← Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast
Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast
Matt Miller - ESPN NFL Draft Analyst and NFL Insider
00:44:53
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- [00:00]
Dan Bernstein
Despite wintry conditions and heavy traffic, the.
- [00:03]
Matt Abaticola
Holidays have to go on.
- [00:04]
Matt Miller
That's why Mercedes Benz SUVs come equipped.
- [00:07]
Matt Abaticola
With the latest safety technology to keep your festive plans on track. Discover the incredible offers for yourself at the Mercedes Benz Holiday Love Celebration. Forward progress has stopped.
- [00:27]
Matt Miller
Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with.
- [00:31]
Matt Abaticola
Dan Burns and Matabeticola on 312 Sports.
- [00:38]
Dan Bernstein
Welcome to Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast on 312 Sports. Dan Bernstein, Matt Abaticola here to talk Bears and more as they get set to take on the San Francisco 49ers out at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara. And joining us now, somebody who knows more than a thing or two about his first favorite team, the Niners and the NFL would be Matt Miller. You can find him on socials at NFL draft Scout and find his voluminous work of college scouting and NFL coverage at ESPN, ESPN.com and he is with us as he has been for the last few weeks. Matt, how are you doing?
- [01:19]
Matt Miller
Well, Merry Christmas, guys. Hope you had a nice couple days with the family, but I am, I'm ready for some football as leads to some on Monday nights. I'm, I'm very, very excited for this one.
- [01:28]
Matt Abaticola
Well, were you able to watch any football yesterday?
- [01:32]
Matt Miller
I could have. I didn't want to. I'm gonna be honest. Those games just didn't really move the needle for me. You know, Max Brosmer is, I mean, I, I will like, I will have to go back and watch those games obviously. But I opted to spend the time away from the, I don't know if I turned my TV on yesterday. Just wanted to spend time with the family and not, not do the football thing for a day. So I'll get caught up on the game film eventually.
- [01:58]
Dan Bernstein
Good for you. Tell me when you watch that Lions Vikings game. My first thought coming away from it and I didn't sit there and chart it or anything, but it does not look like a Dan Campbell coach team. There is, he's, he's got his nose in the call sheet. He looks 30 years older than he did last year. They're, it just, they're just not playing the same. They're the walking back to the huddle. The overall intensity does not reflect a Dan Campbell coach team for whatever reason. I want you to put that, that thesis to the test when you watch.
- [02:37]
Matt Miller
I got you, I will say I've noticed that earlier this year it feels like a team that, that had a really long season last year. They just seem tired. And I think we've seen that with other teams. I don't think it's unique to the Lions. I don't think it's unique to Dan Campbell. We've, we've certainly seen that. I even think at times last year we saw that with Kansas City, but then they turned it on. They got into the playoffs and they were able to turn it on. You know, you see some of the older guys get healthy down the stretch. I think for the Lions this year at least, my interpretation of it has been, gosh, that's a team that had a long season. You lose two coordinators, that's hard as is, you know, to play as late as they did and then lose some coaches. So I think the NFL is better when there are high octane offenses like theirs has been. So hopefully they, hopefully they bounce back strong. The NFC north next year could be the best division of football really, really quickly.
- [03:28]
Matt Abaticola
So it's been almost a week, Matt, since we have enjoyed and celebrated the Bears improbable win over the Green Bay Packers. We haven't talked with you yet about it. What did you, what did you take away from that game and what was your reaction as it was happening in real time?
- [03:44]
Matt Miller
My reaction is that Caleb Williams has the talent to be the best quarterback in the NFL. And I know there's been moments when you're probably when you work in the media in Chicago or when you're a Bears fan, you live under that microscope of evaluating every single throw and it becomes tiresome. And it's something even in my profession that we get stuck doing sometimes is we over evaluate guys and we, you know, you live and die by the first 15 plays instead of, well, let's wait and see what happens. Let's wait and see who wins this game or how a player develops over the course of 60 minutes or a season even. And I think that's what we're seeing with Caleb right now is where a month ago or six weeks ago it was the passing game stagnant. You're kind of running to win instead of playing a balanced offense. Now you're winning games against your hated division rival because your quarterback made two throws that I would put up against any throw any quarterback in the NFL has made. You take the best two throws from Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, whoever, Caleb Williams last week. Those, those two throws are going to go head to head with almost any of those. And not just because of the plays that the receivers made on the ball, but because of his vision, his arm strength, the ability to move and extend the play to open up Those passing windows, we're seeing it happen, we're seeing it come together. All the tools that he had at usc, all the tools he had even back in Oklahoma, some of the flashes we saw last year, it's. It's happening and it's. It's been pretty cool to watch.
- [05:09]
Dan Bernstein
Who's the team to beat in the nfc?
- [05:12]
Matt Miller
It's San Francisco. And I'm not saying that as somebody that grew up a Niners fan, that absolute beat down of the Colts on Monday night. And I understand, like, the Colts are on. Philip Rivers is playing quarterback and he's two years older than me. Right, I understand that. But that was, that was a beat down. And this is a team that is routinely winning by double digits, which just doesn't happen in the NFL to, to be on the streak that they're on of winning by double digits. And they're, they're not even healthy and they're still playing well. And I think that's a testament to how great Christian McCaffrey is. It's a testament to the job Robert Salah's doing as a defensive coordinator this year that you can, you can lose Nick Bosa and you still are stopping people in the red zone at a, at a clip. That's not really. I don't think anyone's keeping up with. So I think they are the team to beat. I mean, Philly, the experience that Philly has is going to be key in the playoffs. The Rams are a really good team. The Bears are a really good team. I don't know that I believe in anyone in the south right now. I think they're kind of cannibalizing each other. But I think, man, it's tough not to pick San Francisco right now.
- [06:18]
Matt Abaticola
And looking at San Francisco and Brock Purdy. What has been your evaluation of Brock Purdy? What kind of NFL quarterback is he? I. I've always had a hard time the last few years and just buying in of Brock Purdy as a, as a winning quarterback, despite the fact that they win and he goes to the playoffs and he leads them. Like, what. What is he.
- [06:38]
Dan Bernstein
I. I'm gonna write down. I just. Before he answers, I'm. I'm writing down a phrase that I want to see what Matt says. I want to see if it, if it is descriptive of what I'm writing down.
- [06:51]
Matt Miller
So Brock Purdy is an elite point guard. That's. That's what he is. He is very good at running the offense. He's very good at making the right decisions, getting the team in the Right protections, making the right checks pre and post snap and he's a distributor. What we've seen lately though is that he's making plays with his legs because defenses are trying to take away Christian McCaffrey, they're trying to take away some of the deep ball. And so it's opening up some things. Now he's never going to be Lamar Jackson, he's never going to be Josh Allen, but he is moving really well this year to make some plays. So, you know, I think if we had to make a list of the 10 best quarterbacks in the NFL this year, I don't know that we would put Brock on that list. It, it hurts his case that Mac Jones played so well when he was out. Right? But man, if, if the goal, the job of a quarterback is to win games, it's what he does say, all he does is win. And it's, it's hard to discount that.
- [07:42]
Dan Bernstein
I wrote down highest end possible game manager and I think point guard and.
- [07:48]
Matt Miller
Game manager are similar. Dan. I do. I don't know that he would have this, this success outside of Kyle Shanahan or outside of Sean McVeigh. And that's, and like that's okay though, right? It's, it's okay to be really, really good at running a system and to be maybe the best at running that system and to understand your weaknesses and say, you know what? I'm not gonna try to break outside the mold of what my coaches asked me to do. I'm just going to run the damn play at the highest level possible and we're going to win 11 or 12 games every year because of it.
- [08:18]
Matt Abaticola
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- [08:32]
Matt Miller
7 day stay required.
- [08:33]
Dan Bernstein
It's just an immense credit to Kyle Shanahan and it really all reflects on him. I think for people trying to understand what a Ben Johnson offense is trying to do with the way Shanahan incorporates motion, the way that he has, the way he uses formations to make sure he's avoiding being predictive. And just the idea of the play will tell you where the ball goes. The properly executed play will mean the, the ball's supposed to go somewhere and that, that all makes sense in that world. I'm not asking for Caleb Williams to become Brock Purdy because he's too special. There are things he can do off of script and completely on his own that only he sees that. My goal is that he and Ben Johnson elevate each other's visions.
- [09:32]
Matt Miller
No, you're right. And I think we're seeing that across the league right now. You have the, I don't mean this in a derogatory way. You kind of have the backyard football teams, Kansas City, Buffalo, Baltimore, you know, where, hey, my quarterback is superhuman. He's just going to go win us games. You know, it's like the Bulls. You got Michael Jordan, just let him shoot the ball, right. And then you have the teams that are more formulaic and it's, it is more. The scheme is so good and the quarterback is so good at running it that you can win a lot of football games that way. And I think San Francisco and, and the Rams are in that category of you have quarterbacks who are elite at running these schemes and the coaches are smart enough to adapt to what the players do well. And I think for San Francisco, what you are going to see this weekend is a team that will try to get their players in isolation. They're going to try to get their playmakers the ball in space and we'll see if Kittle plays or not. But they are so good at, whether it be by motion or by route concepts or play action, at getting their offensive playmakers in space where they can. They're so good after the catch and it's frustrating how good they are after the catch for other teams. But that is, that's what that scheme does. And it's, it's beautifully simple when you.
- [10:45]
Matt Abaticola
Look at that, that packers lost to the Bears last Saturday and then the week before they lose in Denver going into their last two games, the. Of the regular season. The Ravens and then the Vikings, I think, or the Lions. No, no, Lions of Bears. Green Bay is definitely playing the Ravens. I can't remember their Week 18 matchup. But what, what can a loss like that, Bears loss due to a team try, you know, they're, they're in the playoffs now, but what, what can that do to them going into a playoff run?
- [11:16]
Matt Miller
Well, I think it can. I mean, it can go a couple of ways. I think it can either galvanize you and say, okay, we were, we were close and we're still reeling from losing Micah Parsons. This is a team that I've said this for years. It's not always who the best team is. It's who the best healthy team is at the end, you know, and Green Bay is a Team that has a lot of injuries right now, Josh Jacobs is such a huge part of what they do, and he's been banged up. Obviously, you lose Michael Parsons, that's, you know, your entire defensive identity is now gone. And so I think losing to Chicago, it can galvanize you. It could put a chip on your shoulder to say, okay, we're going to have to fight our way through the playoffs. If we're going to. If we're going to get there, we got to. We're going to go from the six or seven seed all the way through. I still think Jordan Love is playing really good football right now, and Chicago did a good job of limiting him. But I would think that, you know, if you're waking up this week as a Packers fan, you're probably thinking, okay, we're going to go as far as Jordan can take us. It's all on his back, basically, to try to get this done.
- [12:15]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, they host the Ravens and then they play at Minnesota. So going to be a tough matchup with the Ravens, and then, you know, maybe Minnesota shows up like they showed up last night defensively, and, you know, they create six turnovers again.
- [12:29]
Matt Miller
Right. I mean. I mean, it's amazing to me, and I hope maybe this changes Brian Flourish, be a head coach in the NFL. Like, it's. It's wild. The job that he's done and doing it like the Vikings have some good defensive players, that this is not a team that spent, you know, $100 million on defense. Like, this is. This is a damn good coaching job, that he's doing a really good job developing players. And, you know, whatever we want to say about Dan Campbell and the Lions feeling like they're just fatigued. That Vikings defense is phenomenal. If they could do anything on offense at all, we would be talking about a pretty scary team.
- [13:03]
Dan Bernstein
Well, let me ask you this, then. If you think Flores should have that top job again, I believe it was TUA who came out and said that it wasn't the tactics, it wasn't the X's and O's, and it was the bedside manner. It was the demeanor. It was just how difficult he was to work with. So what does it mean? Usually, coaches can learn from their mistakes, and they can take criticism and they can moderate their behavior. However, Tua sucks, and it's possible that Flores was just like, stop sucking and doing his best to get something out of him. How does what's happened since change the way we think about Flores's next opportunity?
- [13:48]
Matt Miller
I think it definitely changes the perception of him. If, if you are to believe that, you know, he, he didn't handle TUA the right way or that he didn't. Because I do think your job as a coach is to find out how to motivate your players, especially your quarterback. You know, you have to build that relationship. If Flores wasn't good at that, I do think we can revise that history a little bit now and say, okay, maybe, you know, maybe it's a little bit more 50, 50 than it was. All the fact that Flores wasn't putting the kid gloves on. Maybe he was frustrated by, to his play or lack of preparation or whatever it might be. You know, I, I always find it interesting when only one side of the story hits the media. We haven't heard Brian Flores's side of that, where it might be, yeah, you know what? I got pissed off because my quarterback was, you know, throwing picks or because my quarterback, you know, doesn't have the arm strength to execute the offense the way we want, or, you know, because my quarterback is a player that's often injured and is, you know, maybe not protecting himself on the field the right way. So I, I do think, I don't want to say anyone was justified in that, but I, I think you can at least maybe connect more dots now and say, like, okay, maybe maybe this doesn't make Brian Flores look as bad as it did three or four years ago.
- [14:57]
Matt Abaticola
You know, I want to jump into some college football talk too, because we haven't had a chance to talk since the playoffs started. Saw a nice win for Alabama over Oklahoma, and then Dan's two lane team gets beat, James Madison gets beat. What was your, what was your take on those, those first few games you.
- [15:14]
Matt Miller
Saw the Notre Dame and Texas should have been in the playoffs. I mean, I don't, it's a, it's. I don't understand it. And I know we talked about this before. This is not March Madness. This is not, you know, Lehigh is not going to make a run in the college football playoffs, guys. It's just not going to happen. Right? It's not. Five seniors who've been playing together for five years are going to, you know, unseat, you know, a Michigan team with five freshmen because experience matters more in basketball. And I feel like that's what the committee was trying to go for was the Cinderella story of James Madison or Tulane and they got rocked. And I mean, the Tulane score looks a lot better than the game was. The same with James Madison. James Madison, at halftime, that game was over. Right. And So I, I just think if the committee's going to be legitimate, stop doing this like, and, and I say this like Notre Dame should have been in Texas, should have been in Texas beat Oklahoma, Texas beat Texas A and M. They were both. And they both, you know, got bounced. So I just, it's wild to me that we're not saying 12 best teams in college football, not best metrics or best win loss record, just put the 12 best teams in college football out there and let them, let them fight it out. Because could you imagine this this upcoming weekend if, if those teams have been tested a little bit more? You know, if I don't know that Alabama beats Notre Dame or Texas, I don't, I don't know that we see that happen. I don't know the Ole Miss beats Notre Dame or Texas. And so now we've, we've kind of got some untested groups out there. But, man, I'm, I'm excited for it because I do think we're getting better scouting matchups, which is what matters most to me. So we are going to, you know, get closer to some of those best versus best. I don't, I don't feel like watching, you know, Dante Moore against James Madison gives me a whole lot to work with as an NFL talent evaluator. So hopefully this weekend's a little bit better.
- [17:07]
Dan Bernstein
The Kansas City Chiefs are moving to Kansas and I say, good for Missouri, good for you in Missouri. Well done. Because despite all of their success and their popularity, that was a bad deal for taxpayers and the one for Kansas taxpayers is worse. I couldn't believe that. If you follow JC Bradbury or any of these other expert sports stadium economists, this is an all time sellout of taxpayers and they're lying about where the money is coming from. And they're saying, well, there's no new taxes. And they keep saying no new taxes. And that's because it's all diverting money that would have found its way elsewhere to help people and help the roads and healthcare and schools and everything that's important. And this is all being diverted to make the owners of the Chiefs wealthier at the expense of people in Kansas. And I understand why the Chiefs jumped at this deal, but I would say to you and the others in Missouri who voted them away, you're gonna be happy for it.
- [18:27]
Matt Miller
$3 billion is a lot of money. No matter how you slice, no matter where it comes from, it's a lot of money. I will tell you this. I live about 10 miles from the Kansas border and when, when the news came out that the Chiefs were moving, I, I, obviously, because we work in sports media, I knew before it was announced, so I text some of my friends, was like, hey, like, there's a press conference today. The Chiefs are moving to Kansas. And I, I can't tell you how many people I know who've told me I'm not going to be a Chiefs fan anymore because they're moving from Missouri to Kansas and because they're chasing the money of what the. What the infrastructure is.
- [19:04]
Dan Bernstein
They're all lying. Although all those people are.
- [19:06]
Matt Miller
Well, I mean, yeah, probably. I mean, I haven't seen any Chief stuff on, you know, hit the Internet for sale yet. But I will say this. This past weekend, and I know a lot of it's because Mahomes is out because of the. The playoffs weren't a factor. I've never seen more Chief tickets be given away, though. I mean, everyone I know who has Chief season tickets gave the tickets away. And some of it, maybe it's Christmas Day, maybe it's Mahomes wasn't playing, but I, I know people are upset. And I, I don't. I don't. Because I live on this side of the line. I don't know what the politics of this situation are with Kansas, But I know $3 billion is a lot of money. I will just say this, though. The Kansas City, Missouri folks have had my entire lifetime to build up the area around the Chiefs and the Royal stadiums because they're in the same parking lot as the Truman Sports complex they've had since the 70s, so longer than I've been alive to build up something over there. And they have not. It is a desolate part of Kansas City. There are no hotels, there are no restaurants. It is a sea of concrete where you can park your car and smoke some ribs for seven hours before a football game. There is absolutely nothing to do when people ask me, hey, I'm coming to Kansas City for a game, where should I stay? Close to the stadium. You can't. You have to stay in downtown or in Kansas. And you can't really Uber to the stadium. There is no public transportation. If you do not own a car, you are not going to a Chiefs game or a Royals game because it is so far from where you would need to be able to stay. There's no activities, pre or post game that you can do. There used to be a Denny's. It burnt down. They have not replaced it. So, like, I get the. I get the, you know, we are socializing stadiums for private wealth. I, I understand that and I don't agree with it, but it's happening and it's happening in every sport and in every city. The, the infrastructure for fans will be a million times better, maybe 3 billion times better actually, once they move to the Kansas side. Because you, you know, you could actually stay in a, a hotel and be close to the stadium, which is something that you cannot do right now. So things will be significantly better. And I think mile wise, it's about the same from downtown Kansas City as it is right now. It's just you got to drive west instead of east and that really pisses people off apparently.
- [21:27]
Matt Abaticola
Hey, for scouting purposes, what do you have your eye on this weekend? Something that we might want to put on our list?
- [21:34]
Matt Miller
Yeah, I mean, I do think we're still trying to figure out who these quarterbacks are. You know, there is some conversation in the league right now about, is it, is it Fernando Mendoza? Is he the runaway, you know, from Indiana? He's going to get a pretty good test against Alabama this weekend. You know, Alabama has some legit players, especially in the secondary. I think they, they might have the best safety duo in college football. So that's going to be a big one. And then we get Dante Moore, Oregon against the best defensive line of college football with Texas Tech. I mean, the Tex front seven is crazy. And David Bailey is probably going to be a top 15 pick and Jacob Rodriguez is the best linebacker in college football right now. That is going to be a really, really good test for Dante Moore. So I think that's like the big thing that I'm watching. Miami, Ohio State should be good. It's, it's funny guys. Last week, and I know this is like super in the weeds. Last week before Miami played Texas A and M, this report comes out that Reuben Bane has shorter arm length than you would like as a prospect. And it's, you know, it's that time of year. Then Reuben Bane goes out and it put on a freaking clinic against Texas A M. So I hope that, that he is, you know, also motivated this weekend. But the Miami offensive line is good. Their right tackle has a shot to be a top 10 pick. So seeing them go against Ohio State is going to be really, really interesting to see if that Ohio State pass rush, which has some very good players up front, if they can get to Carson Beck because he struggles when the pocket gets muddy. But I think if you're, if you're, if you're looking for a potential upset and like Ohio State looked infallible until they ran into Indiana. And I think Miami can do a lot of the same things that Indiana did.
- [23:08]
Dan Bernstein
Lastly, what do you think of the fact that Michigan reportedly is now focusing in on Utah's Kyle Whittingham? The 66 year old joked about it, said it looks like he's entering the transfer portal. It could be as soon as. As later Friday that that gets done. Good move.
- [23:27]
Matt Miller
I think so. A good move, especially to get away from all the drama and controversy from the Harbaugh Stallions. More era. You want to go no nonsense, right? You almost over correct a little bit. This would be a proper over correction of somebody who's been a no nonsense guy. Never any drama, no scandals. Just built solid, tough football teams routinely at Utah. So is it, is it a super glamorous hire that's gonna, you know, get the nil money flowing in? Probably not, but he's 66 years old. If he can come in and provide some consistency and a foundation for the program, I think that can get them back, you know, on the right footing. And then, you know, who knows, maybe he can build something and, and have a, you know, a five year plan to get Michigan to where they're. No, you know, just to where their coaches aren't being suspended for games. Would be a huge improvement if we could just get there.
- [24:20]
Dan Bernstein
That was my thought as well, that this is a, this is a cleanup.
- [24:23]
Matt Miller
Yeah, without a doubt.
- [24:24]
Dan Bernstein
This is a cleanup guy.
- [24:25]
Matt Abaticola
It's like when, when the Bears hired John Fox, it was like, let's just get back to NFL football.
- [24:31]
Matt Miller
Yeah.
- [24:32]
Matt Abaticola
He didn't quite want to work when he was here, but it was, it was still the whole idea behind it. Hey, are you two still doing your Niners Bears bet where it's deep dish pizza for ribs. Is that, is that the bet you two are doing?
- [24:43]
Matt Miller
I don't know what we're doing. We're doing something I think I wanted pastrami, if I remember.
- [24:47]
Matt Abaticola
Oh, that's right, those pastrami and ribs. That's right.
- [24:50]
Matt Miller
Yeah. You know what? I'll talk to my guys at Joe's in Kansas City. I will have them send you a box of barbecue if the Bears win.
- [24:57]
Matt Abaticola
And then Dan will send you pastrami.
- [25:00]
Matt Miller
I don't know. Whatever. Dealer's choice. Dealer's choice.
- [25:02]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, whatever you want. Whatever you want.
- [25:04]
Matt Miller
I heard something about steaks at one point. I do. Like, we. I'm blessed. Like, we all live, like in the heartland. It's tough to beat a good steak in this part of the country. I haven't been to Chicago and I'm in a little while and I'm, I definitely miss the steakhouses, so.
- [25:17]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. But come on. Kansas City literally has a cut name day.
- [25:21]
Matt Miller
Yeah. We have our own strip.
- [25:22]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah.
- [25:22]
Dan Bernstein
Right. The Bone in strip is known as the Kansas City cut, so.
- [25:27]
Matt Miller
Man, I don't. It's tough. We need to do like a, A summer steak review. I'll come there.
- [25:31]
Dan Bernstein
I'm in here.
- [25:32]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, for sure. 100.
- [25:33]
Dan Bernstein
I'm in. We could, we could find partners for that. Matt Miller, thank you as always. Merry Christmas. And will we talk for the New Year? No, I don't think so. So happy, healthy.
- [25:45]
Matt Abaticola
All right, buddy.
- [25:46]
Matt Miller
Yeah. Appreciate you guys enjoy the weekend.
- [25:49]
Dan Bernstein
That is Matt Miller of espn and you can follow his work socials at NFL draft Scout. Did you see the DK Metcalf aftermath?
- [26:01]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, dude, we, I, I was talking about it with family, you know, over the last couple days and it's just, first of all, it's just, it's insane. It's. It's absolutely insane.
- [26:12]
Dan Bernstein
Well, I thought the whole story kind of sucks. I think every aspect is. There's, it's disappointing all the way around, I think, to have a fan who's a known troll targeting a player just because. Sucks. I think DK Metcalf's physical reaction, hundred percent wrong, cannot happen. I think that sucks. I also think that his. The voiding of $40 million worth of guarantees due to this sucks. And now as of today, the fan is holding a press conference with, with a lawyer announcing the civil suit. And they're not allowing reporters on the zoom to have questions. And there's handpicked reporters there. All of that sucks, every bit of it. As a statement about fandom and where we are. And I hope that the reaction and what will be the overreaction doesn't make football worse and doesn't make the relationship between fans and players worse. I just find the entire thing gross and I wish it hadn't happened.
- [27:42]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, no, I agree with everything that you said there. But DK Metcalf, he needs to know better, man. You can't. Like, you're in the middle of a game, there's. There's a game going on. Like, what are you doing, dude?
- [27:55]
Dan Bernstein
As somebody.
- [27:56]
Matt Abaticola
What are you doing?
- [27:56]
Dan Bernstein
As somebody who fell for a troll? As somebody, I have personal experience with this. As somebody who took the bait and should have known better. Absolutely should have known better and faced life changing consequences because of it. Sometimes I would say there but for the grace of God, I, I went there. I was there. And. And that's. I think that's why part of me empathizes a little bit that sometimes you don't even know when it's going to happen, and you don't know why it is. And at least you know from. In my situation, I realized long after the fact, taking the time to unwind it as I've spoken about, knowing how much else went into it and why it was this thing at this time that happened to be. And I. I don't know if there's something similar. I'm not presuming there's anything like that with DK Metcalf, but it. It made me feel bad and kind of ashamed all over again. So it. It really did hit home with me to see. Wasn't on Twitter, it wasn't virtual, it was an actual swipe, but it was very, very similar.
- [29:16]
Matt Abaticola
I totally understand what you're saying. And if Metcalf had turned and yelled something like, I get it. This guy's a professional troll. Going after him, targeting him, you know, doesn't. It sounds like he has a questionable character. If that's. That's the purpose for you going to a game or what you want to do online with your. With your time. But if you would have yelled something back at him or. I understand that. That. That happens all the time.
- [29:39]
Dan Bernstein
Smiled at him.
- [29:40]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. But even if you want to be an asshole back to him, like, I get that. That. And we've seen that a lot in sports. But to deliberately walk over and then take a swipe is just, man, like, what are you doing in the middle of a game? You know? Like, I'm not in his shoes. I'm not hearing what he was hearing. I'm not feeling whatever he was feeling. But, dude, you're. You're a professional football player. Like, go on the sideline, watch your game. Who cares about this guy? But I guess easier. Easier to say. It's easy for me to say. I'm not in the experience of it all. But, dude, I mean, like, losing $40 million over this, over this guy, he.
- [30:21]
Dan Bernstein
May not lose at all, but to. To open the possibility of losing it. He had it. That was.
- [30:26]
Matt Abaticola
Losing any. Or.
- [30:27]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, that. Any of it. That was guaranteed.
- [30:29]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, it just. It does suck.
- [30:32]
Dan Bernstein
That was guaranteed. I mean, really, it's. It's. Then you start to think, if a team wanted to move on now, it makes it easier to do that, and.
- [30:44]
Matt Abaticola
You open up that door for them to walk through it, and, you know, this guy's 15 minutes will run out and you know, it's, it's, the clock's ticking now and it'll, it'll pass. And he's still going to have opportunities to play football if he wants to play, obviously, beyond this year, which I don't. I don't think he's not going to play. But to do that to yourself and lose money if he does end up losing any kind of money is just, it's a shame and it's too bad. And hopefully it's something he can look back at and say, you know what, whether it's 5 million or 20 million or all of it, he can go, shit, you know, that was, that was really stupid. And hopefully it's nothing that happens again for his own professional career.
- [31:22]
Dan Bernstein
Before we finish up, I wanted to at least raise the conversation starting now about how Ben Johnson and the Bears handle whatever competitive aspects there are of these remaining two games. And I have to tell you that my expectation is from, based on everything I've read and everything that's been said, that until and unless they are, they have the number one seed or they're incapable of getting the number one seed if, when, once the playoff positions are locked in, I expect the Bears best players to play and expect everybody to do everything they can do as they've been doing to win every possession.
- [32:20]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, I agree. So the. Where are we at here? The Bears at 11 and 4 and the packers at 9, 5 and 1. So the. Obviously, the division's not settled yet.
- [32:29]
Dan Bernstein
Correct.
- [32:29]
Matt Abaticola
Packers have to win both games. Bears would have to lose both games. And so you're going to San Francisco, you're hosting Detroit, Green Bay is hosting the Ravens and then going to Minnesota. Yeah, I mean, they're, you know, Ben Johnson laid it out. He said our first goal was 11 wins because 11 wins pretty much get you in because 10 last year, Seattle didn't get in. So we want to get to 11 wins. Want to win the division, the host at least one playoff game and then do what it takes to become the number one seed.
- [32:58]
Dan Bernstein
Yep.
- [32:58]
Matt Abaticola
So, you know, you can, you can easily take care of that by winning Sunday. And then you can worry about week 18 because week 18 won't matter for the division if you win and get the 12 wins. Niners or the packers can't do that. So win Sunday and let that take care of it. Then you can figure out what you want to do to plan for week 18. But if the Niners give you a game or they beat you, you're going to have to, you're going to have to play Week 18 to win if. If the packers can beat the Ravens as well.
- [33:26]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I think the Bears are in tough this week. I think the travel out there against a team that at least offensively appears to be peaking at the moment. Tell me if this is crazy, but I want this game. If it's going to expose the weaknesses that would prevent the Bears from winning the Super Bowl, I want them to see it clearly enough to know how they want to correct it. If they don't see it yet, this coaching staff may see it. This coaching staff may not need anything illustrated to them. But I don't think it would be the worst thing in the world to use this and say, all right, to test our mettle a little bit and say, all right, we're still not championship material because of this, this and this and this. Whether there's anything tactically anything where around the margins you can do things personnel wise, schematically at least, know it for sure. Don't be guessing at any of your deficiencies before the playoffs start. It may. Regardless of outcome. And I guess that's a long way of saying that regardless of outcome. I want Sunday night to make the Bears more likely to win the Super Bowl.
- [34:49]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. And I think the deficiencies that we've talked about and listed out both individually and then, you know, here for the show, the Bears coaching staff knows that. They know. I mean, they know better than we do, obviously, what's going to prevent them from winning a championship. My only thing is they're not, I don't think, at least that they're looking at that big picture just yet because Ben Johnson is looking at the 49ers and the 49ers only. He's looking at how do we win this game. I mean, they've talked about all year long. We've heard Caleb say it over and over. And that's not coming from Caleb. It's coming from the top about we got to go one and O this week and that's all they focus on. So I think he approaches it one step at a time where his goal right now is what do we need to do to beat the 49ers? Then it's going to be what do we need to do to beat the Lions? And then when the playoffs start, it's going to be what do we need to do to beat the Packers? If it's, you know that if that's the first game, if we're the 2 seed, they're the 7 seed. I'm not sure when he starts looking at and saying what are the deficiencies or what do we need to do to be a champion? I'm not sure he even does that until they get to that. That actual point in the playoff run.
- [36:01]
Dan Bernstein
Well, let me give you an example, I guess, and be more specific if you know. And I think we're all agreeing on what we're not saying here. I think the tenor of our discussions and the substance of it has been an understanding that the front four isn't generating enough pressure on the quarterback and isn't involved enough to in stopping the run game. That the the deficiencies in this team start with Booker, Dexter Billings and sweat just not being effective enough. The question then is, do you try to supplement that with blitzing, with run blitzes, with using extra people in pressure packages, or do you lean into the opposite and say let's get whatever we can get from them and just try to make your life hell in coverage and we're not going to worry about it. We're not going to say we got to get home, we got to get home. We're going to send extra guys to get home, maybe occasionally spring it on them here or there, but for the most part, we've got to lock down everything behind that. Our linebackers cannot be fooled by eye candy. Our safeties cannot miss an assignment. We have to be perfect in splits and zones and footwork and communication against motion, etc. And these are the larger picture decisions that come as a function of trying to win the games in the way that you describe.
- [37:38]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, no, I totally understand what you're saying. And I think, though, given where they're at still in the point of the season that he's going to and he has a game plan devised to beat the 49ers to win and is he's not looking past that to say what can we learn about our team? Because this game still has significance to it. I think if they, if they win Sunday and they get the 12 wins and they guarantee the division, I think he might use week 18 to try some different things defensively to see what can they do. What other packages, what combinations of players, what things haven't we really, really gotten into significantly on the defensive side to really impact what we do from our pass rush now, they're not going to have that opportunity if they don't win Sunday. And then week 18 is still meaningful. You know, the packers win, the packers beat the Ravens. So, yeah, I think for this week and this week alone, it's really all about beating the 49ers and he's not going to really take the time to try. I appreciate what you're saying and my brain would say you're right though.
- [38:39]
Dan Bernstein
I think you're being very practical. I'm being a little bit more philosophical about it and maybe just projecting my thoughts about it as opposed to what the coaches are actually spending their time talking about and doing. Yeah, no, I get that. The there are a couple of decisions though and we know that at the moment. TJ Edwards, he didn't. He was listed as a DNP because of what they're seeing as a glute injury. So I don't know where he is there. It looks like Roma Dunes A is not going to be back, but Luther Burden is. I'm interested to see if and how DeMarco Jackson may be worked in because of how successful he had been. If they find a way to deploy him as well. The other thing I'm interested in, if Roma Dunze remains out, the choice of is Jade Walker earning a longer look or are he and Olamide Zacchaeus sort of locked in with where they are? Are they going to allow say okay Jade, every time we've given you a little more, a little more, a little more. Maybe in practice. Maybe he doesn't know his blocking assignments in the run game or the pass game which obviates all of this. But there, there might be some tinkering when it comes to snap counts that could be worth keeping an eye on.
- [39:58]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, I, I would, I would think just what they've done with Zacchaeus throughout this year already that Walker has earned more opportunities to get some more snaps. He certainly has and he showed that in really big pressure situation last week with that game tying touchdown. And then it was Zacchaeus with his the continual drops throughout the season. You know that you can't have that. And the only thing that it would prevent him from getting more snaps is just what you mentioned. If he's not showing in practice what they need to see for game day because Johnson talked about this weeks ago that the way you practice dictates how much you're part of the game plan. And it's not, it's more than just catching and running routes. That's half of it. And if he's not there for the run game and if he's not executing the blocking scheme that is needed as a wide receiver, he's not going to get those extra snaps.
- [40:50]
Dan Bernstein
No, I get it. That's what we don't know.
- [40:52]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah. That's what we do. Yeah. For sure. But on the surface, how could he not get a few more snaps? Like, how could he not given. Given what he's done with the very little he's been given. But also more so what Zakus hasn't done with the opportunities, which is more frustrating as a veteran guy.
- [41:11]
Dan Bernstein
Well, we are going to be live post game. It's another late one, but that doesn't stop us the moment the game ends. You want to tune into the Forward progress live YouTube post game. I believe our last one, we had 2,000 unique viewers at the peak.
- [41:31]
Matt Abaticola
Yep.
- [41:32]
Dan Bernstein
The people in the chat room, like on the page hanging out before we got there. And it was a big crowd and we love it. It's.
- [41:40]
Matt Abaticola
You can.
- [41:40]
Dan Bernstein
You can feel the energy immediately after the game and win or lose, I do think that, as I mentioned before, regardless of outcome, I do think the Bears can. Can get themselves closer to winning a Super Bowl. I think it's going to be a tough one for them, but I can't wait. I think there's a lot of people just kind of getting to the party right now, and I noticed that from the number of people who saw the last Niners game with, with other things in mind, who hadn't really watched a lot of football throughout the year, and the reaction was, ooh, this Niners team is good. Oh, boy, these guys. This team's good. Did you notice a lot of that? I said, yeah, for sure.
- [42:16]
Matt Abaticola
Where you been?
- [42:17]
Dan Bernstein
Like, they've. The Bears aren't the only team in the NFL. The Seahawks are really good, too. So this is not a cakewalk. Nothing has been awarded to them.
- [42:26]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, Brock Purdy had the five touchdowns in that last game they played. And there was another team, too, that we had mentioned. It was an opportunity where if you're a Bears fan and you're not an NFL junkie, there was a team that just played two that, that would. Was a good opportunity for Bears fans to take a peek at.
- [42:42]
Matt Miller
But.
- [42:43]
Matt Abaticola
But the 49ers, if that's the first game you watched. Sorry, that was the first one. Sorry, that was the first one you got in on.
- [42:50]
Dan Bernstein
I'm really going to. I'm going to get excited about these Bears. Let's see who else is in the nfc. Holy shit, right?
- [42:58]
Matt Abaticola
Holy shit was right. Yep. That's for sure. But yeah, we will be here live on forward progress after the Bears Niners game concludes somewhere around 10:30. We'll be here for you, so jump on in. We had people waiting in the, in the chat room before the show even.
- [43:14]
Dan Bernstein
Started, hanging out with each other, making comments.
- [43:16]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, it was like 60 comments before we even started. And it was our guy, government fromage.
- [43:21]
Dan Bernstein
He was.
- [43:22]
Matt Abaticola
He was like real time living the whole, I hate the Bears. I'm done with this team.
- [43:27]
Dan Bernstein
And then we could, we can save that. We can go back and grab those. But yeah, if you want to hang out with each other, I guess you can because Matt is going to put, put up a forward, like a placeholder that says upcoming. And I guess the chat in there still works before we're even on.
- [43:44]
Matt Abaticola
Yeah, you know what I'll do? I'll actually, I'll set that up this Sunday right before kickoff. So I'll leave it up the entire game.
- [43:50]
Dan Bernstein
Okay.
- [43:51]
Matt Abaticola
So if people, if you're out there in this community and you want to watch the game together via the chat room, I'll have it there for you to go. So feel free to take advantage of it.
- [44:01]
Dan Bernstein
That's a great idea. So that is going to be on the Forward Progress YouTube page. And all you have to do is. I believe that. I don't know if you send out the notification or if Karwowski sends out the notification, but on the app.
- [44:15]
Matt Abaticola
On the app, yes, on the app he does.
- [44:17]
Matt Miller
Okay.
- [44:17]
Dan Bernstein
So we just got to make sure that that gets. That will alert you to when we go on live late. But feel free to jump on YouTube and grab that little spot. Grab your perfect seat in our. In our virtual.
- [44:32]
Matt Abaticola
It's a parade. You got to get there early for the good spot to see the. Yeah.
- [44:36]
Dan Bernstein
Set your. Set your lawn chairs down there, your bike flags or whatever you need. Looking forward to it. And maybe we'll have another Bears win to discuss.
- [44:44]
Matt Abaticola
Not maybe.
- [44:45]
Dan Bernstein
Oh, you're guaranteeing there Bears are going to win, man. Here on Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast on 312Sports.
- [44:53]
Matt Abaticola
I mean, if you're a Bears fan, you're thinking forward Progress. Come on. 1919.
- [45:05]
Matt Miller
Forward progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with.
- [45:09]
Matt Abaticola
Dan Bernstein and Matt abetic cola on 312 sports.