I don’t even know where to begin! I am ecstatic!
So I’ll just post a quick victory Saturday thread!
Bearlieve and Bear Down!
Bears offense in the 4Q vs the Packers:
🐻 4 drives
🐻 3 TDs
🐻 1 FG
Outscored Green Bay 28-6 in the second half 😳-PFF
Tag: Bears
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CHI Defeats GB 31-27. NOT the Same Ole Bears!
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Rapid Reax: Bears’ D closes out Steelers. 8-3
Seems Mike Tomlin was playing games about Rodgers starting. Though some argue the ‘drop off’ isn’t much to Rudolph at this point in their careers.
D’Marco Jackson wore the green dot and racked up 15 tackles!
That seems to be the theme for the Steelers’ game. “Next Man Up.”Theo down, Ozzy steps up
All the LBs go down, Jackson and Co step up
Jonah Jackson goes down temprorily, Luuuuke Newman steps up…Trapilo specifically seems to have held his own:
LT for Chicago has been a weak spot along a rebuilt front five this fall… but not today. Heck of an afternoon for rookie Ozzy Trapilo against a veteran Steelers front (41 pass pro snaps): • 1 pressure • 0 sacks • 0 QB hits ~ 88.4 pass pro effectiveness grade
The offense had a chance to close it out by getting a measly first down, but they failed to do so, leaving it to the D to save the game. This is both worrying and comforting. Worrisome in that the Offense and not the Defense is supposed to be the strength of this team. Reassuring in that despite the Mash Unit on defense, they did indeed stop the Steelers from even attempting a FG.
The run game wasn’t dominant, but it did enough. It may have done more if the runs were actually better executed [especially when Monangai tripped].
The Bears are a somewhat sloppy team. Seems like they pull-off every win with bailing wire and duct-tape. Nevertheless they have WON 8 of 9 and still have yet to produce a complete game.
One thing though is Caleb Williams’ accuracy must improve. Remember, the stated goal in August was that he reach 70%. No way he sniffs that. It feels that at spells he sleep walks, missing badly, then suddenly wakes up and becomes Marino. No clue how BJ fixes that, but it definitely needs fixing if they don’t want Eagles, Puke or Lions to embarrass them. They’re not going to spot the Bears free QTRs ’til Caleb snaps into action.FIRST ROUND MOCK@firstroundmock
Caleb Williams sub 60% completion percentage…Again.
Last 8 games:
- 59.5%
- 58.6%
- 57.7%
- 65.8%
- 58.8%
- 55.6%
- 50.0%
- 54.3%
Caleb and Rome particularly seem to be on different pages. Rome needs to play like a top 10 pick.
Needless to say, Caleb can’t take any more of these.
Overall however, Caleb’s been productive. He’s not efficient, but he’s clutch in spots which has translated to wins.
8-3 boys, and top of the NFCN. All that matters. Special shot out to Dennis Allen for MacGyvering the Defense.
Enjoy victory Monday! -
Bounceback Bears!
Everyone’s trying to create a great nickname for the ’25 Bears. “Cardiac Cubs” [meh]. “Comeback Kids” [trite]. One I did fancy was “The Cocaine Bears“:
“They’re never dead, and like a cocaine addicted bear, they self-destruct before wreaking havoc around everyone around them…for the win.” [11:08]However, I’ll just go with the Bounceback Bears.
For starters, they have absolutely bouncebacked from that abysmal ’24 season in which Matt Eberflus found innovative ways to snatch losses from the jaws of victory to the point where he became the first HC EVER in Bears’ history to get terminated midseason.
Mind you, the Bears have been around since Coca-Cola laced their drinks with actual coke, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, and Prohibition passed. It’s even more impressive when one recalls the clown-car of HCs in that time span[cough, Trestman].
The disastrous season culminated in THREE different OCs and 68 sacks which ranks 3rd all-time.
In addition, we must remember the infuriating way Flus called defense: rarely blitzing, playing the CBs 5 yards off, essentially gifting every team free crossers, always reactive, soft, and flaccid which no beard makeover could fix.
Who can forget when on a key play Flus made a DT cover an athletic TE, or basically bending over vs Washington leading to that infamous Hail Mary?
Fast forward to now…Enter the 2025 Bears. They already have FIVE comeback victories.
And they’re not your ho-hum, run-of-the-mill, comebacks either.
They’re crazy catches [Loveland], walk off blocked FGs [Raiders], snatched fumbled snaps [Washington], Duvernay KR [Vikings], 26 YD shanked punt [Giants].
I still don’t think my heart has recovered from that Bengals game alone.
How many times did we say to ourselves in the 3rd QTR, “Here we go again. Same ole Bears. It’s over…” Yet it was only beginning.Say what you will about the Bears, but they’re dramatic must-watch TV.
And entertaining!
Sure, they’re about as fun as massive turbulence, learning how to drive in a stick-shift, approaching a hot girl, or surfing a tsunami…
But fun nonetheless!
And in the end, isn’t that the whole point of sports?
I remember playing at the parks, and some chads were just waaaay too competitive. Don’t get me wrong, I was competitive too [no one who plays sports isn’t competitive to some degree], but I wasn’t going to FIGHT over it – or go to my car to dig for weapons.
Mostly though, park-ball was an organic energetic activity with tons of synergistic highs: it was jazz.
Organized sports OTOH was like joining a military marching band. All about winning, structure, PAIN.
I didn’t begin playing sports to suffer. I never had Tiger Woods’ dad brainwashing me since I was 10 months old, dragging me out to golf at 5AM like some Marine Drill Instructor when I should be eating cereal and watching cartoons in my Spider-Man undies [fast forward to what happens to such ppl like Tiger or Michael Jackson].
I admit that PRO athletes are indeed getting paid to win; however, I am not getting paid to watch, nor was I getting paid to play.
I played sports because – it was fun.
As I’m sure most of us did.
Winning came later, and don’t get me wrong, WINNING is great, but it’s more like sex in a marriage: the spice, not the meal.
If I gave it my all, and got beat, well – I got beat. That’s life.
If a 6’4, 220 college power-forward is posting me up, not much a 5’9, 175 point-guard can do about it – even if you’re Allen Iverson.
That’s life.
And because that’s life, many of us turn to watching sports where it’s SUPPOSED to be an even playing field; where players step on the stage to flaunt their athletic prowess and leave us in wonderment and awe.
For 3 brief hours we are transported to the sublime.
All I ask every Bears’ season is for them to be relevant by Thanksgiving. That’s it.
They don’t have to become a juggernaut, go undefeated, or remake the ’85 season [would be awesome!]…
Simply be a viable playoff contender every Thanksgiving instead of the butt of jokes [don’t get me started on the Bear memes] or worse, my friends putting their hands on my shoulder offering condolences for 30 years straight.
The ’25 Bears are relevant in late November.
Bill Parcells used to say that the real season starts after Thanksgiving, but you know, we’ll get to that.
For now, I’m going to take a moment of zen and cherish this wild season. They don’t strike very often [last one may have been the Dick Jauron 13-win season 24 years ago].So let’s all appreciate the 7-3, NFCN leading, Bounce Back Bears!
And pass the statins… -
Rapid Recap: Bears Beat Raiders
Photo courtesy of AP News
What a WILD game. I think this was the craziest game since that infamous Zona circa 2006.
Talk about the Raiders letting Bears off the hook!
Ashton Jeanty rushed for 128 yds, 1 TD, 6.5 per along with TWO rec TDs
The #1 key was to stop or minimally contain Jeanty; they failed miserably.
And before you crown his ass, a 33 yr old Raheem Mostert rushed 4 times for 62 yds at a mindboggling 15.5 per carry. They may as well have been Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl
Raiders rushed for a total of 240 yds.7.7 avg yet somehow managed to still lose!
Bears@Raiders HighlightsI have way too many thoughts on the game to squeeze into one post but few pertinent notes.
1. The Bears came out slow. I think they had 97 yds total in the first half despite the D spotting them great field position. Four times they started in Raider territory yet flopped.
This was a combo of Nagyesque small-ball, Crosby scud, dropped passes, batted throws, miscues and way too many stupid penalties. Kmet especially did his best Kellen Davis impression.
2. Raiders blitzed over 9 times, which was more in one half than Flus the entire game previously; it rattled Caleb. He looked uncomfortable, making iffy decisions [including on RPOs] and off throws. When he did scramble, his cast didn’t help him much. It was all discombobulated.
3. The run game stunk! 69 yd total, 2.7 avg. Ben Johnson reverted to Nagy-ball of quick screens, flats and dump-offs near the LOS to essentially act as the defacto run game. Only thing missing was empty-set diamond formation. The results were predictable.
However, all this seemed to change once Braxton was out [benched?], Benedet moved to LT, and Trapilo debuted at RT in the final drive before the half.
After the half, the oline seemed to settle-in while BJ became more aggressive.It appeared BJ just gave up on the run, putting the game on Caleb’s shoulder, and he responded.
I wrote in real time that Caleb somehow looks more comfortable in the clutch than at the start of games. It’s truly odd. The ‘scripted’ plays didn’t help much today.
Caleb is a walking Dickenson quote, “It was the worst of halves, it was the best of halves…”
Then came the final drive where it was all on Caleb.Flus’ Bears would’ve folded like knock-off jeans from a sweat-shop by the 4rth, but the Bears kept clawing back, including the D that forced the Raiders to settle for a FG late.
The Bears’ final drive itself was bumpy as well. As Data keenly relayed:Bears were shooting themselves in the foot from the 1st drive. I’m shocked they had any paws to stand on by the last.
Nonetheless, Caleb matriculated the ball downfield, and here we gotta give Swift some love as he finished when it mattered most.Naturally, it’s the Bears, so they [badly] screwed up the 2-point conversion making it 25-24 Bears.
At this point, our Angelo-Emery-Pace-Poles trauma triggered as we were cynically expecting the inevitable, no Vaseline.
Sure enough, the Raiders waltzed down field like Fred Astaire through the Red Sea, reaching the Kicker’s Promised Land which felt like anything near the 50.
Like Pavlovian losers, I wouldn’t be shocked if thousands of Bear fans hit the parking-lot trying to beat Strip traffic or make one last all-you-can-eat buffet before leaving Vegas buzzed, broke and bitter.
Then, the unimaginable manifested.
Daniel Carslon lined up for a seemingly chip-shot 54 yd FG…Boom-shaka-laka!
It only took 4 TOs, a slew of Raider mistakes, 4 Cairo FGs [including two beyond 51], a Tori coffin corner inside the 1 plus a blocked FG for a Bears’ victory!
Crown em! -
Da Miami Bears
Watching TNF MIA@BUFF felt eerily familiar. I know a guy whose first two wives were Asian. Met the 3rd, déjà vu, also Asian. To his credit, 3rd time seems to be the charm. Will that be the case for Da Bears?
It wasn’t for the Miami Dolphins.
Dolphins were 0-2 playing some horrendous football; they lost to the Colts and Pats. Not exactly SB favorites.
On a short week travelling to Buffalo, everyone expected them to get curb-stomped; however, they put up a fight, and the score was tied at 21-21 with 10 mins left. Dolphins made a crucial stop, forcing Bills to punt on 4rth and 7.
Then, Fins Finned, as once the Chargers Charged and the Lions Loined.
Fins ran into the punter, giving the Bills a 1st down [can you imagine how the schmuck who put down $37K on MIA to win felt?].Predictably, the Bills marched down the field and scored a TD.
Fins clawed back only to end on a Tua INT just the way the universe scripts it.
Despite the close score, the game felt pre-determined from that start.
Somehow, someway, I knew MIA was going to lose. The details were nearly irrelevant to anyone outside bettors and FFers.
Everyone knew MIA would find a way to sabotage themselves, because, well, that’s what atrocious teams do.
Now they’re 0-3.
Sound familiar?
I’m at the point where I simply don’t want the Bears to embarrass the city any further. It’s gotten Trestmanesque, pronto, and if BJ flops, he’ll be the last ‘nerd’ to ever HC the Bears in our lifetime.
I’ll settle for a MIA-type effort where they come out showing some fucking pride and professionalism, even if I know they’ll find someway to blow the game.
#MUSH
Around the twitters…The booth showed how Allen changed his mechanics from his rook year. Can get all technical, but essentially Allen’s shoulders are more square while trusting the torque over rifling. He is taller than Caleb, so I wonder if that factors? Also, it’s not as if Prime-Rodgers had picturesque tech, and he’s about the same size as Caleb.
Here, next time PFF tries to gaslight you that Braxton is actually an above avg LT. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Benedet start over Braxton and Monangai over Swift to send a message.
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Rapid Fire PS#3
This will be short since I left the PS Game 3 thread up over the weekend.
1. Pass-rush was non-existent. Dayo especially to me looked like a JAG. Everyone else disappeared. Watching Billings try to chase down dad-runner Mahomes was like Benny Hill chasing around bikini-clad buxoms.
2. The first team O struggled vs first team KC D. Granted, Thuney wasn’t in, but it just looked sloppy and, well, Nagy-esque.
3. Even if “PS wins don’t matter”, I still put forth that win was good for overall morale. They played in a hostile environment, clawing back.
Bills, Chiefs, Eagles, Ravens, etc don’t need PS wins.
Poles’ Bears have done little but lose, so even it’s a PS game, it’s some momentum.
Better than losing.
On Blog note, the cuts will happen manana. We may see some early rumors and whatnot, so I’ll likely just post a ‘cut thread’ for Tues. -
Draft Dross
“One can make a valid argument and still be wrong” the Prof boomed
It’s a concept I never truly considered. I was young, so still lived in a black-and-white world where everything is either right or wrong, no gray [life cures you of that, btw]
A flat-earther is not likely to win any debate because by default that argument won’t be valid. Too much overwhelming evidence to the contrary
But one can make a valid argument that intelligent life exists outside earth
And one can make a valid argument that it does notA LOT of issues are like this [perhaps too many unless you just like arguing]
Enter the draft
It’s basically just one big argument
GMs are making the case for THEIR methodology, for THEIR guys
They’re likely not going to be YOUR methodology or guys, and this is where the endless mocks, big boards, debates and post-mortem dissecting originate
Exhibit A
Last year Poles stayed at #9 and drafted Rome. That was a valid move
It was valid because many graded Rome as a top 3 WR, and sure-fire top-10, even 5, talent [more so than WR Tet McMillan who went #8 overall]. Everyone knew Keenan Allen was just a band-aid, hence WR still a needNevertheless, some favored other prospects like Fashanu, Murphy, Dallas Turner…
Some preferred to trade down and draft [fill in the blank]
Others, like me, wanted the DOUBLE trade-down then nab Graham Barton, C, DukeGuess what?
All were valid plans: staying put, trading down, trading down twice
[What was NOT valid IMO was trading UP for Rome, which Poles almost did since he’s no Howie Roseman]
2015 Butch would’ve been FURIOUS Poles didn’t trade down and draft Graham. Now? Maybe I’ve mellowed, or tuned,-out, but I’m more patient, “OK. I am not as high on Rome as Poles, but I’ll give Rome a shot”
This came from experience. I specifically remember the 2013 NFL Draft
In that draft, Emery drafted Kyle Long at #20. I borderline HATED that pick, and became a nigh insufferable prick about it!
I was SURE my plan to draft Eifert [who many comp Loveland to] or Sharrif Floyd, then scoop Warford later, was the correct plan
IMO Emery was just wrong, and naturally, I the Golden-God and bringer of football light, was right
Well, as it turned out, ALL THREE: Long, Floyd, and Eifert were derailed by INJs
While Warford no doubt was the better OG than Long, and stolen in the 3rd, he didn’t help the Lions win any SBs
In fact, how many SBs did the Bears, Vikings or Lions win after 2013?
ZERO
Maybe in the micro I was a bit more right. Eifert+Warford was likely more optimal than Long+Bostic, but in the macro, it barely registered because the Bears employed Emery as GM, Trestman as HC, and Cutler at QB
Floyd, Eifert, or nearly any prospect, was never going to miraculously make those 3 HOFers
Heck, KC drafted Kelce in the 3rd that year, and it still wasn’t enough ’til MahomesAnd oh yeah, lest we forget, nearly every Bear fan at that time was clamoring for the two ‘lock’ OGs: Jonathan Cooper and Chance Warmack. Both went Top 10
Both BUSTED. Worse than Long
And let us recall everyone wanting Solomon Thomas in the Trubisky draft
‘Valid’ pertaining to the NFL Draft is scarily relative. In science it may take 100s of years to disprove the sun revolves around earth, but in the NFL your ‘theory’ is proven ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ inside 3-4 years
And if you wrong – you gone
However, it’s about being wrong at QB/HCTruth is, much like in 2013, this 2025 draft is practically superfluous because the REAL determiner of Bears’ success is already in place: Caleb, BJ, and Poles [in that order]
The rest is dross
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’25 Draft: Day 3
Bears for now own:
4rth Rd. 7th pick overall [#109] via ‘25 Bills’ trade back
5th Rd. 10th overall [#148] via ‘24 Bills trade for Booker?
6th Rd. None
7th Rd. 17th overall [#233]Honestly, these players rarely provide anything. Who was the last Bears’ 4rth rounder who panned out, Eddie Jackson? Though these RDs aren’t completely useless. Braxton was a 5th rounder, and I’m sure some old fogie will remind us that Dent was an 8th rounder
Since this was a deep HB class, and Bears have yet to draft a HB, the 4rth may be a great RD for value. My pick? Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
Though case can be made for other options like Dylan Sampson, Skattebo, et alBelow is USA TODAY’s best available list. Only real hardcore draft dorks will recognize most of these names, so if you do, congrats…and get a life!
—Best Available [RDs 4-7]—
47. Bradyn Swinson, DE, LSU
He hasn’t enjoyed the widespread recognition of some other edge rushers in this draft class, but he deserves a higher profile. The 6-4, 250-pounder is extremely explosive, with the speed-to-power move to jolt offensive linemen when he’s not simply dipping past them.
60. Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
63. Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State
65. Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma
68. Jack Sawyer, DE, Ohio State
70. Marcus Mbow, G, Purdue
75. Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State
77. Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida State
79. Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
81. Damien Martinez, RB, Miami (Fla.)
86. Smael Mondon Jr., LB, Georgia
90. Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
91. Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville
95. Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma
100. Miles Frazier, G, LSU
101. Jared Ivey, DE, Mississippi
102. Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Oregon
103. Cameron Williams, OT, Texas
105. Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
108. C.J. West, DT, Indiana
109. Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
110. Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
111. Logan Brown, OT, Kansas
112. Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska
113. D.J. Giddens, RB, Kansas State
116. Lathan Ransom, S, Ohio State
117. Chris Paul Jr., LB, Mississippi
118. Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech
119. Barryn Sorrell, DE, Texas
121. Jalen Rivers, G, Miami (Fla.)
122. Aeneas Peebles, DT, Virginia Tech
123. David Walker, DE, Central Arkansas
124. Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
125. Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
126. Elijah Roberts, DE, SMU
127. Ty Hamilton, DT, Ohio State
130. Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson
131. Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
133. Cody Simon, LB, Ohio State
134. Kain Medrano, LB, UCLA
135. Cam Jackson, DT, Florida
136. JJ Pegues, DT, Mississippi
138. Seth McLaughlin, C, Ohio State
139. Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia
140. Jaylen Reed, S, Penn State
141. Craig Woodson, S, Cal
142. Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas
143. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DE, Georgia
144. Kyle Kennard, DE, South Carolina
145. Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas
146. Chase Lundt, OT, UConn
147. Jordan Hancock, CB, Ohio State
149. Malachi Moore, S, Alabama
150. Brashard Smith, RB, SMU
151. LeQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse
152. Drew Kendall, C, Boston College
153. Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
154. Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State
155. Carson Vinson, OT, Alabama A&M
156. Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse
157. Que Robinson, DE/OLB, Alabama
158. Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech
159. Antwaun Powell-Ryland, DE, Virginia Tech
160. Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse
161. Dont’e Thornton Jr., WR, Tennessee
162. Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas
163. Teddye Buchanan, LB, Cal
164. Zah Frazier, CB, UTSA
165. Jordan James, RB, Oregon
167. Yahya Black, DT, Iowa
168. Zy Alexander, CB, LSU
169. Will Howard, QB, Ohio State
170. Thomas Fidone II, TE, Nebraska
171. Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame
172. Fadil Diggs, DE, Syracuse
174. Tommi Hill, CB, Nebraska
175. Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State
176. Ricky White III, WR, UNLV
177. Jack Kiser, LB, Notre Dame
178. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Arizona
179. Jonah Monheim, C, USC
180. Rylie Mills, DT, Notre Dame
181. Robert Longerbeam, CB, Rutgers
182. Korie Black, CB, Oklahoma State
183. Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn
184. Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami (Fla.)
186. Nazir Stackhouse, DT, Georgia
187. Mac McWilliams, CB, UCF
188. Chimere Dike, WR, Florida
189. Joshua Gray, C, Oregon State
190. Kobe King, LB, Penn State
192. Arian Smith, WR, Georgia
193. Shemar James, LB, Florida
194. Cody Lindenberg, LB, Minnesota
195. Jah Joyner, DE, Minnesota
196. Jackson Hawes, TE, Georgia Tech
197. Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin
198. Collin Oliver, OLB, Oklahoma State
199. Hunter Wohler, S, Wisconsin
200. Tyler Baron, DE, Miami (Fla.)
