backstage?
- [54:13]
B
No, I just. I just put the overlay on so no one can see you anymore. Oh, I don't want to see you anymore.
- [54:17]
A
All right, well, maybe I'll take my pants off.
- [54:18]
B
I wish you weren't in this room.
- [54:19]
A
I don't even want to watch some line play. There you go. We used to do it in Platteville. Stand around our underwear. Talk about line play.
- [54:28]
B
Should we do a whole show with this?
- [54:30]
A
Carve away big blocks of cheese with a pocket knife.
- [54:33]
B
That's not a pocket knife.
- [54:34]
A
Oh, yeah.
- [54:35]
B
No, it wasn't.
- [54:36]
A
And then you know where we'd go to get our chicken? A nice big thing of cold chicken. Oh, you remember the grocery store in Platteville?
- [54:43]
B
Oh, I know. I've never been. I was never in Platteville.
- [54:45]
A
Dick's.
- [54:46]
B
Dick's Chicken.
- [54:47]
A
Dick's Grocery store.
- [54:49]
B
Oh.
- [54:49]
A
And you know what their frequent shopper program was? I'm not making this up.
- [54:54]
B
Dick dollars. Dick pics.
- [54:58]
A
It was a card that said Dick's Insider.
- [55:01]
B
Oh, Dick's Insider.
- [55:03]
A
Nice. Not making that up. That is absolutely true. That your frequent shopper. Your points and everything were on your Dick's Insider card.
- [55:12]
B
Oh, boy.
- [55:13]
A
True. It was good chicken, too.
- [55:17]
B
I think we should do a whole show with the Ford. Progress overlay sometime.
- [55:21]
A
Because then no one knows what we're doing.
- [55:22]
B
Right.
- [55:22]
A
And it's mysterious.
- [55:23]
B
You could have your shirt off for all they know.
- [55:25]
A
Is this the forward? Which one is up? Is it the screaming guy?
- [55:28]
B
Yeah, the screaming guy who just got. Forward progress.
- [55:31]
A
Oh, that's why he's excited. Yeah, I never put that together. Yeah. Oh, because the ball is pulled. Okay. So that's. They pulled the sticks in a game. Forward progress. So they got the first down and he's excited.
- [55:41]
B
He's very excited.
- [55:42]
A
Or is he an anguished defensive player.
- [55:44]
B
Or is he hurt?
- [55:45]
C
Hurt?
- [55:48]
A
He's screaming because he's just torn all.
- [55:50]
B
The ligaments in his knee. Because he has no legs left.
- [55:53]
A
He's been severed at the waist.
- [55:57]
B
He got smashed by Andrew Billings.
- [55:59]
A
He's severed at the waist. And the team's official statement says he's questionable to return. Half of him has been taken to one hospital. Another half's been taken to the other hospital.
- [56:10]
B
With his arms. It looked like he was giving someone a piggyback ride. And they just jumped off. How?
- [56:14]
A
Like they pulled his hair as they jumped off. Off. Yeah, that's it. Somebody's pulling on his hair.
- [56:19]
B
All right.
- [56:19]
A
I don't know. We got to give him a name.
- [56:21]
B
Okay, now you're back on this. What should we call him?
- [56:24]
A
We'll figure it out.
- [56:26]
B
It's got to be something. It's got to sound good.
- [56:28]
A
We'll figure it out. I can't do that right now. I don't have that kind of brain power.
- [56:31]
B
Forward progress. Phil.
- [56:33]
A
That's it, Phil. It's Phil. The forward progress logo. Hello, Phil. I like it. Did you mute me?
- [56:51]
B
No, you're not muted yet. Tomorrow on the show, we're gonna have Matt Miller because it's Wednesday.
- [56:56]
A
Sweet. All right.
- [56:57]
B
Say goodbye now. Goodbye, now. Progress. A chicago bears podcast with dan bernstein and matt abeticola on 312 sports.