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- [00:01]
Dan Bernstein
I mean, if you're a Bears fan, you're thinking forward progress. Come on.
- [00:13]
Matt Abeticola
Forward Progress a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.
- [00:24]
Dan Bernstein
We give you forward progress here on 312 Sports. This is a Chicago Bears podcast here on the liter eve of the playoffs here in the NFL. The Bears and the packers will be starting in the wild card round and we have a lot to talk about. We like to bring you guests often on Fridays and we do that once again today we are pleased to be joined by a familiar face. This is Kaelin Kaler and she is a senior NFL writer for espn. You can follow her on socials at. Kaylin. Kaylor, good to see you again. How are you doing?
- [01:07]
Kaelin Kaler
Well, I have TikTok now too, by the way, but my TikTok I think is actually a different username because I have, I've started like multiple different TikToks that I've abandoned over the years. But now my TikTok, my professional TikTok is Kdog Reports dog. Just dog, regular dog.
- [01:25]
Dan Bernstein
So dog reports.
- [01:28]
Kaelin Kaler
I actually had a video that got a hundred thousand views from Sunday Lions post game locker room because there were some, I mean everybody was crying in that locker room. It was really sad, which was not what I, I guess I should have expected that. But I was like, they just won. They like get to close off their year with a winning record. They're nine and eight. They beat a division opponent. Ben Johnson has yet to beat the Lions. Like I was kind of anticipating that this locker room would be like in good spirits, but I didn't, I totally underestimated the fact that like a lot of guys are like retiring, very injured on their way out, free agents. And everybody was kind of really in a very reflective mode. So I did a video about Dan Skipper who I wrote about last year, who is their sixth offensive lineman. He reported eligible, I think twice last week. Not, not often, but he's on their field goal team as well. Anyways, he was like actually like crying tears in the locker room because he was supposed to have some imaging this week that is probably going to spell out the end of, end of his playing career. And so he's sort of a beloved Lions player. So I did a little, you know, quick, not, not even quick. It was like a six minute long video.
- [02:39]
Matt Abeticola
So Caitlin, when you, when you, when you, when you go in the locker room, you have one idea walking in and you see that and the, the quality, the great writer that you are, what does that say to your Brain about the. About how fragile each and each NFL season is. Yeah, itself.
- [02:57]
Kaelin Kaler
Yeah, it's really. It's really special. I think that last, you know, when it's like the season ends and guys are faced to face reality of retirement or a new team. Like, I was talk. I talked to Amica Robertson, who is one of their starting corners, and he's going to be a free agent. And he was really, like. He didn't cry, but he was very much like, I'm gonna miss it, so I'm gonna miss these guys so much. Like, this team is really special. Like, this culture is different because he came from. He came from the Raiders. So he's like, oh, this. This culture is, like, really good. And he was really sad. And so it is really interesting because, yeah, I pivoted right away. I was like, oh, this is not really going to be about this game. Like, we're not going to be talking about this game. We're talking about, especially because the Lions season was over. Like, it wasn't going to be about what happened in that particular game, how they beat the Bears. It was like, no one really wanted to talk about that. They wanted to talk about, you know, what the team meant to them, big picture stuff. So it was very much like a big picture sort of locker room on that night. And I did ask Amik, though, I was like, does it mean more that you guys have beat Ben Johnson every time this season? Like, does that. Is that special for you? He. And he said something like, we'd be lying. He goes, if you think it's not, you'd be crazy. And he's like, of course it is. He's like, we came into here with it, like, telling themselves, like, we're not gonna lose to. To the Bears today. We're not gonna let Ben Johnson beat us. And he's like, I have so much respect for Ben. He's an amazing coach, blah, blah, blah. You know, said all the very nice things about Ben, but he was very much like, no, we. We were not gonna let him beat us this season. So I thought that was kind of an interesting perspective from him, too.
- [04:35]
Dan Bernstein
Now, you made that comment about being a part of the Raiders culture and understanding the dysfunction there. Your most recent story that you co wrote was chronicling the Las Vegas Raiders depth and breadth of their current dysfunction. What, are you getting any blowback from around the league, from anybody within the organization grumbling or pushing back?
- [05:02]
Kaelin Kaler
Actually, no. And, like, the Raiders PR staff was really good to work with on this. Like, they only pushed back on one piece of reporting that we had, that we didn't have enough sources on it to. For us to feel comfortable with, like, yeah, we're going to keep this in there. So we ended up removing like one piece of reporting that they were really strongly saying this is not what happened. And since our sourcing wasn't quite. Quite to the level where we're like, yes, we feel like we can go to bat with what we have, we ended up removing just that piece of it. So honestly, like, as far as blowback, I haven't had much, you know, negative response or anything. There's a lot of like, positive response in the story from Raiders fans being like, oh yes, we knew, like, it's worse than we thought. Like, particularly the offensive line details because their offensive line really struggled this season. It was, you know, one of the reasons their offense ranked in the bottom of like almost every measurable statistic. Like their rushing offense. And they drafted Ash and Genti number six overall. Like, they have a really talented rookie running back. And their rushing offense was literally dead last in almost every rushing metric in the NFL. And part of that is because they were playing from behind so often, so they barely even ran the ball because they had to throw more because they were so far. They. They got into these huge holes. But anyways, people were like, oh yeah, the offensive line stuff makes a lot of sense because they were coached by Pete's son, Brendan Carroll. So you guys know I love talking about nepotism. So Brennan, you know, we talked to multiple agents of Raiders players, including one of an offensive line player specifically who said that the offensive line was meaning on their own with Genti and quarterback Geno Smith to talk about how the quarterback and running back wanted them to create blocks for them. I mean, that is something that your coaching staff should be doing for you. And the agent was like, I've never heard of that happening where the offensive line is figuring it out for themselves in the history of my NFL career. And he's been around for a while. This is not like a brand new agent talking. This is a very veteran agent talking. So that was really interesting. And like a bunch of Raiders hands were like, oh my gosh, it's worse than we thought on the offensive line. Like, and then another agent of the Raiders player told us, like this situation where if it wasn't his last name, wasn't Carol, if it wasn't Brennan Carroll, this position coach would have been fired earlier, like in the season.
- [07:21]
Dan Bernstein
You hate to hear that, you know, for a lot of reasons. Just how avoidable some of that is and what it says about their communication that they wouldn't think to do that or think to ask the important people involved. The reason why I asked about that, I don't want to get too bugged.
- [07:36]
Kaelin Kaler
Are Bears connections, though there's a lot of Bears connections to the Raiders.
- [07:40]
Dan Bernstein
That's where I was going next. It's not only that, it's also the change in culture that the Bears have undergone and you have experienced the bad culture front and center. You saw what was going on there every day. And now how. How do you connect it to the positive changes that the Bears have made or maybe negative ones as well? How do you assess now that you've been in the the inner workings of the Raiders? What are the material connections there that have mattered?
- [08:11]
Kaelin Kaler
There's a lot. So first off the bat, we have to go back to last year's hiring cycle where the Ben Johnson was obviously the hottest coaching candidate on market. Everybody wanted to interview him. He did an interview with the Jaguars, the Patriots, the Bears. And then the reporting from last year said he wasn't intending to interview with Las Vegas. But then Tom Brady, who is a minority owner of the Raiders now, as of last October, October 2024, he was approved as a minority partner, limited partner of the Raiders. He sports illustrator reported that he convinced Ben Johnson basically to take an interview in Vegas and so he could like it was clear from the reporting about Brady and Johnson that like, Ben was the Raiders primary target last year as well. And I think it says a lot about the Bears that, that in comparison to the Raiders, the Bears presented themselves as a better option, a more stable franchise, which is actually true because historically the McCaskeys have done less impatient firing than Mark Davis, the Raiders owner. So like, I think it's actually really interesting to, to look at Ben Johnson and like the choices he had last off season and see where, where he ended up, which is Chicago. And I think obviously Caleb Williams is a big factor in, you know, why he made the decision. He didn't. He's talked about that publicly of like, you know, thinking he had, you know, a lot of talent and really wanting the challenge of like developing him and, and getting him to reach his potential. But then I also think it's really interesting that like Brady himself has had five Bears games this year. He's called five Bears games. And if you listen to him on the broadcast, like, yes, everyone says nice things about Ben Johnson. That's not unique. And maybe I'm reading into it a little bit Because I know that Brady wanted to hire Ben. But, like, the things that Brady says about Ben Johnson and like, he's pulling from his production meetings with him obviously are, like, very specific. And he. He waxes poetic about Ben Johnson for a while on broadcast. And the Week 16 game really stood out to me. When they beat Green Bay in overtime, Brady said all this stuff about how, you know, Ben has turned around a losing organization, and the big reason is because he harps on the details. And it's all about the details, and the details matter, and getting the buy in from your players matters. And. And that's exactly what Ben has been able to do this season. I mean, because I am a jaded pessimist. I almost had narcissist. That was the wrong word, pessimist. Because I'm a jaded pessimist when it comes to a lot of things in the NFL. But, like, particularly like just with the Bears because of what we've seen over the years. Like, I am still trying to figure out if this is different than 2018, if this season is different than 2018, and I think it is, but.
- [11:00]
Dan Bernstein
Okay, good.
- [11:01]
Kaelin Kaler
I mean, I think it is for. I think. I think it is for two reasons. Like, I think Ben Johnson's the real deal, and I also think Kayla Williams is and will be the real deal and is continuing and has showed us multiple times this season. And now he can win those games in the fourth quarter that he. He wasn't last year. Right. Like, now they're winning games that they shouldn't, and last year they were losing games that they should have won. It's like the reverse. They've turned it around in that aspect, which I think is really important. However, like, a lot of things feel kind of familiar. Like the defensive turnovers, like, didn't they. I don't. I don't remember this specifically, but I feel like in 2018 they were also, like, leading the league in turnovers. And everybody was saying then, it's not a fluke, it's not a fluke. And then the next season, they plummeted in terms of how many turnovers they were forcing. So there are some things that feel very familiar to me. And honestly, the good, better, best really feels so familiar to me to club Dub that I'm just sort of having, like, flashbacks being like, oh, my God, is this going to end in a wire while a wild card loss again? Because I'm just kind of seeing patterns that feel familiar. But I do think. I do think in the long run, it is going to Be different. It may not be different this year. They may lose in the wild card round, but I think in the long term, like, Ben Johnson has shown a lot of really promising things in terms of like, what he's changed how? Particularly with Caleb Williams, obviously, like going from the most sacked quarterback in the NFL last year to someone who actually is getting the ball out decisively on time, you know, taking way fewer sacks, not putting himself into the risk that he was last season. Like, that's been. That is like the biggest progress obviously that the Spirit team has made this year. And I think. Yeah, and I think it's really interesting when you look at like, Brady specifically talking about Ben Johnson and then at the same time, his Raiders are like, bottoming out completely because they also thought they had their compromise coach is someone who's great at culture building, Pete Carroll. And then it didn't matter in the end because their roster was so bad because they fired so many general managers and they couldn't complain. Complete a vision there. You know, at least in Chicago, Ryan Polls has been around now for is this going to be his fourth year coming up or fifth coming up? Coming up. So they've at least kind of committed to that. And I think we saw in their. In the Bears draft this last year that, like, Ben had a big influence on that. And I think. I think it's very clear now who's in charge. And it's. It's Ben, you know, and I think that's. That's really good. You need one very strong voice who is making the choices. Like, I mean, I'm looking around the hiring cycle right now, and like, I think the Falcons have like two search firms going on, which is very odd. And then they're bringing in Matt Ryan and, and then, you know, with the Raiders, it's like they've got spy tech and Brady, but it's not just spy tech and it's not just Brady. It just feels like when you have too many people is when it becomes a problem. And I think that's what's working for the Bears right now is. Is. It's been. Ben is doing everything and he is the lead voice.
- [14:13]
Matt Abeticola
When you look at the game Saturday night of the, I don't know, dozens or even, you know, dozens and dozens of elements you could pull out of this game. What stands out to you? You're. You're attacking this story. Packers, Bears. What's the most important element or, or the most tantalizing element of this game that you would write about, that you'd want to communicate on.
- [14:36]
Kaelin Kaler
That's a good question. I mean, there's a lot. I mean, it's such a fun matchup. Like, it's just so fun. Like, I think this is. I mean, it's so. It's so interesting that it's the prime broadcast, too, because, like, prime paid, I think, like, the most money for their broadcast dealer, like, among the most. And so they get the best. They're getting the best matchup of the weekend. So I don't know. There's so much, I think, like the fact that they've just played each other. It's been like only five weeks, probably, right, since the first. Their first meeting this season. So I think that's really interesting. I think it's interesting that they're both going into this game carrying losses, carrying losing streaks. So it's very hard to predict what's going to happen. Like, what impact is Trayvon Diggs going to have on this game? That's something that I think will be really interesting to. To look at, you know, and I. I don't know exactly what you expect from him. You know, Jordan Love, is he gonna, you know, all reports are that he's healthy, but is he going to make it through this full. This full game? Like, I think we all hope that we get to see both starting quarterbacks for the full four quarters, right? Like, I also think, like, last week I picked the packers to win this when we had to make our picks, and that was mainly because the last game, all credit obviously, to Caleb Williams for pulling that off in and forcing overtime and then pulling off that throw to DJ Moore. The first. The first touchdown to force overtime to J. Day Walker. Like, very impressive stuff. That clutch, absolute clutch performance that is going to go down in Beer's history. But, I mean, the packers had two errors in the last part of that game that allowed that to happen. The onside kick, fumbling that onside kick, or whatever you want to call it, happened there with Romeo Dobbs. Like, that's not going to happen again. They're not going to commit that same error again. And then in overtime, the packers drive stalled because Malik Willis, again, a backup quarterback who was playing, fumbled the snap on. I believe that was their fourth down. So then the Bears got the ball and were able to win that game. So those are two things that I just don't see repeating. Like, I don't see the packers repeating these unforced errors that they committed in the last matchup. And yes, they're not as healthy as the Bears going into this game and you know, have a lot, have a bigger losing streak going into this game. But I just, I don't know, I just feel like the two matchups have been so close that it really comes down to like who's committing an air, who's making an unforced error. And I don't, I don't see that being the packers for the second time.
- [17:18]
Dan Bernstein
I want to go back to your comp real quick with 2018 and some of these similar feelings of an unsustainable reliance on turnovers and then perhaps enjoying the post game locker room in a way that I don't know, maybe rubs you as frivolous, which is also like.
- [17:38]
Kaelin Kaler
Not, that is not influencing their performance on the field.
- [17:41]
Dan Bernstein
I understand, but I'm hearing a little old school footbally coaching coach stuff in here.
- [17:47]
Kaelin Kaler
I scarred.
- [17:48]
Dan Bernstein
I know.
- [17:49]
Kaelin Kaler
2018.
- [17:50]
Dan Bernstein
I know. But let's, let's, let's go further then because that team. You knew the defense was good.
- [17:56]
Kaelin Kaler
Yeah.
- [17:57]
Dan Bernstein
There may have been a turnover differential, but it wasn't all the defense had. And this year it's, it's a pretty bad defense except for the turnovers and an occasional play here and there. They give up a ton of yards. They want to tell you they're, they're in the middle of the pack when it comes to third down defense and red zone defense, which I also think there's a, is too much statistical noise and variance in there to know if that's something they're actually doing or not. But that team especially embodied in the 15 to nothing win over the Rams was the offense was bad and you didn't trust the quarterback. And even with all these magical plays, it was all this side to side stuff. You didn't really understand that this offense is clearly better.
- [18:42]
Kaelin Kaler
Yes.
- [18:42]
Dan Bernstein
And if you want to make that computer, I think all the worries are about can they score enough points to overcome what the defense is likely to give up. And I think that's really difficult.
- [18:52]
Kaelin Kaler
Can they score early, earlier?
- [18:55]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I think the questions are different but the fears are similar. But the reasonable questions are very different.
- [19:01]
Kaelin Kaler
Yeah. And I think the foundation, as you pointed out, like there were very, there were a lot of questions about Mitsubisky then and I think Caleb has answered a lot of the questions that we had coming into the season about him. Like we. He's shown multiple times this year that he can win games in the fourth quarter even if they're not putting up points in the first half at all. Like they can figure it out later in the game and it's never too late. Like, he's shown that it's not too late in the game for the Bears offense to figure it out. So I do think like Bears fans now can trust the quarterback in a way that they have not been able to in the last. That mean since forever. Right. Like, this is a quarterback that like has is gaining trust every time he's out there, that he's going to be able to pull off a, a comeback, honestly. And I am surprised. I was very surprised they weren't able to do it last week. I thought it was going to happen again where, you know, they're not productive in the first half and then come back and win the game anyways. So. Yeah, I do think, like, that's a really fair point of like the, the foundation is definitely different than, than the 2018 one, which. Yeah. But I do think, yeah, the defense is, the defense is the biggest concern here of can they, you know, can they get a couple turnovers in this game? I think they're going to need to. I think if they, because we saw last week they didn't get one and it, you know, I think that was one of the reasons they couldn't get out of the hole they were in against the Lions. And, and so I think to win this game this Saturday, they're going to have to force a turnover for sure.
- [20:42]
Matt Abeticola
When you look around the league and all that's happened so far after the regular season ended, all the job openings, John Harbaugh gets fired, Mike McDaniel gets fired down in Miami. What to you, given the full circumstance of what's happening with each team, what's the most appealing job opening right now in your, in your estimate?
- [21:03]
Kaelin Kaler
Interesting. I don't think. Not Miami, not Las Vegas. I'm just gonna say the ones that are not.
- [21:15]
Matt Abeticola
No, I, I will say too, if.
- [21:17]
Kaelin Kaler
You have Cleveland, not Cleveland.
- [21:19]
Matt Abeticola
If you haven't read Tennessee, Tennessee, Tennessee. If you haven't read Kaylin's piece on, on, on the Raiders, it's, you don't have to be a Raiders person or fan to enjoy it. You just have to be a football fan. It's really, really, really good. So in, in your mind, it's. It's Tennessee right now or the New.
- [21:34]
Kaelin Kaler
York Giants probably because they have quarterbacks. Honestly, that's the only reason. I think Tennessee is a little scary with their owner having Mark Davis vibes a little bit where, where she's been a little bit impatient in her last two GM and coach hirings. They have not gotten much time and they probably weren't very. I don't think those hires were the best hires that were available. So I don't know that she's even wrong in having fired Ran Carthon and Brian Callahan. She definitely. You could definitely question firing Mike Rabel when she did, considering, you know, the success that he is now having in New England. But I do think Tennessee, I think Cam Ward is going to be a good quarterback. I think that's a really attractive job because of Cam Ward, especially if you are, you know, like a Matt Nagy, like an offensive coordinator coming into this interview cycle. Like, I think that's a really attractive job. And in the same way the New York Giants, because now Jackson Dart needs to clean up a lot of his game where he is really putting himself into harm's way a lot of the time, as we saw this year with. I think he was checked for concussions like four or five different times throughout this season, which is not going to be sustainable.
- [22:49]
Dan Bernstein
But.
- [22:49]
Kaelin Kaler
But I do think, like, he's a quarterback that they could build with there. So I think those two are probably the most interesting. And obviously Baltimore, I mean, Baltimore, I'm forgetting Baltimore. Baltimore is probably the top one because you've got Lamar. You have such a sound organization. Scouting is great. Their. Their front office setup is really strong. I think that is probably the. Probably the best one. And then followed by Tennessee and then New York, and then the others are kind of a mess because in Miami, you've got Tua, who's still there, and you could just, you know, deal with the dead money of. Of moving on from him. That's gonna be difficult, but they could do that. They could just, you know, have someone else as their starting quarterbacks. They probably will, but that's a challenge in Miami. And then Las Vegas needs a quarterback as well, and they do have the number one overall pick. But I guess it depends. Like, do you like Fernando Mendoza? Do you like any of the quarterbacks in this draft? And also, just from talking to people about how the Raiders are viewed, they are just viewed as a, you know, cycle of dysfunction. And the last two head coaches have only had one year there. So if you're going into that job, you're kind of like, eyes wide open, like, I may not be here for very long. What are the other ones? Cleveland? Yeah, same thing. Who is the quarterback? Depends on if you like Shadir Sanders there. Atlanta, Interesting option. I think they're going to be moving on from Kirk Cousins and they've got Michael Penix. That's also not one of My top ones either. But, I mean, depends on what you think of Michael Penix as well, so.
- [24:35]
Dan Bernstein
And then it's Arizona.
- [24:37]
Matt Abeticola
Arizona.
- [24:37]
Kaelin Kaler
Oh, yeah, Arizona. Yeah. Also no quarterback. So, I mean, there's a lot. All the. A lot of these job opening. Well, about half the job openings just don't have a quarterback. So I think, like, obviously the ones that have the quarterback are going to be way more attractive to people than the others.
- [24:54]
Dan Bernstein
Let me ask you what you're hearing on a couple of levels regarding packers head coach Matt Lafleur. There first has been sort of these silly little beefs that may or may not exist with Ben Johnson. There was Johnson's unsolicited comment, yeah, well, it's gonna be Fun beating Matt LaFleur two times a year. Okay, dude.
- [25:18]
Matt Abeticola
LaFleur's like, who are you again?
- [25:19]
Dan Bernstein
Right? And then people were reading into the perfunctory, at best, handshake that they have not been.
- [25:28]
Kaelin Kaler
That's weird to me.
- [25:29]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, it is. So I'm just wondering, are you hearing anything about that relationship and. Or the situation in which he finds himself now in Green Bay not having the option year picked up with Ed policy in place now, and maybe some questions into what this game now may represent for his future on both of those subjects. One, what's in the air right now?
- [25:57]
Kaelin Kaler
So I haven't done any actual specific reporting on Matt La Fleur, so, like, this is all going to be, like, just opinion speculation on my part. So I don't have any actual, you know, sourcing here, but other than I did ask J.T. barrett if there was any real beef between Ben and Matt Laflor, because obviously J.T. barrett was on the lion staff with Ben last year. So I'm like, okay, he might know something. And this is a few weeks. This was before the first packers matchup. So he was. He was like, no, not that I know of. Like, I don't. I don't think there was anything specific that happened between them. Like, he didn't have any details to provide. So I'm not sure that there's any sort of, like, origin of this beef other than Ben, like, just wanting to say that or, you know, I mean, I will say Matt LaFleur. You know, this is just taken from his press conference Persona. He can be a little sassy. He could be a little talk back to you. You know what I mean? So I do not have any information that he is like that with other opponents or coaches, but this is literally just like, watch a press conference that he does. And if Especially post game, like, if he's mad about something, he's gonna let everybody know that he's not happy with the officiating or something an opponent did or whatever. Like, he's very public about that, and it's really easy to see that that's just kind of part of his personality. So that I think maybe played it. I wouldn't be surprised if that played into, like, Ben Johnson saying that, because it's just kind of like that's what Matt LaFleur does anyways. So I don't know anything specifically about that, but, like, he's just kind of like that publicly. And then as far as, like, not getting his option picked up, that. Actually, that reporting really surprised me because, you know, I. I would be very surprised if the packers moved on from him. But, you know, I've seen all the stuff out there where everybody's like, well, if the NFL still had the, you know, playoff feel that they used to have whenever they. When did they expand it? Three years ago now. It must have been three years.
- [27:58]
Dan Bernstein
No, it was the four Bears. It was the Bears the first year.
- [28:02]
Kaelin Kaler
Oh, okay.
- [28:04]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
- [28:04]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah.
- [28:04]
Kaelin Kaler
Okay. So, yeah, exactly. That is the playoff game that I have.
- [28:08]
Matt Abeticola
Oh, you can.
- [28:09]
Dan Bernstein
You can forget. You can erase that one. I don't think about. We just. Earlier today, we were doing our playoff memories, and I was going to do the Javon whims. Totally Escape, miss, or. Or. But it's. I don't think of it as a playoff game.
- [28:22]
Kaelin Kaler
No. It had no feeling of.
- [28:25]
Dan Bernstein
Right.
- [28:25]
Kaelin Kaler
Playoffs whatsoever. Like, I don't remember there being any excitement for that. Like, nothing.
- [28:31]
Matt Abeticola
There wasn't any excitement. They lose 21 to nine. And that was also the same season where the.
- [28:36]
Dan Bernstein
What?
- [28:37]
Matt Abeticola
The Washington football team wins their division with a 7 and 9 record.
- [28:41]
Kaelin Kaler
Oh, my God.
- [28:41]
Matt Abeticola
Bears get in at 8 and 8. So, yeah, that was a whole dishonorable mention for the nfc truly.
- [28:46]
Kaelin Kaler
Like, and that was on the road. That wasn't here. So, like, that's, you know, another reason why I don't really remember it, because I wasn't physically there. But, like, I. That is crazy that that game ever existed. I kind of want to go back and watch it now just to make sure it really happened.
- [28:58]
Matt Abeticola
Oh, don't.
- [28:59]
Kaelin Kaler
Don't do that to yourself. Just make sure it really happened. But, yeah, I would be shocked if. If the packers moved on for Matt lafort. That would really surprise me. But, I mean, I guess after seeing what happened with Harbaugh, you know, I. I'm not willing to say that, like, none of These success, none of these long employed coaches with successful records are, you know, exempt from, you know, job security questions. So it'll be interesting. I mean I think, I think if they're competitive in this game, there, there won't be a question. But definitely, I think in the era of Ed Policy, the Packers are going to operate a little bit differently than, than Mark Murphy just because Mark Murphy was there for so long and Ed Policy has been there the whole time too. So it's still consistency. Like Ed Policy has been working there for a very long time and he work, worked with Mark Murphy. But just having talked to some people and in, in that front office just kind of about like packers identity, not about Matt Lafleur at all specifically, but just kind of about who they are as a team and, and how they're going to run things. I do think there is going to be, they're just going to be a little bit different in how they are run with a new president. So that could, that very well could impact, you know, Matt L's future. But I still would be, I would be very surprised if there was any change there.
- [30:23]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah, I actually tend to think that if the Bears like put on a show and really give it to the packers on Saturday, I think it will be Matt LaFleur's last time coaching the Packers.
- [30:31]
Kaelin Kaler
Wow.
- [30:32]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah. Like if, if the packers don't show crush, oh, they get crushed. You know, like what the Bears did to the Browns. Something along those lines.
- [30:38]
Kaelin Kaler
Yeah.
- [30:39]
Matt Abeticola
I could see that being Matt Lafleur's last game for, for Green Bay.
- [30:42]
Kaelin Kaler
Yeah. That would be the outcome I really am not expecting. Like just because these two teams have been so neck and neck in their first two. Like that would really surprise me if, if one or the other, if either of these teams came out like and it's not even a close game, that would really surprise me. But weird stuff always happens in a third meeting of, of you know, opponents. So. Yeah, but that would be, that would be disappointing. I want it to be a really close game.
- [31:07]
Matt Abeticola
I want, I want the Bears to win by 50 and then make it really easy. So I wanted we could end it at halftime.
- [31:13]
Kaelin Kaler
I want it to be like a really back and forth tense battle and maybe like a light snow falling. What's the weather? It's going to be warm. Right.
- [31:24]
Dan Bernstein
It does look like the forecast is improving. They initially were talking about snow and 30 mile an hour gusts.
- [31:32]
Kaelin Kaler
Oh wow.
- [31:33]
Dan Bernstein
But now it does look like that any rain or snow would be before and, or after. So I think if they keep the field tarped right up until kickoff. It should be fine. It doesn't look like. Which is fine with me because I, I, I don't want these games decided by silly, elemental reasons. It's enough already. There's too much at stake. They're too good at what they do. To invite or, or to have some sort of novelty level of randomness in there, I think is, is unfair and very unsatisfying. But that's an unpopular opinion, apparently.
- [32:07]
Kaelin Kaler
Yeah, no, I agree with that because I always think back last year's playoffs. I do think the Rams would beat the Eagles if it wasn't snowing in Philadelphia. In that, what was that? Was that the NFC championship game or was it the divisional round? I don't remember now, but whatever that.
- [32:23]
Matt Abeticola
Rams, Eagles, that was championship game, wasn't it?
- [32:25]
Kaelin Kaler
I think it was. Right.
- [32:26]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah.
- [32:26]
Kaelin Kaler
Because the Rams beat the Vikings in the divisional round.
- [32:30]
Matt Abeticola
Yes. Yeah.
- [32:30]
Kaelin Kaler
Correct.
- [32:31]
Matt Abeticola
Correct.
- [32:31]
Kaelin Kaler
Okay. Yeah. I, that game, I do think, like, if it wasn't snowing in Philadelphia that day, I think we, that game would have a different outcome, which is like, you know, you want to see a level, and that's why I just hope that Jordan Love can stay in the game for the whole game because that was so, that was so disappointing in their last matchup. It's like, I just want to see, like, I want to see what happens when these two teams are at full strength playing each other. Like, I want, I want to have, that's what I want to see happen. So that's my hope for Saturday.
- [33:04]
Matt Abeticola
Well, Caitlin, thank you so much for your time. This has been great. Really enjoyed it. Again, check out her piece and anything coming up in the future that we can look forward to reading from you.
- [33:13]
Kaelin Kaler
Yeah, I'm gonna have a couple super bowl stories, tbd, what they are, because obviously I don't know who's making the super bowl yet.
- [33:20]
Matt Abeticola
So they haven't told you yet?
- [33:23]
Kaelin Kaler
I did not get the script delivered to me. They must have missed my address this year. But, yeah, so I'll have a couple super bowl things and we'll see if, if I write anything off of this game, you know, we'll see what happens. But yeah, stay tuned for, like, I guess super bowl coverage would probably be the next thing.
- [33:43]
Matt Abeticola
Got it.
- [33:44]
Dan Bernstein
Indeed we will. Kaylin Kaler from espn, senior NFL writer. And what is the. The. It is K dog report on TikTok. On TikTok. Because I know that, like, you have, you have been as, as an extreme experienced dancer, you have been known in the past to post videos and. Or stills of you. So I don't. I don't know how much this is.
- [34:10]
Kaelin Kaler
On the tick tock. We might. Well, one thing you will see on the tick tock, I love Olympic figure skating. And ESPN does not cover the Olympics very thoroughly because they don't have the broadcast rights. And also my job is NFL, so, like, I'm not really in the Olympic reporting aspect of things, which is totally fine. But I'm like, you know what? I love Olympic figure skating. So I'm gonna try to do some commentary on figure skating on there. And I'm sure everyone who started following me for NFL contact is gonna be so annoyed. But, yeah, I'm gonna do a little bit of, I think, Olympic figure skating conversation. And I also have. I. I tried figure skating as an adult. I started learning as an adult, like, five years ago, and I did, like, I'm not currently taking figure skating because I've swapped that hobby out with guitar lessons. So, yeah, I only have time for, like, one rotating hobby. So guitar is my hobby right now.
- [35:03]
Dan Bernstein
Are you learning rock guitar or, like, flamenco?
- [35:05]
Kaelin Kaler
Classical acoustic guitar. Because to go along with my Irish dance hobby, I really want to be able to play. Like, I have a lot of friends that are Irish musicians, and they're really good. And, like, they play. They play banjo, they play concertina, which is a baby accordion. They play the big accordion, they play the pipes, they play the harp. They play literally everything. And I'll always dance, like, you know, there's like, basically live music, Irish music, every night of the week in Chicago, if you know where to go, like, what bars to go to. And it's so much fun. And so I always go and I just dance for them, which is great. I love to have something to contribute to the table, but I really want to be able to, like, just bring my guitar, sit down, and start, like, strumming along. And I have a long way to go. But I think for St. Patrick's Day season, I will be ready with a wild. Yeah, so, yeah, we'll see. Are you ready to do exactly one song during St. Patrick's Day?
- [35:57]
Dan Bernstein
Well, the thing is, I saw it in Galway when we were there and went across the river to a place called the Crane Pub. And when people just started coming in and sitting down and whatever instrument they had. At one point there were three guitars. At one point there were two. At one point, like, you say that somebody had the boron, the drum, and it was just phenomenal. And it was. These were just people who live around there. And it's what they do. A couple of nights a week, they come in, and whatever songs come up, you say you only know one song. But I was watching along, and they were helping people. Like, I don't know that one. Like, just. You do that, follow along, keep this baseline, and. And then be like, oh, okay. So you think you only know one. I think that you'll find you'll know you know more.
- [36:40]
Kaelin Kaler
And that's why I chose guitar, because my friend who plays fiddle, like, fiddle's always playing the melody. So you do actually have to know the songs because you. You are responsible for, like, providing the melody on fiddle, but with guitar, you're just like that background. Like, you know, it's like three different chords. Like. So my friend was like, yeah, you should start with guitar, because I think that would be the easiest one to, like, pick up. So that's what I'm doing. And if you do live in Chicago, listening to this and you like Irish music, Galway Arms is my spot. That's where they have five nights per week of Irish music. And my. My friend leads the sessions. It's called a session when a bunch of Irish musicians get together. Called a session, which is an Irish word, but also an English word, but it's. It's from the Irish word called session. Anyways, they. My friend Katie and her husband John lead the sessions on Wednesdays and Sunday nights. So Sunday nights, I never can go during the football season, but you'll see me there on Wednesdays pretty often.
- [37:38]
Matt Abeticola
And don't let your social media followers, you know, deter you from talking about figure skating during the Olympics. Dan. Dan did that a lot with synchronized swimming during the summer Olympics. And people are like.
- [37:50]
Kaelin Kaler
They get mad at you.
- [37:50]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah. Like, what's going on, Dan? Why do you. He just has a passion for it. So I'm like, don't let that passion die, because your social media followers don't want to read it. Like you go be.
- [37:59]
Kaelin Kaler
You just scroll past, like, roll past. If you're not, they can go right.
- [38:03]
Matt Abeticola
Past it for sure. So keep doing your thing. Kaylin.
- [38:06]
Kaelin Kaler
Thank you.
- [38:07]
Dan Bernstein
Fun stuff.
- [38:08]
Matt Abeticola
We'll talk to you again. Take care.
- [38:09]
Dan Bernstein
Thanks so much. That is the always awesome Kalyn Kahler of espn, the senior NFL writer.
- [38:18]
Matt Abeticola
Why did you stop doing that? Your synchronized swimming stuff? I thought that was, man, it was some of the best stuff that you've ever done.
- [38:24]
Dan Bernstein
Okay. But you know where I am when the moment you mentioned synchronized swimming. You know where I go, right? Where do you go immediately to the famous SNL Produced sketch of Harry Shearer and Martin Short. And it was Christopher guest as Corky St. Clair who's in charge of them. Remember, I'm not a strong swimmer. I don't swim. And he's got the nose plugs on.
- [38:50]
Matt Abeticola
Oh, my God.
- [38:52]
Dan Bernstein
You. I know you. No, you're not mad at him. You're just pointing at him. So good. Brilliant. I don't swim. I can't do anything else once I'm there.
- [39:07]
Matt Abeticola
I think you need to bring that back, though. I want to hear more about your synchronized swimming love.
- [39:11]
Dan Bernstein
Oh, God.
- [39:12]
Matt Abeticola
So good. That's good stuff.
- [39:13]
Dan Bernstein
A quick little Bears note. It does look like that Kyler Gordon is going to be a go. Roma Dunes A is going to be a go. Doesn't look like injury designations, so we know that Joe Try and Shoyinka is out. Amen. Ogbong Bomiga is out. And not surprisingly, CJ Gardner Johnson is out.
- [39:33]
Matt Abeticola
Hey, we talked about this. Do you remember when that happened to him? Because I really don't. I probably have to go back through and check the game.
- [39:40]
Kaelin Kaler
Game.
- [39:40]
Matt Abeticola
But hearing other people talk about it, it was pretty frightening stuff. The way they describe it, like, didn't know where to walk was.
- [39:47]
Dan Bernstein
You can see when they helped him up.
- [39:49]
Matt Abeticola
Okay. Yeah, I don't.
- [39:50]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
- [39:51]
Matt Abeticola
Must have missed that.
- [39:52]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, he was.
- [39:54]
Matt Abeticola
Sounded really bad from what people describe about it.
- [39:57]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, it looked like a boxer getting up after getting pummeled. It was. I don't know that. I'd have to check my notes and see exactly when and where it was. But, yeah, it is too bad. But either way, Kyler Gordon's back, and.
- [40:10]
Matt Abeticola
That means Nick McLeod will probably get some playing time as well. More than what we've seen.
- [40:14]
Dan Bernstein
So I guess depending or. Or depending on personnel, they go three linebackers. That's always an option. Yeah, we'll see. I. It keeps happening to me. Like, every time I'm. I go back to normal, I then get a pang of anxiety, realizing, oh, shit, the Bears game's tomorrow night.
- [40:36]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah. No, I'm just. I tell you, like I told you earlier on dbu, I am just pure excitement right now. I am ready for kickoff. I cannot wait. Dude, I'm so excited. I have. I have not been this pumped up for a Bears game in quite some time.
- [40:50]
Dan Bernstein
You made a lot of people happy with your dbu. You coming out of the boxes is full, meatball. As hard as you went there, they're like, yeah, yeah, Maddie, I'm feeling all that today.
- [41:01]
Matt Abeticola
Let's go. Gotta kick some ass, man. I Can't wait. I can't wait. We're getting there. So where are we at here?
- [41:06]
Kaelin Kaler
We're.
- [41:07]
Dan Bernstein
We're 1247, 49, 50. Almost 1248.
- [41:13]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah, we're almost there.
- [41:14]
Dan Bernstein
We're getting there.
- [41:15]
Matt Abeticola
What do you have going on tomorrow to keep yourself occupied before the kickoff?
- [41:18]
Dan Bernstein
I don't know. You're making me maybe go up and get my sweater.
- [41:21]
Matt Abeticola
You should.
- [41:21]
Dan Bernstein
Did you.
- [41:22]
Matt Abeticola
Could you call your mom?
- [41:24]
Dan Bernstein
I'll call one of them. They'll pick up. I just. I don't want to go all the way up. Well, this. Maybe they meet me halfway up. Maybe they'll meet me at Old Orchard and we could do a little sweater drop off in front of Maggiano's or something. That's what we used to do with the kids.
- [41:36]
Matt Abeticola
Oh, you guys should. Oh, is that where you drop the kids off to go?
- [41:38]
Dan Bernstein
That's when. When they would go with Nana and Papa. Yeah, we'd usually meet at Maggiano's and.
- [41:42]
Matt Abeticola
That was the transport meet there. Have some lunch. You could maybe do some shopping at the Wayfair store. And then get your sweater and head on out.
- [41:48]
Dan Bernstein
He's a sweater. We got together. We got you this little gift. We outpat.
- [41:56]
Matt Abeticola
You gotta do something tomorrow, though. You can't just sit around all day waiting for this game. You can't do that.
- [42:02]
Dan Bernstein
Well, it's a good.
- [42:03]
Matt Abeticola
Figure out something to do.
- [42:04]
Dan Bernstein
I'll have a. It's a good crossword day. I've got. I'll have a cross stick to print words. It's my favorite thing. And then I've got the. The Saturday stumper from New York News day. All the hard puzzles are tomorrow. The good ones. The real puzzles are tomorrow.
- [42:18]
Matt Abeticola
Would. Would Beth want to spend any time with you? Maybe. Maybe do something. Okay. Sorry, was that a dumb idea?
- [42:25]
Dan Bernstein
But you want to spend time with me? She wants me to get the back screen door replaced.
- [42:29]
Matt Abeticola
Well, you guys spent time together recently, so.
- [42:31]
Dan Bernstein
We spend time together all the time.
- [42:32]
Matt Abeticola
Maybe it's too much. Yeah, we're crosswords. Leave Beth alone.
- [42:36]
Dan Bernstein
Sometimes we have actually very high quality time just sitting next to each other on the couch where I've got my crosswords and she's reading a book or something. And maybe we'll have a little bit of music on and we're having some coffee and that's some really nice time. Husband and wife time. We don't have to say anything to each other.
- [42:55]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah, that's. That's when a relationship is good. When you don't have to Talk, be together.
- [42:59]
Dan Bernstein
And then she says, get up and make me lunch. Yeah, I'll say.
- [43:03]
Matt Abeticola
Okay. And then, you know, a little sexy time. Then you get ready for the Bears game.
- [43:07]
Dan Bernstein
Ooh, now you're talking.
- [43:08]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah, maybe she's aware of.
- [43:11]
Dan Bernstein
I was gonna say. And then how does the wife figure into this?
- [43:15]
Matt Abeticola
I didn't mean together. I just.
- [43:17]
Dan Bernstein
Oh, okay. All right.
- [43:18]
Matt Abeticola
Just making sure you can watch old Bears highlights.
- [43:22]
Dan Bernstein
That's. Hey, man, give me. Give me one super cut of Wilbur Marshall. And that's as close to sexy time as I'm probably going to have it by all age. Let's see. Hits Eric Hipple. He hits Joe Ferguson. He picks up a couple of fumbles. Yeah. Oh, I'm. I'm good.
- [43:38]
Matt Abeticola
I thought there was one more Bears note that we needed to share.
- [43:41]
Dan Bernstein
A bear's note. You want to make something up? You want to get people crazy?
- [43:43]
Matt Abeticola
I don't want to make anything up, but I thought there was something else. Maybe personnel wise, you didn't get enough.
- [43:48]
Dan Bernstein
Juicy stuff from our guest.
- [43:50]
Matt Abeticola
No, it was great.
- [43:51]
Dan Bernstein
That was fantastic.
- [43:52]
Matt Abeticola
Something that we wanted to. To share, we haven't mentioned, we failed to mention earlier. Yeah, I don't know. It'll hit me. And if not, then, you know, no one's.
- [44:02]
Dan Bernstein
I don't see anything on the board. I don't. I don't have anything off the top of my head. There's any loose ends from what it was.
- [44:08]
Matt Abeticola
No, it was about. It was about Tyreek Stevenson Just. Just benched, apparently.
- [44:14]
Dan Bernstein
Just basically.
- [44:15]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah.
- [44:15]
Kaelin Kaler
Yeah.
- [44:16]
Dan Bernstein
He talked to Patrick Finley.
- [44:17]
Matt Abeticola
You have your two cornerbacks, and he's just benched.
- [44:20]
Dan Bernstein
He said, I'm trying to be the best teammate I can be. If my time comes, it comes. He's saying all the right things, and I guess that was that. You're just not good enough to play right now.
- [44:27]
Matt Abeticola
Okay, that's it. Yeah. Jalen and Shawnee are the guys. So just that simple.
- [44:34]
Dan Bernstein
All right. Next time we talk on forward progress. Next time you and I are in a split screen like this, we will have an outcome of Bears, Packers.
- [44:45]
Kaelin Kaler
Yeah.
- [44:46]
Matt Abeticola
And it'll be our first playoff post game show of. Of many to come this. This off season. Very excited about it. Do want to mention to you as well to the 312Sports app, if you haven't gotten the app yet from the Apple App Store, Google Play. It's free. Just register your account. You're good to go. You can get all of our. All of our shows right there on the app. We afford progress. We have Dan Bernsten Unfiltered owc. The Organizations Win Championships. The Bulls podcast that Dan does with his son Jason from the 50 is up there now too. That's my podcast where I just interview a person. The last one dropped last Monday. We have new episodes on Mondays. I talked with John Ortiz, tv, film, theater, actor. He's doing. He's getting ready for a Broadway run in the spring and summer. He's gonna do Dog Day Afternoon. Oh, cool.
- [45:38]
Dan Bernstein
Who's he playing?
- [45:40]
Matt Abeticola
I. I didn't ask him who he's playing. You know, I didn't want to get too much into it, but he just. I did get. We. Natalie and I have an invite, though, so we're gonna. We're gonna find a. A weekend in. In the summertime to head out there and see that.
- [45:52]
Dan Bernstein
I can't wait. Cool.
- [45:53]
Matt Abeticola
Yeah. So check. Check all that out. Make sure you get the. The app. We also have stuff to give away too. Right now we have a dinner for two. I'm just pulling my sheet out here, so I don't. I don't say the wrong.
- [46:05]
Dan Bernstein
Careful with you.
- [46:05]
Matt Abeticola
Actually, do you have it with you? Oh, here we go. I got it. I got it. So we have a Jets Pizza, Morton Steakhouse and the Smith right there in the heart of River North. And the code word for those prizes is eat E A T. And we still have tickets for Public Enemy and Guns n Roses. The code word for that is Bears. But you have to get the app first at the Apple App Store, Google Play, and then get registered and then start doing all the stuff. And then you could send Dan all the voice messages you want because he loves those creepy impersonations. I love that you didn't know that guy was doing Jack. That's really funny.
- [46:40]
Dan Bernstein
I eventually figured it out.
- [46:42]
Matt Abeticola
That was good. And it's all there for you. Yeah. All the prizes. So, yeah, eat for the food right now and then Bears for the Guns n Roses, Public enemy. But get the 312Sports app.
- [46:52]
Dan Bernstein
All right, we will talk once again. We will reconvene after the Bears packers game is decided. So make sure that you got your alert set that you're ready to go and you're going to set up the chat ahead of time so people can go in and hang out and watch the Bears game together. You make sure you look at the live tab. It's where it's going to be here on YouTube. Look at the Live tab and then go in. And there will be other forward progress fans in there that with whom you can interact before we get there. And ruin everything for you.
- [47:24]
Matt Abeticola
All right? So have a great weekend and have a great night. Have a great day tomorrow. We'll talk to you after the Bears game. After the Bears victory tomorrow in the wild card round at Soldier Field, Forward progress is stopped. Forward progress. A Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.