Forward Progress: Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode: Scott Baer – Marquee Sports Network | The Chicago Football Show
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola
Guest: Scott Baer (Marquee Sports Network)
Date: December 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the current state of the Chicago Bears as they approach a critical end-of-season stretch. Hosts Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola welcome Scott Baer from Marquee Sports Network to discuss the Bears’ playoff chances, growth under new head coach Ben Johnson, the development of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, and the upcoming must-win matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Rich in both analysis and candid Bears fandom, the conversation oscillates from X’s and O’s to locker room culture and league-wide context.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Playoff Picture & Stakes of the Browns Game

• Bears at 9-4: The team is eyeing a playoff berth, but every remaining game is crucial.
• High-Stakes Matchup with Browns:
  • Win Probability Swing: If the Bears win, playoff chances stay around 71%. If they lose, they plummet to 42%.
    (Dan Bernstein, 01:50)
  • The game against a struggling Browns team is seen as a “must win” for Chicago.

"You win the game, your playoff possibility stays right around 71% according to PFF. You lose the game, they're down to 42%." — Dan Bernstein (01:50)

• Division Opportunity: With the Packers and Lions facing tough opponents, a win would let the Bears gain ground.
  (Matt Abbatacola, 02:31)

2. New Culture, New Coach, and a Season “Ahead of Schedule”

• 2025 Narrative Framed:
  • Dan imagines the NFL Films headline: “New coach, new energy, new culture leading to a winning Bears season, cut short in the playoffs.”
  • Scott Baer emphasizes the team being “a year ahead of schedule,” with a competitive roster and leadership that expects resilience.
    (Scott Baer, 05:35)

"I would list everything... except the fall short in the playoffs. And I would add a year ahead of schedule." — Scott Baer (05:35)

• Leadership & Locker Room Response:
  Scott relays a post-Packers loss conversation with Jalen Johnson, who asserted the team’s identity as one that does not lose two straight, underscoring the Bears’ internal standards and pride.
  (Scott Baer, 03:37)

"Jalen Johnson was already saying, 'Hey, look, we're not an outfit that loses two in a row.' That's something they take pride in." — Scott Baer (03:37)

3. Caleb Williams’ Development: Progress & Patience

• Initial Concerns to Current Growth:
  Early in the season there were operational struggles (play clock issues, learning the offense). Now, Williams is improving but hasn't fully mastered Ben Johnson’s system.
  (Scott Baer, 08:07)
• Coaching Perspective:
  Coaches are pushing Williams but understand mastering the offense may not happen until 2026. Williams’ traits (special arm, off-script creativity) are being carefully balanced with learning structure.
• Statistical Expectations:
  Ben Johnson set a lofty goal: a 70% completion rate for Williams—likely unattainable in year one, but a target for future development.

"Ben Johnson says... the expectation is for Caleb Williams to have a 70% completion rate. We're nowhere close to that. But guess what? Jared Goff didn't crack 70% until his third season…" — Scott Baer (09:05)

• Coaching Adaptation:
  The staff has simplified some concepts as needed (“cutting off half the field,” layering reads), but there’s a desire to have Williams play in rhythm and under schedule, without sacrificing his improvisational talent.
  (Scott Baer, 12:29)

4. Play Calling and Passing Game Analysis

• Recent Game Adjustments:
  In the Packers loss, the offense shifted to more boot-action and simplified reads after a rough first half.
  • Dan notes, “That’s not Ben Johnson’s offense,” but a necessary tactical shift at times.
    (Dan Bernstein, 11:21)
• Complementary Football:
  Scott emphasizes, “We’re not winning because of the passing game, maybe in spite of it sometimes,” highlighting the team’s need for balance, detail in receiver routes, protection, and tight end roles.
  (Scott Baer, 12:29)

"This is one of those teams that needs the complementary coach speak as much as any unit right now, especially... [when] some of these other really good teams [have] excellent quarterback play." — Scott Baer (14:46)

• Role of Ben Johnson:
  Johnson is credited for balancing honesty in press conferences with protecting his quarterback, careful messages to players and media.

5. Inside Access: Injury Secrecy & NFL Coach Culture

• Bears' Tight-Lipped Approach:
  The new administration is notably secretive about injuries, drawing on lessons from Scott Baer’s experience on the Falcons team side about the lengths to which NFL teams go for a competitive edge.
  (Dan Bernstein/Scott Baer, 19:28–22:12)

"It's crazy how much these pro scouting staffs, like, look at other teams' photographs and pay attention to all the things that you don't think coaches have time to do. They find time to do it." — Scott Baer (20:37)

6. Game Plan vs. Browns & Defensive Philosophy

• Elements and Mindset:
  Scott predicts a gritty, weather-impacted contest ("Something tells me kicking is going to be a nightmare and that ball is going to hit you in the chest…"), with Chicago needing to assert superiority and play like a favorite.
  (Scott Baer, 22:33)
• To Blitz or Not to Blitz?
  Bears haven’t been a great blitzing unit this year, but Scott leans toward blitzing rookie QB Shedeur Sanders early to rattle him and disrupt rhythm, while remaining ready to adjust based on in-game results.
  (Scott Baer, 25:23)
• Winning Formula:
  Scott: “I’m of the belief that if you take care of business against lesser teams or seller dwellers and you go .500 against everybody else, you’re in playoff contention every year. The only way you do that is by beating Cleveland on Sunday.” (23:39)

7. Bears Being “Ahead of Schedule.” Good or Bad?

• Dan’s Perspective:
  It's unquestionably positive—the Bears wasted time with prior coaching missteps. Now, being ahead of schedule is a necessity given previous setbacks. (Dan Bernstein, 29:22)
• Matt’s Take:
  The team should "seize the moment," take advantage of their position, and aim for not just playoff appearance but playoff victories—even if a Super Bowl run isn’t realistic yet. (Matt Abbatacola, 31:39)

8. The Ben Johnson “Shirtless” Narrative

• Locker Room Culture and Outside Perceptions:
  Ben Johnson’s now-infamous postgame, shirtless celebration is gaining attention nationwide—sometimes praised as culture-building, sometimes mocked ("The Monsters, Inc. alternate ESPN broadcast already made a joke at his expense…”). Dan and Matt reflect on how Johnson’s public persona could be judged based on team results. (32:04–35:44)

"The Ben Johnson locker room antics are gaining a national reputation... if they do make the playoffs... it's going to be, wow, look at that guy. That's the culture that he created. Remember when he took his shirt off and it solidified this team unity..." — Matt Abbatacola (34:26)

9. Bears Fan Experience, Playoff Math, and Game Outlook

• Emotional Toll of Key Games:
  Matt discusses the exhausting anticipation and emotional stakes of rivalry games, particularly with the Packers (36:13-37:51).
• Playoff Math Reiterated:
  Bears as strong favorites vs. Browns, but injuries and execution must be tracked closely.
• Player Spotlight:
  Joking banter about Myles Garrett's superhuman abilities and the need for tactical play calling versus the Browns’ defensive stars. (39:16-40:45)
• Cole Kmet's "Catch-and-Fall" Habit:
  Hosts lament tight end Cole Kmet's tendency to slide to the ground after catches instead of picking up extra yards. (41:05–42:18)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Bears’ Resilience:
  “When you stumble, can you get back up and maintain your previous pace? That's what the Bears expect from themselves.”
  — Scott Baer (03:37)

• On Caleb Williams Development:
  “He throws for four touchdowns. Not good enough. He throws for 53%... There were good moments. Let's extract those and realize how we can be better.”
  — Scott Baer (08:07)

• On Fan Mindset: “We don't have enough time left on this planet to have to say, ‘Well, it'll take this year, that year, they could... get it done.’ Go, go, go. Get on with it.”
  — Dan Bernstein (29:22)

• On NFL Paranoia:
  “It's crazy how much these pro scouting staffs... look at other teams' photographs and pay attention to all the things that you don't think coaches have time to do. They find time to do it.”
  — Scott Baer (20:37)

• Locker Room Leadership:
  “The messaging is going in every direction. And if he felt like he had to clarify it and that did help in some way, shape or form, that's a good thing.”
  — Scott Baer, on Ben Johnson publicly supporting Caleb Williams (15:35)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:31 — Bears must-win scenario & NFC North playoff math
• 03:37 — Locker room reaction after Packers loss; team resilience
• 05:35 — Season narrative: ahead of schedule, new energy
• 08:07 — Caleb Williams’ year-one progress and expectations
• 11:21 — Offensive philosophy: sticking to the system vs. short-term adjustments
• 12:29 — The passing game: balancing simplification and structure
• 19:28–22:12 — Inside the secrecy of NFL injury management
• 22:33 — Bears’ approach to beating the Browns; what success looks like
• 25:23 — Blitzing strategy vs. Shedeur Sanders and the Browns
• 29:22 — Bears being "ahead of schedule" debated
• 32:04–35:44 — Ben Johnson's locker room reputation and national attention
• 41:05 — Cole Kmet's “catch and fall” habit

Final Thoughts

Cohesive, Analytical, and Passionate:
This episode is a strong representation of Forward Progress’s blend of sharp, nuanced football analysis with unabashed Chicago Bears passion. With Scott Baer’s added insight, listeners get a real sense of the Bears’ internal mindset, cautious optimism about their young quarterback, and the challenges ahead—both on the field and in shaping a winning culture.

Whether you're hoping for a playoff push or just want to understand the team's transformation, this episode sets the agenda for what matters now in Bears football.