Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots - the Big Game is almost here.

Summary

Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode: Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots – the Big Game is Almost Here

Air date: February 6, 2026
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola deliver their signature mix of Chicago Bears analysis and unfiltered NFL insight, focusing on the lead-up to Super Bowl LX (60) between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. The hosts break down the implications of Super Bowl economics, the Bears’ frustrating experience with compensatory draft picks, awards season outcomes, and the quarterback narratives defining this year’s big game. As always, they blend sharp football analysis, dry wit, and the passionate grumbling of life-long Bears fans.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Super Bowl 60: Reflections, Location, and NFL Economics

• 40 Years Since the Bears' Last Title: The hosts marvel at the four-decade drought since the Chicago Bears’ last Super Bowl win.
  • “It’s been 40 since the Bears won!” (Dan, 01:24)
• Santa Clara as Super Bowl Host: Recounting past Super Bowl travels, Dan and Matt lampoon the NFL’s strategy of extracting concessions from host cities.
  • “So the city of Santa Clara, San Francisco area, decided to get extorted by the NFL…” (Dan, 02:16)
• Comparisons to the Olympics: They note the Olympics are even costlier for host cities, but the Super Bowl still brings heavy burdens and little lasting benefit.
  • “The Olympics actually make you construct things out of brick and stone and steel that then serve no purpose…” (Matt, 03:05)
• Local Business Disruptions: The hosts are incredulous that businesses near NFL events can be forced to close without NFL compensation — the city foots the bill.
  • “If your business is too close to where the game is being played, they'll make that business shut down.” (Dan, 03:36)

2. Chicago Bears, the Hammond Stadium Proposal, and City-State Dynamics

• What if Bears’ New Stadium is in Hammond, Indiana? They debate potential partnerships and cross-border complexities around hosting NFL events.
  • “Chicago’s still the market… it doesn’t change anything.” (Matt, 04:08)
  • “Knowing Illinois, they would pay for everything and let Indiana keep all the profit.” (Dan, 04:43)

3. Bears Lose Compensatory Picks – The Ian Cunningham/Matt Ryan Controversy

• NFL’s Compensatory Pick Ruling: The hosts deep-dive into the nuances of compensatory picks for developing minority executives, focusing on the Bears losing out after Ian Cunningham was hired by Atlanta—because Matt Ryan (not a football exec) was declared the top decision maker.
  • “Because Matt Ryan was named president of football operations…the Bears did not award any of these compensatory picks.” (Matt, 07:41)
• Breaking Down the JC-2A Rule: An in-depth explanation of the 2020 NFL resolution, which rewards teams for developing minority head coaches or GMs. Matt reads the rule aloud (11:15–13:20).
• Questioning the Logic: The hosts ridicule the NFL’s inflexibility—especially since Matt Ryan himself disclaims decision-making authority.
  • Quote: “Ian is in charge. Ian’s in charge of free agency and the draft… I’ve never sat in a draft meeting.” (Matt Ryan, quoted by Matt, 09:54)
  • “He said it pretty explicitly. I don’t know what more you need.” (Matt, 14:18)
• Sarcastic Digressions on Race and NFL Bureaucracy: A running joke involves the Chicago White Sox being arbiters of who counts as a minority under NFL rules.
• Frustration Peaks: “Why stop being a dick? Give the Bears their picks free.” (Dan, 16:10)
• Importance to the Bears’ Rebuild: Discussing what two additional third-round picks could mean, especially with the team’s recent draft success.

4. NFL Honors & Awards Review

• Coach of the Year Voting: The hosts break down the voting, expressing shock that Ben Johnson (Bears coach) only garnered one first-place vote.
  • “That’s some bullshit right there.” (Dan, 18:27)
  • “After Caleb Williams’ rookie season…all this shit that was dumped on him…Wow, that’s terrible. One first place vote.” (Dan, 19:22)
• Other Awards:
  • Defensive Player of the Year: “Miles Garrett won…unanimously.” (21:02)
  • Offensive Rookie of the Year: “Jackson Smith-Njigba…Correct answer.” (Matt, 21:04)
  • Defensive Rookie of the Year: “Browns linebacker Carson Schwessinger.” (Matt, 21:35)
  • Comeback Player of the Year: “Christian McCaffrey…31 first place votes…” Philip Rivers inexplicably received a vote (“Take that vote away immediately.” – Dan, 21:57)
  • Protector of the Year: “Joe Thuney…led all qualifying guards in pass block rate win metric, 97.6%.” (Matt, 22:30)
• MVP Discussion: Matthew Stafford finally wins at age 37, with minor outcry over Justin Herbert’s mysterious first-place vote. (24:03)
  • “He’s the oldest player at the time of his first MVP.” (Matt, 25:15)

5. Super Bowl QB Narratives and NFL Parity

• Sam Darnold & Drake May: Analysis of the irony that one will secure a ring before established stars like Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.
  • “One of those two guys, Sam Darnold or Drake May, will tie the great Aaron Rodgers for the same number of Super Bowl victories.” (Dan, 26:20)
• Seizing Opportunity: A reminder that even “flash-in-the-pan” success should be seized.
  • “Drake May may never see a Super Bowl ever again.” (Matt, 27:35)
• NFL's Flawed Copycat Logic:
  • “Owners are stupid and owners are insecure… they made their money somewhere else… and you still don’t understand football. Except if you’re the McCaskeys… and you still don’t understand it.” (Matt, 28:09)
• Family Business Follies – The McCaskeys: The hosts skewer the Bears’ owners for generational football cluelessness.
  • “You come from George Halas’s family tree. How did not one person pick up football knowledge? Anything.” (Dan, 29:36)

6. Quarterback Career Arcs & Bears' QBs

• Development & Environment Matter: The hosts reflect on career turnarounds, specifically with Sam Darnold, and the "what ifs" for Justin Fields and Mitch Trubisky.
  • “I think Justin Fields should have been a better quarterback…a victim of the environment.” (Dan, 33:12)
  • “Who is the number one statistical comp to Mitchell Trubisky? It’s Sam Darnold.” (Matt, 36:04)
• Possibility for Late Careers Revivals: The duo consider the possibility that Trubisky could someday follow a path like Jim Plunkett or Earl Morrall, becoming a late-blooming success.

7. Super Bowl Predictions & Betting Props

• On the Game: Both are convinced the Seahawks will rout the Patriots.
  • “Seattle’s going to kick their ass.” (Matt, 40:14)
  • “At minimum a 17-point win for the Seahawks.” (Dan, 40:20)
• Prop Bets & Wagers:
  • Dan’s picks include touchback on opening kickoff, Seahawks receiving, and more first downs than New England.
  • Matt takes Seahawks by 8-14, and specific player yardages.
• Food Plans:
  • Lengthy digression into Super Bowl party food: ranging from halibut chowder to homemade garlic bread, sheet pan nachos, and old-school meatball and salami dishes.

8. Commercials and Super Bowl Viewing Experience

• Commercial Previews: Matt shares disappointment after previewing many of the Super Bowl ads (“Don’t get your hopes up…” 53:41), finding most uninspiring except perhaps the William Shatner Raisin Bran spot.
• Ideal Super Bowl Ad: “Super Bowl commercials should be funny. Don’t try to be heartwarming.” (Dan, 55:29)
• Tracking the A-Rakpo Gag: Ongoing bit about tracking the “rack pod” (awkward celebrity cameos: “Hey, All Pro linebacker Brian Arakpo…”) total during the game.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the NFL’s Host City Practices:
  “You assume the position and you’re gonna get it old country style. And then when the bills come due... Pretty much nothing.” (Matt, 02:41)
• On League Bureaucracy:
  “He said it right… It’s right there. Ian is in charge.” (Matt, 14:15)
• On Owner Incompetence:
  “Owners are stupid and owners are insecure… because they don’t really understand [football], except if you’re the McCaskeys, it is how you made your money and you still don’t understand it.” (Matt, 28:09)
• On Bears Legends Running the Franchise:
  “You come from George Halas’s family tree. How did not one person pick up football knowledge? Anything.” (Dan, 29:36)
• Super Bowl Prediction:
  “They’re going to absolutely destroy them, and you’re not going to say anything to convince me otherwise.” (Dan, 43:57)
• On Bad QB Development:
  “I think Justin Fields should have been a better quarterback… victim of the environment.” (Dan, 33:12)
• On Super Bowl Commercials:
  “Super Bowl commercials should be funny. Don’t try to be heartwarming.” (Dan, 55:29)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Super Bowl Host Economics & Santa Clara: 01:24–04:43
• Hammond Stadium/Market Dynamics: 04:48–05:21
• Compensatory Pick Explanation: 05:21–13:20
• Matt Ryan’s Comments & NFL Ruling: 09:54–14:31
• Coach of the Year & Awards Discussion: 16:54–25:27
• Super Bowl QB Narratives / NFL Parity: 25:27–29:36
• QB Development, Bears QBs Retrospective: 33:12–37:48
• Betting, Prop Bets & Food Plans: 41:28–52:05
• Super Bowl Commercials Reflection: 53:30–55:35
• Wrap-up & Next Episode Tease: 55:44–57:43

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Tone & Style

The episode is marked by:

• Dry, self-deprecating Bears fandom
• Sharp, irreverent wit
• Clear distaste for league bureaucracy, lazy ownership, and lost opportunities
• Sarcastic deep dives into the fine print of NFL rules
• Passion for football—and football food

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For New Listeners

This episode is a must-listen for Bears fans, NFL obsessives, or anyone fascinated by the strange machinations of professional football. The analysis ranges from big-picture economics to granular league rules to the absurdities of modern coach and quarterback narratives—all delivered in a voice that’s equal parts expertise and weary fandom.

If you want to know not just what’s happening heading into the Super Bowl, but what it really means for the Bears and the soul of the NFL, this is your podcast.

Transcript

[Commercial Narrator]

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[Dan Bernstein]

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[Matt Abeticola]

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[Matt Abeticola]

I mean if you're a Bears fan, you're thinking forward progress. Come on.

[Dan Bernstein]

Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 sports.

[Matt Abeticola]

I know what you need right now.

[Dan Bernstein]

You need to be awarded a bit.

[Matt Abeticola]

Of forward progress and that is why we are doing that for you. You have it. We are. We are giving you the forward progress that you have achieved. And here we are with this is a podcast all about your Chicago Bears and the NFL and we're going to give you both today. Getting ready for the Super Bowl. This is Super Bowl 666060 which means.

[Dan Bernstein]

It'S been 40 since the Bears won't.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's amazing.

[Dan Bernstein]

40 Super Bowls, Dan, have come and gone.

[Matt Abeticola]

I had a keychain for a long time that had that XX on there and I just never thought about. And then I, and then I covered Super Bowl 30 was the first one that I covered and now we're 30 years removed from that one that was. We're already at 60 and it's going to be in Santa Clara, which is a lovely place for Super Bowl. The last time we were we went to super bowl festivities, it was in San Francisco.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, it was.

[Matt Abeticola]

And I got my. Got my jack in the box craving taken care of there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, I miss the Jack in the box.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Did you get any tacos?

[Matt Abeticola]

I did.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, man.

[Matt Abeticola]

Did I get any tacos. Yeah, That's a stupid question. That's kind of what it is. Yeah, that's good. Good for you. Yeah, we had a good time there. It was a lovely time. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

So. So the, the city of Santa Clara, San Francisco area decided to get extorted by the NFL and somehow we'll host your super bowl for you.

[Matt Abeticola]

The response to that yesterday, people say, oh my God, I could not believe how amazed people were at just the extent of the.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, that whole, that whole.

[Matt Abeticola]

You assume the position and you're gonna get it old country style. And then when it went everything the Bills, the Bills come do and you see what you've got left. It's Pretty much nothing.

[Dan Bernstein]

You have.

[Matt Abeticola]

You have nothing to show for it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Natalie was like, I cannot believe what the NFL does to those cities.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, the Olympics are worse.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, yeah. I said that, too. And I'm like, the IOC is worse.

[Matt Abeticola]

The Olympics actually make you construct things out of brick and stone and steel that then serve no purpose. You are left with. With actual buildings, and you've turned. You've. You've taken parkland and turned it into parking lots. Like what the Olympics make you do, you can't really undo. At least with the super bowl, most of that you can take out of town and take it down and take some of your temporary barriers down and all of that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. And it's just. I think the one thing that really stood out after the show and thinking about it, I'm like, if your business is too close to where the game is being played, they'll make that business shut down. And then you have to pay and compensate those owners for not being in business.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yep. You not. Not crazy. Not the NFL. You as a city or as. And this is what I was thinking, too, that I wanted to revisit this. If the Bears build in Hammond and there were to be a Super bowl there, Chicago still the market.

[Dan Bernstein]

Correct.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's still a Chicago Super Bowl. Correct. It doesn't change anything. It wouldn't be Indianapolis. What do you think? If the Bears. This stadium doesn't change any of that. It doesn't change those numbers. It would still be the Chicago Bears who happen to be playing over there.

[Dan Bernstein]

So how does that. How would that work then? Going across state lines that.

[Matt Abeticola]

I don't know.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do they get all the benefit of it? And Chicago just. Just pays for things involved somehow.

[Matt Abeticola]

You'd have to build a partnership of some kind. There's no way it would be just one. One municipality doing it or one county.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or, well, knowing Illinois, they would pay for everything and let Indiana keep all the. Any. Any profit that's left.

[Matt Abeticola]

Of course. So there's something that was said yesterday, and usually the words during a Super bowl are just meaningless, and it's all a matter of filling time and feeding the content monster. But in making some comments about his role or the perception of his role with the Atlanta Falcons, Matt Ryan might have changed the draft game a little bit for the Bears. At least I think he should have, and here's why.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, he kind of stepped in it.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, but he didn't, because. And this is what's really clear is there's a misconception regarding the compensatory draft system. In the NFL and the way that this works about the formula that decides how a team gets compensatory draft picks, and usually it is it. It can be as it is in other sports, from losing free agents. And if you don't sign the free agents that counterbalance the ones that you lost, there's a formula that says you are then allowed, you are assigned compensatory draft picks at the ends of anywhere from rounds three through seven. When the Rooney Rule was amended for executives and there were incentives put in to help develop executives. The Rooney Rule, the Rooney Rule says. But the point being, if you have someone who as an executive is signed or takes a job with another organization and is promoted, if you helped that person achieve a better job at a different organization, you are compensated with draft capital. It doesn't come from the other team. It's created out of whole cloth. They just add draft picks. MLB started doing this a long time ago with their compensation arrangement with what are referred to as sandwich picks. And a sandwich pick occurs in round one A. It's in between round one and two. But they're referred to as first round picks often, even though technically they're after the first round. But they're called sandwich picks. They. That's what the NFL does. So when and I want to get to what Matt Ryan said, but it's not as if he's not costing his own team anything. It all comes from the NFL. Right. So what happened was Ian Cunningham, the Bears assistant general manager for years, has been interviewing for other jobs and the Bears always understood good. When he gets a promotion, the Bears will receive a a pair of third round compensatory picks for him becoming a general manager. And stop me if I'm getting any of this wrong because Cunningham was hired as the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons. However, because Matt Ryan was named president of football operations and the league determined that Matt Ryan was ultimately the top football football decision maker, they did not award the Bears any of these compensatory picks because the the reason being that Ian Cunningham technically didn't get enough of a real promotion that for him to be named GM wasn't as important as the fact that he was essentially the football right hand to Matt Ryan. Right. Do I have that right? That's right.

[Dan Bernstein]

So far, yeah. You've laid it out correctly. Okay, well, like here's the problem though. You go from assistant general manager to general manager, that's a promotion.

[Matt Abeticola]

And there's always going to be someone above you. If that's the case, even if that Person isn't a football person necessarily, Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like, Kevin Warren is above Ryan, just.

[Matt Abeticola]

As like, Ted Phillips used to be team president or whatever you want to call that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right?

[Matt Abeticola]

And you would say, okay, well, on the way they've got their business structured, then it. It's what constitutes a football decision? Is the next. That that's the proper question to ask and say, okay, well, then what's a football decision? Because somebody might say, oh, the only real football decisions are do we run it here, do we pass it here, do we go for two? And it's obviously above that. Say, okay, well, is it personnel? Is it scouting? Does it. Are there stadium issues involved? What. What is under the purview of your top football executive? And then it starts getting to all these little slippery slope things. So let's bring in now the actual comments from Matt Ryan, the man who was determined by the NFL to be their top football decision maker. Okay? Here he is on NFL and cbs. Matt Ryan. Ian is in charge. Ian's in charge of free agency in the draft. I'm looking forward to learning about this. I said it the other day in Ian's presser. I've never sat in a draft meeting. Monday's going to be the first time I'm sitting in a draft meeting, so I've got a lot to learn. Sitting, observing, being a fly on the wall. If there's something ENS a question about or something I can help with, I'm all ears. I'm happy to share my opinion. Ian is driving this bump boat. He is the one leading, moving us forward.

[Dan Bernstein]

It seems pretty clear to me.

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm not sure he left a lot of wiggle room there.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, he didn't.

[Matt Abeticola]

So how does the appeals process work? Might I ask, if you're the Bears, is this Ryan poles right now, who just prints out a big copy of this and walks it on over to Roger Goodell's desk and says, hey, guys, where's our. Where's our picks?

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, help me understand why. Why is the NFL being difficult on this? Like what. What does the NFL lose out on by following their own rules and protocol? Like, like you stated, this isn't like something that's derogatory or negative towards the Falcon. The Falcons don't lose two picks.

[Matt Abeticola]

There's no negative.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. So why. Why is the NFL saying, oh, no, this is just how it goes. We're not going to award you the picks because Matt Ryan's the top football guy. Even though Matt Ryan says, I don't know anything, I don't do anything. Ian's going to be in charge.

[Matt Abeticola]

Want me to read you the rule here?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

Here is resolution JC2A enacted by the NFL in November 2020.

[Dan Bernstein]

JC2A.

[Matt Abeticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's why I find it.

[Dan Bernstein]

I was JC5A.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, it's a common mistake. You're not alone. Not alone. It happens to the best of us. It was enacted in November of 2020. It rewards teams for developing minority candidates for head coach and or general manager positions. The resolution rewards teams whose minority candidates are hired away for one of those positions by awarding draft picks. Two draft picks are awarded if a team has one qualified candidate hired for either a coach or a general manager position. Three draft picks are awarded if a team has two qualified candidates hired for both positions with whether by the same team or two different teams. These draft picks are at the end of the third round and consecutive years after standard compensatory picks. For example, the first team to receive such picks, the Los Angeles Rams, received picks in 21 and 22 after the Lions hired their director of college scouting, Brad Holmes, as their gm. If multiple teams qualify in a given year, they're awarded in draft order from the first round. The number of picks awarded via this resolution has no impact on the 32 compensatory picks described for players who are signed in free agency. Okay, so this is even more so than the 32 that are. That number for players is capped.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

This number is not. Okay. No, there is. It's not zero sum. No one's losing any picks. It says the resolution followed move strengthening the league's Rooney Rule to require two minority candidates to be interviewed for head coaching positions and one minority candidate for open coordinator positions. It replaced an earlier resolution that would have rewarded teams for hiring minority candidates rather than for developing them. This seems pretty cut and dried.

[Dan Bernstein]

It seems pretty clear.

[Matt Abeticola]

Unless.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do we know. Have the White Sox determined Ian Cunningham is not a minority?

[Matt Abeticola]

That's what it is. The White Sox have announced not only is Frank Thomas not black, neither is Ian Cunningham.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. All right. Well, then I don't even know. We're wasting our time with this. Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Good question. Yes. We did not know that the. The Chicago White Sox were always the final arbiter of whether or not someone is afforded minority status.

[Dan Bernstein]

Maybe they weighed in. They said, hey, this doesn't qualify. He's not a black man.

[Matt Abeticola]

So who's on the other line? It's the White Sox. Yes. Hold on. Yes. No. Okay. Thank you. They said, Ian Cunningham isn't black anymore. There we go.

[Dan Bernstein]

So, yeah. No. Picks for you.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, that's. That. At least we know now. But.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, no, that's. That seems pretty clear. There's no wiggle room. There's no. I wonder if. Or.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, let's.

[Dan Bernstein]

Let's interpret this.

[Matt Abeticola]

He said it right.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's right there.

[Matt Abeticola]

He said it pretty explicitly. I don't know what more you need than Ian is in. He said this twice. Ian is in charge. Ian is in charge of free agency in the NFL draft.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know anything. I'm here to learn, and I'm going to learn from Ian. If Ian has a question like, when do sandwiches come? I'll find out.

[Matt Abeticola]

Ian is the one leading us moving forward. Give me those damn picks. And especially now because they. We trust that they're going to actually make them matter more.

[Dan Bernstein]

Correct.

[Matt Abeticola]

Now, Now. Giving Ben Johnson two third rounders.

[Dan Bernstein]

Very valuable. Let's do it.

[Matt Abeticola]

Come on now.

[Dan Bernstein]

I just. I don't get it, man. I just don't get it. There. There's no, there's no.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's pretty clear. This isn't a gray area whatsoever. He said that. And plus he went from assistant GM to general manager. That's a promotion.

[Matt Abeticola]

And the guy above him says he's in charge.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know what else you need to know.

[Matt Abeticola]

There you go.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think the only. I mean, the only thing, the only reasonable, logical explanation is Chris gets called up Roger Goodell and said, hey, we talked about it and we've decided not a minority. No picks for the Bears.

[Matt Abeticola]

Right. And now Matt Ryan is black. That's what it is. Yeah, I don't know how that happened either. But also in. When they went back, it's sort of like the what replay review can do. You can assess everything. Once you're allowed to look at it, you can go in and see what else you might have missed. And they said, yep, we're pretty sure Matt Ryan is black.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, there's definitely an official somewhere going under a hood and saying, yep, he's not black. He is black.

[Matt Abeticola]

Be really careful which hood is you're going under to make these determinations that, that, that matters. Now just. You go into the wrong hood, you come out, you have to. You have determinations that are real bad.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I don't.

[Matt Abeticola]

I don't understand.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know why the NFL is being. Why stop being a dick. Give the Bears their picks free.

[Matt Abeticola]

The Chicago Bears compensatory draft picks.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, because. I mean, because the point you make is like years past, it wouldn't matter because they just fuck it up anyway. But now it's like two third round picks. I mean, those two starters, those could.

[Matt Abeticola]

Be people making impactful playoff plays next year.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, very much so.

[Matt Abeticola]

Either one of those could be something. Doing something that helps you win a playoff game. Kind of sounds weird to. To say. It's weird to think. And I would say that they'd be doing it for Coach of the Year, Ben Johnson, but alas, he did not win Coach of the Year.

[Dan Bernstein]

He did not.

[Matt Abeticola]

As we didn't think he was going today. No. Mike Vrabel is Coach of the Year. He won it for the second time. He got 19 first place votes. You know who finished second was Liam Cohen. Yes. Liam Cohen had 16 first place votes.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's the guy I would have voted for had I had a vote.

[Matt Abeticola]

Mike McDonald of the Seahawks, third with eight first place votes. Ben Johnson got one and Kyle Shanahan got six. And we now know the one from Ben Johnson came from Dan Pompeii of the Athletic. I give him a lot of. What do we always say? Own it. Own it. Put your name on it. Like we said to Tony Dungey and Matt Shaw and all these other people who want to kind of say, so he's Dan Pompeii's like, yeah, I voted for him. But here's why. Wait. I didn't.

[Dan Bernstein]

Wait, read down the number of first place votes for me again.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay, hold on. It was Vrabel with 19.

[Dan Bernstein]

19.

[Matt Abeticola]

Liam Cohen finished second with 16. 16. Mike McDonald finished third with 8. 8. Kyle Shanahan had 6. 6. Ben Johnson had 1.

[Dan Bernstein]

1.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay, what's throwing you one? Yeah, that's not enough. Well, it's a.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's some bullshit right there.

[Matt Abeticola]

I wouldn't have voted him first. Would you have. Would you have voted him first? You can't just. Just sort of theoretically, yes, you would have voted him first. Yes, you would have voted for Coach of the year.

[Dan Bernstein]

They won 11 games after that 5 and 12 season. They won the NFC North. They won a playoff game and they also, their quarterback orchestrated what, seven come from behind victories in the fourth quarter.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. Wow. I mean, to be the lowest, though, that's.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's a shame. Wow. Dan Pompeii went out there and said it. He said, I could have voted for Mike Vrabel, Mike McDonald, Kyle Shanahan, or a few others, but I voted for Ben Johnson.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right? Especially after, especially after Caleb Williams rookie season. All this shit that was dumped on him and how it was a mistake to make him the number one Pick. Wow, that's terrible. One. He only got one first place vote.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, I'm not really surprised. You're a lot more surprised than I am.

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[Matt Abeticola]

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[Matt Abeticola]

Okay. Wow. But maybe it's just considering how far he brought this this year.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I don't. I don't get it. So.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay, well, let me just. Let me give you the. I'll give you the other winners of the things because there's some more Bears in here. Miles Garrett won his second career NFL defensive player of the year and he did that unanimously.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's Jackson Smith.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, Jackson Smith. And Jigba. Offensive player of the year, I believe. Also the correct answer. Agreed. Ahead of Christian McCaffrey, Puka, Nakua, Bijan, Robinson, Drake May, etc, Offense of the year. The eighth pick led all rookies in receiving yards and touchdown catches with 10, 14 and 7. Defensive Rookie of the year, Browns linebacker Carson Schwessinger. Okay, okay, good friend.

[Dan Bernstein]

Congratulations.

[Matt Abeticola]

The comeback player of the year was McCaffrey, and that doesn't really surprise anyone. 31 first place votes ahead of Aiden Hutchinson, Dak Prescott, Trevor Lawrence. Philip. Got a vote. Wow. Got a first place vote for comeback player of the year. Wow. How do you justify that?

[Dan Bernstein]

Take that vote away immediately.

[Matt Abeticola]

How do you just. How do you. How does anybody, any serious voter justify voting Philip Rivers Number 1 Top Comeback Player of the year?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. That's a joke.

[Matt Abeticola]

Come on, man.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yep.

[Matt Abeticola]

Come on, man. Yeah, that's. That you. Somebody should track that down. Protector of the Year. The inaugural protector of the year given to the league's top offensive lineman went to the best player on the Bears, Joe Tuney.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yep.

[Matt Abeticola]

Led all qualifying guards in pass block rate win metric, 97.6%. Was third in run block win rate. And this award was chosen by the following panel. Lacharles Bentley, Jason Kelsey, Sean o', Hara, Orlando Pace, Will Shields and Andrew Whitwort. A panel of large, very powerful, successful people.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Saw his. His acceptance speech. It was really cool. Thanked everybody he's ever known.

[Matt Abeticola]

And the esteemed Walter Payton NFL man of the Year award for excellence on and off the field went to commander's linebacker Bobby Wagner for his charitable work honoring his mother's legacy for stroke research rehabilitation. And the assistant coach of the year, Josh McDaniels. Great. All right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Congratulations.

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm happy for Joe Tuney. That's.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, that was very cool.

[Matt Abeticola]

Again, reinforces that the decision in the off season to rebuild the interior of the offensive line the way that they did it. They hit on all three.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. No, Very, very cool.

[Matt Abeticola]

I think Joni Jackson leads the league in unbelievable pancake highlights, too.

[Dan Bernstein]

What about mvp? Mvp voting.

[Matt Abeticola]

The MVP for that. Well, that was Matthew Stafford.

[Dan Bernstein]

Matthew Stafford.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

You got the numbers there. Yeah. I heard something there about a first place vote that went to Justin Herbert.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. And it was apparently defended. This is a separate article. Matthew Stafford edged out Drake May for MVP. 24 of 50 first place votes. The oldest player to win a first MVP. The third oldest player to win. And here are your others. Josh Allen got two first place votes. Justin Herbert got the other. Allen was third. Christian McCaffrey and Trevor Lawrence. But Justin Herbert did get. It was. I think it was our guy, Sam Munson of PFF that voted Justin Herbert the first place vote because of the offensive line behind which he played, I guess, like, again, put it out there and owned it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. No, all good, all good, all good. Yeah. So Stafford beat out Drake May. Yep. So he's the oldest guy to ever win the. 36.

[Matt Abeticola]

37.

[Dan Bernstein]

37.

[Matt Abeticola]

The oldest player at the time of his first MVP.

[Dan Bernstein]

First MVP. Yeah. 37.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay. Third oldest behind Brady in 2017 and Aaron Rodgers as recently as 2021. Okay. All right.

[Dan Bernstein]

So for oldest, first time winner. Very cool. Congratulations to Matthew Stafford. Looking at this game, the. I mean, we're talking about quarterbacks, too, so just some of the. I mean, we can go back through our history of watching the NFL. Some of the greats that have never won a Super bowl, we can do that in all sports. Some greats that have never won an NBA championship. But looking at football here, now you're going to have a Super bowl winner. Either Sam Darnold or Drake May before current players like, I don't know, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, one, one of those two guys, Sam Darnold or Drake May, will tie the great Aaron Rodgers for the same number of super bowl victories. I mean, it's just.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's just.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's crazy to think what this matchup is. And I don't want to. I don't want to. I don't want to be the guy that does the same thing to the Patriots that I got mad at people doing to the Bears all season long about, oh, look at their schedul, who they played. Yeah, the Patriots had their schedule. And you can argue the head coaches that have been fired since, the offensive coordinators that have been fired since, the quarterbacks that they went against. But that was the same thing with the Bears. And they also, you know, yeah, they benefited from playing the Giants or the jets twice and the Dolphins twice, but they still had to go through the playoffs as the number two seed. They had to go win a game on the road in a blizzard. Again, they didn't face the starting quarterback on that team either. So they still had opportunities to lose games that they didn't lose. They won. So you can make all the arguments you want about it. Drake Maine, his second year, has the chance of winning a Super bowl, something that some of the greats have never done, you know, which is just sometimes that's how the season goes. Which is why, Dan, when the Bears got their eighth win and we're 8 and 3 on the season, that's when I turn my focus to what can they do with this season? Where can it go? Like, let's not let this opportunity slip away because you just don't know when it's going to happen again. Drake May. May never see a Super bowl ever again.

[Matt Abeticola]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

Sam Darnold may never be a Super bowl quarterback ever again. So it's like the opportunities here and like Ben Johnson said, it wasn't good enough. We're One of the 31 teams that failed. One of these two teams will join that cluster and be a 31. One of the 31 that actually failed. But to think that Drake may or Matt or Sam Darnold are. They're going to be super bowl winners.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's just, it's.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's mind blowing at times.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, it's also, I think for Darnold a little. Well, these are both young quarterbacks. At least Darnold is youngish.

[Dan Bernstein]

Young.

[Matt Abeticola]

Ish.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

And you watch what happens if and when they win. And I do think they will win. And that is going to be a. As it always is, even though people know better the. Once we have this, I'll say, well, inductively now, because Seattle won, it therefore must mean that the things that they did are correct and should be emulated. It always happens that way. And we discussed it as soon as the championship games were over. Well, these teams are in the Super Bowl. What did they do? Because you know why? Because owners are stupid and owners are insecure, and owners are constantly worrying about how this business that they don't really understand because it's not how they made their money. Except if you're the McCaskeys, it is how you made your money, and you still don't understand it. Right. Which is why the McCaskeys have this unique position. What is your business? Our business is football. Do you know anything about it? No, not really. I understand when it's somebody like Arthur Blank. What's your business? Well, I created Home Depot. My business is hardware. It's. Why'd you buy a football team? Because I wanted to. It'd be fun. Do you know football? No, I don't know football. What about you McCaskeys? What was your family business? Football. Well, do you need other people to help you? Oh, yeah, we need a lot of. Because we don't really know anything. Like, that's. That's just by itself. That's hilarious.

[Dan Bernstein]

It is hilarious.

[Matt Abeticola]

I mean, that's hilarious.

[Dan Bernstein]

You come from George Hallis's family tree. How did not one person pick up football knowledge anything.

[Matt Abeticola]

Anything like the slightest bit of it? At no point did anybody else. Did Papa Bear sit down and say, all right, Virginia, come on over here. I got. I got to tell you stuff. We got. I got to. I got to let you know how to run things over here.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like, talking about, like, handing down the family business, like, no, we're good. We'll just let your. Your idiot sons take over eventually one day and embarrass themselves.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's why the conspiracy theories about mugs. And you really want to dive into that? I'm not in the mood for it. But maybe. Maybe if there's downtime and we can go back into the history and the accusations and everything that was alleged about the differences between the actual McCaskey side and the Hallis side.

[Dan Bernstein]

And, yeah, we'll put a. We'll put a pin in that.

[Matt Abeticola]

They wanted to take it over, but, yeah, I get if it's like, you know, Paul Allen, a computer guy, or Stan Kroenke, he was a real estate guy. I understood. But somehow, somehow the Bears never quite figured that all out. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And have you. Did you see the read or see the videos or read the comments of what Justin Jefferson had to say a day or two ago and he was being asked, I don't know, he was, what show he was on.

[Matt Abeticola]

So he's had a long year.

[Dan Bernstein]

He has had a long year, but he was on someone's show and they asked him about if he's still like the number one wide receiver or top receiver in the league and he said he was. And if I only had an elite quarterback throwing me the ball all year. I mean, more shots at J.J. mcCarthy and the whole idea of letting Sam Darnold go so that, that, that shit's not going to go away anytime soon.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, that's going to be a problem. Fire the GM over it.

[Dan Bernstein]

I know, I know. But I mean you, I mean, he's still there, the quarterback. You still have Justin Jefferson there as arguably one of the most talented wide receivers in the league. And if, if he's going into next year with the same feelings about his quarterback, it's going to be a mess. Like they're going to have to fix that situation. And if Jason McCarthy stumbles out of the gate once again, has some kind of injury that, that, that prohibits him from having a start to the season, it's, it's going to be an absolute fucking shit show.

[Matt Abeticola]

I love the fact that Darnold's play has changed the, the concept of development and has helped people understand that just because a highly drafted, well scouted, player stumbles early, it doesn't mean they can't be reclaimed. And I do think people will make mistakes as they always will in the business of quarterback reclamation. And understand, I don't think it's necessarily a market inefficiency. I don't think there's any way of ultimately getting out from underneath the commitment you have to make to a quarterback and what that does to the rest of your salary cap. But I am pleased of what it might do to give some other people who are working harder, who end up in bad situations with a coach that doesn't help them learn, or a bad line, or teammates who aren't supportive that there is an opportunity to become really, really good and be a champion. And I have nothing against Sam Darnold telling his story, obviously. And I'm not saying it's not a good story. I just think what happens is these owners start to think that just because this happened, therefore it was the Cause of what happened when it's just may have been something that is a more coincidental than they want to believe. So.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, so, but don't, don't, don't take this the statement the wrong way or go too far with it because I still think that, and I'm not saying he would be a Super bowl caliber quarterback or that he would be the level that we've saw, that we've seen Sam Donald play the last two years. I still think Justin Fields should have been a better quarterback in this league than he showed.

[Matt Abeticola]

Hmm.

[Dan Bernstein]

I really do. And I really think he was a victim of the environment that he was in based on the teams that he was with. I'm not, I'm not saying that he would have been an MVP candidate. I'm not saying that he would have been a guy that you would have, you know, want to build your team around. But I think he has enough skills and talent within him to have been a better quarterback than we've seen the last several years, given the environment that he was in with the coaches that he was around. I really do.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's funny, I really do. I was wondering who you were going to say.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

Because the way you set it up, I was thinking maybe you were going to say Mitchell Trubisky.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's what I was going to say. And you know, if you thought I was, I was talking about Mitch.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, I always liked Trubisky, certainly physically. I love the running, the athleticism, the arm strength, all of it. He just never understood it. And maybe under Ben, if Ben Johnson were the first guy and could unlock some things for him and slow things down for him and help him understand coverages, that was ultimately, he just never learned to recognize a coverage.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. And I think with, with Mitch too. I think, I think Mitch is actually right in his lane as a, as a, I, I, he's, I think he's right where he belongs as a backup. I think he's a guy that you would, you would, you would be grateful to have and would benefit from having that role on, on your team again with, with the proper coaching, the proper system in place for him. I think he's right where he belongs as a, as a backup quarterback.

[Matt Abeticola]

You know what he could be?

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, I think Justin Fields has the talent to be a better starting quarterback than what he's shown.

[Matt Abeticola]

But do you know what, what Mitchell Trubisky might end up being?

[Dan Bernstein]

What's that?

[Matt Abeticola]

One of these unlikely good old guys. Because if right now he hasn't had really he's had some shoulder issues but no major injury. No. He's already played in the league eight years which is crazy, isn't it?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

He has seen multiple, he knows multiple playbooks. He knows different sets of terminology at this point he's played for Pittsburgh, Chicago and Buffalo and he's played. Do you know right as of right now who is the number one statistical comp to Mitchell Trubisky?

[Dan Bernstein]

Don't tell me it's MVP vote getter Philip Rivers. Who is it?

[Matt Abeticola]

It's Sam Darnold.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is it really?

[Matt Abeticola]

It is that amazing?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

Sam Darnold. That is it just gone in a different direction. It's just one was sort of front loaded and the other is. Is now recency loaded and I just. I think it would be a really cool story if like a 37 year old Mitchell Trubisky ends up being like. Like Earl Morrell or Don Strock or one of these guys. It's like oh yeah, that guy. What? Or like remember how long it took Jim Plunkett to win a Super bowl and, and obviously I'm not making a direct comparison there. I just think it would be a really neat story of all of a sudden just finally, finally finally being around the game and in these rooms like it just. Or he stops caring about what used to bother him before and all of a sudden he's just good enough to. To have a run with the team.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. And I always liked. I always liked Mitch as well. And, and maybe my thoughts on Fields are just kind of cloud a little bit because I really like Justin Field. I liked him a lot too. I always thought he was, he was a really good kid and I just, I thought he had a lot of potential that just was never unlocked or brought out or given the right opportunity. I would love to see. I don't know what's his contract he's still with. He still the jets or is he. Is he out now? I don't even know. I would like to see is that thing. I would love to see like a guy like Fields get in the. The current Chargers organization under Harbaugh and McDaniel. Yeah. To back up, not to compete for a job.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. The issue I have with Fields though is not to relitigate anything but just it's mechanical. It has to do with how long it takes him to release the ball.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. And I wonder why couldn't someone teach him or work with him? I mean that's got to be someone's fucking job to improve mechanics. Like we have pitchers that have their mechanics tinkered with and messed around and improved and fixed. I mean, I don't. I don't get it with field. I just don't get it that there wasn't someone there that could work with those mechanics unless there's things we just don't know. And he just completely refused to want to learn.

[Matt Abeticola]

Sometimes it doesn't work. So then for whatever reason, it doesn't. And we see it with swings in baseball. Remember what Gordon Beckham went through?

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, yeah, with that.

[Matt Abeticola]

With that hitch where he would drop his hands and he would do this and he drop his. And then the baseball said, no, you got to be direct to the ball. No more doing this. And then it screwed him up. And then he said, you know what? I'm going back to my swing that I. And go back to how I'm comfortable hitting a ball. And as the scouts predicted, you couldn't do what he did and hit major league pitching. And that was it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. Right.

[Matt Abeticola]

So sometimes it's just. It's as simple as that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I guess.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right, let's talk about the game. Let's talk about what we expect, what we don't expect. I will be turning on my television at 5:30 Chicago time, because that's where.

[Dan Bernstein]

We'Re in for any of the pregame stuff.

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm. I'm not usually in for the regular season, let alone the Super Bowl. I just. It's all crap. And I don't need any of that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Crap where, well, I won't always be paying attention to it. But the second I am free from whatever it else is that I'm doing, I will turn the TV on for pregame. That could be 10 o' clock or 10:30 or 11. And I'll have it go the whole time.

[Matt Abeticola]

I will be watching the Phoenix Waste Management Open. Okay, that as of right now, is being led by Hideki Matsuyama with Matthew Matsui giving chase. My guy, Akshay. Look at Akshay Batia. I had. Who did I have? I had. I had Sahith. The gala last week.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

And look at. Look at old Skinny. Akshay is fourth. Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, and then your guy, what's his name, Usami Jang. Who did the Bulls get and then.

[Matt Abeticola]

Get rid of right away? They traded him? Yeah, they traded him.

[Dan Bernstein]

Already shipped him off. Sorry about that.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, that's okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, I don't know. You like. You like those unusual names.

[Matt Abeticola]

So they got. They got Gershon, Yabu, Salehouse. And I was listening last night, Chuck's like Yeah, basically, like get his name right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Maybe it's a different guy. Maybe they got two guys.

[Matt Abeticola]

That's what I was thinking. Did they also get Yabasule?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, but Sule. Yeah. All right, so back to the game. You're not going to turn on until 5:30. You're not.

[Matt Abeticola]

I'm going to turn out not even. Yeah, I'm going to turn out at 5:30 and Seattle's going to kick their ass. I agree.

[Dan Bernstein]

Dude. I again, I've said this now for over the last week that I think it's going to be at minimum a 17 point win for the, for the Seahawks.

[Matt Abeticola]

Now, did you go to my bookie and actually look at what you would get for betting that 17?

[Dan Bernstein]

I didn't.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right, I'm going to do that while you're, while you're talking. Because if you wanted to follow that, there's a way to do that where you can, you can find. Exactly.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, show me. Yeah, show me what that is. Look it up. Show me what it is. Because then I want to recap too. Our, our, our picks from earlier today on dbu. So if you're not listening regularly to both Dan Bernstein unfiltered and forward progress, first of all, why not? You should listen to both every day on dbu. On Fridays we do our DBU picks through my bookie and I had four prop bets. So recap those while you find that are. I have the opening kickoff is going back as a, as a touchback. So I said yes to that. I also played Seattle receiving the opening kickoff. I. The. Oh, there was a quite. This was an easy one. Will there be a fourth down conversion in the game, yes or no? I 100 took.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. That's.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's a no brainer. And then who will have more first down, Seattle or New England? And I took Seattle, so I have four prop bets that I played. Opening kickoff is a touch, a touchback. Seattle getting the opening kickoff. Fourth down conversion. Yes. And then Seattle with more first downs. Did you find that 17 point win? Because I'll have to go back in and play it then.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right. I'm working on holding. It's under game props here.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right.

[Dan Bernstein]

I put my money where my mouth is, Dan.

[Matt Abeticola]

Winning margin. New England Patriots are here. Seattle Seahawks by 15 or more.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

Ooh. The number is actually not that good. The number that I see I as one of my props with our DBU, my bookie picks. I took Seahawks by 8 to 14 and got 351 Seahawks by 15 is only 221.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is there a bigger number than that? Do they go bigger than plus 15?

[Matt Abeticola]

I'll give you everything I got. Seahawks by 1 to 7 is plus 221.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

8 to 14. Seahawks win is plus 351. Okay. 15 plus for the Seahawks is only plus 221. Now you same as 1.

[Dan Bernstein]

1 to 7.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's the same. Yes. Okay, that's interesting. They're saying there it is as likely to be a blowout as it is to be a close Seattle win. Patriots winning by 1 to 7 is plus 356. Patriots winning by 8 to 14 is plus 779. Wow. The Patriots winning by 15 plus is plus 10. 13. So greater than 10 to 1 odds on a Patriots blowout and that then.

[Dan Bernstein]

Plus 15 is the biggest number they go, right?

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. Because I would go plus 21 if they had that option.

[Matt Abeticola]

For Patriots.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, for.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay, okay, Seattle.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Because I'm thinking 17, but I was. I was first looking at. At 21 because what did I originally have. I think I had. What did I have as my final score in our family pool? Yeah, I think I had 35 to 14. So 21 point win. Yeah. A minimum 17. It's going to be a blowout. It's going to be. They're going to absolutely destroy them. And you're not going to say anything to convince me otherwise.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right, here are my other props for my bookie. Yep. And it's. It's my bookie, Dot Ag. I had Drake May under 35 and a half rushing yards. I just thought that was a lot. And I know he does like to run the ball. My logic is that they're going to be trailing. He's going to be throwing it down the field. He's going to keep looking to throw, and they're going to be in zone. They play a vast majority of zone defense, like 80% of the time behind those front four, they're in some kind of shell, some kind of zone. Because Weatherspoon and the rest of the guys back there are so disciplined and physical and fast. So when they see him, they'll be able to just run down and tackle him. I also think that because Christian Gonzalez is so good at what he does that it might open up some passing opportunities to for the tight end, especially closer to the red zone. So I am betting that AJ Barnard, the tight end, catches a touchdown pass and I'm also taking him over 24 and a half receiving yards. Their primary tight end A.J. barner.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Well, give me that number again on Drake Mays rushing 38 and a half. 38 and a half. Yeah. Obviously it won't be designed runs. It'll be scrambled runs. And I don't think he's breaking off anything yet long.

[Matt Abeticola]

It'll happen like I'm dead on that. If they catch him in man and they, they run verticals and they're in man and he's got 30 yards of the center of the field, he could easily eat all that up and slide. Yeah. So I'm doomed on that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

I just.

[Dan Bernstein]

If, if he, if he rattles off like a 18 to 20 yarder at one point and you know, eats up half of that. Yeah, I think you're screwed because he can scramble the rest through. But I don't see that happening. I just don't. I don't see it happening. But yeah, I like your. I like your pick. I like that, that pick there.

[Matt Abeticola]

So. Okay. I mean I try to think them through. I'm not great at this, but at least I try to make it so I'm not just throwing darts at stuff. But I have. I had an idea of what to cook for the game.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

What are you going to do? I found a recipe. I have this in my freezer. I have a chunk of halibut line caught Alaskan halibut that was actually caught on a rod and reel by my neighbor's buddy.

[Dan Bernstein]

And you're going to make it for what reason?

[Matt Abeticola]

I was thinking just for the halibut and I was thinking of doing. I found a great recipe for a halibut chowder and it uses Yukon gold potatoes and some clam stock and a little bit. I've got the good Hungarian paprika. Like a little bit of that and there's some heavy cream and it's chicken stock. It sounded awesome. And nobody else in my family wants it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Are you gonna make it or not?

[Matt Abeticola]

I don't know. Just for me. All right.

[Dan Bernstein]

What else are you gonna do then? What if that's not gonna. I don't know. You just can't just keep making the same pasta dish for your girls.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, no, no, no. There's a million pasta dishes I can make for them. Okay, well, the go to pastas I make for them are the, the, the. The arugula and lemon. Yeah, there is. I do a really good puttanesca and I also make a. What you McCall it. The, the. Come on. Carbonara.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Say, do they eat carbonara?

[Matt Abeticola]

Car. Yeah, they love.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

But That's.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's not Super Bowl Sunday food.

[Matt Abeticola]

I agree. It's not. It's. Can't do that. It's not. It's not fun enough. It's too kind of reg. You know, it's. It's mundane.

[Dan Bernstein]

I. I'm 100% going to do the garlic bread, but I'm plugs. Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna. I'll get a. I'm gonna get like a. My own. I'll buy the bread and I'm gonna make my own garlic bread, though. I'll do. I'll make. I'm gonna make butter from scratch and do all that.

[Matt Abeticola]

Maybe a churn your own butter.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, it's super easy, dude. With a. A stand mixer, you can do that.

[Matt Abeticola]

Super easy.

[Dan Bernstein]

I do it all the time. I make. I make butter all the time. You do? Yeah. Just have. All you need is heavy cream. Heavy cream in a stand mixer. You don't have to do any work to it. I've done it by hand before, but it's a lot easier, obviously.

[Matt Abeticola]

Do you salt it?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. Salt it. Sometimes I've done it where I'll add cinnamon and a little bit of orange juice and an orange zest.

[Matt Abeticola]

Is that, like, for. For French toast?

[Dan Bernstein]

No, just for. Just for rolls. For, like, dinner. Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's good stuff. But, yeah, I make butter all the time, so I'm gonna do my own butter. I'll do my own little garlic butter, and then I'm gonna do everything from there except for making. I'm not gonna make the bread, though. I don't feel like doing that.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's baking. Baking sucks. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm not. I'm not a big fan of baking. It just. It seems too hard because you have to, like, measure. Everything's got to be exact.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's chemistry.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. I don't. My recipes, I never do the same way twice.

[Matt Abeticola]

I know. I always argue with. This is a. This is like a right brain, left brain thing.

[Dan Bernstein]

People are like, oh, I need your recipe. Like, here's the ingredients.

[Matt Abeticola]

I always argue with my sister about this. She loves baking. She loves it. She loves how everything's got to be just right, how the recipes tell you everything. And then what she loves is the ta da. She loves the presentation of the thing on the stand and, you know, like, on all the baking shows and all that. And I don't. I like testing and trying. And to me, the joy is in thinking, this could use a little more of this or maybe a little bit of this, or maybe I let it. You Know the, it's, it's the, the creative process where you get to do things outside the recipe is to me the whole fun of cooking.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. So I'll, I'll do your bread. I'm gonna do the sausage on it. I'll do the cheese. I might just get. I'm like, I'm gonna make my own sauce though. I think I might just do rouse like there they have a pizza sauce. I might just do that instead.

[Matt Abeticola]

It's good.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then get sausage. I'll do that with the cheese. That sounds good to me. And I was considering maybe even my stuffed pepper soup might do that. Yeah. And then the, the sheep, the sheet pan nachos.

[Matt Abeticola]

Definitely doing those now. Wait, sheet pan nachos, would you say? You mean just like a cookie sheet? Yeah. And you just bake whatever you oil.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then just put the chips all down and then you know, cook the meat prior, then drop the meat all down and then whatever toppings you want to put. Put some cheese then let it melt off and start from there. Yeah. Do you ever do. Have you ever done that? And this is a pretty common, common dip that people make for, for chips. Is that Velveeta cheese and rotel cans. Rotel.

[Matt Abeticola]

Have you ever done that just queso dip?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, but, but it's just, it's super easy with the Velveeta and the Rotel. Yeah, it's just you get it melted, you mix them all together. It's pretty good. That's a really super easy one to do it always.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, yeah, yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

I've never done that in a like a crock pot.

[Matt Abeticola]

So it stays warm anytime I've done like chips and dip, I always default to always wanting something Middle Eastern like my preferred. I love really good like olive tapenade, hummus and labneh. Like all of the or tzatziki, the good yogurt based olive oil, sea salt. I love the little cumin and you know.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh you know we are going to do for 100% too is in the crock pot. Do like those frozen meatballs. What do you ever do that? Like you just get a bag of frozen meatballs and you throw in like a, like a Heinz 57 and like a grape jelly or something.

[Matt Abeticola]

No, I've. There's a version of that that is incredible. That was that. That who. Where you take a kosher salami, you get like or two or depending you get like a loaf pan with a full Hebrew national kosher salami and you cover that with orange marmalade. And bake that.

[Dan Bernstein]

You don't do anything to the salami beforehand.

[Matt Abeticola]

You just score it. You can kind of slice it. Just get a little more surface area on there. And you could also do that with whatever barbecue sauce you want. But I've had it before, and it sounded like, oh, I don't know if I'm gonna want this. But it was orange marmalade baked over a salami. Over a kosher salami. Which is.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was good.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yes. Yeah. Yeah, it was. And just, you know, toothpicks and crackers and all that. And it didn't. I. I was. I was dubious, and I just like, okay, I'll admit that's good. That's.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's really good. That sounds good, but you don't need to be racist about it. Toothpicks are fine.

[Matt Abeticola]

Let's not go there. It's hard to find kosher salami now, though. It used to be they. When best kosher was around, it was. It's. You got to make sure you're going, you know, you got the good stuff. And Beth would not let me hang it. I bought three of them, and.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, you wanted to hang it in your bedroom. She was like, no, it's not happening, honey.

[Matt Abeticola]

Wait, what? What? It smells like garlic. Yeah, exactly. I should have offered to hang it in the kitchen pantry, but that's what I was gonna do. I was gonna get a little thumbtack, and I was gonna get a piece of twine, and I was gonna let it get all dry and wrinkled and all that like. Like. Like, we are. You know.

[Dan Bernstein]

She put her foot down and said, no.

[Matt Abeticola]

She goes, nope. And she's. Because she grew up with that. Her dad used to always have one there. And she's like, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[Dan Bernstein]

She's like, all right, so you got the. You got the. The Seahawks winning pretty easily.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

So we'll see what happens.

[Matt Abeticola]

I do, and I hope it's an entertaining game. I have also, I want to let you know, I have previewed most of the commercials.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, really?

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah. There's several websites that have whatever's. I mean, some of them are. They're like. They've got the teasers out. I've watched the teasers. I've looked just bad.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do not get yourself.

[Matt Abeticola]

Don't get your hopes up for the camera, because I was bored, and they showed all of the. Here's what they are. And I didn't watch all through all of them.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, that's too bad. Have you seen the. You might like the William Shatner one. One.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right. Yeah. I have no idea what's coming out. The only one I'm aware of because they've done some teasers on already, is a State Farm with Danny.

[Matt Abeticola]

Danny McBride and Keegan Michael Key.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abeticola]

And then you've seen the Duncan one or whatever it is. I don't know if it's Duncan.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, yeah, with the friends. Ben Affleck and. Yeah, it was Joey and Rachel.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then who was the third person?

[Matt Abeticola]

It was somebody else.

[Dan Bernstein]

Friends.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah, no, it was somebody else on the Right. I don't remember. But I couldn't. I couldn't understand what he was saying, and I had no idea what he was talking about, and I just stopped caring about that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

And you might like the William Shatner one.

[Dan Bernstein]

What's. What's he pushing?

[Matt Abeticola]

Raisin Bran.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, okay.

[Matt Abeticola]

And they use his nickname, Will Shat. So if the joke. The joke wears off pretty quickly.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, I'm in. I'm in already. I love it.

[Matt Abeticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right. So, yeah, big win for the Seahawks coming up. That's what we think. Yeah. Love it. All right. Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

And then. And then on Monday, we'll talk about everything in the experience and all of the. All of the wrong lessons learned by stupid owners.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. And we'll talk about all the food we ate and if there's any good commercials that stand out, which, you know, that sounds doubtful from your preview.

[Matt Abeticola]

I. I would say if you. If there's anything in. Even the ones like the supposedly heartwarming ones sound stupid. The ones with the adorable animals and all.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, they are stupid. Super bowl commercials should be funny.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Don't be entertaining and funny. Don't try to be heartwarming.

[Matt Abeticola]

Well, people like heartwarming.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, yeah, it's not during super bowl ads. Come on, get that crap off my screen. I need things that are. That are. That are football, that are synonymous with the game of football.

[Matt Abeticola]

Or how about this? How about this? Something I want to buy.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, yeah, that would work too.

[Matt Abeticola]

Something that you can tell me a reason why your product or service is something I would actually purchase. Oh, believe it or not, I'm pretty persuadable.

[Dan Bernstein]

You know, things like that is. I'll keep. I'll keep a running track of people that are. A rack podcast.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, good luck.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, we'll see who's a rack pod on Super Bowl Sunday.

[Matt Abeticola]

Are you really going to do. Are you committing to that?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I'm going to. I'm going to watch the game. I'm going to sit in my normal spot. I sit for Bears games. And I'll have my notepad to my right. That's. That's what I'll do. So I'm going to keep track of.

[Matt Abeticola]

Keep the log, a running log of the number of total Iraq pose.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Because I have to have notes so I can talk about things from the game and then commercials and then.

[Matt Abeticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

So that I have stuff in front of me for Monday. So I'll do that. I'll keep a running log of people being a rack boat.

[Matt Abeticola]

There's a lot of it. There's going to be a lot of it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hey, All Pro linebacker Brian Arakpo.

[Matt Abeticola]

Hello. Famous actor Ben Affleck. And you're Jennifer Aniston. I believe you starred in the popular television show Friends Fryens. I mean, that's what it's going to be.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abeticola]

All right.

[Dan Bernstein]

We'll see. All right, well, that'll do it for forward Progress. We're keeping the show going every day throughout the entire off season. Lots of bear stuff that will happen that will cover as we look forward to the next biggest thing is the. What is the draft? So that's the next biggest event is draft. So we'll have good draft coverage. And then also, I mean, we'll get our football expert, Brad Brunny. Oh, I think Monday on Ford Progress, we're going to visit with Matt Miller.

[Matt Abeticola]

Oh, we are?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. So he'll talk, he'll talk with us Monday about the super bowl and the whole weekend and we'll talk Senior bowl with him. So lots to catch up on with our guy Matt Miller on forward Progress. We'll get into the super bowl and dbu. So lots to look forward to on Monday. Enjoy the, the weekend, enjoy the big game, enjoy all of your food that you consume and make that your girls won't eat at home.

[Matt Abeticola]

And I'm gonna, you know, I'm gonna see, I'll talk to him today.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, we'll see what happens. They're not gonna let me do it for Bernstein. I'm a vaticola. This is Ford Progress, a Bears podcast here on 312 Sports.

[Matt Abeticola]

Forward progress is stopped.

[Dan Bernstein]

Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.