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Ted 219219.
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Forward progress a Chicago Bears Podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.
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A
We bring you and give you Forward Progress a Chicago Bears podcast here on 312Sports. I'm Dan Bernstein, that is Matt Abaticola and on this episode it's going to be a little different than our US episodes because the Bears once again play on Monday. So a lot of our nuts and bolts pregame stuff is going to be when we get all the latest information on Monday about who is going to be facing whom and how. But here we are preparing for a Bears team that again may be down some guys as Kyler Gordon is set to come back and the practice window has been opened for some of the players returning from injured reserve at the moment. Now I just want to go through this list. This is because it was a walkthrough yesterday. This is an estimation of who would or would have gone to what extent in an actual practice. There are four who did not practice as listed as DNPs estimated Jaquan Brisker, a quad injury. Grady Jarrett with his balky knee. Kyle Menungai, a thigh injury. Darnell Wright, the elbow injury that had him out last week. Limited participation for Kyler Gordon, Jonah Jackson and Colston Loveland. So probably a good sign for those guys. Full participation for Austin Booker, TJ Edwards, Travis Homer and Cairo Santos who we knew had an issue with the with his right thigh. It's his kicking leg.
- [01:52]
B
Yep. But he should be good to go. Kyler Gordon good to go and back for the game on Monday. T.J. edwards. So yeah that that all looks good for for those guys. It'll be fun to see what they do with Austin Booker, what kind of playing time he gets and coming back and what kind of impact he can he can see in having a limited time on the field.
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A
No, I know I'm wherever he is. I'm going to run right at him.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Until he shows me otherwise that he's he's a one trick sort of speed rusher. Ben get after the quarterback.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And this is a really good running team. So the Bears are going to have to find they have some decisions to make as to deployment of personnel that aren't necessarily bad decisions with the return of Kyler Gordon because where the Bears their base defense. I know we call it a 43 but even base defenses that are 43 that 3 now in the NFL really doesn't exist that most defenses most what we used to call 43 are 425 yeah, they're nickel.
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B
Yep.
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A
Because that's that it just. There's it. People are too fast. Having a strong sidelinebacker on the field is very rare now, but it's a look with Edwards returning that you could do. You could have Noah Sewell out there, who's. Who's shown up on tape, who has been active. If you want to control a run game, get bigger guys in your front seven rather than conceding with playing a nickel corner.
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B
Yeah. And it helps having Kyler Gordon back as well, too, because not only can he defend, but he doesn't mind getting up front and getting in on run block or run tackling as well.
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A
One of their best blitzers.
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B
Yeah. And they can use him in the blitz game, but how much more are they going to blitz? Maybe he blitzes more with Kyler Gordon. Dennis Allen talked about coming here to Chicago and having a guy like Kyler Gordon, but Ben Johnson was asked about getting Kyler Gordon back and what that means to the team.
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A
Shoot.
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C
Hopefully it allows us to unlock a few things on defense. I mean, he's one of the bigger playmakers, I think. You know, I've got a lot of experience being on the opposing sideline from him and ton of respect of how he can impact the game. You know, I think there's only a handful of nickels in this league that you really have to account for, both as a coverage player, but also a guy that likes to be nosy in the run game and could be part of the solution for us here in terms of shoring up our run game as well. I think he's just. He's got those natural football instincts that are really hard to coach and hard to teach. And when you have enough players like that, that's where you really take off in a hurry.
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B
I love that. And they know you joked you laughed at, too. I love that. That description.
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A
Nosy.
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Gets nosy in the run game.
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A
Sticks his nose in there.
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B
No, that's good. That's definitely coat calc.
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A
It's such shade at every other defensive back.
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B
Yes.
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A
As if it's completely unexpected that all of these.
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B
It's a sideswipe for sure.
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A
Dainty little flowers would decide that they want to get it. He'll actually play the run. How about that, huh?
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B
Yeah.
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A
Wow. This guy. I like the fact that he doesn't.
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B
Mind getting nosy in the run game.
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A
He doesn't mind getting nosy in the run game.
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B
That's funny.
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A
What a. What a. What a coach's way of sharing his distaste for these speedy little pass coverage guys.
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B
I'm definitely going to steal that and start using that as a phrase.
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A
Stick your nose in there.
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B
Yeah. For coaching, just, you know, he doesn't mind being nosy in the run game. One thing that I've stolen, I use a lot now is about denting the pocket, about getting. When I talk to the guys on the defensive line about getting pressure up the middle and attacking right up right off the snap and denting the pocket, it's something that I've tried to get in their brains to try to create an image of what they're supposed to.
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A
Do and dent the pocket while we're doing this. You know, another one that I like actually for defensive back play.
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B
What's that?
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A
It was an Eber flu season. Bust up the triangle.
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B
Okay.
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A
Talking about when a pass is going to be caught, it's the two arms.
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B
And the ball making the triangle.
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A
And however you got to do it, whether it's the ball, whether it's this arm, whether it's this arm, break it. Pretend it's made of popsicle sticks.
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B
Interesting.
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A
Pretend it's made of popsicle. Go break the triangle.
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B
Yeah. I didn't dive into very deeply into what Matt Eberfluss ever had to say the last few years, but. Yeah, so I hadn't heard that one, but yeah, I like that.
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A
I like to be an eberfluousism that.
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B
I heard, break the triangle.
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A
That's an assistant coaching thing that you do during individual drills. Yeah, Right. It's just one of these repetitive things that gives you some. And I love that. And I love the defensive line coaches that give you. One is longer than two instead of reaching forward with both arms to. To get especially one gappers. One is longer than two.
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B
Yeah, you dropped that yesterday. We had Herb on.
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A
You can dent the pocket sometimes in that gap by. By going in with one rather than pushing through with two.
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B
Yeah. I just. I love the imagery that that phrase creates of denting the pocket and trying to help a young, young player understand what that means, what their job is, their assignment in getting off the snap and denting the pocket. That's a good one, but I'm. I'm going to use this, too. He doesn't mind getting nosy in the run game. I thought it was good. I made me chuckle when I first heard it, and that saw your same reaction.
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A
So, yeah, it's like your first. Isn't. It's sort of like what they say in hockey when there's a puck battle and some guys have long sticks, meaning they'll kind of stand over here and poke.
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B
Oh, yeah.
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A
Where some guys, let's say, stick your nose in there. Some guys just go immediately they put their whole body in there, go in and try to dig the buck out. And, you know, you'd watch.
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B
Avoid having the long stick, right? Yeah.
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A
You know, there's certain. Certain goal scorers in faster. I don't. That were some really talented people that just weren't as interested in being involved in some of those things.
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B
And then the commander is looking at the run game, too. Their run defense, they are 10th in the league right now at allowing 4 yards per carry. So they're up there as far as being able to stop the run and how that plays into what Ben Johnson wants to do. He was asked about his running game because a couple days ago there was a question asked about the caliber of the running back room. Will the Bears do anything to bring in another running back? And you know, when we play, the response that no, his guys are fine. They're going to be fine. And he's asked more about the run game and he breaks it down a little more detail outside of the actual running backs themselves.
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C
Ben, with your running game, when you've talked about this lately, you've spoken highly of Swift and said there's more like collective problems here. What generally needs to improve in terms of your role as the play caller with that and the offensive line. Yeah, you know, I think it's hard to evaluate any of our running backs right now when you turn on the tape and there's some free runners in the hole where the play is designed to go. And so I take, like I said last week, I take it personally because I actually spend more time on the run game than I do on the passing game. And not only trying to create explosives in the running game, but. But being sound and take a lot of pride in our execution of the fundamentals of. You know, you talk about a deuce block, deuce combination all looking the same, a triple between the tight end and the tackle all looking the same. And we're just, we're not quite there yet. And so it's been a race since training camp started. We get pads on. That's when the full speed starts happening. And you get linebackers that are coming downhill and pulling you off your double teams. And we're just not reacting fast enough right now. And so we got to learn from everything that we put on tape so far as an entire unit so that those combinations can be a lot cleaner. And so we give our runners a chance because we do have some dynamic players, whether it's our running backs or our receivers, that if we can give them a chance to get a little bit of green grass, they take advantage of it, but we just haven't done it consistently enough.
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A
Green grass is good. I like that image, too, of allowing them to have that. And believe me, Swift needs it. Swift needs to see and operate in that open space. And I think all the stuff that Ben Johnson is talking about happens to affect DeAndre Swift more than it does more rugged backs with better vision.
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B
Yeah. And then if you add in the fact that he's a little slow in getting to the hole, and then you.
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A
Have a free runner, he doesn't have to be. He's not slow.
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B
He's not slow. He's actually swift.
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A
He really is. He's an aptronym. He like Mike Quick, I think he needs to trust his eyes a little better.
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B
But he also said, though, that there's a lot of times there's a free runner that's in that hole. So the offensive line isn't. Isn't blocking in the scheme that they need to block. He talked about the deuce, the deuce combination, block, the trips. But what I don't understand is that these aren't. Before you had Theo Benedict and Ozzy Chapillo out there, you had five veteran. I mean, I'm not going to, you know, argue or debate the caliber and the quality of each guy individually, but you had five offensive linemen that were veteran players in this league.
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A
I've said it before. Find at least a handful of plays you know, these guys are good at. And you brought Dahlman here to run outside zone and start doing it.
- [11:30]
B
Start putting them in the best possible position to be successful.
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A
Talk to them. Say. Say what? What can I count on you to execute? What are you comfortable doing right now? You keep doing it and then build off it.
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B
It's interesting when he specifically brought up the deuce combination, the deuce blocking between, you know, guard and tackle. A tackle executes by going towards the guard. Then it allows that guard. So if you're going left side, it allows a left guard to release into the second level to get after that, that backside linebacker. In the meantime, you have the right guard who then pulls to get off the end on the. On the right side or the left side of the offensive line. And normally you do that, though you have a fullback. There's a fullback that goes through that hole.
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A
Well, that would be ISO more than duo, right? Usually, if you're talking about the old fashioned sledgehammer, fullback, lead. It's still a gap principle.
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B
It is a gap principle. But.
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A
But it's that. That's what I understand to be ISO.
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B
Okay.
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A
Because wherever everybody's occupied the. The. And then you're. You're aiming at a linebacker.
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B
Yeah. I mean, you. Because what you do, if, again, if you're going left side off tackle, your left tackle goes in. Your left tackle and left guard are engaging the same player. The left guard then releases to get that backside linebacker, creating that space while your right guard pulls to get anyone coming off the right end, creating that hole for the running back to go through. I always thought you generally had a fullback or lead block. Unless you're going just the individual solo back. That still creates opportunities for someone on the.
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A
I'm trying to count the numbers. Like what, you're. You're counting hats right now? Yeah, Just trying to win the numbers.
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B
Correct.
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A
And if you're pulling around the center, you know you're inviting backside pressure.
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B
Right.
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A
But you're hoping to seal off the front at a minimum. The problem is that Swift, when he has had some big runs where he. He's jumped that against the grain, where you have had it going that way. And even though it wasn't designed that way, the play ended up looking good because he decided to cut it back as he thought he could beat a guy who is moving in that direction, who can't change to the opposite direction fast enough. But that's his read.
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B
That's his read.
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A
I don't think that's how it's designed.
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B
That's not how it's designed.
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A
That's sort of what they're saying is they want. They would rather have it go as designed.
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B
Correct.
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A
And yet, because. Because zone, you want the cut back.
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B
You want the cutback, but not the way that they've created it and the way he wants to run it. So the way he wants to run it, you have a specific assignment of where each body is supposed to go, where your hat's supposed to go on the other hat. And if you're not doing that properly, then you're not. You're not creating that hole, allowing that free runner to come through into the hole. But I don't understand why they're not a lot. Why they're not able to execute that. I just. I don't get it.
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A
Beer Church Brewing is our dear friend at New Buffalo's brewery. Pizzera. Pizzeria. Pizzeria.
- [14:28]
B
I love me a good pizzeria.
- [14:29]
A
Man, I heard that's a good pizzera. A brewery pizzeria in a historic church, wood fired Neapolitan pizza, small batch craft beer brunch every day. Visit beerchurchbrewing.com more on them in a little bit, especially with the weekend coming up.
- [14:46]
B
Don't worry. The other day when you were gone, I did a read for what was I doing? I was doing my bookie and instead of saying pros, I said bros instead of pros. And so then I bros followed up with, well, no, the bros play on Saturday, the pros play on Sunday. You can get your betting all in line with my bookie. It works a pizzera though.
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A
Pizzeria.
- [15:05]
B
While you're watching the Bros on Sunday.
- [15:06]
A
Or Saturday or as Danny Aiello says, as Sal in Do the Right Thing. Pizzeria.
- [15:14]
B
Pizzeria.
- [15:15]
A
This is my pizzeria. Italian Americans only on that wall.
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B
Yeah, so I just, I don't get why veteran guys are having a hard time in doing those basic. That's not like it's not something extraordinary or new that Ben Johnson's developed and come up with. And hey, we need to understand this new whole form of blocking schemes. Why is it not being executed?
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A
I don't know.
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B
Why is there a free guy running in those holes? Is it, is it just a matter of him not hitting the fast enough, allowing that extra second for the guy to get there or.
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A
Well, again it's. It also depends on your running back that when you do those numbers, if you have a running back who you can count on to beat a guy, count on to fall through a guy, either overpower him or make him miss. It's not necessarily wrong to have somebody there. If you say, look the way we can count on our running back defeating one, he's not going to defeat two or three, but he's going to allow us to beat one guy. And that way maybe it changes what you're doing in past patterns. It changes your numbers, what you have to have devoted to help that running back. Swift is not that guy because he doesn't.
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B
He doesn't beat one guy.
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A
Exactly. There are some people where, you know, even somebody like Ashton Genty who's little, he's not afraid of one person.
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B
No.
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A
He'll either a quick juke to get an angle or if it's Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry or, you know, Josh Jacobs and some of these other guys, it's a combination of getting by them or just pushing them aside, getting through them. Right.
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B
Which he doesn't have the ability to do.
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A
No, I think his numbers post contact are terrible.
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B
Yeah, I'm sure I could look that up somewhere.
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A
And not to mention. And again, this is, this is one of those hidden aspects of running backs and decision making and why you want. It's part of the problem you have with snapshots in football when on Twitter somebody shows you a snapshot of this guy's open. Or look at the size of this hole. That sounded weird out of context. Welcome to look at the size of this hole. I'm your host. Now. If the things happen so quickly in split seconds that the time that Swift spends in the backfield and a non zone play, I have no problem if it's belly stretch cut. But if you're talking about a straight ahead play, if you're late to that spot, it's gone. It was there. Like sometimes there are these brief little moments where it's there, but if you don't take advantage of it, well, it's like a passing window you can't exploit. It's a window and they're so brief in the NFL. And that's why the timing. You've got to be there before it's there. Just like when you throw a ball to an area, it's got to be out when it's got to be out. The same applies. The running back's got to be out of the backfield. The ball's got to be out of a quarterback's hand. It's the. Just because the ball is being carried, it isn't that different than the ball being thrown. It's got to be. The ball's got to get here when it's got to get there.
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B
Well, if they're having an issue with their windows, they should call your guy.
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A
See, Russ will come out and help.
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B
So just a quick look here, just over overview as as far as yards after contact in running backs. Swift currently ranks 46th out of the top 50 running backs.
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A
There you go with yards after contact. I didn't know that. But it just, it's, it's. It's obvious to watch that he needs green grass. Yeah. And not have an opposing colored uniform right there because it. Things don't go well for him if there's a tackler there.
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B
Yeah. And I think that's it. This there, there is that combination Ben Johnson has talked about. It is a combination of the offensive line and again, you know, he words it as the guys working together and getting better at working together. You add in that Swift doesn't hit the holes or Isn't going to the holes that they designed for that run play. And then him being slow getting out of the backfield or slower for whatever reason, to go towards that hole. And then you add in a free runner there because that window is so quick that if he's not there quickly and right away or swiftly, that there is a body there occupying that hole.
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A
It is just the fact that that guy's there. When is he there? When is he there? Get there first, and then you have a chance to get an extra 2 yards, even if he does tackle you.
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B
Right. But generally speaking, he's not getting those extra two yards. So there's. It's a. It's a. It's a bad. It's a storm. It's a storm of all bad together.
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A
And I wish there was somebody put this guy in. Put that guy in. There isn't on this team. There isn't. And there shouldn't have to be. It shouldn't be that hard for a running back to have a. To have a crease.
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B
Yeah. I mean, you think.
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A
And not John Kreese either. The head of the Cobra Kai dojo. You don't want him.
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B
Have you watched all that?
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A
No.
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B
You haven't watched. Kept up on the Cobra Kai stuff? No, I think Beth watched multiple seasons.
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A
Beth watched the first season, and she said the one thing that the actual movie Karate Kid did was it hid the fact that Ralph Macchio can't act.
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B
Oh, no one can act on the show. But I think.
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A
No, she said that William Zabka is actually good.
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B
Well, he's. He's the star of the show. I mean, he's. He's the main reason why you watch. But the acting overall is just not good. But it's just. It's charming and it's quaint and it's nostalgic. But I just watched. I should say I started to watch their day. The newest Karate Kid that just came out, like, last year. There's one with. Yeah, Ralph Macchi was in. It takes place in New York. It's a movie. Yeah, it's a movie. It's called.
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A
Not the one with Will Smith's Kid.
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B
Karate Kids Legends. Yeah, it just came out new.
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A
Good for Ralph, though.
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B
Big pile of crap, though, too.
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A
Sure.
- [21:12]
B
It was. It was terrible. I mean, this was almost as bad as Napoleon.
- [21:18]
A
Napoleon was that bad.
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B
I didn't finish Dan. I watch bad movies. Like Natalie teasing me all the time that I'll watch. Like I'm. I have a goal. If I started, I'm going to finish.
- [21:28]
A
Can I tell you two horrible movies I've now watched?
- [21:31]
B
Okay.
- [21:33]
A
The Meg.
- [21:34]
B
Oh, yeah.
- [21:35]
A
And the Meg 2. The Trench.
- [21:38]
B
All right, so Jackson loves the Meg. He just. We love sharks.
- [21:43]
A
So bad.
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B
So bad. Okay. I can't even tell you the number of times I've watched for the Meg 2.
- [21:49]
A
I had like 7.5 milligrams of edibles.
- [21:54]
B
Did that help?
- [21:56]
A
Yeah.
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B
Okay.
- [21:57]
A
But even it's like, it's still awful. Yeah, but it was hysterically funny.
- [22:01]
B
No, it's. It's really bad and he loves it. So I've. I've watched it more than one time. The Meg.
- [22:06]
A
Of course you have.
- [22:06]
B
And then I can't remember where we were traveling from. We were. Natalie and I were flying home somewhere and the MEG2 was an option. And so I watched it. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I was on the plane. I'm like, that's fine. It's. Yeah, they're. They're terrible. But I love Jason Statham though. Yeah. But yeah, Napoleon, Big pile of crap. The newest or the latest, I should say, of Karate Kid legends. It was, man, it was not good.
- [22:31]
A
Okay.
- [22:32]
B
Not good at all.
- [22:32]
A
All right, so that, those are thoughts on the Bears run game and this weekend, go to beer church in New Buffalo. And when you go there first, what you should do is, you know, you hear me talk about all the awesome parties and the patio and the food and the pizza making and all that. First thing you should do is just go yourself. Go to watch a couple games Saturday or Sunday, all the flat screen TVs in that patio. Go bring your family. Or if you just want to go with a couple friends or just drive by if you happen to be near there, you happen to have a reason on a beautiful day to go take a little car trip. Just go out there and then you're gonna say, oh, this is what Bernstein's talking about. This is why we're gonna have a party here. And then you can understand once you've experienced it for yourself, and maybe you have, but you know, for their pizza making experience, their pizza school, it's a great party for whatever your group is going to be. You know, it's just a quick trip and you and your whole crew can get hands on in their wood fire kitchens. And you learn about pizza making and the history of some of it and how to stretch the dough and why you're stretching the dough. You pick your ingredients and you can add your drinks, your craft beer, wine cocktail package, or their small batch brews that are all great. It's two hours. It's lunch or dinner. It's private, exclusive. Get all the information you need. Skip the same old night out. Beerchurchbrewing.com in New Buffalo, Michigan. And the fall is just great. And also holiday parties do book up. So if you do want to have a holiday party there, they can handle 300 plus. Like they can handle huge groups of people. So if you want to do a holiday party there, even if it's just 10 people, whatever it might be, do it. Go to beerchurchbrewing.com the food is tremendous. It is just a wonderful convivial place. And the building, it's a church. It really is. You cannot miss it in downtown. It's like, you know, the nine block radius or area of downtown. Check it out. Beer church brewing@beerchurchbrewing.com yeah, can't wait to go.
- [24:42]
B
I think we're gonna do it early November. See if we can make that. Make that work. Get out there. The Karate Kids legend Jackie Chan was also in it. Oh, Jackie Chan. Ralph Macchio.
- [24:52]
A
Okay. Both. Both likable.
- [24:54]
B
Oh, both very, very likable. But just not. Not a good movie.
- [24:57]
A
Okay.
- [24:58]
B
But again, still better than Napoleon.
- [25:00]
A
Can I ask a weird question?
- [25:01]
B
Yes.
- [25:02]
A
Who's really good in the NFL right now? This is a weird year. We have not had the usual striation. I know. The Lions are really good. I do. The Eagles last night looked bad. And with what happened after the game, I don't know what's going on with that offense. And the stuff going on with A.J. brown. Did you hear some of that?
- [25:31]
B
I didn't double back. Yeah.
- [25:34]
A
Unhappy and, and denied that there was some meeting and he didn't know and talk to them.
- [25:38]
B
So I think, I think the Detroit Lions are the best team in the league.
- [25:42]
A
Okay. I thought.
- [25:44]
B
And I think the gap between them and what second tier is, is a little bit larger than maybe I expected.
- [25:50]
A
Okay. I thought the Bills were at that tier until I saw how when they're not focused, when they're not interested and when everything goes wrong like it did against, you know, in their last game, when you see what the Patriots did to them because there'd been hints of that against and New Orleans and I mean, the Patriots just beat him.
- [26:13]
B
Yeah, they did.
- [26:14]
A
They beat him.
- [26:15]
B
That was, that was kind of a. I was surprised by that. I know. I know the Patriots are playing well. They're playing good defense. Drake May, he's. He's doing really well in his second year. I was surprised that that game went like that.
- [26:28]
A
Right. So they can lose and it could be One.
- [26:30]
B
Yeah, just one game.
- [26:31]
A
How about, let's see, how about my Buccaneers? Remember that was, that was my value super bowl bet that I gave you on DBU picks, and they're 4 and 1.
- [26:38]
B
They have a great, great defense. They're great against the run. Baker Mayfield is making plays. I mean, he's generating, you know, late game drives to put them in spots to win. So, yeah, I think the Buccaneers, the, the, the Bills, the Eagles, all like in that net. Second tier Colts, the Chiefs, the Colts. I'm just, still, I still don't know about the Colts.
- [26:59]
A
This is a weird year so far for the first quarter of the season. I need more time to see the Blob is expanding.
- [27:10]
B
That's exactly what I said.
- [27:10]
A
It's an unstable blob.
- [27:12]
B
Right now, as I was thinking, after a quarter of the season, the Blob has expanded. And I think to me, again, it's early on, could be wrong, but I think the Lions are at the very tippy top and there's a larger gap between the Lions and the second tier teams than I thought there would be at this point.
- [27:28]
A
Right. The Niners. No. Like who, who's good? If the Bears look like on a good day, they can compete with anybody and they can also get their asses handed to them by the Lions in the way that they did when the Ravens are as bad as they are. Yeah. And I, and I look at the quality of these games and every week I look at the schedule and I look at, I'm like, okay, what, what games am I circling here? You know, I think just as a.
- [27:59]
B
Fan, what's interesting is maybe not looking at like, who's good, but who has the ability to put a complete game together consistently. And I think for right now, it's, to me, it's, it's the, it's the Lions. All three aspects of what they do and what's involved in a successful game. The Lions consistently can play all three levels. Okay, really well. And other teams have really good aspects of maybe two of those three, maybe one really strong component of those three.
- [28:26]
A
And then we put in variance and injuries and we get. Pete Rozelle's stated dream was full blob.
- [28:34]
B
Yeah, full blob.
- [28:35]
A
It was peak blob. It was the entire league is a blob. And then you go to the playoffs and something from the Blob wins.
- [28:40]
B
Yep.
- [28:41]
A
And I don't, I don't think we're there.
- [28:43]
B
We're not fully there. But, but the Blob certainly has expanded here in this season, particularly for the first quarter of the season. Yeah. And look. Looking at. At the schedule for this week, so obviously, huge win last night for the Giants in the division to get their second win. Jackson Dart gets his second win. Was the running back from Arizona Scatter Boo? Yes. Yeah. What are you. Three. Three touchdowns last night.
- [29:05]
A
He is such a lunkhead. Yeah, he is.
- [29:09]
B
What did I see online today? Someone described him as Gronk, but, like, reincarnated and like a smaller, smaller Gronk.
- [29:17]
A
Dumber.
- [29:19]
B
Wow.
- [29:20]
A
Gronk's not dumb.
- [29:21]
B
See, I think he is. No, and I know you think he's playing into the.
- [29:25]
A
I know. I don't. I don't think it's all a bit. I just think it's the way he talks. I don't. I know, but Scatter Boo, though, and sometimes it's just youth, too. I don't know if you heard the post game interview.
- [29:38]
B
Yeah, he's young.
- [29:39]
A
When they had Jackson Dart and Scatterboo there, and they both look so young, and he's just like, my brother beat me up when I was a kid, and my brother's really big, and it's just how I play because I was bullied by my older brother.
- [29:54]
B
Yeah, he's just young. I don't think he's dumber than Gronk.
- [30:01]
A
Gronk's got comic timing.
- [30:05]
B
It doesn't mean you're smart.
- [30:06]
A
No. Well, you know my theory. It's hard to be funny if you're not smart. You have to be smart of. I'm not saying erudite. I'm not saying. Well, read book. You have to. It is impossible. Unless you're just like, you know, breaking bottles over your head or something. Or a circus geek biting the heads off chickens. It's hard to be funny if you're not smart. All right, And I think he's. And he's not a brilliant comic genius.
- [30:34]
C
No.
- [30:35]
A
But he's got a sense of timing.
- [30:36]
B
All right, I'll. I'll find. I'll. I'll give you that. But.
- [30:42]
A
It'S a piece of work, man.
- [30:43]
B
So they got a big win last night. Yeah, 3417. So their second win on the season, two and four for the Giants. Jackson Dart with the win and then the concussion issue.
- [30:54]
A
Okay, so.
- [30:55]
B
Yeah.
- [30:55]
A
What did you. Here's what happened.
- [30:56]
B
Yeah.
- [30:58]
A
Dart came out of the game and went into the blue tent because he was slow to get up after a hit.
- [31:03]
B
Okay.
- [31:04]
A
And he's in the blue tent. They're waiting to decide on what's going on. On the next play. And then it was a big no, no. At that point, Brian Daboll poked his head into the tent. And you can't do that.
- [31:24]
B
Right?
- [31:24]
A
Like, that is very much verboten. There is a rule about who can be in the. It is the. What is it?
- [31:32]
B
The.
- [31:33]
A
The objective neurologist. It's team doctor. A coach can be like, he's fine. Get him out here. You're all fired. You know, not supposed to have any.
- [31:45]
B
Can't poke in. Hey, what's going on? Where are we at?
- [31:47]
A
Wait, how long is it? And so he said he poked his head in to ask, you know, how long is this taking? How long is this taking? What's going on? And you can't do it. So there is an actual investigation. NFL. Nflpa. He's gonna get fined for that.
- [32:03]
B
Okay.
- [32:03]
A
Like that. That is a bad protocol breach. So there was some concern that. Here's the coach saying, is he okay? Get him out there. Then he comes running out. So I would have taken a timeout. I wanna. The. What they want it to be is coach. You'll get an up or down. You'll get a yes or no when we're done evaluating him.
- [32:22]
C
Yeah.
- [32:22]
A
And you let the. The observers, the doctors, the independent people do their job, their respective jobs, and then we'll tell you if you have your quarterback or not.
- [32:35]
B
That's how the process is supposed to play out now in the NFL.
- [32:37]
A
And apparently, Scatter Boo was in there, too.
- [32:40]
B
I thought it was the bathroom.
- [32:42]
A
I don't know what he said.
- [32:43]
B
He just walks in.
- [32:44]
A
What's this blue room? Are there Smurfs in here? I like Smurf.
- [32:48]
B
It starts taking a leak. Is he in the bathroom?
- [32:51]
A
Wait a second here. Huh? Is there a lunch in here? It was. It was not well handled. And people say, well, he seemed fine after the game. I don't know if he's fine or not. I just know that there's a reason for these things. And I hope that it's used as a test case. And I hope that. I hope they hit him pretty good. I really do. Because the last thing you want his coaches in there. And I don't know. I know what happens at the college level. I know it happens at the high school level. But if the pros can set an example that has any sort of effect on the way things are done, they have to draw a firm line here.
- [33:26]
B
But I don't understand what the investigation is for. You're not allowed in there. So what's there to investigate? If he was in, what did he say? But that's it. Period. There should be a consequence.
- [33:36]
A
Oh, no, I agree.
- [33:38]
B
There's no need for an investigation.
- [33:40]
A
That's a red line.
- [33:41]
B
Yeah. You went in it, you crossed it. That's it. Here's the penalty. And make it, make it significant if that's serious about it. Make it a game. Don't just make it money.
- [33:51]
A
Yeah. His explanation, and it's a thin explanation, that it was taking a long time. And after the game he said that he apologized to the team physician. He said, I just wanted his ass out there if he was okay. I'm like, is he going to be good or not? I'm going to call a timeout on fourth down. Didn't matter.
- [34:16]
B
Yeah. Because once, once a player goes in that blue tent, just imagine them not there.
- [34:20]
A
Yep.
- [34:20]
B
They're not part of the game.
- [34:21]
A
Comes out. Right.
- [34:22]
B
He comes out and he gets the thumbs up.
- [34:24]
A
You're good to go.
- [34:25]
B
Right.
- [34:25]
A
But until then, you have nothing to do with it.
- [34:27]
B
Once they walk in the blue tent, just imagine he's done for the game until he's not. So there is no black and white to it. There's no gray area. There's no investigation needed. You poke your head in there, that's a game. Coach. Like, make it something serious. If they're serious.
- [34:41]
A
Are you serious? Suspended for a game?
- [34:42]
B
I mean, make it serious. If you're trying to pretend like you're serious about head injury in the NFL, then make it impactful.
- [34:51]
A
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- [36:24]
B
All right, taking a look at the rest of the schedule. So we have the Broncos and Jets. They're in London, the early game, which I love. I love these European. I love having football on at 8:30 in the morning on a Sunday. It's, it's, it's, it's great.
- [36:37]
A
Especially if you don't have to care about it too much and it's not your team. Yeah, you're making it bacon or something.
- [36:42]
B
Yeah, yeah. It's sitting around and having a cup of coffee and you throw NFL on at 8:30 in the morning. It's great. And remember, the jets were part of my, my play here, getting seven and a half points against Denver.
- [36:53]
A
I have to fight for the TV because Beth loves watching Jane Pauley and CBS Sunday Morning because we've decided to embrace being old.
- [37:01]
B
I was gonna say, did she turn 80 without me knowing?
- [37:04]
A
She loves it. She loves her old lady. And she'll sit there and watch Jane Pauley and it's just part of our Sunday mornings. I'll get some coffee. She goes, makes her an espresso. And then I will play the Tribune word game. There's a Sudoku puzzle. I have my Sunday routine.
- [37:21]
B
You guys soaking your feet too in some Epsom salt.
- [37:23]
A
It's so nice you have a cat.
- [37:26]
B
On your lab as you're knitting.
- [37:27]
A
So nice. Yeah, it's great. And we don't have to. And the best part is we don't have to say a word to each other. Oh, boy. It's great.
- [37:35]
B
We're just can't just tell her that it's for work. You need to watch the game for.
- [37:38]
A
Work sometimes, right over the one tv. I do that most evenings. That's why she goes up to the Murder Cave.
- [37:43]
B
You should add a second TV to your man cave. All right, then you have the refrigerator full of grinders. You got a beer fridge?
- [37:53]
A
My beer fridge? Well, there is one in the basement full of beer. It's just not mine.
- [37:57]
B
Yeah, it's, yeah, it's your kids. Rams at Ravens.
- [38:01]
A
No way to start the season I'd say yeah, yeah.
- [38:03]
B
But Cowboys at Panthers. No. Cardinals at Colts. No. Seahawks at Jaguars. That could be a good game. Good defensive game. Chargers at Dolphins. Yeah. Browns at Steelers. I think that could be a fun game, especially, you know, with if the, if the Browns. And who's their quarterback now? Gabriel Dylan. He's their starter. Patriots? Saints? No. Oh, my God. Titans, Raiders. So, I mean, look at Niners, Buccaneers is your team.
- [38:35]
A
Teams you want to watch.
- [38:37]
B
I want to watch this game. I hope I have a chance to watch this game. Bangles at packers with my guy. Joe Flacco, Frankenstein's monster. Telling you, if you don't know what I'm talking about, if you can turn that game on or just find somewhere online, Joe Flacco doing his cadence, the pre snap cadence.
- [39:01]
A
Well, you know, the famous ones. Green 18.
- [39:04]
B
But it happened. It was a few weeks ago.
- [39:07]
A
Here we go.
- [39:10]
B
I'm in the kitchen and I'm, I'm cutting up stuff. I remember what I was making, but I had. The Browns game was on. He's quarterbacking. And I kept thinking, what is that noise? So I go over to the TV and it's. But it's pre snap. He's like, like, what is happening? So that game, I want to watch. Lions, Chiefs, never not be funny. I'll definitely watch that one.
- [39:35]
A
Were you there that day when. I don't know how it started, where Jason Goff had never seen that scene from Young Frank.
- [39:42]
B
I remember that. I remember that day.
- [39:46]
A
It was a combination of being still half drunk and half hungover. And Terry and I started talking about it and we played it and Jason had never seen it. So he's absolutely dying and we couldn't stop. And he was like. We were playing it during the show for no reason. Nobody knew why, what we were doing. And it became a theme of the show.
- [40:09]
B
And Peter Doyle, right?
- [40:12]
A
Boyle.
- [40:12]
B
Boyle. Peter Boyle. So, yeah, Gene Wilder. Peter Boyle.
- [40:15]
A
Yeah.
- [40:16]
B
Famous. I mean, if you don't know the name, you know, the face of you, if you look it up. But it just, it's.
- [40:21]
A
You remember as the dad from Everybody Loves Raymond.
- [40:24]
B
And it just.
- [40:25]
A
He.
- [40:25]
B
He sounds like Joe Flacco. So if there's any. I don't know, you know, is there any way maybe somebody from the Bengals is listening to the show? If you can get Joe Flacco to do putting on the Ritz as a cadence, a pre snap cadence, that would be.
- [40:43]
A
Or super duper if you get to the Super Bowl. I'm surprised you don't have that loaded.
- [40:50]
B
Up, but I Like this one.
- [40:53]
A
It's a weird NFL with an ever expanding and contracting blob. We are in an expansion blob phase right now where it's hard to find a team where you're. You're super excited to tune them in. We know the players are. But it's all.
- [41:08]
B
Yeah. Well, Sunday night though, Lions, Chiefs, that's a. I mean, island game. Get to watch that. I'll definitely watch that one.
- [41:14]
A
Yeah, it's a great uniform matchup too.
- [41:16]
B
And then Monday you get two, two Monday night games. Again, you have Bills at Falcons and of course Bears at Commanders. Will be live after Bears Commanders game is done with a live postgame of forward progress. But Dan.
- [41:30]
A
Yes.
- [41:31]
B
If the Cubs win, when the Cubs win Saturday, they play Monday night.
- [41:39]
A
They do, yes.
- [41:41]
B
Oh, I'm pretty sure that's the schedule.
- [41:43]
A
They're not going to go up against Monday Night Football, are they? Maybe Cubs and the Bears. Come on.
- [41:52]
B
Let's see here. See more games. Oh, another guy in our team, Seymour games. He was there with Seymour Bush. Let's see.
- [42:03]
A
Monday.
- [42:05]
B
Yeah.
- [42:07]
A
Are you sure it's not a day game?
- [42:10]
B
Maybe it would be the. If the Blue Jays host late game, maybe it would be during the day. But then what are the. What are the cup fans gonna do with work? Oh, no, they've worked that day. Whatever will they do?
- [42:22]
A
It's Monday for their respective jobs.
- [42:24]
B
Baseball can't expect people to miss their jobs.
- [42:27]
A
How will they ever fill the ballpark?
- [42:30]
B
All right.
- [42:30]
A
Well, hopefully it's early Monday ratings.
- [42:33]
B
Hopefully it's early Monday then. So we're not, we're not doing the combo because that, that's that. I don't want to do that.
- [42:39]
C
Yeah.
- [42:39]
A
I just wonder if maybe if.
- [42:42]
B
Because I need to focus on one.
- [42:43]
A
I can't okay with this. Let me say this, though. With the schedule you just gave us. Is this your. Your good husband Sunday? Is this a good candidate? Let me just make my point.
- [42:59]
B
Make your point because I'm going to just. I'm going to blow it up. Whatever you say. Go ahead.
- [43:02]
A
Like you got to maybe pick one. The bye week is obvious. Like the bye week. I understood that's when we could go to New Orleans and there's also. You can plan for that. But if there isn't anything incredibly compelling, if it is, maybe it's, oh, you're something with one of your kids that you know you have to do or tell your wife. Look, I'll handle this. Maybe it's yard work you've been promising to do or it is Going antiquing or somewhere. Just sort of putting in husband points or dad points, spouse points. Is this a good Sunday to do it? Because the bears aren't on. There's no huge material outcomes or anything you absolutely have to see. Or maybe. Maybe you want to go fishing or hunting. I don't know, is it hunting season yet or something?
- [43:56]
B
I couldn't tell you.
- [43:57]
A
You can tell me. I could.
- [43:59]
B
I can't.
- [43:59]
A
Yeah, you can. I can't.
- [44:00]
B
I can't tell you.
- [44:01]
A
Yeah, you can.
- [44:02]
B
I don't. I don't. I don't possess the knowledge.
- [44:03]
A
Oh, okay. I thought you weren't allowed to tell me.
- [44:06]
B
I can't. Even though I'm not. Well, my hunter society that I'm part of.
- [44:08]
A
Right. You got a secret fest.
- [44:10]
B
We said we can't. We can't share information with Dan Bernstein.
- [44:13]
A
I've been up near you. There are secret spots for stuff.
- [44:16]
B
Oh, yeah.
- [44:16]
A
You ever hear the crackle of shotgun fire? No. No. Okay. No. So maybe, maybe this is if you wanted to go like. Or take in the patio furniture, get your boat into dry dock. I think this is a big, big boat in weekend. Right.
- [44:34]
B
Why does it have to be? Why does it have to. Why, like a slow sports day to spend time with your spouse?
- [44:42]
A
It doesn't. Okay. I'm just saying that I'm trying to think this through. And if you're looking for a time to say, hey, you know what, honey, I don't need to watch the NFL. You're more important to me.
- [44:53]
B
They're not that dumb.
- [44:55]
A
Who?
- [44:56]
B
Women. They'll smell that in a second if you're bullshitting.
- [45:01]
A
I know.
- [45:02]
B
She'll look at you and go, oh, because the bears aren't on. Oh, okay, I get it. Oh, the Cubs don't play today. They know.
- [45:07]
A
Okay.
- [45:08]
B
You can't outsmart a woman. No, I know.
- [45:10]
A
Then be straight up about it.
- [45:11]
B
Yeah.
- [45:11]
A
And just, hey, Bears aren't playing.
- [45:13]
B
What do you want to do? No, here's what you do. I'm going to tell you this right now. Don't even ask. Just say, hey, honey, Saturday, I'm taking you to lunch. Or we're going to go to brunch.
- [45:21]
A
Do brunch Sunday. I'm saying Sunday.
- [45:24]
B
Yeah. Women love brunch, honey. We're going to brunch. Eleven o' clock, Sunday. Here's where we're going. Don't even ask. Just tell. Make the plans.
- [45:31]
A
Then you're going to go to one of those places that has all the fancy French toasts.
- [45:36]
B
No, that's What? You make the plans. You pick.
- [45:38]
A
Okay.
- [45:40]
B
If you want to go to Buffalo Wild Wings and be like, babe, I'm taking you to lunch.
- [45:43]
A
Brunch thing. Brunch is not dessert. Every time Beth and Zoe go to brunch, it's like cupcake pancakes or it's dessert. Or what if I want to go to brunch and just have eggs?
- [45:55]
B
You can get eggs at brunch.
- [45:56]
A
I know, but some of the places, they all specialize in, like, dessert brunch.
- [46:02]
B
Yeah, the places that have. See, I like going to places that offer brunch. But isn't a brunch menu. It just. They call it brunch because they want.
- [46:09]
A
You to come in. Right.
- [46:11]
B
It happens to be the same cheeseburger. Right? Yeah, exactly.
- [46:13]
A
Okay.
- [46:14]
B
Yeah, that's what I need. Or a giant pancake taco.
- [46:18]
A
Giant pancake taco?
- [46:19]
B
Yeah.
- [46:20]
A
With the meat in the pancake.
- [46:21]
B
Yeah. The talk the pancakes used as, like.
- [46:23]
A
The shell with sausage and stuff, everything. Oh, I never really heard of that. Oh, yeah, you would like that pancake taco.
- [46:30]
B
Oh.
- [46:31]
A
Meanwhile, do you know why a home run is called an oppo taco? An opposite field home run.
- [46:37]
B
An oppo taco.
- [46:38]
A
Just because it rhymes.
- [46:38]
B
I have no idea why.
- [46:39]
A
Okay. Because I couldn't answer it either. She said, why is it called an oppo taco? I said, because opposite field is opposite. I know. What about the taco part? I said, I know. It's just fun to say oppo taco. Like a Batacola.
- [46:50]
B
Yeah. Just looking@mlb.com it looks like the. Yeah. The Blue Jays will have the late game or the second game, I should say. I don't even know the time, but there's. There's no times to be given, so, yeah, hopefully. What a great day. You get the Cubs. You get the Cubs during the day and then the Bears at night, and then a live forward progress post Bears game.
- [47:10]
A
That's all you need, man. That's. That's a whole day right there. I think we should make a special T shirt for that so people can wear it and celebrate the greatness of that day. Well, that is going to do it for forward progress today. Maybe perhaps after Sunday, when we reconvene on Monday, will have a better idea of. Are there any great teams in the NFL because this. This. Keep an eye on this Eagles thing, too, because now that we're seeing that, you know, Lane Johnson is being critical, AJ Brown is miserable and denying that there was a meeting, and people apparently don't like Jalen Hurts so let's see if they can. They can hold that. I'm sure it's probably fine. And this, they. They deal with that all the time, I guess. But we shall see.
- [47:52]
B
All right. Looked up on Baseball Almanac. The oppo taco. Yeah, it doesn't really help here. A play call for a home run hit by a player to the opposite side of the ballpark from which the batter hits.
- [48:04]
A
Okay.
- [48:05]
B
Okay. First use was 2003.
- [48:09]
A
Okay.
- [48:10]
B
He hit an oppo taco against me on a 2:2 pitch that I hung out over the plate.
- [48:14]
A
Fun to say. It just rhymes. Okay. Yeah.
- [48:16]
B
That's all there is to it. There's no more. But I know. I want. I want greater meaning. I want. I want more significance to oppo taco. More than just that. I want. It was an observe hit and it destroyed a whole plate of tacos that some spectator was about to enjoy.
- [48:34]
A
Maybe.
- [48:35]
B
And it was an oppo taco.
- [48:36]
A
That is forward progress. Yeah, we'll just finished out. Yeah, we're done. We'll have another pregame. There's Joe Flacco. We'll have a true Bears pregame. And by that point we should know who's hurt, who's not. That's Monday and that's going to be.
- [48:53]
B
Monday prior to the Cubs Dodgers game going into the Bears Commanders game followed by Ford progress post game show.
- [49:03]
A
Hope you're right. Let's just hope you're right.
- [49:05]
B
What do you mean?
- [49:05]
A
Let's hope you're right that the Cubs win.
- [49:07]
B
I am. I am right.
- [49:09]
A
All right.
- [49:09]
B
Are we done?
- [49:10]
A
Yeah. 102 19. 2 19.
- [49:18]
B
Forward progress. A Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.