Previewing the Bears' Week 3 matchup vs the Dallas Cowboys

The Chicago Bears will try to win their first game of the season Sunday when they host former head coach Matt Eberflus and the Dallas Cowboys. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar break down the latest news from Halas Hall and Sunday's 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 Shaw Local Bears Reporter
and Michael dwo Jack Here what the Northwest Heralds show,
Ac youl are It is week number three as we
are getting ready for a big matchup for the Bears.
There will be hosting the Dallas Cowboys at the Fox
Primetime Game three twenty five on Sunday afternoon then at

(00:25):
Soldier Field. Obviously a big game for the Bears Joe
Owen two staring Owen three and a tough start to
the start to the year, but a really interesting match
up here with the Cowboys coming to town on Sunday.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah for sure. Like you said, Bears still don't have
win number one under Ben Johnson. And here comes matt
Eberflus and he's bringing Jack Samborne with him the race. Hell,
so look on, here we go.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
She'll be an interesting matchup. A lot of different aspects
to it, a lot of things going around with this team,
but yeah, it should be really interesting. The Matty Aberflus
aspect of it has been kind of coming around. The
Tom Brady aspect of it has been kind of a
big talking point. But we'll break it all down for
you folks in this week's episode. Thank you to everyone

(01:15):
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(01:35):
our social media as we usually post. Usually we'll talk
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check out for sure. When we're going to be doing
this live stream, all right, Joe, A lot of different
aspects we can look at this, but why we start
off with the health aspect. We're recording this obviously we're
doing this on Monday morning. Still haven't heard anything about

(01:58):
Jalen Johnson. The Bears are still holding on to that one.
Like we said earlier last time, we don't expect him
to play at all in the next month. I would
guess maybe in a while, but the injury list doesn't
look good. Karana mcgotgy's on the TG, Edwards, Kyler Gordon,
DeMarco Jackson, Jalen Johnson, Jaylen Jones, they were all did

(02:20):
not practice in Thursday. Grady Jared returned to practice, and
Deandresu were both limited on Thursday, and then Johnny Walker
was a full participant. So Joe, I mean, for a
defense that gave up fifty two points, not a lot
of reinforcements coming here this way.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
Well, the good news is are playing quarterback? Was not
very good. Oh wait a minute, no, they're playing Dak Prescott.
So you throw that in. I mean, my goodness, I
know Kyler Gordon again, that one really stinks. Man, that
just stinks with him being out and Jalen two and
I you know, if they get Jalen Johnson back at
any point this season, and you know, just because I'm

(03:02):
already counting that as a loss he's out, that's going
to be a surprise if he comes back. Let's hope.
I mean it is. We should have fifteen games left,
but it's not good. I guess the question is, can
they really be worse than what they showed against Detroit
last Sunday and giving up fifty two. I mean, if

(03:23):
they give up forty five, that's an improvement, I guess.
But you're at home, that should help. But it's certainly
hard to be optimistic. And maybe, like you predicted last week,
a shootout with the Lions and the Bears. Maybe it's
another shootout Sunday, you know, it's the NFL again. I mean,
maybe the Bears holding the eighteen. Who knows, but certainly

(03:44):
maybe eighteen the first eight minutes or something. But otherwise
it just doesn't look good for this really depleted defense, which,
even if healthy, we didn't quite know if you know,
how good they were going to be. You'd hope with
the additions they made, some of the additions they made
in the offseason. But it's hard to be optimistic about
this defense right now.

Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, it's hard. And you know, I actually today's or yes,
last night's story today is in a print story for me,
was about you know, how the defense plans on, you know,
how do you recover from a game like that, And
you know, obviously you gotta get the pass rush going,
you got to get the secondary go and get that
uh check out that story. But yeah, I mean, this
is a big this is a big test for for
this defense. I mean they're obviously listen, like they're trying

(04:27):
to figure out what that happened last week. A lot
of miscommunication happened on those blown plays in the secondary.
And you didn't you didn't impact Jared Golf right, Like,
you didn't create any pass rush. So that'll be interesting
to see what we'll break it down. Obviously, Joe, like
we mentioned, Mannyberflus is coming back, first coach and Bears
history to be fired in the middle of the season

(04:48):
five and twelve year last year, a negative record throughout
his three years there. He's with the Cowboys, Joe, and
you know, he met with the with the Dallas reporters
the other day and he didn't really want it to
be about, you know, his retire and like I think,
you know, I think for the most part, I think
everyone kind of like everyone liked Matt as a guy, right,

(05:10):
Like he was a nice guy. He's a nice person.
They just didn't work out as a coach. And I
think he handled it well the other day where he
was just kind of like, listen, it's not about me.
But I do feel like a little bit will be
about him coming back, right for sure?

Speaker 2 (05:23):
Again, and I wouldn't expect him to say that he's
Most of these coaches, they'll they'll tell you that it's
not about them, and I believe it, even Dan Campbell.
I mean maybe afterward it was like we wanted to
show that we're better with you know, we're just as
good with or without Ben Johnson. But uh, yeah, I
think if the Dallas players will rally around that. Look,

(05:43):
I bet if they win and they shut down the
Spears offense, which wouldn't be the hardest thing in the
world to do. But if they have a good game,
they you know, they win and the defense plays well,
you know those defensive guys. You know what, Matthew Eberflus
is getting a game ball, right, The Cowboys would give
him a game ball because they know. I mean, look,
no one wants to get fired from any job. I mean,

(06:04):
so how can you not be a little resentful or bitter? Right,
So I'm sure he would love to come in here
and shut down the Bears, and he won't take any
of the credit, and I wouldn't expect him to. And
like you said, you know, Michael, he's he's a good dude, right,
It just it just got under control last year, especially

(06:27):
after the Hail Mary, the failed Mary. Uh So, But no,
I expect, you know, to see a Dallas football team
wanting to win one for their decoordinator.

Speaker 1 (06:38):
It will be interesting to see how much familiarity obviously
plays a role into this. You know, obviously, Mattyberfluse knows
the defense really well. The defensive players know mattyberflu says
scheme really well. And you know, Ben Johnson knows Mattyberflus obviously,
he was the OCA with the Lions the last three years.
And you know, it was interesting. I was looking at
the numbers, you know, although you know, the Bears went

(07:00):
one and five against the Lions during that time, and
Maddy Perflues did in twenty twenty three, they did hold
the Lions to their lowest yardage and their fourth yard
is yardage in a game. So I mean the defense
held its own against I feel like I feel like,
for some reason, Mannyberflus was always competitive against the Lions.
Obviously it didn't work well in that last game in

(07:22):
the last you know, we don't have to revisit all that,
but I do feel like Manny Perfluce's defense was effective
against Ben Johnson's offense. So I'm curious to see, you know,
how much of effective that's going to play on Sunday
for sure.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
I mean, and again remember two years ago, getting to
keep you know, go down this Revisioni's history trail. But
that game in Detroit or Tyler Scott off memory serves,
dropped the long pass from Justin Field, and of course
everyone was, you know, criticizing Justin Fields the Bears offense
not getting it done again, but they could have won
that Game's the year they beat him at Soldier Field. Yeah,

(07:56):
they didn't win that game, right, Yeah, so they could
have swept the Lions to years ago when they were
starting to you know, come be one of the up
and coming teams at that point. So, but no, Matt's
always been a good defensive coach. That's what got him
the job here in Chicago, right, And people wondered why
you'd get the defensive guy when you got the court
of the young quarterback and Justin Fields that's another story.
But no, Matt's got a good defense. But he's always

(08:18):
they've always even in Indy, if memory serves, they were
a bend. But don't break kind of team, and that
was kind of what the Bears were with him, and
they stressed he taking the ball away and stuff. Well, well, yeah,
every team does, you know. And you know, they had
the real good linebacker a couple of years ago who
was out of the league quickly. His name is Shaq
Shaq Leonard. He was one of the best to have

(08:39):
forcing fumbles and then he got hurt and his career
was kind of short turns out, but he had him
in Indy and then you know, the Bears, he said,
you know, he had a few good players, certainly, you know,
including Rokwan what you know, when he got here loose.
So we'll see what kind of defense they have, but
I expect them to again wanting again, wanting to win

(09:02):
one for their coach.

Speaker 1 (09:04):
Yeah, and you know, everyone talked about it. Ben talked
about it, Caleb talked about it. It was kind of
one of those things where it's like, yeah, we kind
of know each other, but like they know about a
lot about us, but we know a lot about them.
So it will be interesting to watch what the mind
games are of Like does you know math change any
aspect of his like relatively zoned defense, right, like, does
he switch some stuff up, switch up from some you know,

(09:26):
I'm sure the terminology and that sort of stuff has
short sort of changed. Just you know, you don't use
the same verbiage, especially going against your former team. But
I am curious to see whether you know how much
that plays a factor or whether Caleb's like, all right,
I know Matt likes to do this, I'm gonna do
this instead, so it will be a fun little chess
game going on on Sunday afternoon. One other major storyline

(09:47):
before we get into get it to our game preview. Obviously,
I don't feel like we I don't think we talked
about this on Tuesday. Maybe we did. I'm forgetting about it.
But Tom Brady's obviously covery are calling this game on Sunday,
and then the Bears obviously play the Raiders the next week.
For those who don't know, obviously, Tom is a minority
owner of the Raiders and kind of made some headlines

(10:10):
on Monday Night Football when ESPN showed him in the
coach's box in the full suit and you know, talking
to all the coaches and that sort of stuff. And
you know, the NFL has said that that's not against
any league rules. You know, Ben was asked about it
and he said, well, listen, I just give them the
coach speak anyway, so they're not gonna I'm not telling
them state secrets or anything like that when I meet
with the production team. And then he reinforced the idea

(10:33):
that he doesn't really you know, he's not worried about it,
he doesn't really think about it. What were your general
thoughts about the whole Tom Brady you know debate.

Speaker 2 (10:42):
I think it's clearly a conflict of interest, but like
Ben Johnson said, and I believe him, it's kind of
coach speak anyway. Look, we all know someone like if
you tell someone something like kind in private, they're gonna
tell everybody else. So you learn, like not to tell
that person. Just assume whatever your saying to that person
is being broadcast nationally because everyone's gonna hear the news, right.

(11:05):
So I think even when that, even if Tom Brady
were not affiliated with the with the television crew, you know,
or with the Raiders, you'd be careful anyway what you
say because you just don't know how that's gonna leak,
and maybe that you know, you spoiled something for us.
He revealed something that we didn't want revealed. So I
would think they'd all, you know, they'd be smart enough

(11:26):
not to mention that anyway. So but I do think
it's wrong. I mean, look, I mean Tom Brady has
a vested interest in the Raiders. So if he finds
out something that can maybe help their football team or
notices something now, he'll he'll get a lot of information
just from watching the game, right, And I mean he
gives Tom Brady, He's pretty smart, so be able to

(11:49):
figure things out pretty quickly just watching the game. He
might just get more information. But they can watch tape anyway.
But as far as that, you know, the one O
ones from the production meetings, I would certainly think Ben
Ben Johnson, who's smart, would be smart of not to
say anything that's going to give the Raiders any kind
of potential edge. But ultimately for the Bears, they got

(12:10):
to worry about themselves, right, Just go out execute, stop
doing the things that helped contribute to your own two
start and worry about yourself. And that's so much other things.
So I think everything I've heard out of Hallas Hall
this week from reporters like yourself at I you know,
I think that's the right tone.

Speaker 3 (12:29):
I thought I would have expected to hear yeah, and listen, listen,
Tom could know how you're you gonna run a slants round,
but if you get a pre snap penalty and then
you you know, you run the wrong player or something
like that, doesn't really matter that he knows if you
can't execute the player right.

Speaker 1 (12:42):
So obviously it comes down to the Bears actually kind
of getting the motion going. But yeah, I agree with you.
I you know, listen, I think everyone knows that Tom's
going to do whatever he can to get in a
competitive advantage. That's how he was as a player. Obviously,
the play gates by a game whatever you want to
you know, whatever you want to get into. Whether he
was liable or not, it was always revolving around that
program in him, right, So yeah, maybe it's an unfair assumption,

(13:07):
but that's kind of what you get when you kind
of are always surrounded by this type of stuff. But
I agree, you know, I don't think it's good. I
think it gives a competitive advantage to the Raiders, But
at the end of the day, you just need to
execute right. It doesn't really matter what they know, who
they know, and all that sort of stuff. So, yeah,
I thought Ben handled that well, and I thought Caleb
handle it well too. He was asked about it and
he said, yeah, listen, I mean he's a Hall of

(13:28):
Fame quarterback, Like if I have questions, I'm going to
ask him, like what can I do better? Right? And
I think that's what you would want. So they kind
of have a little bit of a relationship. But those
are all kind of the major storylines from Hallis this week.
All right, Joe, let's get this preview going. Cowboys coming
into town first time since twenty nineteen. It's been a
little bits since the Cowboys have been in the town,

(13:50):
and I keep seeing or at least I keep getting
emails that there's gonna be a big Cowboys contingent coming
into town. Obviously, you know America Team all that sort
of stuff. I'm sure a lot of Dallas people are like, well,
we haven't been in Chicago in six years, Like, let's go,
let's go up there, let's go for the change. So
it'll be interesting to see what Soldier feels looking like

(14:10):
on Sunday afternoon. But Joe, what uh, let's start off
with our matchups. What's your what's the matchup you're looking
for on Sunday afternoon, Well.

Speaker 2 (14:18):
I think it's gotta be in the trenches there the
Cowboys offensive line against the Bears defensive lines. A rumor
has the Bears have one. I we didn't see it
last week, but I guess they have a defensive line.
And I read in your story that Grady Jared said,
I think we're close to getting to the quarterback. And
I'm thinking, look, he knows more about football than me.

(14:39):
But I didn't see that. Did you see that less
Sunday against Detroit? Because Glare Garrett Jared Goff's jersy looked
pretty clean after the game. So that defensive line, which again,
can it be any worse than last week against the
Cowboys O line? That you know, they they invest in
their offensive line. Imagine that a great quarterback and then

(15:01):
investing in the guys up front. It's weird concept to me,
but they got all those. Tyler's right, Tyler Smith, who's
a two time Pro Bowler. They drafted Tyler Booker twelfth.
Bears could have had him. They went with the tight end.
We don't use Colston Lovelin. They drafted Tyler Booker. He's
playing well. From what I what, I hear what I read? Uh,
but their center is is out. They they lost him,

(15:23):
Cooper Bebee, who's a pretty good player, third round pick.
They they lost him in the Giants game to an
ankle foot injury, so he's gonna be out for a while.
So now they they go to next man up there.
So I want to see the Bears not only get
a pass rush, but stop the dang run. I mean,
I couldn't really tell you who runs the ball for
the Cowboys, you know. There's so much of the focuses
on Dak and rightfully so. But let's see an improved

(15:48):
effort from them because as we all know too, they
if they were able to get to the quarterback create
some havoc up front. That'll help the DBS. Who a
lot of these guys are, you know, still have their
you know, they're still getting their feet wet in the
National Football League because all the injuries we've we've talked about.
So that's what I'm looking forward to seeing this. Dallas
just roll with the punches even though they lost their

(16:10):
starting center, and do the Bears get to the quarterback
and stop the dang run? Because we need to see
more on both sides of that, and both both areas
of that. As far as the Bears front front front four, front,
you know, front seven.

Speaker 1 (16:27):
Yeah, I mean that's gonna be huge, right, Like listen,
Like Dan Scott, Dak Prescott is a ten year pro.
He's one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Like
he's been there, he's done that. You saw it against
the Giants on Sunday. He knows how to run an
effective offense. He knows how to find his playmakers. You
got to stop him, right like, you get him, you
got it, Like Dennis Allen said on Thursday, you got

(16:48):
to get him off his spot. You got to get
affect them at all. You got to do something right,
and the Bears just haven't done that. So I agree
you need to get Listen, Montes Sweat has zero sacks.
He's got one one QB hit. I know he would
have had a sack last week, But listen, life's not fair.
Sometimes sometimes you don't get credit for the stuff that
you end up doing right. Dio dang Bo's got one

(17:09):
sack and he's got two quarterback hits. Java the most.
Javon Dexter is tied with Dio and someone else. I
forget who it is for the most quarterback hits at two,
Like you should have more than two quarterback hits, you know,
two games into the season. So listen, Dennis halle and
talked about it. Do we do something else? Do we
give more time for the guys to get to the quarterback?

(17:31):
But it also comes down to you gotta be more
effective earlier downs, right, Like you got to stop the
run because if they know that you're going to be
throwing it at third and seven, it's easier to defend right, Like,
you know that they're gonna throw it, and you can
create more of a pass rush. So I agree that's
gonna be huge. Like it's been a major question for
me for the offseason, throughout training camp and now two
weeks into the season. So I agree with you. I

(17:52):
think if you're gonna have any success in stopping Dak,
you need to create any sort of pass rush.

Speaker 2 (18:00):
Yes, and all off season, everyone, every Bears fan, every critic,
every analysts talked about the Bears got to get better
up front. Bears got to get better up front. We
were talking about this last year, who can they sign
you know, last more than last year? The last going back?
How many years, going back Pride that eighteen when that

(18:22):
great year though, where was that that year they got
They had a ton of quarterback sacks and turnovers that
one year. But going back to that, So anyway, and
then we wondered, like in the off season, even now
are they gonna get are they gonna add? Well, okay,
they got o'dangbo and they they think they figured it out.
So we have to trust the front office that they
figured this out and that they have enough. And they
have a new decordinator and he's got a reputation, a

(18:43):
great reputation deta cell. Well where is it? Where is it?
Because I'm looking at the Cowboys saying signing Jadinian Clowney
and I'm you know, maybe the guy's passed this prime.
I don't know how much he has left in the tank.
But I keep looking like who else can they get?
Who's out there that can help? But the Bears think
they've got to figure it out. Well, then let's see
it already. You've had an entire offseason, tired past six

(19:08):
seven off seasons, and we're still looking for it. So again,
this like on a team, right, it comes down to
the front office, and this is with each passing loss,
with each passing week, this looks more and more egregious
and and any other city would be fireble. But here
in Chicago, they just give coaches and GM's contract extensions,

(19:29):
so probably nothing's gonna happen anyway.

Speaker 1 (19:32):
Well, I think the biggest frustrating part is you've seen
them work, right Like it worked against JJ McCarthy and
the Vikings for the first three quarters, right like, regardless
of you know, obviously JJ was kind of you know,
it was his first start. It was probably taking it
back a little bit. But I think any quarterback would
have been pressured in the situations that they were creating
in that first three quarters, right. So, I think the

(19:53):
frustrating thing is you've you've seen them do it. They
just need to do it at a consistent level against
an experience quarterback, right So, you got to move guys
around the defensive line, you got to create different looks,
you got to confuse the defense, and that clearly, like
I think I heard someone say, I think some Lions
players were saying during the week because they continued their
victory lamp this week, I heard them saying, like, oh, well,

(20:15):
we set up and we saw this we knew they
were going to run this like that. That's not good.
That's indictable, right, Like you you should not know every
single play what they're gonna do. And I think Dennis
Allen is a great defensive mind, so I was surprised
to hear them say that. So, yeah, you just got
to mix things up in order to get that pass
rush going. Then you know we've seen them do it before.
You just got to do it at a consistent level.

Speaker 2 (20:38):
Even the Minnesota game, Michael, I'm trying to remember the
three sacks they had, but Odango's was like for minus one,
Dexter had one. It was a short like I don't
know if the total like three sacks or how many
yards It wasn't like for thirty yards or something. They
were like, you know they but you need you need
a big play from that front front Steven or or

(21:00):
someone blitzing a big play, maybe a strip sack, a
forced fumble something. And I know it's only two games,
but we need at some point, at some point this season,
the Bears need to make a big play on defense
from that front seven from pressure, and we haven't seen
it yet. Sunday would be a good time to start.

Speaker 1 (21:21):
Yeah, you're leading me into my matchup of the game.
My matchup of the game is the secondary against the
talented receiving core for the Cowboys. I mean, Ceedee Lamb.
He's a beast obviously. I think he's a top three
or top four in receiving yards in the league. So far.
They added George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. He's a

(21:42):
great threat. And Jake Ferguson is I feel like an
undervalue tight end in this league. I don't feel like
a lot of people talk about Jake Ferguson, but he's
a catch pass catch threat too. And listen, like that
secondary is work. If that if that pass rush is working,
your secondary needs to be lockdown. There can't be any miscommunication.

(22:02):
There can't be. You know, Kevin Byer talked about guys
maybe feeling the pressure and doing a little bit too
much and they're supposed to or you know, out of
their assignments, and it's like, just you got to take
care of your assignment. You know that that secondary is
obviously depleted. You know, Kyler Gordon changes your game completely
when he's in there, and that I think Nick McLeod
has done fine for you know, a backup, but he's

(22:25):
he's not Kyler Gordon. And I think you know, Nashan's
gone beat a couple of times. But and Tyreek did
not have a good game. But I think this is
a big rebound game for them, and you know, you've
got a good opportunity. You're going against a really talented
receiving corps and I'm really interested, like, if you're going
to stay in this game, you need to stop them.
You got to limit them, and they're able to do
that against Justin Jefferson a little bit. You know, did

(22:46):
the rookie quarterback and his injury play a role in
that shirt but they were still able to kind of
keep him under forty under fifty yards. But that's my
major thing. If you want to stay in this game,
you got to stop their playmakers. And they do that
in week two and you if you're gonna survive in
this game, you gotta stop George Picking, CD Lamb and
Jake Ferguson.

Speaker 2 (23:07):
And what would really help to the secondary if the
safety's made some place. I mean Kevin Byrd, I know
he's I mean, he's a veteran, well spoken, stand up guy.
I always enjoy listening to him talk football, but he's
got to make more plays. I don't know if he
had such a great year even last year. And then
Jakwan Brisker, I don't know. I'm just I'm just speculating.

(23:31):
Is he playing tentatively because the concussions. I don't know,
but he's been Have we heard his day mentioned these
first two weeks. You know, we we need to see
more here and again. I'm you know, I'm gonna go
all dad again. I'd rather be safe, son and and
and don't hurt yourself. But you also need production there.
We need some ball hawking. We need some big hits.

(23:53):
I haven't seen it in two weeks unless I missed one.
You know, we need to meet see bigger players and
that would help. That would help your your your front,
that will help your corners, that will help just momentum,
and especially at home Sunday they play, get the crowd in,
do it they play, I'm gonna go all all gorilla Neanderthal.

(24:14):
Now let's play some bear football on defense. But I
haven't seen any of that, but I just say that,
but we need to see something. And the safeties has
just been I haven't noticed them, and that's not good.

Speaker 1 (24:27):
And I wonder whether you know, for all a training
camp we heard for with Kyler and Jaquan about how
you know it's gonna be hard to defend them because
they're gonna be moved around the field right like they're
gonna be at the line of scrimmage, they're gonna be
in the backfield, they're gonna be on the outside, on
the inside, and looking at the tape, I feel like
for the most part, you know, Jaquan has been playing,
you know, that safety spot. He's been in the backfield.

(24:49):
He's kind of been obviously that safety man. He's a safety.
But I wonder if you know, Dennis Allen this week
is like all right, like this isn't working, Maybe we
need to send Jaquan more. Like I forget he had
two or three sacks and a bunch of quarterback hits
last year before he got injured. And obviously you know

(25:09):
that's how he got injured. But I think I think,
you know, if he's healthy and if he's comfortable with it,
you got to send him as like blitz help, right,
Like it's hard to defend him a lot of the
times because everyone everyone's focusing on Montes sweat and Dio
Dainbo and I think if you send Brisker a little bit,
I don't think you have to do it one hundred
percent or even the majority of the time, but if

(25:30):
you do it twenty five percent thirty percent of the times,
I think that just makes Dak Prescott think an extra
second more like is he gonna come? Is he not
gonna come? Like for the first two weeks, I don't
think you've seen much of a threat from Jaquan, you know,
blitzing wise.

Speaker 2 (25:47):
No, I just it it all looks very similar to
last year, sadly, and we just need to see guys
on the field and that's not to happen because he
mentioned the injury report at the start of the podcast here,
and we just need to see better play. And I
know it's tough, but other teams get injuries too, and

(26:09):
the Bears have ad their share losing t J Edwards
big loss. Looks like he's not gonna play. He's not
probably gonna play right on on Sunday.

Speaker 1 (26:18):
Michael, I mean, he hasn't practiced all week, you know,
Ben Jonson said it's week to week. I would assume
he's not playing.

Speaker 2 (26:27):
And again, the guy who never misses a single game
up until this year, and he's not to and that's
a big loss too, because they didn't have a lot
of depth at that position anyway. Not it's not that
where he plays at the linebackers is the most important position,
but he's thrown and it's important and he's he's good
at football. I'm not saying he's a Pro Bowl player,
but he's probably that notch below there, and he's been

(26:47):
a good pro in this league. So not having him
really hurts too. But somehow they got to figure out
that's why you have a great defensive coordinator, right. I
know it's all on the players. It's ultimately on the players.
It's what you what you have to work with. But
we need to whether it's creativity or or whatever, or
just better effort, we need to see it come Sunday.

Speaker 1 (27:09):
Rick chiming in, Hey, Rick, great to hear from me.
Where Shamar Turner uh and be the Bears talked about
that this weekend. Sheally Dennis Allen was asked about him
and he said, I think really it's just continue to
work in practice. I think he's had a couple of
good weeks of practice, missed a lot of time in
the off season in training camp. I think he's starting
to turn the corner a little bit. We've been impressed

(27:29):
with some of the things we've seen, and so it's
really about doing it in practice and then when he
gets the opportunity taking advantage of it when we get
to game day. So I think that's an encouraging thing
to hear about Shamar Turner, and I would you know, obviously,
it's one of those things where maybe you need more
secondary guys than defensive line guys. So maybe that's why

(27:52):
you if you're going to put someone as in active,
you put Shamar Turner as an active since he hasn't
had that much time. But that feels like like like
that felt like a bit of a vote of confidence
and something that maybe, hey, maybe you are going to
see schimharn Moour this week.

Speaker 2 (28:07):
That'd be nice because again, if you knocked on my
front door, I wouldn't know who he is. God don't
know know what he looks like. I I mean, you've
said you've seen him, you know what he you could
identify him. But is this gonna be another lost year
for this guy too? I don't know. I hate to
be so cynical. I g if this was a sixth
round pick, Okay, you know, if he makes a team,

(28:29):
that's a that's a win. Is second round pick again,
second round pick for a team that couldn't really afford
any screw ups in this draft. And I know the
injuries that's that's not on the Bears. But I don't
know how good he was to begin with. I mean,
you know, I don't know if he's a guy that
was kind of a reach there, But would i'd rather
seen more offensive alignment, Yes, but they went with him.

(28:52):
And again that's a you know, I know, teams nowadays,
like you know, like they rotate a lot of guys
in you know, you don't need just four up front,
you need eight, need more, like like pretty much every
position now. But it'd be nice to see him show
something and maybe not that he's got to contribute in
the next couple of weeks here, but by mid season

(29:13):
or at least by at some point this season you're saying,
I think we got something here. I think we got
something better than you know, Javon Dexter, or someone better
than Zach Pickens or you know, something. We got to
see something from a second round pick here or that's
like another another scar or black mark, whatever you want

(29:35):
to call it on Ryan Pole's resume.

Speaker 1 (29:38):
Yeah, we'll see. You obviously need to help from the up,
from the middle of the defense. So it'll be interesting
to see whether they use him a little bit more
and maybe he gets that opportunity and starts getting some snaps.
All right, Joe, what is your surprise prediction for Sunday?

Speaker 2 (29:52):
Well, I'm not gonna be stupid again. I'm stupid a lot, Michael,
but I'm not gonna say Bears are gonna shock the
Lions or Bears are gonna win somehow. I'm I learned
my let you think I learned my lesson by now,
surprise pick. Surprise pick is that they're going to use
the tight ends plural.

Speaker 1 (30:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (30:10):
I think they've been even hearing it at Hallis with
the reporters about what's going on, And didn't Ben Jackson
say only the week that they're gonna start pushing we
have a little more top tougher competition, and guys are
gonna some of the veterans, you know.

Speaker 1 (30:25):
Yeah, watching here. Ben was asked about it, and he blunthly,
he point blank said, I need to do a better
job of getting the more involved. Like week one was
about pass protection, you know, making sure whatever, but week
two he was just like, I just need to get
them more involved. So he very clearly took accountability and
was like, I need to get the tight ends more
involved in this game. And so I thought that was
good to hear that he recognizes that and that he's

(30:47):
that's clearly going to be a point of interest against
the Cowboys.

Speaker 2 (30:51):
I will even go as far as they say that
Colston Lovelin is gonna match his season average for catches
per game and catch a pass on the Bear opening drive.
I think they're going to target him early eight min's
for a five yard game. I think, something to get
the ball in his hands, and I think you're gonna try.
We'll see, We'll see what the situation, circumstances and the

(31:11):
game are. Are they already down seven nothing after the
first drive of the game if Dallas kick has the
ball first. But I think the Bears are going to
make a concerted effort to incorporate the tight ends, namely
the kid who was picked tenth overall.

Speaker 1 (31:25):
Yeah, I'm not I would not be, you know, I
it's surprised because it's a surprise because it hasn't happened yet.
But I wouldn't be surprised by that at all. I
think you're gonna see the tight ends used a lot here.
I think we saw, you know a lot of Bears
fans were upset about this, but tight ends seem to
do really well against this Mannyberflu's defense. You know, this
soft like zone defense, and I think the tight ends,

(31:46):
you know, a lot of the Titans end up open
in the middle of it. Also, I think that that's
something that Ben's going to scheme up, and I think
that's going to be a big point of interest. So yeah,
I like that pick a lot. My surprise prediction is that,
you know, I'll go for it. Caleb's going to have
a career day in passing guards.

Speaker 2 (32:04):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (32:04):
I think if the Bears have any hope of winning
this game, this is going to be a shootout. And man,
you saw Russ Russell Wilson against the Cowboys last week.
Looked like what two thousand and thirteen, when was that
with the Seattle Seahawks, Like that was vintage Russell Wilson.
And I think that, like I think the Bears, if
you have any hope this week, I think they take

(32:25):
advantage of that. So I think Caleb has a career
day in passing yards. I think he's gonna sling the
ball up, you know, is it going to be in?
Are they going to score enough points? We'll see, obviously
we'll get to that prediction. But I think it's a
career day in passing guards for Caleb. I think they're
throwing it all over the field on Sunday.

Speaker 2 (32:41):
I hope you're right. He had a few three hundred
yard games last season. I couldn't tell you off hand
the most he had in the game. Was it three
point fifty? Did he have a three point fifty game?

Speaker 1 (32:51):
I'm gonna look it up right now.

Speaker 2 (32:53):
But that would be this is the team to do
it against Red Agen you and they just they just
gave up what forty against the Giant last week, So
this is the game if he's gonna do it. And again,
I don't know if really, you know, Ben Jonson say
saw some improvements. I think with just recognition from Caleb
against the lines as opposed to the Vikings in Week one,

(33:15):
does it necessarily mean he's gonna you know, get better,
better better? You know, the whole progress is linear thing. No,
but you are playing a team that you should be
able to wrack up some good numbers. He should surpass.
I think he's thrown for a little over two hundred
his first two games. In each game, it should be better, Yes,
I would. I'd be almost disappointed if we don't see

(33:35):
a three hundred plus yard passing game from him, especially
considering the defense and considering the Bears are gonna have
to score because I don't again, we don't have much
I don't have much confidence like a lot of people
in the Bears defense stopping Dak and the Cowboys.

Speaker 1 (33:52):
Yeah, Caleb threw for three hundred yards four times last
year as a career highest three hundred and sixty three
against the Colts last year. So okay, yeah, I remember.

Speaker 2 (34:00):
The seventy would be nice, Yeah.

Speaker 1 (34:02):
Yeah, three seventy would I think? Listen, it's twenty twenty five, right, Like,
I feel like that's kind of the standard at this point, right,
four one hundred, three seventy, Like that's kind of what
the standards are. Let's get to a little surprise prediction
CJ chiming in Bear surprise. Roshawn Johnson has a career
high in touches. Lo Well, yeah, I don't know. Yeah,

(34:23):
that's an interesting one. I think they like him a
lot on special teams, but it doesn't seem like they're
giving him you know, maybe it's still the healthy Obviously,
last game was his first game back, so maybe they're
working him back into it. But it'll be interesting to
see how they kind of use the short yardage and
whether they get him involved at all. Rick chiming in
saying that his surprise is that we have a new
starting left tackle on the or a new starting guard

(34:47):
for Jackson. That would be a surprise, Rick saying three
seventy versus the Vikings, But yeah, the offensive line would
be a surprise. We haven't heard anything. Maybe you look
into let maybe you look into stuff at the bye week,
but I feel like for the most Braxton Jones hasn't

(35:07):
really been I haven't heard Bragston Jones's name other than
that face mass penalty, which usually for offensive line means
that you're doing a fine job. So I haven't really
had any too many problems with him, all right, Joe,
most valuable Pair Last week I chose Rome with doonsday,
and then last week you chose Jalen Johnson if I
remember correctly. Obviously Rome had the career day, so I

(35:31):
win that matchup, and now I am up to nothing.
So I'm up to nothing on our weekly picks. But Joe,
you get your first pick of the Bears and you
still have all three quarterback selections for this year.

Speaker 2 (35:46):
Well, who I picked a swift game one? And who
did I pick? I picked Jalen Johnson, Jinks jaw stopped
doing this, Jinks TJ and I jenks Jalen Johnson. I
should probably just say, like the backup center, so I
don't jink. If I jink, Sam, It's okay. I will go.

(36:07):
I guess I'm gonna burn one of the Caleb cards.
I get three, I get three, So I'll burn one
of the Caleb cards and go with him for the
runs for the reasons we've mentioned. And I do think
Colston lovel and I'm not saying he's gonna catch eight
passes for ninety eight yards or something like that and
two tds, but I do think, I hope maybe this

(36:29):
is more from the heart. I hope Colston. You notice him, like, Wow,
that's why they picked him tenth. Yeah, I hope. I
hope it's this game, but I'll go with Caleb.

Speaker 1 (36:38):
Yeah, if I had the first pick, I would go
with Caleb too. Obviously, you know I have him going
for a career high passing yards. But this just feels
like a game where Caleb takes over, right Like, This
just feels like a game where, or at least you hope,
right Like if if he doesn't, we're gonna have a
lot of stuff to talk about on Monday. But this
really does feel like a spot where Caleb takes his

(36:58):
next step. He's making some plays. Is it gonna look perfect? No,
it's not. He'll probably throw an interception or two. He's
probably going to try to make some plays. But I
do think that it's going to be probably his best
performance of the season. So I like that pick a lot.
I'm going to go with the guy you've talked a
little bit about. I'm going with Colston. I think you know, so,
I think you'll probably have an advantage on me there

(37:20):
because obviously Colston's getting his passes from Caleb. But I
do think that I think this is a big moment
for Colston. I think Ben realizes that he has not
been getting the Titans involved at all, and I think
that's going to be a big point of emphasis, especially
against this Maddie Berflus defense. So I think Colston's definitely
going to have a big game and he's going to

(37:42):
be involved. And I would not be surprised if it
kind of looks like the first drive against Buffalo like
it did in the preseason. Throw it at Colston, throw
it at Cole, throw it a DJ, throw it like
these short, like ten yard passes, five yard passes. I
would not be surprised at all. You want to get
Caleb into a rhythm, you want to get him feeling good,
and I think Colston would be a big way of
doing that.

Speaker 2 (38:03):
Yeah, I get him. I want to see him run
with the ball in his hands too, because I that
kid who just looks like a big, strong athlete that
looks he is. That's what he is, right, That's why
you drafted him. He didn't draft him to be because
he's gonna be the best blocking tight end the league
has ever seen since Coach We're gonna we're gonna see
him run with the football in his hands and be
athletic and maybe it'll be a red zone target. So

(38:26):
I want to see him look like the athlete he
is and and why I don't really have as much
a promise some people. Le's you know, a conversation for
another day, and we've had it about drafting a tight
end where they did last year, but I I need
you need to start seeing it and like like now now,

(38:46):
so I let's hope for crying out loud, we're talking
about like multiple candidates for a Bear's MVP or instead
of last Monday where like it was like a lot
of a lot of dead air, like let me think
of one.

Speaker 1 (39:00):
Definite feel like the only reason I feel like maybe
what happened is because you have another titand Cole obviously,
so maybe you're obviously throwing to the veteran more than
to the rookie. But I think we talked about it
earlier this whole off season. They're two different types of
tight ends, so I think they'll do two They'll be
used two different ways, so I am interested to see.

(39:20):
I think this is the first game when we truly
get a lot of twelve personnel and we get a
lot of you know, to that tight end sets where
both titands are actually running as receivers as opposed to
you know, both of them just out there to protect
and give up extra protection. CJ chiming in saying that
he thinks DJ Moore can have a big game. I
could see that. I think that they can get him

(39:40):
involved in a lot of different ways. So I like
that pick. And obviously Rick is going with my pick
as well. He's going with Colston Lovelin. All right, Joe,
we're going to talk about the game three twenty five
Sunday on Fox Tom Brady And is it Kevin Burkhart?

(40:02):
Kevin Burkhart has the top call right for Fox?

Speaker 2 (40:04):
Right?

Speaker 1 (40:04):
Or is it Joe Davis Away? I always mixed that up.
I think Joe Davis is the number one baseball guy
for Fox and Kevin Burkhart is the number one football
guy for Fox. But anyways, three twenty five National Audience
America's Game of the Week, whatever they like to call it.
What do you see happening here on Sunday?

Speaker 2 (40:22):
Bears seven, Cowboys six. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. After the
first three minutes there, that'd be the score after the
first three minutes. I do think it's going to be
high scoring. And I just you know, again, NFL Bears home.
They could win, right, But I got I gotta take
Dallas here and see Detroit drop fifty two on them.

(40:47):
I don't think the Cowboys will get that many. I
think the Bears defense will improve, and I'm still gonna
take the Cowboys here thirty eight to thirty one.

Speaker 1 (40:58):
I feel like Detroit was in a mission. I think
that fifty two was inflated for for different reasons.

Speaker 2 (41:02):
But it better be. It better be otherwise I might
have to cancel the podcast because I don't know what
where to go after if they're they're allowing fifty every week,
and like, oh my goodness, Michael.

Speaker 1 (41:17):
I feel like this game's line has moved a lot
this week. What I'm seeing now ESPN Bett says that
Dallas is a minus one and a half, so it's
basically still a pick them. I feel like it's been
a pick them this whole week. It's been to pick
them since it started at the beginning of the week.
But I think that, you know, I I've learned this

(41:39):
feels like a game that this feels like a game
that is more you know, obviously Dallas wants to win
this game, but I think they proved something by beating
the Giants last week. I think the Bears still have
something to prove and I think that they need to win.
They can't oh and three is not how Ben Johnson
wants to start this year. I think this team, listen
this this team got hidden the teeth last week like

(42:00):
it got. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't good. Ben Johnson
this week criticized his team, say they don't practice at
a championship caliber level, like the coaching staff let the
players know we're not doing what we need to be
doing right now. And I think they're going to be motivated.
They're going against their former coach. They look terrible on Sunday,
So I think the Bears pull out a win. I

(42:21):
think it's late one. It's a thirty four to thirty
one win. I think Cairo Santos knocks in a fifty
yarder for redemption, just because I like, I like, I
like to throw that in there. Joe, he's got He
gets a fifty yard redemption kick and the Bears win
thirty four to thirty one. It's a shootout, and I
think the Bears move down the field in the final
seconds and Caro Cairo knocks it in and gets the

(42:43):
game winning kick.

Speaker 2 (42:44):
Fifty yarder, you might pull a hammy. I mean, that's
that's a long way. How about the Cowboys kicker last
week sixty four yarders at the end of regulation. I'll
not picking on Cairo for now, but I mean he
could do it. I mean, I like your prediction better

(43:04):
than mine. You got the home team winning, that that
would be cool with me. And then we can hear
that dun und un after the game as the players
shake hands and hug and everyone exits the stadium. So
that'd be that'd be nice. And Cairo is a pro.
Any word on Jake Moody, how he's looked the former

(43:28):
Michigan Wolverine and the what third round pick of the Niners.

Speaker 1 (43:31):
No one really wants to talk about Jake Moody's but
Richard high Tower is kind of annoyed that he kept
asking him about and he was kind of like, he's
on the practice squad. He's a developmental guy. But our guys,
Cairo's Ben said after the game, Cairol is the guy.
I think. Listen, I I think Carrol's their guy. I
think he's shown you that he can redeem himself. He
can make kicks, he's a reliable he's again he's, if not,

(43:54):
I think he's one of, if not the most reliable
kicker in Bear's history. So I get that everyone is frustrated,
everyone's annoyed, but I do think he has the history
and I think he's gonna show I like, clearly at
my pick, I think he's going to show you that
he can redeem himself.

Speaker 2 (44:10):
Well, I mean, we don't have to talk about this
for ten minutes or anything.

Speaker 1 (44:14):
No, we need They had the ten minute Cairo conversation
at the end of the podcast.

Speaker 2 (44:17):
No, no, no, I just will say this about Cairo. He
wasn't I didn't think he had his best year last
year and now I don't. I know, kickers can kick through.
They're sixty years old and there you know, they can
go forever. But you do have to wonder. All it
told me was when they signed Jake Moody was that
they're aware, like they're aware that they need and that
to me, that's good news instead like, well, you know, hey,
he's been this great kicker, you know, one of the

(44:39):
best kickers in franchise history, and we're good. At least
it told me they're aware of this situation and just
like any other position. You're always bringing in guys to
see maybe you got something, Maybe you got something. Maybe
they there's a kicker whisperer out there that can get
to Jake Moody and get between the ears because they know,
you know, his talented if they took him third overall,
the Niners did what this last year? Was it two
years ago? Sowe three? Twenty twenty three? Thank you?

Speaker 1 (45:01):
So? Also, can you imagine that the Bears draft of
the kicker in the third round?

Speaker 2 (45:05):
I can, Oh my god, yeah right, I mean you know,
they're still getting heat for Tory Taylor in the fourth
round the punter. So yeah, that's all. But to me,
that was good, at least to me. He told me
they're aware, they know, but kiro is the kicker for now.

Speaker 1 (45:20):
Yeah. When Richard was asked about it, he said, our
personnel staff, you know, adds to the roster, and they
felt it was best to add him and Adam as
a developmental guy. He was very He really made it
clear that he wants Jake Mouti is a developmental guy
right now, he's not. There's no kicking competition, there's no anything.
I feel like really Richard went out of his way
too uh to hit on that point so well again.

Speaker 2 (45:43):
But but there's a reason why they not. Every team
is a kicker on the practice squad, so he can
doubtplay it. And I would expect her to say that
you're not gonna throw Kiro under the bus. But at
least it tells me so he can say all he
wants and that's good. But they they know the kicker.
He he's not the biggest issue lord knows they have
on the Swooper ball team, but he is an issue.

(46:05):
Maybe it's not a story in the next few weeks whatever,
or the rest of the season. That'd be nice, but they're.

Speaker 1 (46:11):
Aware for sure.

Speaker 2 (46:13):
They see what you and I see it. Everybody else.

Speaker 1 (46:14):
Yeah, yes, at least the personnel staff does Rick chiming
in thirty one twenty seven Bears, guys, get in your
final picks. But we're going to wrap up here. It
should be fun. Thanks so much for joining us this episode.
I appreciate everyone who joined us on the live stream.
Appreciate all the guys comments thoughts. It seems like you

(46:35):
guys had a good conversation and they're so appreciate it.
If you want to be part of the conversation, make
sure you check us out on YouTube, give us a like,
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(46:59):
gets into but we'll probably it's a home game, so
I would imagine we'll talk Monday morning for you guys,
and hopefully it's a Bears win. But make sure you're
following Joe Aguilar at Joe Aguilar sixty four. He's got
your Friday night football coverage here in mckenry County and
everything else going on in mckenry County sports. And as always,
make sure you check out me at m DWO Jack
ninety four on all social media's. I've got your Bears

(47:21):
preview coming up here in a little bit and I'll
have the latest news on Jalen Johnson and everything else
from Sunday's game. So for Joe and I, thanks so
much for joining us this week. Hope you guys enjoyed
the beautiful weather in the last few days of the summer,
and we will talk to you guys down the road