Bears vs. Packers: Is the rivalry finally competitive?

The Chicago Bears will travel to Lambeau Field to play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar give the latest news from Halas Hall and break down key matchups in a huge NFC North game.


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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the latest episode of the Shaw
Local Bears Insider podcast. I Am Chicago Bears be reported
Michael Duochick. Hear what the Northwest Heralds show aguilar as
We are joining you guys on Friday morning as we've
got a big Week fourteen matchup between the Chicago Bears
and the Green Bay Packers. The Bears are heading up

(00:22):
north to lambeau Field up in Green Bay where they
face eight three and one Packers team. The Bears are
nine and three. There's been some talk this week about
the rivalry and you know, some comments that were made
earlier in the off season by Ben Jonson. But Joe,
it feels like, you know, I will get into the matchups,

(00:43):
we'll get into who we think is gonna win in
that kind of stuff. But it's fun that this rivalry
actually feels like it's going to be a competitive game
as opposed to what it's been the past five years.
At this point.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah, you know, over the years, I've had a lot
of buddies. You know, if you're a Bears fan, you
know Packers fans advice versa. But you know, the Packers
fans always want to make a bet with you you know, well, yeah,
because your team's good. Yeah, you have a quarterback, we're
still looking. We're sid Luckman and all that kind of stuff.
So it's finally nice to Yeah, let's hope it's a
competitive game lest the Bears one by forty. You know,

(01:17):
I think Bears fans would be cool with that too.
But it's uh, yeah, the snow's out. Yeah, it feels
like frozen tundra weather. Bears Packers old school Dicu, Bart
Starr and all that stuff. Brian Robinson blocking the field
goal with the you know, a lift from from Sweetness,
you know, as Brian Robbin you weren't even were you

(01:39):
even born then? You remember that game in ninety nine, Michael.

Speaker 1 (01:44):
I was around I wasn't really paying attention that much.
Hadn't at five five at that point, you.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Don't remember that game? No.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
I was trying to think of what the earliest Bears
Packer game I remember was, and I feel like it
probably had to do. I feel like I first really
got into it in like the two thousand and five season,
so I remember a little bit about FARV and that
sort of stuff, But obviously the biggest game growing up
for me in the Chicago area was obviously the NFC
Championship game. Obviously the whole Jay Cutler thing and everything

(02:18):
else that went along with that. In the off season
of conversation about whether someone should play play with the
tour in acl or whether they should or Achilles and
continue to play that that really really smart conversation. But yeah,
I mean it's fun. There's obviously a lot of rivalry. Hear,
it's been one sided since twenty ten. I think do

(02:40):
I have the stand right in front of me? I
think I have here somewhere. The Packers are twenty six
and five against the Bears since the year twenty ten,
so it's been quite one sided here. I know. Obviously
the Bear has broken eleven game losing streak to the
Packers on in January, a big, you know, comeback win

(03:02):
with Cairo Santos hid in the game winning kicks. So yeah,
we'll see, we'll see. It's it's obviously really been really
interesting here with a lot of the guys. You know,
obviously Ben Johnson has It's funny. I feel like the
Ben Johnson quotes from over the off season have kind
of come up here where, you know, and during his
introductory press conference, he said, I think highly of the

(03:24):
coaches in the in the division. He said that both
Dan Campbell and Kevin O'Connell are Coach of the Year candidates,
and then he said, I don't mind beating Matt Lafleur
twice a year. And it seems like they're really resurfaced
this week because you know, when we asked been earlier
this week, I feel like every time we've talked about
about Green Bay, he said it's an important rivalry, but

(03:45):
he wasn't really you know, buying or anything like he
wasn't you know, going in and being like, ah, we're
gonna kill them or anything like that. Like he was
just like they're a very good team. And so it's
interesting to me, Joe that it seems like a lot
of Packers fans are bringing up these comments from Jamanuary,
where for me, I was just kind of like, isn't
that kind of what you say when you're the new
Bears head coach? Like that's what Lovey said like when

(04:07):
he got hired, Like you just have to like it's
the Bear's rival, Like obviously you're gonna say we gotta
beat the Packers. I don't know, maybe I'm just reading
it a little bit into it too little. But I
just felt like those were kind of throwaway comments in
January that really seem to have bothered Packers fans this week.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Well, you know, it almost seemed back then it was forced.
It was almost like one of the mccaskeys whispered into
his ear before the press conference, ben Jonson's ear, that is,
and said, hey, don't forget to say we want to
beat the Packers. So because that the Bears fans like
that stuff where it doesn't really seem like it's Ben
Johnson's m all like he he's not, you know, it

(04:47):
doesn't seem like like he knows what he's saying all
the time, right, they all do, and he's not one
to like kind of, you know, jab at the wound
a little bit of the other ponent. I I think
he's got respect for Matt Lafleur. I mean, if you're
a football guy, who wouldn't. I mean, his record speaks
for itself. Lafleur, So I wondered, But you knew that

(05:08):
was going to come up, And was it strategic? I
think it was. I just don't know if it was
strategic on Ben Jonson's part. Maybe it was George saying
something to him. It kind of seems that way. That
just my gut feeling. I don't have any inside information there,
but that's just my gut feeling.

Speaker 1 (05:22):
I don't know, I be based on what I know
about Ben. You know, with the press conferences and that
kind of stuff throughout the past season. Ben doesn't say
anything on accident. He's very meticulous about what he says
and for the decision, the reasoning why he says that,
Like if he calls out Caleb, there's a reason why
he's doing there, or you know, vice versa, or if
he's complimenting him obviously, So I do think that there's

(05:43):
a little I think, listen, I think Ben is a
competitive guy. I don't think there's any doubt about that.
He likes to put it on teams, He likes to
put it on opponents.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
He likes to you know, you.

Speaker 1 (05:53):
Saw what happened to Detroit week two. He comes from
an organization that they're going to put it on you
if they if they can, and if they feel slighted, right, Like,
that's what Detroit did again Chicago in week two after
they felt slighted about Ben Johnson and everything that happened
over the offseason, so I think Ben's always going to
be respectful about it. He's not gonna go out of
his way to like start fights or anything like that.

(06:15):
But he's competitive. He I'm sure he wants to be
the Packers. I'm sure he wants to. He knows how
important it is for the city, right, and I think
he values that stuff. You saw that with the with
the hot dog thing, Like any other coach, I feel like,
would have been like, I don't care, it's just some
like hot dogs stand like I'm not gonna do that.
But he understands that that kind of stuff is important
for the city and important for Bears fans, and he

(06:36):
goes into that. So yeah, I you know, at the time,
you know, I was like, okay, like that's kind of fun,
Like that's just a shot. You're just kind of taken
because you obviously value the rivalry. So it was just
interesting to me that I felt like Packers fans and
maybe I'm misunderstanding what they're whole ripe is, but to me,
it felt like they're all really upset, like they were

(06:57):
taking this big shot of mad La floor where it's
just kind of like, I don't know, it's a rivalry,
like you're supposed to do something right. Like these guys
obviously respect each other, they play against each other. I
think it's changed. It's very different from like the Brian
her Lacquer days or even like the thick Pudcas days
of the rivalry where they want to kill each other.
But it's still a rivalry, like you want to win
this and you don't want to be owned the way

(07:18):
you have been by Green Bay for the past twenty
five years.

Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah, I think Packers fans would have brought this up
whether the Bears were nine and three like they are
or three nine. You know, they weren't going to forget
that comment by Ben Johnson, whether they're playing for the
first time finally in the second week in December or
first week in December, or at the beginning of the season,
you know. So and again Ben hadn't know that wasn't like,

(07:44):
oh what didn't I say during the press conference? That
would be a big deal. He knew it was going
to be a big deal. So let's get it on
finally and bucklet chin straps and here we go come Sunday.

Speaker 1 (07:56):
All right, Bears play at the Packers at three to
the game got flex Yes, they get flexed. Both both
Bears Packers games were flexed. And uh, let's talk about
the injuries here before we get into our usual you
know stuff of matchups, key matchups, of surprise and all
that kind of stuff. Bears have been out with a

(08:18):
couple of big players this past week. Uh, Romadnesday and
Tyrek Stevenson have both not practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Now, Wednesday,
they did not hold a practice on Wednesday. They actually
practiced on Tuesday, so they sent out an estimated injury
report on Wednesday. But Romadunesday and Tyrek Stevenson would not
have practiced both days, and that you know Rome is

(08:40):
dealing with that foot. I don't know. We haven't gotten
a chance to talk to Ben since the injury report
came out, so we don't know whether that foot injury
is anything different than that heel injury that he was
dealing with earlier, earlier in the year. We can ask
him about that. And then for Tyrek Stevenson, obviously he's
been dealing with that hip injury for most of the season.

(09:01):
I would imagine that unlike unless he gets back onto
the field today, we likely won't see him since he's
been out for the past couple of weeks.

Speaker 2 (09:09):
Now, yeah, I mean I think you feel better about it.
Not that you want Tyrick Stevenson's sideline again again, never
have enough dbs during the season, during the week whatever,
But you know, the return of Jalen Johnson, I guess
all news was good news or no news was good
news with Jalen regarding you know not you know, the
injury not resurfacing last week, so he played, you know,

(09:33):
he was quiet, but the defense you know was quiet
for the most part. There weren't any bad things after
that Philly game. So I assume he's still good to go.
He's healthy, He's got another week and that's good. And
then you have the reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Month.
My goodness that Sean Wright. This Cinderella story keeps getting

(09:53):
better for him. So I think you feel better going
and saying with Kyler Gordon with not no after after
effects of postgame effects after after the Philly game, so
that those guys are up and good to go. Uh
kind of lessons the concern I guess that you might
be playing again with on Tyrek Stevenson when you're when
you're starting corners.

Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, obviously you would want Tyrek Stevenson out there. He's
obviously a great player. I know obviously he's been ninjured
and dealt with some things this year. I feel like
he had a good, strong start to the year, but
then I feel like the injuries have kind of derailed
things a little bit with just his performance. But you
obviously want all those guys out there. Rubin Hippolyte didn't
practice both days with the shoulder injury, so that doesn't

(10:37):
seem encouraging for that front. Joe Tune he was out
with the rest. He just prests on Thursday and don't
That's totally fine. The big news is that TJ Edwards
and Noah Sewell are both back at practice. Noah Suwell
has been a full participant or estimated on both days
and t J Edwards has been limited well obviously, you know,

(10:58):
Ben said on Wednesday that TJ didn't have a setback
or anything like that. It's just been you know, that
nagging hamshring injury like we've kind of talked about. So
it'll be interesting to see how he's kind of ruled
on for Friday and what the status is for Sunday's game,
I would assume maybe you kind of get them limited
and full, or even if you get him full, I

(11:19):
would guess that Noah Suel is probably going to be full.
He won't have a designation, so he's likely to play
on Sunday and out guesstimate at this point Friday morning
that TJ. Edwards is probably questionable to play.

Speaker 2 (11:32):
It'd be nice to have TJ back. That's the big one, Suell.
You know, okay, that's good, right, never have enough healthy bodies.
But the way again that DeMarco, Jackson and Maniga played
again next Philly, they were quiet in a good way.
We didn't hear their names, like, oh my gosh, those
guys are being exposed after the big week before, so

(11:53):
you know, they've held their own as we've talked about. Again,
they we weren't gushing about them as much after the
Philly game, but that's okay.

Speaker 1 (12:00):
I mean, they defined him. There wasn't anything crazy about it.
They weren't blowing up or anything like that exactly.

Speaker 2 (12:05):
So that's good. So again, good to have school back.
But TJ brings them to another level. And again with
his defense, we know they've been you know, Dennis Allen,
and you know that everybody's there on the defensive side
has been doing it with DUC tape and in Elmer's
glue and all that kind of stuff and just kind
of piecing it together and hope it sticks and they're
doing the best they can. But I got like, Edwards

(12:27):
does improve your defense, assuming he's able to play at
one hundred percent or close to it.

Speaker 1 (12:33):
Joe, where are you? You know, we'll get into the
matchups here real quick, but where are you with this?
We talked about the rivalry Ben Johnson, Mad Laflora and
that kind of stuff. Where are you with this rivalry?
Where I feel like if you talk to you mentioned
you have factors fans, and I'm sure for them it's
kind of like, well, I feel like the Vikings and
the Lions are kind of bigger rivals for them because
they're actually competitive games, right, Like they're actually playing against

(12:56):
those teams you know, for NFC North titles in playoff
spots and that sort of stuff. So I guess what
is your mindset of this matchup on Sunday? Like do
you feel like this is like a page that's going
to be turned and a new chapter is going to
get started. Like I don't mean not necessarily that the
Bears aren't going to have to win and that for
that to happen. But it just feels to me like

(13:18):
Ben Jonson has kind of brought in a new era here,
and maybe even Caleb kind of started that last year,
especially with that win in January.

Speaker 2 (13:27):
Well, I think it's a big deal. I mean, I
still know for for Bears fans, and I know, you
know there's still the Neanderthal Bears fans who think, you
know what, I don't care what our record is. As
long as we beat the Packers twice the season, I'm happy.
You know, I've never been that way. It's like, you
don't win football game, let's win a super Bowl. My goodness,
guys like your your age, I have never seen a super Bowl.

(13:49):
I mean, you know, guys older, you know, let's win
a Let's win football games. It's nice to beat the Packers,
but the big picture. Now, look, I think any guy
who's played in that game will will tell you, and
we've heard him over the years, it is different. It's
a different vibe. It's like playing you know, Michigan, name
your rivalry. It can't say it's the same thing as playing,

(14:09):
you know, another team in front of a lesser crowd
or a less enthusiastic crowd. So I think it does matter,
just unfortunately for the Bears and their fan base, the
rivalry has been so lopsided. As you mentioned, you know
what it's been in the last twenty years, whatever it's been.
The Aaron Rodgers I own you, yeah, he does.

Speaker 1 (14:29):
You know, Yeah, there's no doubt about that.

Speaker 2 (14:31):
It's just it's so frustrating. It'd be nice to see
the Bears feel the full a good football team year
after year after year. So you can't compete, whether regardless
if they've got Brett Farvar, Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love
or you know, going back further, I mean Tom Makowski
used to beat this team way back in the day, Michael.
So it's it'd be nice if the Bears can just

(14:53):
have a consistently winning team year and year round, and
then now the Packers game. Now you've got two good
teams going at it now again, if the Packers all
of a sudden stink for the next twenty years, I
think every Bears fan would be fine with that too.
But when you can't, when the lopside and any the
rivalry and any sport is so lopsided, it just it
doesn't become a rivalry anymore. But you take that out

(15:17):
and yeah, two old franchises, you know, each team with
you know, dozens and dozens of Hall of famers and
you know the names. It's it is great. It's great
for football. I mean, this game will get regardless of
what happens, if it's a blowout or it's a close game,
doesn't matter. It'll get a lot of national recognition this weekend.

(15:37):
But you know, you just got to start winning something.
Maybe they started something last season at the end of
the season when they when they won the game.

Speaker 1 (15:46):
Yeah, and you know, it's been big brother, little brother
at this point, right, Like ever, it's just been the
Packers have been competing for Super Bowls. I know, obviously
they haven't won as many as they wanted to, but
they're always competitive, right, Like I know there are a
couple down years or whatever, but like for the most part,
they're a competitive team. They always have the quarterback, they're

(16:06):
always they took the big swing this offseason. They went
from Micah Parsons. I you know, it's just you just
wanted to be kind of like what it was. I
was looking through the decade by decade, you know, the
records between these two teams and into two two thousands,
it was like, I think it was twelve to eight Packers,
and in the nineties it was something similar like that.

(16:28):
So I think, obviously, you know the I'm sure Bears
fans wanted to go back to the eighties and seventies
when the Bears were ruling that rivalry, but you just
wanted to be close, like even if you do lose
in that decade, but it's like twelve to eight, I
think Bears fans would enjoy them much more than whatever
has been going on over the past fifteen years. Yes,
all right, Joe, let's see, let's talk about how the

(16:49):
Bears are going to get there. So they're traveling up
to lambeau Field. It's a three twenty five game on
Sunday afternoon Fox. It's the A team obviously with Tom
Brady and Kevin Burkhart. Kevin Burkhart is the number one
guy for Fox writing football and then Joe Davison's baseball.
All right, Joe, what is your key matchup that you'll
be watching for on Sunday afternoon?

Speaker 2 (17:10):
Well, to me, we talk about if you look at
these teams on paper, offense, defense, position by position, the
one big difference is they have the game wrecker on defense.
See and we all know who that is. It's Mikeah Parsons.
So and he's lived up to the hype. He's done
what they wanted him to do in Green Bay and

(17:31):
that stinks for Bears fans because he's the guy we
don't have as a Bears team right. Twelve and a
half sacks in twelve games. To me, it's how it's
him versus Caleb. To me, this is the matchup to watch.
Can can Caleb be good? Is he gonna turn the
ball over? Is he gonna have a t J. Watt moment?

(17:52):
Is he gonna have a Max Crosby moment? Or he
makes a bad play a momentum changing play, Because he's
the guy. This is why the Pack has brought in
Micah Parsons to wreck games right, to destroy quarterbacks and
the Bears quarterback knowing, I don't know if I want
to use the word struggles this season, because again you look,

(18:15):
and you know, you look at Caleb's numbers versus Jordan
Love's numbers they're pretty comparable. I mean, Loves completion percentage
just sixty seven percent. We know calebs is it's not
even okay, it's bad. It's fifty nine, fifty eight percent now.
But otherwise passing yards, you know, tds to interceptions ratio,
they're very similar. Even then, you know they're a little

(18:37):
bit to scramble. You can almost say, I don't want
to say Caleb's had the better year. Jordan, you Loves
probably had the better year, but they're pretty comparable. But
to me, it's Micah versus Caleb. And you know, if
if Michael Parsons gets one sack for three yards, well,
I think Bear's friends we thrilled with that, you know,
kind of neutralize him and let him have his one

(18:59):
sack as long as it's not you know, a force fumble,
a big play takes you on a field goal position,
that kind of thing. We've all seen. We all know
what it looks like. So to me, that's what I'm
going to be looking at. It can can Caleb, because
you have to know where Parsons is. Right. Anytime there's
a guy like that, a game changer, a future Hall

(19:21):
of Fame player on the field, you have to know
where he's at and limit the damage with him, and
I think the Bears will be in this football game.

Speaker 1 (19:29):
Yeah, Micah is third in the NFL with twelve and
a half sacks to go along with twenty four quarterback
hits and twelve tackles for a loss. That's a dominant player.
I mean, that's just someone that that's someone that you
trade to first round picks for right, Like that is
just someone that you throw away a couple of first
round picks for the future. But you're getting, especially since

(19:50):
a gay I'm on an extension, that's a great value.
And it's not just Michael Parsons too, you know, defensive
end ray Sean Gray, he has seven and a half sacks.
Defensive tackle Devon Devonte Wyatt has uh four sacks as well,
So it's not just Micah. Like Micah's performance has opened

(20:11):
things up for a bunch of different guys too. So
obviously this offensive line has done a pretty good job, Joe,
I'm curious to know. Obviously, Ozzie got the start of
left tackle against the Eagles, even though THEO Bennett was
the was the starter or was uh was healthy, And
Ben talked about it today about or this week about
what he's looking for. But do you think do they
stick with your pillow at this point? Is her left

(20:33):
tackle for the rest of the season, barring an injury,
or do they continue to play this? You know, will
they won't? They even put in Bennett this weekend.

Speaker 2 (20:42):
Yeah, I I would stick with your pillow. I think
he's been good, and you know, he shouldn't be your future,
right let's let's not forget again. Second round pick. You
could have had other guys, other different position players. So
I would stick with him. And I can't believe, you know,
and they moved him to right tackle when they said,

(21:02):
you know what, we think he's better on the right
side than he is on the left side. I can't
believe that it was the long term. But then you'd
always bring up the point, why why is any practicing
at left tackle in practice, you know, to get reps.
I don't know, but you I don't think he's They
certainly didn't draft a guy to be a to have
depth on the offensive line as a backup. I mean,
if he's not gonna supplant the guy on the right side,

(21:24):
Darnell Wright, who's having a Pro Bowl caliber season. Uh,
and making the highlight video, you know, the highlights every
every week. It seems like with some kind of pancake block,
you know. Then his features on the left side, and
so he's been sufficient. He hasn't, you know. He's not
Panae Sewel or anything like that. He's you know, he's

(21:45):
not Trent Williams. But let him keep growing. And I
mean you're gonna have to give him help. Like you said,
they get after you with other guys besides Micah, but
Micah being the multiplayer. We kept turning that word. Remember
when the Bears got Montes sweat like, and he's a
multiplier and makes other guy better, and that's what Parsons
is doing with Rashaun Gary and some of the other
guys there. They can get after you. But I would

(22:06):
keep Ozzie at left tackle unless it's kind of disastrous
and they, oh, we've got to do something here, We
got to plug this somehow or give him more help
having another guy chip with with Mike, But I would
leave Ozzie alone.

Speaker 1 (22:21):
What do you think, Yeah, I think, uh yeah, I
think you just kind of let the rookie develop at
this point, right like obviously earlier in the season, you
were kind of like, all right, like these we switched
him to left tackle, he's not doing it well at all,
and like, obviously that was gonna happen, Like when you
switch a guy who's played right tackle most of his
you know, college career, and then you're like, hey, enter
this left tackle competition. Like that was kind of predictable, right,

(22:43):
Like it would have been really impressive for him to
just be a standown left tackle after just you know,
a couple of months working at it over the offseason.
But I think you just leave him and like I
had a whole fare down nerd up this week about
the offensive line and how well it's been great at
this week. And when you look at Pro Football focuses
grades of Ozzy Trapillo and theo Benedut, they're very similar.

(23:06):
I think they were both graded similarly in past blocking
and then Ozzy was rated at four points better and
run blocking, if I remember that correctly off the top
of my head. So I think at this point, for
what you invested in Ozzy, for the potential you kind
of see in Azzy, you just kind of leave him
out there. You just has let him develop. Does that

(23:28):
mean Micah Parsons is going to get the best out
of him, because the Packers do like to move Micro
around the defensive line just to kind of confuse opponents. Yeah,
I think that's going to happen, and I think those
are moments when you bring in you know that you
bring in theo Benedict for that you know six offensive
line when they rule seventy nine eligible, right, So are

(23:49):
you bringing Cole Comet or Colston Lovelin. So I just
think you kind of leave Ozzy in there at this point.
It seems like he's your future left tackle. Let him develop,
let him kind of grow with the guy. I think
obviously Joe Toney has done a great job at this
spot and probably is helping the kid a lot. So
I think I would just leave him in there because

(24:10):
I think you can support them and I think it'll
be a really good opportunity. Even if he does have
to go one on one against Micah Parsons. Sometimes it's
good to get those reps and to learn what you
have to do against one of the best in the NFL. Yeah,
all right, My matchup to watch is actually two matchups,
and it's gonna be two strains versus strains. One of

(24:31):
them is the Bears running attack versus the Packers run defense.
And then the other one is the Packers not turning
the ball over and the Bears turning getting turnaways or takeaways.
I should say the run. Obviously, the Bears have figured
it out. They have the best run offense in the league. Meanwhile,
the Packers have the eighth best run defense in the

(24:54):
In the NFL, They've averaged the eighth VIEUS rushing yards
per game. And I'm really interested to see how this
goes because Ben Johnson talked about I think he's done
this throughout the whole season, where he's talked about how,
you know, sometimes I just gotta stick with the run.
I just gotta you know, we try to develop and
I kind of go away from it too quickly, like
he's taking ownership of that a bunch of times this season.

(25:17):
And I think Friday was a good example of letting
the run develop and letting it kind of lead you
on the road when the conditions aren't the best and
you know, it's supposed to be like feels like eleven
degrees on Sunday, the windows and supposed to be as
big of a factor, but it's a game where you
just want to run the ball, and I think I'm
really interested to see how Ben does it because you

(25:40):
saw against the Packer or against the Eagles, how you know,
he used a lot of motion. He used a lot
of guys shifts and that kind of stuff to confuse
the Eagles and that created a lot of open lanes.
And obviously the blocking was really good too, but Ben
Johnson scheming up different shifts and motions really confuses the
defense about what they're gonna do and kind of creates

(26:00):
a lot of lanes in the running game. So I'm
really interested to see what has Ben Johnson scheme up
against his Packers run defense and how does he open
things up for some guys, because you need the run
to open up the passing game. And I'm just interested
to see what does Ben kind of do here, whether
he's moving Cole Kahmed more around, Colson more around, getting

(26:23):
that you know, six offensive line and mayor I'm really
interested for that Kenn Mouse game to kind of take
place here when it's the run offense versus the run defense.

Speaker 2 (26:34):
Yeah, the question is like, what do you do for
an encore after that? I mean, that was epic, the
way they ran the ball. Against Philly. I mean, that
was two hundred and eighty some yards against that team,
against the defending Super Bowl champions, with Jalen Carter and
all that VIC fan Joe defact, that was how do
you top that? I mean, how do you cop that?

(26:55):
You know, Manung Guy and Swift going over one hundred
bowl first time since Peyton suing the eighty five Bears.
I mean, I don't I don't think. I don't think
you can top that or you can't top that. But
if you're able to run the ball effectively, if it's
one guy that gets a hundred yards, whether it be
Swift or Monong Guy, that would be fantastic. And Mike,

(27:15):
I almost think if they're gonna beat this team, you
have to beat them like you beat Philly, and that
is control the clock. I mean it's just that's you know,
every team from U you know, Pee Wee to high
school college. If you're on the football control the line,
you have a good chance to win the football game.
But again, especially with the weather, I hate to call

(27:37):
it bear weather, packer weather, whatever, but as we uh
you know, we kind of had got an early start
to uh full blown winter here. Now, good, the good News.
Like you said, the winds should not be much to
a factor at Lambeau on Sunday. You should be able
to throw the ball. I mean, it'll be cold, but
it's not going to be you know, sub zero or
anything like that. But can they run the football again?

(28:02):
Because against twofold you control the clock. The good thing
with controlling the clock, even if you get a field
goal after a long drive, you kept the other offense
off the field. And we know this is not the
eighty five Bears defense. So if that's the eighty five
Bears defense, find I get them out back on the field.
I'll get some more sacks and pressures and fumbles and
all that stuff. But this ain't the eighty five Bears

(28:22):
defense we have in Chicago this year. So keep them
off the field is the best thing you can do
for that defense. So run the ball. If they could
run the ball, we'll see if they win or not.
But they're gonna be in position in the fourth quarter
to win the football game.

Speaker 1 (28:36):
Yeah, I think that's another key point, right, Like, Yeah,
obviously they won against the Eagles because they kept the
Eagles offense off the field. And you do that by
running the ball, and that obviously if you run the ball, yeah,
I agree, you're not good. I don't think you're gonna
get two one hundred yard performances against this Packers run defense.
They're just too good. They're a very talented group. But
I do think if you can get some sort of success,

(28:59):
especially on first down so you don't force those third
and long situations, that that'll play it pay a lot
of big dividends moving forward. And then the other matchup.
You know, the Packers don't turn the ball over. I mean,
Jordan Love only has three interceptions. Obviously, Jalen Hurts only
had one heading into last week, and you know, obviously
Kevin Byron got the interception there. But this team doesn't

(29:20):
turn the ball over that much. There there are I think,
uh they should. They have seven uh turn take or
giveaways as they like to call it, which is the
least in the in the NFL. Obviously the Bears have
the most, you know, turnovers in the NFL. Something's got
to break here because Joe, you know, we like, I
think Jordan Love, you know, is a really good quarterback.

(29:42):
It's Toyota Thun of course, so obviously Jordan Love takes
his game to another level. But I I do think
that you're gonna have to force a turnover here because
if you don't, I fear what this Packers passing game
can do against the Bears passing deep instead. Listen, it
allows yards. I think the biggest thing that it does

(30:04):
is force his turnover, is right, but it will allow
a lot of yards.

Speaker 2 (30:08):
Yeah, and we're basically saying the same thing last week
against Philadelphia or going into that game, right, Yeah, Jalen
Hurts doesn't turn the ball over. He had one interception
all season, and then who commits the two big ones
in the second half of them but Jalen Hurts. But
you're right, I mean, if they got to get one.
And you know, Jordan Love for as good as he's
been really since taking over for Aaron Rodgers, he does

(30:31):
have those moments. He's been prone to those moments where
he just makes a bad play in critical spots. Caleb
for all his you know areas, he needs to get
better at accuracy. Being number one again, he's done a
good job of not committing the big turnover at a
big moment down the stretch in the fourth quarter when

(30:54):
you when you're chasing. He had that one they're gonna
lose the game anyway. I forgot it was about four
or five, six games ago. Now we talked about it
a lot. It's skipping my that was a fourth corporate.
They were down anyway, and they were comment maybe it
was the Baltimore, probably the balt.

Speaker 1 (31:10):
Memory.

Speaker 2 (31:11):
It was like the Bears were inside their own ten
or he threw that one, and I mean any other one.

Speaker 1 (31:17):
He had that one against the Eagles too. That Fortunately
the Bears were able to force the fumble on the
touch buch So like there there have been a couple
of turnovers there.

Speaker 2 (31:25):
But even that one was the third quarter right there.
They want to worry tumbled, So it wasn't like down
the stretch here. It is so again, not that he's
been perfect with that, but if you look at I'd
have to look at the track. I don't have the
numbers in front of me, but I think Jordan Loved
has had more moments like that, despite how great he's
really been in what year three now since he took

(31:47):
over for for Air Rodgers. Yeah right, yes, So there's
that to keep in mind too. And it's just weird, Michael,
with the way the Bears been playing, it's almost like
dare I say it, you almost expect them to win
every week now they've won won five in a row
here and coming off nuts and they have won, you know,

(32:12):
coming off their their best game of the season.

Speaker 1 (32:15):
All right, Joe, what is a surprise prediction you have
for Sunday afternoon?

Speaker 2 (32:21):
This is always a tough one for me, but I'm
gonna say Jalen Johnson has a welcome back, I'm back moment,
whether it's a an interception, force fumble or something. I
think I think Jalen Johnson's ready again. He was quiet
and that it's okay. Against Philly last week, I think
he maybe hit one tackle. Uh, they didn't throw him
a lot, But I think Jalen assuming he he came

(32:45):
out of that h Philly game unscathed. You know, nothing
new like I feel good during the weeks, which no
news is good news. I think because like you said,
they're gonna need a big play. Someone's gonna have to
make a big play. And I think Jalen we know
how good he is, and I just find I think
he's ready to be I'm just just a gut feeling.

(33:06):
Like a lot of these you know, surprise pick kind
of things are Sometimes I'm gonna say, Jalen Johnson makes
a play.

Speaker 1 (33:14):
Yeah, I would, I would agree with that. I think,
uh he made a great play even in limited snaps
last week when he dove to get that pass disruption.
It was actually kind of similar to the play that
he got injured on. And again that's a play that
that play is why Jalen Johnson is an All Pro quarterback.
Like not many cornerbacks can make that play, and he

(33:37):
showed you that he wasn't gonna hold anything back returning.
But yeah, I agree, I think joy Jalen Johnson can
make an impact acaus especially you know you're gonna afford
You're gonna have to force short of Love into mistakes.
He spreads the ball well across the field so well
as short passes, medium passes, long passes. Obviously, he's coming

(33:58):
off that four touchdown performance against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.
Jordan Love is a great quarterback. I think. I know.
Obviously he has his moments. There are some moments against
the Panthers and the Browns when the when the Packers
lost this year where you're kind of like, ah, man,
like come on, Jordan, like you got the talent. You
just got to figure it out. But for the most part,

(34:19):
he's been a great quarterback. So I like that pick.
I think Jalen Johnson if you're gonna stop him, if
you're gonna make any sort of impact here, you're gonna
need Jalen Johnson to do that. My surprise prediction is
going to be that Caleb has a season high passing
performance today on Sunday. And I say that because I

(34:41):
don't think anytime Ben Johnson says he's going to fix something,
it gets fixed. The running game wasn't going the way
he wanted wanted to go. He said, it's not DeAndre
Swiss fault, it's everyone else's fault. And I'm gonna fix it.
And guess what, it got fixed. The offensive line struggled
at the beginning. It got fixed. He calls out his

(35:02):
own play calling. He fixes that. He does a better
job of, you know, going through the motion. And the
big topic this week has been Caleb Williams's inconsistency. Right Like, obviously,
he had his worst completion percentage of the season against
the Eagles last week. It's forty seven percent. He's had
three of his four worst performances in the last four

(35:23):
weeks when it comes to completion percentage, and that's kind
of been the topic for Calebs this week. So I
think Ben is going to make it an emphasis to
get Caleb into a groove and to get him get
that completion percentage up and to throw the ball around
a little bit. Now the Bears, the Packers' secondary is
very talented. I know that they're dealing with an injury

(35:44):
there that could, you know, be a big impact. But
I do think that Ben is going to make it
if once he gets the running attack going, He's going
to make it a point of emphasis. Like listen, people
were talking about Roma dooms ain't not getting the ball
enough first play, Romadom throw settled. People are talking about
Luther burdon that game the ball enough. You hit Luthor

(36:06):
Burden with two targets on the first drive, you know,
against the Vikings, Like Ben jonson't hear stuff he does.
He doesn't. I don't think he lets it influence how
he's gonna run the team, but I think he does
kind of want to show all right, do you think this?
I'm gonna show you that my guy can do it.
And I think he's gonna do with Caleb here. He
has said previously he's not gonna do, you know, these
little short passes just to get Caleb into into a groove.

(36:28):
He doesn't think that that's something that works with Caleb.
But I do think that he's going to make an
emphasis of getting Caleb getting get him, get him into
a groove early in the game, and I can I
think you will see at least one or two explosive
throws to start the game, you know, during the first
few drives.

Speaker 2 (36:45):
Who has our first pick this week in the MVB
that you were I think, I think.

Speaker 1 (36:50):
I do, because you had it last week.

Speaker 2 (36:52):
Okay, because if you're not gonna take Caleb, not to
jump too far ahead. I was thinking the exact same
thing you were, because I just think the quarterback needs
to win you a football game. Maybe this Sunday. Now.
That said, if you're gonna say like you said, because
you're right, Ben has been you can kind of see

(37:13):
where he's going with a lot of these things during
the week. You articulated that perfectly, And he said, you
know what, didn't he say earlier in the week after
the Philadelphia give me the first time he met the media, said,
we've been winning in spite of our passing game. I didn't.

Speaker 1 (37:29):
Yeah, and he walked that back a little bit on Wednesday,
which quite honestly, I didn't feel like he needed to
walk it back, like I don't think people like he
when Wednesday was like, I don't want it to be
misconstrued as I don't like Kleb and I don't think
anyone misc took it that way. But I appreciate Ben
coming out there, but I don't feel like he needed
to apologize. I felt like he would not or like
take it back a little bit, like the passing game

(37:50):
has not been good like that is like, I think
that's a fair criticism for your coach to make. So yeah,
I agree. I agree with you. Like the Bears have
been winning in Spider if it's passing attack.

Speaker 2 (38:02):
Yeah, it seems strategic in a way. But he didn't
throw Caleb under the bus. I didn't take it as that.
Now some people, you know, the haters, will will point
to that say he was throwing his quarterback under the bus.

Speaker 1 (38:14):
But he's an coach. What do you want him to do?

Speaker 2 (38:16):
He's a coach, right, And the more I hear other
you know, really smart football people talk, especially in the
past week about the Bears passing woes if you want
to call him woes, it's it's maybe it's not all
on Caleb, it's the receivers may be doing a better
job of running their routes, which again I'm not a
receivers coach, but i'd have to look at I don't

(38:38):
have to sit and watch receiver tape with with someone says, look,
you know, DJ could have done this, could have came
out of his right round a little tighter, and so forth,
or Rome or any of those guys. So maybe it's
that too. Maybe again it's just you know, getting more
developing more chemistry with guys, which sometimes it takes a while.

(38:59):
So but it's got to be better. There's too many
misthrows and Caleb certainly has missed the bunnies. You know,
he's missed too many layups on throws. So that's got
to get better. Now. The one thing, and when when
you run the ball like the Bears they have, not
only against Philadelphia, but the way they've been running it
the last two months, Like, you don't have to get cute,
you don't have to force things to make a point.

(39:21):
I mean, you don't have to be throwing the ball
forty times just to say we can do it, and
our quarterback can throw for close to seventy percent or seventy. Yeah,
you know why you're you're running the ball. You're everyone
just now is calling you, if not the best offensive
line in football, one of the best offensive lines and football.
You got two running backs having really good years. You know,

(39:42):
one guy one thought that she never replaces the number
one back, and another guy's a seventh round pick. I
mean they're both having great seasons, really really good seasons.
Swift him a non guy. We know that. So at
this point, look, I mean, this isn't a year ago
or the year before, the year before. It's like, you know,
to me, it's like, let's just start playing guy, who
are gonna matter next year? The veterans too bad. You know,

(40:02):
we had a shop, but we're we're out of it.
You're in a season. You're the freaking number one seat
in the NFC, as preposterous as that sounds, but there's
still people like I think the Bears could lose out there.
I don't maybe I don't think the Bear's gonna make
the playoffs till here they are at nine to three,
so you're still playing meaningful football game, so now it's

(40:23):
not probably the time to get cute, you know. But
I still think the quarterbacks gotta gotta play better. The
NFL world knows that, and I think we know him.
We know he's built for the big moments, right as
that was. DJ said that earlier in the year, and
DJ's not wrong. That's Caleb, So I think he needs

(40:46):
to be the guy on Sunday.

Speaker 1 (40:49):
Yeah, I would agree and listen like you. Like you said,
it's not just on Caleb like some receivers.

Speaker 2 (40:54):
You know.

Speaker 1 (40:54):
DJ talked about it yesterday and he was just like,
I slipped on the play and I was just hoping
it wasn't gonna get picked, and you know, people were like, oh,
like Thata f Luke and then TJ was like, no,
like that's on me, it's my feet. So I messed up.
So I do think it's a full It's not just
on Caleb that the passing game is and where it
needs to be right now. But obviously the quarterback is

(41:14):
going to take a bunch of the lumps. So it'll
be interesting to see what Ben does. Robert chiming in
from across the pond great to hear from me, Robert,
surprise prediction Byered and right, don't get picks this week?
This week at Sjalen He's uh. I know that it
doesn't really go with the trend here, Robert, but I
wouldn't be surprised. And Rick chiming in Santo's goes to

(41:37):
in a row and lamb but with the walk off
field goal and he messes, Joe gets to roast him,
and if he misses, Joe gets to ROAs him for
five minutes. I will not try. I will not join
the podcast on Monday. If that's the case, Joe, you
can do the podcast by yourself. I can't. I can't
deal with the Chiro conversation. So you can do that
solo monologue with the crew on Monday. If that's the situation,

(42:02):
All right, Joe, Let's go to over to our most
valuable bears. I chose Coast and Loveland. Last week you
win with CJ. Gardner Johnson. CJ had a couple of
tackles Coast and Loveland had twenty eight receiving yards fantasy
wise based on this random Reddit thing that I found,
I just beat you out. Neither guy had a great performance.

(42:24):
So it's not like a great win by me by
any means.

Speaker 2 (42:27):
But but that was bad either, So well that's good.

Speaker 1 (42:30):
Yeah, So I when I realized last week I was
going through the tape last week, I think I said
that I have an eight to five lead. But that
doesn't math. The math doesn't math, as the kids say,
so I'll have to go back and do it. But
I do have like a three or four point lead
as we head into the final five games of the
regular season here. But Joe, you have the no. I

(42:53):
have the first pick and the most valuable bear. And
the question is do I want to use Kleb I
only have there are five weeks left. Do I want
to use Caleb on this in this instance or do
I want to save it? I did just say Caleb
is gonna have a big day. But the trend is
my friend here, and I think I'm gonna go with

(43:14):
DeAndre Swift. I mean, it's just it's just been working right, Like,
I don't really see a reason why to go against that.
And now again we talked about how the Packers run
defens is great and all that sort of stuff, But
at this point, I don't see a reason why the
Bears would go away from the running attack, and obviously
I think Calemnong guy. It seems like they have found

(43:35):
a good rhythm here off the one two punch with
Swift and Manong Guy. But I'll go with Swift here
from my most valuable Bear. I think that they continue
in moving to keep the running game going. And I
just mostly didn't want to burn my Caleb pick at
this point, so I'm gonna go with DeAndre Swift.

Speaker 2 (43:55):
Well, if you were gonna pick Caleb, I probably would
have gone with Swift or Mononguy. Price Swift because he
should carry more. But the Monong guy, the you know
guy's up to uh he's six hundred rushing yards on
the season. Yeah, and both he and DeAndre Swift have
been averaging what Swift is averaging. They're both averaging almost

(44:17):
five yards of carry. Almost five yards of carry. That's
really good in this league.

Speaker 1 (44:21):
You know, the enemy once four and a half on
each carry, and that's that's what they're doing.

Speaker 2 (44:25):
It's getting it. Another unsung guy. We probably haven't mentioned
him enough. I know we've mentioned him throughout the season,
but Vienna be what what he's been able to get
out of those running back because he's kind of a
tough He's gonna be kind of I gotta watch my
language here. He can be kind of a tough I'll
just say that on his players, right, but it's for

(44:45):
it's for a purpose. He's not a BS guy. He's
not gonna, you know, pat me on the back and
give you a hug all the time. He's kind of
a tough, tough guy, uh.

Speaker 1 (44:54):
But he doesn't know what the purpose like. He does
it for a reason. It's not just to be like, oh,
I'm macho coach guy. I gotta be this tough like.
He cares about those guys and wants them to develop.
And I think you see I think you see it.
You he's been a great addition to that coaching staff.
I agree.

Speaker 2 (45:09):
I hope they don't lose him after this, you know,
I know he remember he was like a hot name
the coaching uh search cycle every off season for a
while there, and then he kind of kind of fell
off the map a little bit. But he's shown what
a good coach he is. I think that's you just
have to look at the numbers there and what he's
gotten out of these running backs, even other guys when
they've come in for you know, a couple of snaps

(45:31):
here and there. They like been productive, so it's all around.
But anyway, good pick with Swift, but I'll I'll go
with Caleb.

Speaker 1 (45:38):
I'll just go with Caleb one pardon that's your last one.

Speaker 2 (45:44):
It is. I think it was right the first time
and wrong the second time on him. Yeah, it's so
hard with the It shouldn't be that hardly because you know,
the guys who've been getting the interceptions and and and
why the Bears are a top of the NFL will
takeaways surely because three guys it's Shaun Wright, Kevin Bayern,

(46:06):
and Tremaine Edmond who's been you could you.

Speaker 1 (46:08):
Could choose one of those guys and they'll be guaranteed.
He will probably a win at that.

Speaker 2 (46:11):
Point, right, you know what that said? Boy oh boy,
I thought Jalen's gonna I think Jaalen's gonna make a play.
I'm gonna go with Nashaun Wright. I think he's gonna
show that is an NFC Defensive Player of the Month.
That still blows me away that we're talking about Shawn

(46:32):
Wright winning that award, which he deserved, which he deserved. Uh,
I think he keeps playing, and I I tell you
what two weeks ago by I joked about it that
he's been good, but he's not like been Pro Bowl good. Well,
then he had a Pro Bowl good game against Philly,
and look out, he might be a sleeper here when
the Pro Bowl selections come out later announced what later

(46:53):
this month? I guess it's already December for crying out loud.
I think na Shawn just finds a way to make
a play. And even you know, there have been plays
where he's been burned. And we've talked about especially the
first half, even when he was getting the turno turnover
as the interstapp he wasn't great. He wasn't you know,
he was still getting burned. But all corners will, I mean, yeah,
that's unfortunately part of their job too. Other guys there

(47:14):
are so many dang good receivers in this league and
good quarterbacks.

Speaker 1 (47:18):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (47:18):
But I'm gonna go in this Shawn because I just
love his story. Michael, I can't think of a camp.
I'm sure there are maybe not in you know, other
NFL cities on side of Chicago where you've had a
player just kind of basically a guy who had been
nothing nothing for his first three four years in the
league and then Bang emerges like this and it was

(47:42):
a slow turn, but he's he just keeps improving somehow.
I I don't have a camp. I'm waiting for all
the guys who cover the league, Like you know, there
was this guy who did this, came out of no
after three years doing nothing and spending a year out
of practice squad the year for but his story has
been just remarkable. So I'm becoming I mean, if you're embarrassed,

(48:07):
how you were not becoming a fan of this guy.
So I'm gonna I'll go into showan, right, I'll say
my Caleb card, thanks for telling me only had one left.

Speaker 1 (48:15):
Yeah, it's been a fun it's been a fun story
for him, just the opportunity that he got, obviously with
Jalen being injured, and he took it right like he
was just some guy off the Vikings in April and
the Bear sign him. And I don't think anyone made
I don't even think I wrote a story about it.
I think I was just like, all right, I just
picked up some guy or whatever, like former third round
pick it did and work with the Cowboys. But Shawney's

(48:36):
story has been great. It's been such an inspiration and
it's been great to just kind of see. Again, it's
a credit to not only like it's up to the player, right,
but it's up to the player to put in the
work and to take that big step. But again, it's
a credit to Dennis Allen and Al Harris for what
they've been able to do with that secondary without it's
starting secondary for much of the season, Like Al Harris,

(48:58):
like I saw Robert Chiming in oh Man, I've been
worried about losing coaches now for a couple of games.
I would not be surprised if someone hires Al Harris
as a defensive coordinator after the season like he's been.
He's been a talented guy already. I think he was
a really good cornerbacks coach in Dallas before this, Listen,

(49:19):
does he get the job that. I think the Bears
should retain most of their coaches this year just because
it's been one year. You probably like more proof and
that kind of stuff. And like other guys like Bienemy
and Allen, I think that they've reached They've done it before, right,
Like I think they've kind of been in those moments
and they've kind of had their their pinnacles. But for
a guy like Al Harris, yeah, that's someone who is

(49:42):
definitely a defensive coordinator and maybe even a head coach
one day. He's just a great guy to talk to
and he's really inspirational. But I like that pick. And
talking about Shannie, Robert also says that one Philly Tuddy
reminded him of the Bengals one. I mean recently the
touchdowns that he's given a bit to a J. Brown
and Chase U or whatever from the Bengals, it was Higgins. Yeah,

(50:07):
like it was. Those aren't bad pipe receivers by any means,
Like those are talented guys.

Speaker 2 (50:12):
So off on those and those two touchdowns, the one
the T Higgins Uh, play was just T Higgins making
a great play by that great dexterity. He showed him
balance and concentration. And then I mean a J. Brown,
I take that guy on my team any any time,
any day of the week. Uh, just a great player,
and his time was just a tad off. I'm like,

(50:35):
I half second or he's there. Uh. And the DK
Metcalf one it was perfect but similar away on the
sideline there but no, he so even when he's been
getting burned. It's not like he's been doesn't like he's
been getting burned. Like, what, what the heck were you doing? Man?
He just totally blew that assignment.

Speaker 1 (50:54):
Uh. Robert asked him before we get into our predictions,
do you think da will be coveted? I think d
as He's done it twice. He's been a head coach twice.
I think he's kind of I would assume around the NFL.
I'm not connected as much or anything like that like
other people, but I would assume that it's going to
be a defensive coordinator for him for the He's had

(51:15):
two head coaching opportunities. They've both been fine. Obviously didn't
work out with the Raiders, and obviously he didn't work
out with the with the Saints. Here, it seems like
I would assume that Dennis Salem will at least for
the next couple of years, unless the Bears completely turn
around and win a super bowler or regular contenders, I
would assume that Dennis Salem will be a DC here

(51:35):
for a bit.

Speaker 2 (51:37):
I think so. And really, if you look at the
Bear's numbers where they rank defensively, shield your eyes if
you're a Bears fan, it's not good. I mean, we've
said it all year. You can run on them, you
can throw on them. Then they get the turnovers and
that seems to be the great equalizer. It's like hit
hitting the thirty foot put every time, you know, but well,
but what you hit a thirty footer and that makes
your snatchs look good. You're somehow, you know, having a

(51:58):
decent round. So yeah, I don't know if he's gonna
be a head coach candidate in the offseason. I wouldn't
think so. But he's the right fit here now, and
it'd be nice to see what he can do with
some little better talent or healthy talent, if that may be.
If that's the case next season.

Speaker 1 (52:16):
All right, Joe Bears and Packers three twenty five, Sunday
afternoon at lambeau Field on Fox. What is your prediction?

Speaker 2 (52:24):
It's weird, you know, because you can't call this a
trap game when you're playing your rival that's been kicking
your butt for the last two decades.

Speaker 1 (52:32):
A game.

Speaker 2 (52:33):
Whether the Bears were bad, the Packers were bad, both
good ones, good ones the bad, but it kind of
seemed to feels like a trap game. Where the Bears
have finally gotten all the national attention and all the
love in the last seven days whatever it's been here
or well, today's Friday, so it was actually it was
just a week ago right that they played, but they
finally get in all the love, the old line, Ben Johnson, everything,

(52:58):
the shirt coming off as you know, you're still it's
still being played on social media and national outlets this week.
But it's just so weird. It's just almost like you
expect dare I say it? You expect the Bears to
win every week now, and this certainly will be a
tough one. Even though a bad Bears team beat the

(53:18):
Packers last season at at Lambeau to finish the regular season.
I think the Bears win. I just I don't know how.
But you know, Philly scared me. Most teams passing games
are running getting backs scared me. As the Bears are, like,
I don't know how they're gonna stop this guy. Bears
can't stop anybody. And then Bayer gets to pick. Uh,

(53:39):
Sean gets a pick if nothing happens, if something positive happens. Defensively,
they come up with a big stop when they need
it when they haven't been able to get one all game.
I'm gonna take the Bears there, Michael, even though I mean, look,
this is ingrained to me. Now. We can't beat the Packers,
can't beat the Packers, got more heartbreak coming up. But
I'll go with the Bears because the this doesn't seem

(54:00):
like they can lose lose at this point. Oddly enough,
score it's gotta be in the twenties, right, I'm gonna
say Bears twenty seventeen.

Speaker 1 (54:11):
I last week, when I was looking at the stats
getting ready for the Eagles game. The more I looked
at the stats, the more I was like, Oh, this
feels like more of a gettable game. And obviously I
chose the Eagles to win last week, and the Bears
ended up winning that game. But this week, the more
I look at the stats, the more I'm kind of like,
I don't know. Like the Packers are good. They stumbled, obviously,

(54:35):
they had a couple of bad losses that Packers were
calling for Mad Laflora's job, which was just crazy. And
this is a really good Packers team. This is a
very talented team. They've got a potent offense. They've got
different wide receivers that can make an impact. We'll see
about Watson being available for this game. Well, they've got

(54:56):
Micah Parsons. They're very talented defense. And listen, the Bears
have one ten out of eleven games. And I just think,
and I know I said this last week, so who
am I to say it? But eventually the regression just
goes back to the meaning, right, like eventually you're gonna
force a turn, You're gonna create the turnover, right, like
you're gonna make the bad play, Like eventually you're going

(55:17):
to just lose, like it's the NFL. So I just
kind of head into this matchup where I'm just like, man,
like you're going up to lambeau Field.

Speaker 2 (55:25):
I do agree.

Speaker 1 (55:26):
It feels like a trap game, even though it can't
really be a trap game by any means, since everyone
is talking about it and everyone is like, I don't
I haven't even seen them many predictions. I don't know
if the Bears are in I don't. I wouldn't imagine
the Bears are an overwhelming favorite. I mean, Vegas has
them as a six and a half point dog. I
just think this feels like a matchup where I just
think that the Packers are gonna get the best of them.

(55:48):
I think Jordan Love, I saw I saw CJSA. Love
gets a long bomb. I think that George. I think
Jordan Love is gonna maybe get a couple of those
big plays, and they're gonna find a way to win.
I don't think it's a blowout by any means. I
don't think. I don't think when we're talking on Monday,
we're disappointed the Bears are gonna lose a game here
or there. That's just they're playing a tough schedule. I

(56:11):
think it's the Packers win twenty four to twenty one.
I think that the listen. I just think that the
Bears lose. I don't think that the Bears get embarrassed
in the national audience. I don't think that it's anything
close to what we've been seeing over the fifty over
the last fifteen years. But I just think that this
Packers team is very talented, and I still have questions

(56:31):
about the Bears pass defense or the past defense and
the pass rush, and if Jordan Love can continue to
just have time to throw the ball around, I think
that that's just gonna hurt the Bears. So I think
the pair, I think the Packers win this one in
a close one. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (56:48):
That's what concerns me from a Bear's perspective, is like,
if you're gonna beat this team again, we've been saying
it for for twelve weeks, whatever, how do you that
is a pass rush? Finally get better and make an
impact because you need you need to, and then you
hope and then Montee has a sweat as a as
a sack or maybe two like he did a couple

(57:09):
of weeks ago, two and a half, and that's it.
You're just not getting to the quarterback and up and
he will pick them apart. Jordan Love, you almost have
to bank on him making a bonehead play. And again
he's done it. He's done it. But they are good.
And again they they have the difference maker on defense

(57:29):
and the Bears, with all due respect in the shot
and buyer, they don't. They have the dude who gets
the quarterback and eats him alive. That's Micah Parsons. And
that's why at the beginning of the season when you
and I talked about and you you know, we had
the conversation, would you want Micah parton? You think the
Bears should go after Micah Parsons or Clay hendricks and
say at what price? What do you got to pay

(57:50):
the guy? But what scares me is what if a
guy like mikeh or Trey Hendrickson goes to the Lions
or the Packers and you got to see him twice
a year, uh, and eat up on your quarterback who
you hope is the franchise QB but looking for forever.
So that's what scares me there. Because Mica doesn't have
to get four sacks in a game to be impactful.
You mentioned the sacks plus the hits that that he accumulates. Uh,

(58:15):
he does that. That's why the guys you know, CAS's
probably going to be wearing a gold jacket one day.

Speaker 1 (58:22):
Yeah, I mean even if you like, that's the major difference, right,
Like I don't I know, we need we need to
wrap up here, like we don't need to do whole
comparison or whatever. But like the teams are these teams
are pretty comparable, right, Like the quarterbacks Jure and Loff
has been better obviously, but I think Caleb has a
bunch of potential. Uh. The court. The coaches are good
from what we've seen from Ben Jonson. I think the

(58:42):
Bears have a better offensive line and more talented wide
receivers than the Packers do. But yeah, and the secondaries
are both pretty equal and talented. The main difference is
that the Packers having the lead pass rush. They've got
Michael Parsons and the Bears don't have that guy. All
due respect to Montes Sweat, but the Bears the the
Packers' second highest sax guy seven and a half. That's

(59:04):
what Montes Sweat has. Like, you need a Mica Parsons
to be an elite team, and the Bears just don't
have that right now. So I think that's kind of
what's stopping the Bears from hitting that Packer level, right
And obviously that doesn't mean that they can lose. I'm
not expecting a blow out. I wouldn't be surprised if
the Bears win on Sunday. I just feel like that
that seems to be the major difference at this point,
and I think that kind of hurts him on Sunday. Yeah,

(59:26):
I agree, all right, Rick chiming In, he's got the
Bears winning twenty four to twenty one. CJ. Chiming In,
he's got the Packers winning twenty eight to twenty four.
Everyone's got a close game. I don't think this is
going to be a blowout by any means, but I
do think that it should be a fun game, and
I think we'll have a lot to talk about on Monday,
and we'll have a lot to digest as we look
forward to the final four games of the regular season.

(59:47):
But that's everything that we've got for this day's episode
of the live stream. Thank you this everyone who joined
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(01:00:10):
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(01:00:31):
We will talk to you folks on Monday. We'll see
what time I'll be traveling back from Green Bay Monday morning,
and we'll see what the Bear schedule looks like on Monday.
But make sure you check out our social media's and
we'll post then when we'll be doing a live stream.
But until then, make sure you're following me. This weekend,
I'll be in Green Bay Joe. Green Bay Joe will
be doing high school stuff as well over the weekend,

(01:00:52):
so make sure you're following him. Enjoy the weekend, stay warm.
Hopefully everyone can enjoy the game on Sunday afternoon, and
we will talk to you folks on Monday,