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Season 2, Episode 1: We're so back!
19 Plays5 months ago
After taking a redshirt year to gather themselves, the boys are back! In this episode they talk about last year's dumpster fire, this year's offseason, and their expectations and predictions for the Chicago Bears and the NFC North in the upcoming regular season. Give it a listen!
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Transcript
Bearclaw Podcast Returns and Football Excitement
00:00:01
Speaker
And we're back. Welcome back to the Bearclaw podcast. I remember that. long After you're taking in a nice long red shirt year to put on some muscle and really expand our route trees and you know expand our game awareness and get a sense of the speed of the game, we have returned.
00:00:24
Speaker
I'm your host Omar Delgado with me is Zachary Stein also known as Stein and our resident cheese boy Isaac Turgeon.
Reflecting on the Bears' Challenging Past
00:00:35
Speaker
Greetings. How are you guys feeling? Fantastic. Fantastic. So, so excited. Football kicks off, baby. I'm it's so happy. It's right here, man. It's about to kick down the door tomorrow. I'm very pumped. I'm very excited. I've been cultivating mass for the last two years.
00:00:51
Speaker
So yeah, there you go. I'm ready to go. Yeah. um Well, let's let's just jump right back into it. um but Actually, before, i guess, just little explanation. Last year, we were pretty busy, all of us, and we felt like we weren't going to be able to dedicate enough time that we wanted to to this podcast. So we kind of took the year off. And that's why.
00:01:11
Speaker
Bears took a year off, too. yeah No kidding. Can't deny it. um But yeah, now we're back. We're doing it. And here we are, which is a yeah great point. We're going to start off by talking, just kind of finishing and closing the chapter on last year. going to each give our thoughts on the Bears year last year. You want to lead us off, Stein?
00:01:35
Speaker
How did you feel about towards the end of last year? I made my thoughts very clear when it came to a drafting Caleb in the first place ah during the last season that we did this. um And I think my concerns were valid and proven last year, especially coming into an organization that was dysfunctional and had no fucking clue what their identity was. Sorry.
00:01:56
Speaker
No clue what their identity was. No, man. Cuss it up. All right. Cool, cool, cool, cool. ah what Buckle up, buttercup. Here comes. Give it to me.
New Acquisitions: Hopes and Concerns
00:02:07
Speaker
All in all, you know there were, I think, a lot of splashes of fun ah that gave me hope for the future if they made the right moves in coaching.
00:02:18
Speaker
And I i know we'll get into it, but I think they did. I think they did. So um could have been much worse. Flashes of brilliance, flashes of excitement. i hope we get more than just flashes in a pan this time.
00:02:32
Speaker
Right on. Yeah, i had a very hard time last year. um i was i was pretty excited about getting Caleb, and I was really excited, too, about some of the other moves that we had ended up making, too, with getting Odunze. And then remember was pretty excited, too, about getting Keenan Allen. I thought he was going to be a lot more of ah ah kind of like a breakout, more of like a factor for our year last year.
00:02:54
Speaker
um but yeah man it was just a fucking dumpster fire and anyone who watched the who cares about the bears just knows that even people who don't care everyone knew man was just laughing stock of the league last year just dumpster fire um i think yeah i remember talking you guys i just at some point i just stopped watching the games and just kind of was focusing on the nfl general i think you felt that same way too stein where you're coming i did last season on uh Yeah, I know we talked. I took a break from just Bears football.
00:03:21
Speaker
And i I instead watched what was the most exciting game going on regardless of team. right And that that was really – it reinvigorated my love of the sport again. Because honestly, after that season before with the Bears, it was just – Fields last season, it was just rough.
00:03:38
Speaker
It hurt. Yeah. you know and and the way that they, that the organization has sort of flopped around like a dead fish for the last couple of years. So, um, yeah, no, I, I agree.
00:03:52
Speaker
yeah um i think Yeah, I think that's most of ah what I had to say about last year. just was rough. I'm ready. I'm sure, like most Bears fans, are ready to move on from last last year and start talking about this year.
00:04:04
Speaker
um I think the good place to start and kind of we're going to do a recap about the offseason moves and what happened after the year was over.
Ben Johnson: A New Era for the Bears?
00:04:12
Speaker
um i think the biggest one that we did was hire Ben Johnson.
00:04:17
Speaker
um from the uh from the detroit lions he was their offensive coordinator or he's kind of been around through the nfl for a little bit he started off with the the dolphins and then went to the lions and it's kind of been making his way um i think there was uh he was the ma he was uh if you could give it a draft order for the number one overall pick i think he was projected to be the number one overall pick for coach if you could get him Which is like one of the first times the bears actually went and got like the first person. They didn't like settle the third or fourth guy. They actually went and got like the top name out there.
00:04:53
Speaker
They didn't Trubisky him. Yeah. that's I think they were still too. When even then they were still kind of pull putting out the like, oh, we're doing a due diligence. You know, we're looking over, and leaving no stone unturned. I think I remember was the term that they use and stuff.
00:05:06
Speaker
um but yeah they definitely it was nice to see it was like the very clear option it was nice to see them take that um and i i thought it was really interesting too that he ah that he i mean that he was excited and really wanted to come here because he's been he's been very sought after by a lot of nfl teams um and he's he's definitely could have had he could have left last year or the year before this year he could have left and He decided to stick around Detroit, and I think that's been pretty well discussed about how he really wanted to wait until he felt like he was going to the right place.
00:05:38
Speaker
um how How do you feel what the hire sign? Oh, I mean, fantastic. I i honestly, i had money against it. I just thought there's no way in hell that the Bears are going to make a good choice.
00:05:51
Speaker
No, not at all. Why the fuck would they? yeah And one of the times i'm I'm glad to have been proven wrong for sure. um I'm super excited to see what he can do.
00:06:02
Speaker
you know He's a proven offensive coordinator. He's a proven offensive quality control coach. He's a proven wide receiver coach. He's a proven... the assistant quarterback coach, like quarterback development coach. I mean, the the guy knows his shit.
00:06:18
Speaker
And ah to actually have someone come in, who not only knows his shit, but like is known, he comes from a culture where, you know, they lock shit down, they they take it very seriously.
00:06:30
Speaker
um Yeah, there's none of this like, ah Oh, what's the word I want to use pussy flusen around? I think I'm going to call it. I think it's a good term for it. Yeah, there's none of this like ah I always felt like mealy mouth was very good description of of what Iberflus would do and the way he would talk and the way he just kind of went about everything.
00:06:52
Speaker
Very mealy mouth, very like ceo very like read everything. Felt like he was just retaking everything out of a handbook on how to be a good CEO and kind of trying to live that way, you know, or coach that way.
00:07:05
Speaker
um But yeah, it's it's really refreshing. It's a really ah refreshing and really ah ah crazy in crazy contrast just to see like how direct, how serious, how like everything you can tell he's got a plan. You can tell he really thinks about stuff. You can tell he really...
00:07:21
Speaker
has a direction and a vision. um And it's been really refreshing. Even just to hear him talk, I get really pumped. Just even his day-to-day press conferences, they get me really excited just to see on the direction that we're going.
00:07:33
Speaker
You see he's holding them to a standard, you know, rather than Iberflus was just kind of like, you know, would roll over quite a bit. Ben Johnson's like really holding them to a standard and trying to build a culture out there.
00:07:45
Speaker
My big thing with Iberflus because he talked about like culture when he first came in, but he never practiced it. Right. Like literally that first year when all of a sudden you're running back coaches, then gone, like going into the first week of the season, like all that bullshit and just, and then by like week four, he's already throwing his own players under the bus about stuff.
00:08:03
Speaker
And I'm like, yeah this is not leadership at all. This is cowardice. So, yeah, no, you're you're absolutely right with that There is an expectation standard to be upheld, which I appreciate.
00:08:15
Speaker
We need it for sure.
00:08:19
Speaker
Yep. So...
00:08:24
Speaker
Ben Johnson.
Impact of New Coaching Staff
00:08:25
Speaker
Uh, I think with him too, like the thing that's been great to see is like who he's bringing along with him too has been really, a hundred percent really fascinating. I think some of the, one of the big names, I think probably, ah ah I mean, would you, would you say probably the biggest one is Dennis Allen?
00:08:41
Speaker
I think as far as like who he brought in.
00:08:45
Speaker
Yes, I would definitely, I would definitely say Dennis Allen is, is of them. He's probably the biggest, um, I mean, ah ah I would also say the running back coach was very, what's his name?
00:08:59
Speaker
um Biennemi. Biennemi. Biennemi, yep. And then, oh who else? I'm excited about JT Barrett. j t barrett i'm I am very interested to see how he does.
00:09:13
Speaker
Again, he's being brought along. He's worked under Ben Johnson. He worked under the Dan Campbell staff. He was in that environment. We all know the success that Detroit had. and and what they've shown the last, the last few years. um It's been one of the great stories of the league, I think.
00:09:27
Speaker
Oh, for sure. And like, likely even considering that they are a, a division rival, it's still kind of refreshing to see that. Like, like we know what it is to grow up in struggling cities and like,
00:09:40
Speaker
like to to have to see that spark and like it's real it's not manufactured it's not there's something just pure about it and as genuine good old midwestern boys like i think it's it's like honorable almost like that's what's missing a lot of times um and so i'm i'm seeing that and being like you can see those standards that they bring with them right and right i mean the i i will say the one thing i did not realize with ben johnson was that I forgot that he – when he was with the Dolphins, he was under Dan Campbell when Campbell was the interim head coach yeah in that 2015 season. I totally forgot about that.
00:10:22
Speaker
And so like I forgot that they had been together so long. For while. Yeah, yeah. they And they very readily have shown – that culture aspect. So I'm excited about which also means i think if he's upholding his players to that, he's also holding upholding coaches to that and only bringing along coaches who believe in that as well, and can adhere to and represent what what that type of culture he wants to build is truly going to be.
00:10:49
Speaker
Yeah.
Drafting Colston Loveland: A New Talent?
00:10:50
Speaker
I remember too, early on when they were, after he got brought on and as head coach and he hadn't really filled out the staff yet. And then kind of after he was getting all these guys and stuff, I remember there was conversation and he was talking about how he had talked, Ben Johnson had talked to Dan Campbell and they kind of, um I can't remember which coaches specifically, but I remember there was like, they were talking about Dan Campbell telling jim Ben Johnson, like you want this guy, like this guy's legit kind of vouching for people and kind of pointing him in the right direction of people to bring on.
00:11:20
Speaker
I think the guy i'm the guy I'm really kind of fascinated with, and there's not really a ah ton about him, like known as Declan Doyle. he's just like I think, yeah, I think he can be really good. Like the the fact that Ben Johnson went out and handpicked him, I think like is kind of exciting for his career. And like, it'll be fun to see where he goes and what he can do with the offense.
00:11:42
Speaker
Yeah, he was with ah he was with the Broncos. He was with Sean Payton. um But he he's super young. He's 29 years old. And it just seems like the only thing that like is is really known is that like all these there's a lot of head coaches and a lot of people in thenfl and the NFL that like really respect him and kind of like are saying he honestly are saying like he's kind of the next Ben Johnson. like He's just this really smart, really creative, really like hardworking guy that's that's trying to make his name make a name in the NFL. Yeah.
00:12:10
Speaker
And he's also, he was at Iowa he was a tight ends coach at Iowa and that's, they call Iowa tight end you. And then he was a tight ends coach at Broncos. So he's just had a long list of working with tight ends. So I think that's good for Loveland as well.
00:12:25
Speaker
And commit. I mean, I will say, I mean, even though commit is technically at this point a veteran, that doesn't mean that there aren't areas that he could, um you know, excel in a little better even. So and, and,
00:12:38
Speaker
i I know we'll get to it, but I think that's where I come down to. Like, I'm super excited about the opportunity for possible, like two tight end sets coming more regularly in bears football.
00:12:49
Speaker
um Yeah. So I think when you put this combination together between Declan and, and Ben Johnson, yeah, it's go be, going to be a lot of fun.
00:13:00
Speaker
think there's potential for a lot of fun there. Yeah. um You guys got any more on the coaches that you want to hit on? I mean, all in all, no, I'm just excited for the whole staff. we I'm sure we'll talk more about some of them along the way throughout the season.
00:13:15
Speaker
but i mean it It just seems like a very serious staff, and they all share the same vision, and it seems like they all take their job very seriously, which is very refreshing and exciting. I think we did list everyone except for Antoine Randall-El, so i you know i do want to give a shout-out there, yeah especially like you coming in with the ah wide receivers and stuff. and you know I think it's yeah this is going to be...
00:13:36
Speaker
going to fun. It's going to be a lot of fun. It's going to be very fun. Yeah.
Packers' Defensive Strength with Micah Parsons
00:13:39
Speaker
I think one of the other big things that happened during this off season is something that a lot of Bears fans have been begging and yeah, begging for, her for a long time. ah We invested really heavy in the trenches, a lot of moves in the trenches,
00:13:54
Speaker
I think the big one that it was like, I guess the initial one, and I think probably the biggest one was getting a Joe Tooney from the Kansas City Chiefs. I think that was a big one. um And I'm trying to remember who, because but initially we're trying to go after another guy on the Chiefs line.
00:14:10
Speaker
ah can't remember his name off the top of my head. Trey Smith? Yeah, that's it were trying to go after Trey Smith, and then the Chiefs ended up signing him and then ended up trading away Joe Tooney to us, um which was – that was really interesting seeing all that go down.
00:14:24
Speaker
of But, yeah, we also invested in ah in a center, which I think is going to be very important for Caleb Williams' development and I think just in general for the line, locking down that center position. That's been one that we haven't had a ton of overwhelming success on.
00:14:40
Speaker
And also a center who fits their scheme like very well. um I think the Falcons ran like the highest outside zone last year. And that's Ben Johnson's, you know, bread and butter right there. So he's getting pieces that fit his scheme personally. So that's that's nice.
00:15:00
Speaker
Yeah. um We also got Dio Dengbo from the Colts. ah We got another guy. Two guys from the Falcons. got Grady Jarrett. um And we got Jonah Jackson from the Rams.
00:15:11
Speaker
So, yeah, just overall investment in the trenches, I think. That's something, like i said, a lot of Bears fans have been begging for.
00:15:18
Speaker
Uh... After investing in the trenches, we had to, think that was kind of that was exciting. And I think, oh, sorry, go ahead. Real quick on the trenches, specifically on Tooney.
00:15:29
Speaker
My big thing with him, I'm super excited for. it I mean, yeah we needed experience. That's the big thing. Like we've been trying to bring in all these guys out of the draft and like develop them in to things.
00:15:40
Speaker
And being able to bring in Tooney, who was the first player in NFL history to start in the Super Bowl his first three seasons while he was with the Patriots. And then to go on and win another Super Bowl, while he's with the Chiefs, um he's protecting you know two generational talents, um not allowing any touches like through his his position the last couple of years. Y'all saw the top 100 rated players list and how there are no Bears players on that list, right?
00:16:10
Speaker
Yeah. the The thing that blew my mind was i I agree, I think that they need to earn it. But of everybody on that list, I felt like there's one who should have been on it and that was Joe Tooney.
00:16:21
Speaker
So I was really surprised by that. And um I'm hoping i'm that he can like come in and just like do it again. right That's what we hired him to do. I hope he come out and do it again.
00:16:31
Speaker
But I also hope that I look forward to some of his, I think, leadership. because he is older now, right? But being able to like help in that development era or ah area of some of the other offensive linemen.
00:16:43
Speaker
um Yeah. So I'm, I watched a lot of like the film from the bills practice that the bears had, you know, and my big thing was like noticing just how much respect like the bills players showed him and how like,
00:16:59
Speaker
Like, like even their, their top defensive tackle was like, God damn, you were deceptively strong. like like you were, you were so good. Like, you know, just getting that like recognition, right. From other really good players in the league.
00:17:13
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. So anyways, sorry. No, I think that, no, that's a great point. I think I'm i'm glad you brought us back to that. Cause I think it's something that shouldn't be glossed over is like the experience and the leadership and the reliability. I think he, I don't think he's missed over. Like I don't have the exact step. He has not missed a lot of games in his career.
00:17:31
Speaker
And he's been super reliable. And I think even last year, seeing him like that, they when they pushed him out to tackle and him being willing to do that and trying his best to do that, I think it shows just that he's a team player. And I think I think you're just totally you're totally right.
00:17:43
Speaker
Having that veteran experience, having that leadership, especially when you're a new you're trying to install a new system and you you need those leadership pieces and guys that are going to help set and establish that culture.
00:17:55
Speaker
Interesting piece. Jonah Jackson was chosen in the 2020 draft class by the Lions, which Ben Johnson was working for. So going back and getting Jonah Jackson is pretty interesting.
Building the Bears' Lines: A Strategic Focus
00:18:09
Speaker
Yeah. Good catch on that draft this year. We had a pretty exciting draft. I think, I there was, I remember there was a lot of talk about the bears should maybe trying to trade up to get Ashton Gentry. And they're like, Oh, they're really interested in, they're trying to get that. lot of the bears fans are kind of eating that up and I think crossing their fingers, but I don't think that was ever going to, they would have to give up a lot to do that. I think,
00:18:34
Speaker
um But instead of doing that, be we kept our pick at pick 10, and we took Colston Loveland. I want to talk about him a little bit. I'm really excited about him. I think one of things I heard, too, was that right when they were getting ready pick him, there was a lot of teams calling the Bears about trading up to get to that position so that they could take him.
00:18:56
Speaker
um But, yeah, he's a tight end from Michigan. he here He's ah willing to block. He's really willing to make is You want your tight ends to block and be willing to block, and he is definitely more than willing to do that, and he is really good at making plays after the catch. and He just seems like a good guy. He's like ah he's very farm boy. i've know i've I've seen a lot of people. like They've been playing that up on the Bear Socials and stuff. They've been putting him in like cowboy hats, and I think they had him –
00:19:29
Speaker
like wrangle a rope, do the rope thing he trying to like wrangle, uh, like a a cow or something like that. it was pretty funny. Um, what are your thoughts on Colson Loveland Stein? I'm excited. Um, I like what I've seen so far, not just through camp, but through the preseason, going back and watching some of his film from Michigan, you know, like, uh, we got definitely got a hustle boy. We got a hard worker.
00:19:51
Speaker
i think it is, you know, some of that, just that, hes I feel like he's got that dog in him, you know? um
00:20:01
Speaker
I hope that he has the aggression that we need, which I think he will get. That's the one thing that I've noticed is like, sometimes I feel like he can seem very gentle or soft-spoken, which doesn't necessarily like mean it's not a one-to-one translation to the field. but but yeah it it can't be right like i i hope that he does have a little bit of that swagger and because you're going to need that at tight end especially in this division especially you come winter football yeah like but again you know with that though like playing in michigan ah like i love this you know i think that this is um i think he's going to compliment the offense really well especially suiting up in like a 12 personnel
00:20:44
Speaker
which you know we know that Ben Johnson likes to run. Again, I'm super excited about just having a dual tight end set. like ah I think that's the potential and options there are fantastic.
00:20:56
Speaker
Looking forward to it. Yeah, ah I think the the other guy i want to hit real quick, I hit on is Luther Burden. We picked him in the second round at pick 39.
00:21:07
Speaker
He's from Mizzou, wide receiver. um He's just a big guy. He's just a dog, man. And you can just tell. i think it was really interesting with him and Loveland. They were both injured early on in in camps and stuff.
00:21:18
Speaker
And then as it came on, I think Colston Loveland came in a little earlier and then Burden was out for
Organizational Stability: Extending Ryan Poles' Contract
00:21:23
Speaker
a little bit longer. But I think seeing both of these guys come in and like, even with the time off, really put in the work and put in the effort to, to catch up and to like, make sure that they know their assignments and know what's going on the offense, I think has been really encouraging. I lose the burdens like a big play guy I'm really excited to have him on the team.
00:21:39
Speaker
you Even though he might not have as big of a role. Cause a lot of the, cause of who's in front of them, the veterans and and the, the, the other guys on the team but I I'm really excited for it future with him for sure
00:21:57
Speaker
you want to hit that polls extension real quick? Yeah. second order quick I think it's can be quickly noted. Yeah. Right. We should definitely hit on it. Yeah. So they extended him earlier this summer. he had two years left on his contract and they extended him for another three years into 2029. And this aligns him with Ben Johnson's contract. So they will both have their contract up in 2029.
00:22:18
Speaker
which is, um I mean, that's good. You want, we want that. I think that's something that, especially last, like when we're doing the podcast a couple of years ago, we were talking about ah being, ah about being sick of being on the cycle of like, you know, head coach gets fired, brings in a guy, our I'm sorry, general manager brings in a guy, head coach gets fired,
00:22:38
Speaker
oh whatever. They were offsetting. Yeah, like them being offset, being on different cycles. I think um initially I wasn't, I kind of was, my initial reaction was kind of like we could waited maybe, but I think this is this is best to just get them aligned and get those contracts set together.
00:22:53
Speaker
I think one of the reasons to aligning it is that when you bring in a big name like Ben Johnson, then you also that's going to attract talent, but the talent's not going to come if the organization looks dysfunctional and it looks like they're not fully pulling all the triggers they need to. And so here, I think by getting them both on the same page and allowing for that time slot, you have one year development, you should pop off in years two and three.
00:23:20
Speaker
And if not by year three, you know whether or not you need to move on to the next piece, you know? So I think this but makes it more easy of a sell to go and get some of the people that they did during, during the off season.
00:23:33
Speaker
um So yeah, I think it makes us look like less of a fucking shit show too um the yeah in the front office. Yeah. Definitely gives more of the an air of security and stability, I think.
00:23:45
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, let's move on to the second quarter here. we got, we're going to talk about a little bit about the X-Men. Sorry. I was trying to come with like ah like a sound clip or something. I love it. Yeah.
00:23:58
Speaker
yeah Yeah. We got to get that. We'll get that for sure. Um, We're going to talk a little bit about the expectations for the Bears this year and kind of what's gone on in this more recent offseason and more in these like training camps and stuff.
00:24:10
Speaker
I think one of the first things that we want to hit on, we want to talk about Ben Johnson and the philosophy that he's been bringing and kind of just the culture that he's setting and maybe dive into that a little more.
Ben Johnson's Influence on Bears' Culture
00:24:21
Speaker
um I think one of the things that's really stuck out to me, especially in contrast to Ibraflus and coaches that we've had in the past, is just like how obsessed Ben Johnson is with details and making sure that everything is right and making sure that everything is being set to standard, like Isaac was saying earlier, and that the players are meeting that standard.
00:24:43
Speaker
How do you feel about it? I agree. I think one of my big things, I went back and I was comparing articles of like the first couple weeks of camp for Ben Johnson to the first couple weeks of camp from Iberflus.
00:24:57
Speaker
And like just the verbiage alone and the descriptors and like – the you can sense a different energy just within the articles themselves that yeah um you know i i 100 agree you know they're they're going to be physical they're really going to make sure um again that high expectation is is going to be held right this the standard of there's no fucking around like if you're not going to live up to it get off the field but i like period yeah um
00:25:29
Speaker
uh yeah i i and i think that kind of like goes into you know we can talk about some of the the things that we saw throughout like uh you know training camps and preseason and everything but like the whole idea of like their first day sitting the first string offense because they could not get on the ball with the right lineup and and like being like go sit down get fuck out of here like that's yeah like i can just imagine the looks on players faces when that happened but also like good that's what they need they need to know like you're not going walk over this we're not talking culture but and then not practicing culture right like this is no this is bears football like shit or get off the pot so yeah yeah um
00:26:16
Speaker
from day one i was like oh yes let's fucking go yeah let's do it yeah i think one of the things that's been really interesting to me is like he he really keeps uh he's continued to reiterate all throughout training camp and and even still i think even up until last week um that no nothing is like set and basically no one's job is safe like no one is like you know going to be given the job and like pretty much everyone is like everyone's job is up for grabs if someone shows something which I think is really, really great. That's been really interesting to me that he just continues.
00:26:51
Speaker
You expect that obviously when you first come in and like when you're first starting training camp, but i to continue that through the through the training camps into the preseasons and go into the preseasoning and going into the regular season to keep continue that ah reiterating that I just think is is so interesting and very like very telling of the culture that he's trying to set.
00:27:09
Speaker
For sure.
00:27:14
Speaker
You want to talk a little bit? I think maybe we can get into a and to the scheme, I think, about and maybe it's been pretty obvious with the pieces that we went and got in the offseason. I think especially how you mentioned earlier with Colston Loveland, we're going to be seeing a lot of 12 personnel. Yeah.
00:27:32
Speaker
Absolutely. So the big thing to know, I think for listeners who might not be familiar with the term 12 personnel, ah the idea is that you would run a single back with two tight ends and two wide outs, as opposed to like a single back, a tight end and three wide outs.
00:27:48
Speaker
um So, you know, being this, this really allows you to, it's spread the field a little bit, right? So what this is going to do is allow a lot of versatility at that tight end level.
00:28:01
Speaker
um we know We've got Loveland bringing in that that young, fresh athleticism. um And he has shown a clear connection with Caleb Williams as well, which is always nice when you can actually get that that like click together.
00:28:13
Speaker
But then Komet is very consistent and he is a great blocker on top of it. So you know by by deploying both of those, it's allowing the Bears to – they'll be able to attack mismatches a little bit better, right? Whether it's against linebackers or like safeties who line up over them.
00:28:31
Speaker
that, you know, being able to exploit that, that play action or like any type of scene concept is going to be, I think, really exciting to like, Oh shit, this looks like a real football team. um This also allows a little more like structured protection for a quarterback.
00:28:47
Speaker
That's another piece to look at that. Cause basically what you're doing is you're adding two linemen. like You've, you've gone from like your standard five linemen to now you have seven. yeah. Yeah. but having this where you can add that extra block, even if it's just a chip block or like a, you know, you hit a double team and then branch off onto your route, like whatever you need to do.
00:29:06
Speaker
ah This is going to boost that extra half second of pass protection that is going to give Caleb Williams time. And he's going to need that time because in a system like this, he needs time to like process and progress read through his progressions correctly and make sure he's making the right choice.
00:29:22
Speaker
So I think like ah that's another like big strength I'm going to see i see in running this type of set. um And that's something that Williams did not have last year, right? He, one of the things that we saw regularly was him trying to play hero ball because he did not trust his protection. He never knew when he was going to get just fucking creamed.
00:29:40
Speaker
um And by providing that stability, that's going to be vital to him as a sophomore, as the quarterback, being able to operate behind the, like a revamped O-line plus additional protection from the tight ends.
00:29:53
Speaker
um It's going be really interesting to, to watch out there. um i think a big one here is by having like more and adunze and and then even our depth right um we've got you know zacky's out there we've got uh uh oh boy that would you know burden that we picked up um by even though you only have two wide outs on the field you're able to play vertically or through like those more intermediate levels which allow for like easier releases for Caleb, right? Being able to like hit that intermediate level.
00:30:27
Speaker
Plus you have that short tier. So, oh, am I glitching?
00:30:33
Speaker
I think you were a little bit. Okay. like Well, my recording audio wise looks fine. So, okay. I think maybe it's just my, okay. Yeah. You were, maybe the video was glitching, but you sounded fine to me. Okay, cool.
00:30:48
Speaker
um Okay. Great. Great. Where was I at? Okay. Optimizing like those matchups on the passing game. Especially so when you said I like big penises. you that was I want to make sure that's in there very clearly. Yes. That came clear. That cannot be taken out of context.
00:31:02
Speaker
Okay. But yeah, looking at even though you only have those two wideouts be and it's two versatile wideouts is the thing. So they might not be the fastest when it comes to like straight verticals, but being able to again, make those, they have really good cuts. They create good space.
00:31:19
Speaker
um that allows opens up that intermediate level.
12 Personnel Scheme: A Game Changer?
00:31:22
Speaker
um And ah this is going to pair up really well, I think with like play action opportunity, tight ends are able to occupy linebackers a little better and it's harder when there's two of them.
00:31:31
Speaker
<unk>s So um yeah while the whiteouts are going to then end up getting more favorable coverage, you know, they're not going to get bumped off the line or anything. um This also provides a really strong running formation.
00:31:44
Speaker
So even though there's only a single back, Uh, this allows for more running formations with like play action payoffs. Uh, I think we're going to see, um you know, our, our backs being able to benefit from the heavier look because tight ends helps seal the edges against like your defensive ends and they can create lanes in outside zones or like in stretch plays.
00:32:05
Speaker
Um, so, you know, if you're running sweeps, if you're running off the edge, like it creates a wider lane further outside because you've got those extra bodies. um And so the threat of that run is going to usually force those defenses to like, they have to respect the game ground, which also enhances play actions, like setups and targeting the tight ends, the whiteouts, you know, so it's, it's a very like buttoned up approach to all of this.
00:32:30
Speaker
um I think the big thing we're going to see is I hope red zone efficiency will go up, especially when you're running a 12 personnel. When you have that those like tight spaces, two tight ends increase options. right You have high-low readouts. You're going to have between going from Loveland and Kmet.
00:32:48
Speaker
um But then you're it's going to require when you get in that red zone, there's a lot of like motion-induced mitch mismatches that we're going to find. Yeah. because it's limited coverage, right? They're not, the, the DBs don't have to cover as much space since they're so close.
00:33:03
Speaker
Uh, so we need to create that, that mo motion induced mismatches, right? Getting someone to bite on the wrong person basically. Um, and I think that's also going to hopefully with those two tight ends is going to clear a path for some of the wide outs to be able to exploit like single coverage. DJ Moore is great when he's man to man.
00:33:25
Speaker
I mean, he is very good at what he does, especially when he's one-on-one. ah So being able to like, make sure he's not getting doubled out there. um And then I think a big thing that you're going to see is this should help with simplified reads.
00:33:38
Speaker
So heavy, heavy looks often signal like inside runs or quick shifts. You're going to see some pop passes to tight ends. um And, and those types of things you can catch defensive off guard, like anything real quick.
00:33:51
Speaker
Right. What's the thing that like, ah you know, Tom Brady was so good at is like getting that ball out of his hands super fast, right. Being very efficient with it. And, by running that two tight end set. I think you're going to see Caleb hopefully get that ball out quicker. His release time is going to be quicker and not because he's rushed, but because he's truly making progressions faster.
00:34:12
Speaker
um i think and And trusting his, his receivers, I think it's for sure. For sure. Like he's got like sure footed people out there. um And this type of alignment is also going to leave sort of like that middle of the field vulnerable.
00:34:27
Speaker
where he's able to, it's ideal for like those seams or dig routes that he can throw into the wideouts as well. So it's going to create that nice space. the it should It should be easier to disguise a lot of things within this.
00:34:40
Speaker
And that's stuff that we saw Detroit do very successfully the last few years. So, yeah. That's my whole spiel on the 12 personnel. that great You asked me about it and I was like, yo, I honestly let me dig in. And so I literally was like, I'm i'm going through, I'm like making out like pros and cons. And I'm like, it's hard to find a bad side to this. I think it will absolutely see Caleb.
00:35:03
Speaker
I think we're going to see an evolution though. It's going to have to start out with the more simple pieces yeah and slowly integrate some of those like intermediate to advanced options that you can do with it.
00:35:14
Speaker
Yeah, and I think that's something that Ben Johnson has been very a forward about too, especially when you hear in interviews and when they ask him about Caleb Johnson or Caleb Williams, sorry, and where he sees him and how he thinks of him, blah, blah. And Ben Johnson very much has has talked about how like you know Caleb has a goal and obviously ben johnson or Ben Johnson has a goal to where he wants to get this team and where he wants to get Caleb.
00:35:35
Speaker
But he's also been very, very adamant of like, this is not going be a finished product in one year. Like this is the second year in the league. we're going to have like, it's not going to look all finished. It's not going to look all, you know, it's going to be not going to be a finished product in one year.
00:35:48
Speaker
um And yeah, I think all that stuff that you get I mean, that was all really great stuff, Stein. That was really good. I think all of this is just going to, the scheme, the standards that are being set, all of it, I think is just working to make Caleb feel more secure and be more decisive and be more quick in his decision-making stuff like that. And I think we're already seeing that.
Bears' Season Expectations Amidst NFC North Rivalry
00:36:08
Speaker
I mean,
00:36:09
Speaker
We saw that in the Bills preseason game on that first drive. I mean, it just looked sharp. Everything looked sharp. He looked decisive. um And it's it's great to see.
00:36:20
Speaker
Yeah. And I think ah like if we were to go back and know, you know, they like looking at let's compare it to Jared Goff under Ben Johnson there. Right. Like I just I just explained like one of the big things we should see is quicker releases, like quicker release times.
00:36:34
Speaker
Goff was second in the NFL last year in fastest time to pass under center at 2.96 seconds. He was third in the NFL and center play action passer rating, right? Like, I mean, so...
00:36:46
Speaker
I think we should see that evolution. I think we should see ah now will Caleb ever get to like second or third in the NFL? Maybe not in year two, ah yeah know, oh but I, I absolutely not in the bottom anymore.
00:37:00
Speaker
You know, it should absolutely not be like out of a scramble all the time or, or just trying to stay alive. So yeah. I would see, I would, I would be very interested to go back at the end of the season and look at the stats and can kind of compare that and be like, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up like in the top 10 out of 32. Right. Like he gets in the top third at least, um which obviously leads, will leave some room for improvement. But, you know, if you just follow this game, I think that it's, it can be very successful.
00:37:31
Speaker
i agree. I'm very excited for it. Yeah.
00:37:37
Speaker
So I think we can just wrap up this um this section here of just like, what do you think success looks like this year? What are you looking for this year, this season?
00:37:48
Speaker
I think the NFC North is very competitive this year. i i do think Detroit is still a team to beat, but um you know the Packers are no joke, especially with you know this weird pickup thing that they did. They got some scrub off the streets from Dallas. Some fucking movie.
00:38:05
Speaker
But from what I hear, he's playing like for survival. So, you know, you never want to back him in into a corner. um And then you've got, and, and the Vikings still have talent, you know, like no matter what the Vikings. So I think the NFC North is going to be very challenging for me.
00:38:21
Speaker
a Success this year looks like a winning record. Yeah.
00:38:28
Speaker
you know just finishing in the positive, right? I think if we can pull off like a nine and eight, i that you know to me, I think that is what success looks like here. um I want to see consistency.
00:38:40
Speaker
So I will say, even if we don't end up at nine and eight, if we're at like eight, nine or whatever, you know like as long as there's like consistency, That's good because that is honestly, that's the thing we've lacked so long is just lack of consistency.
00:38:55
Speaker
And I don't just mean an execution at the talent level. I mean, consistency, even just at the front office level. exactly As long as we remain consistent and we're holding that standard and you truly are building this culture because culture doesn't happen overnight and it doesn't happen in two months and it doesn't happen. and it It takes time.
00:39:13
Speaker
consistency it takes devotion um it takes constitution and i think that if we see that i will call this a successful season and setting it up for i think real big for next year is what i'm looking for what about you Yeah, I think when I think about success this year, i think I agree with you a lot on the like having standards, having consistency, working towards those standards, maybe not always looking perfect, but always trying and working and putting the work in to achieve and work towards that, towards those standards and to set a culture of success and hard work and discipline and physicality.
00:39:58
Speaker
I think i just i when I try to think of a record, I think like, yeah, 98 would be great. I think it's hard for me to put a specific number on, though, just because I think our schedule is going to really tough this year. um And so it's kind of hard to gauge of like, yeah, we have you know we have the coaching staff. We have this year's coaching staff. We have, i think, a really good roster.
00:40:16
Speaker
I just think it's kind of hard to put a specific number on a win-loss for me just because it's like – what evens out where, you know, like what kind of balance is out where with the tough schedule and, and the first year head coach and, and, you know, and Caleb Williams and all, and the rookies that we got and stuff.
00:40:31
Speaker
But I, what I want, what I am focusing on and looking for this season is just consistency, stability, seriousness like just a serious organization ah serious team serious i don't want to be a joke anymore yeah ah dude you tell yeah i'm i'm with you that was last year was rough i mean that was really tough and i i just yeah i'm i'm hoping just to look serious um so yeah i think uh i think that wraps up that wraps up our second quarter time real quick and coming back out uh
00:41:06
Speaker
That's what we should do here. You need to go get one of those, the sound clip from Ventura when he's like, halftime. Oh, when he's in the asylum or whatever? When he's in the insane asylum. Yeah, that's a good one.
00:41:20
Speaker
Put me in, coach. I'm ready. I'm ready. So with this third quarter, we're going to be going into the NFC North vibe check. Vibe check. The NFC North. And we're going to knock it in the...
00:41:36
Speaker
in the trying hit two birds with one stone here with the recap and the games because the NFL scheduled it to have all four NFC North teams facing each other in the first week.
00:41:49
Speaker
The way they got intended. Which is very exciting. Yeah. So, yeah, let's just get some quick thoughts. I think we'll start with the Lions. um Big prove-it year for – I feel like they have to – get over... They've been consistently amazing, but they need to win the playoffs and take that next step.
00:42:11
Speaker
And I think that's where it's at. You can only, like, roar for so long, you know? Like, you need to, like, start... Because they're lions. Start mauling people. Start swiping.
00:42:22
Speaker
Yeah. yeah and um It'll be interesting to see how they do with the departures this year. I think... I mean, Campbell... That's where I'm really... He's a good offensive coach. I mean, that's where he...
00:42:34
Speaker
that's where he got hired was for the offense. So I think he's going to be able to stay consistent with it. It's just to see how much of an effect did Ben Johnson have on the offense? You know, at the end of the day, he's a great leader.
00:42:46
Speaker
Right. And I think that the lions, the talent is still there. As long as Dan Campbell is there, he's going to bring in the right people. He, you know, I mean, just look at Ben Johnson reaching out to him after he signed the deal with the bears you know for advice on like who should should i get this guy or not like this is then i think you're going to see dan campbell and the replacements that he went out and got are proven and solid and like people that he trusts and if if you get in that type of circle that that speaks volumes um and not again not being a lions fan but being a dan campbell fan and like a football fan you know um
00:43:29
Speaker
i I think you're absolutely right. It's a prove it year. But I also like that's why I said they're still kind of the team to beat right now. um Yeah, it would be great to see them like take that final leap um and be able to knock out, you know.
00:43:45
Speaker
it'd be great to see someone take down the Eagles this year and have someone else represented. I don't want the Eagles or the Niners, man. Like, let's get, let's get an NFC North team in there.
00:43:55
Speaker
As long as it's not the Packers, you know, like that.
00:44:00
Speaker
Yeah. I'm, I'm really interested because I, do. I'm interested to see, cause I, I think he, I agree with you where like, he is going to make good decisions and I think we're going to see, and I believe that he did.
Vikings' Offseason Focus and McCarthy's Potential
00:44:11
Speaker
And I believe in him. Like, I think he,
00:44:13
Speaker
surrounds himself and knows what he's looking for and is a good judge of character and what he wants in his organization um i'm just excited to see you that get proven right because we don't know until we see what happens on the field um yeah they're they're struggling with early injuries which i think kind of sucks it's kind of rolled over from last year um yeah i mean you see that i think anytime that you've got a team that dominates as much as they do.
00:44:39
Speaker
That's in place. Their style of football and plays that style of football. Guys are fighting through injuries all over the last year the point where of the stuff they're coming out with now are probably like residual leftover that were never truly healed up, never truly taken care of.
00:44:54
Speaker
Yeah. So also big, a big news for the Lions center, Frank Ragnow retired randomly. Yeah. Yeah. Kind out of nowhere. Yeah. So I think that was like a big, was, you know, yeah Jared Goff had trust in that guy. So I think it'll be interesting to see Graham Glasgow slide in and see if he can fill the role.
00:45:14
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I think that comes down again to the expectation here is going to be in Dan Campbell's leadership style, I think that we are, they're going to find a way to make this work and it's going to be successful.
00:45:30
Speaker
Right. Um, and I also, I got to say, I got to give props to job, uh, to, to golf as well. Like, I think that he suits that scheme and that culture so well, um, you know, that's the one thing about that entire team is that they are a hundred percent bought in and that's dangerous.
00:45:47
Speaker
That is dangerous because even if you aren't Even if you get outscored every now and then, you're still like every rep, you're going to be like just inflicting pain on people. Like you're going out there giving your all every single rep. No one's taking a half rep. No, no. You know, and that's because, because they firmly believe in their leader and they believe in the message that their leader stands behind. So um yeah, that is big news for sure.
00:46:15
Speaker
But I also, ah still have an expectation of that. think, I think they're all going to step up. They're going to find a way to make it work, even if it means that they do 10,000 extra reps, like they're going to find a way to make it work. that's i think I think if they have another year like last year where it's almost like too perfect to be true, i think they're going to like fall apart in the playoffs again. I think they need to be like that middle-of-the-road scrappy team like they used to be. I think they need to like really embrace that Dan Campbell style that they had. like Even if you lose more games than you did last year, that's fine. Just like win when it matters. you know and i think percent i think it'll be interesting to see. you
00:46:50
Speaker
i thought that was the route the Chiefs took last year, right? Where they were... there were you know, where there were some games where they're like, yeah, we lost, but they weren't games they needed to win necessarily. Like, you know what i mean? Like when you're divisional games, right. That's, that's obviously number one.
00:47:06
Speaker
And then, you know, kind of take it from there. but So, you know, you want to go out and play your best against the best teams you're going to play, because that's going to be the feeling that you get. That's as close to playoff football as your experiences you're going to get until the playoffs.
00:47:19
Speaker
But like outside of that, that's what 10 games, like, just win when what you need to take care of the rest of them you know like making you don't have to go out there and go 16 and one or 15 and two you know like that's it'd be great if you could but like yeah if you're not going to win at all what was it for right so yeah I agree with you on that.
00:47:41
Speaker
Yeah.
Bears vs. Vikings: Injury Impact and Predictions
00:47:42
Speaker
Well, I think those close losses and those scrappy wins and stuff like that, I think that really helps temper you and get you ready for the playoffs. It's really hard to get, you know, to be ready for the playoffs. And if if you're winning handily all year and not really, you know, but putting yourself in those situations and getting that experience and those reps and those really tough spots.
00:48:00
Speaker
um So, yeah, to start off the season, the Lions have the Packers. You guys want to give some thoughts on the Packers and then we can talk about the game a little bit. I mean, let's just talk about the the gorilla elephant, you know, the gorilla fucking the elephant in the room right now.
00:48:15
Speaker
ah But, you know, going out and getting Parsons like this is that immediately you went out and grabbed a guy that is that we have to see twice a year.
00:48:25
Speaker
Minimum. Yeah. yeah like Like that's brutal, man. that Let's let's just call it what it is. Like this is a this is not a person that you design.
00:48:37
Speaker
schemes for it's a person you need to design schemes away from right like so um god another level um ah the packers immediately like became scary again uh so ah yeah um i think it i think the expectation now is like at least a top five defense because defense, like statistically our defense last year was already like top 10.
00:49:05
Speaker
We relied a lot on turnovers, but i think this kind of levels the playing field because our, it just, I was talking to Omar about this. The ripple effects are ridiculous. Like just having someone of that caliber on your defense makes everybody's job so much fucking easier.
00:49:21
Speaker
Like Rashawn Gary is probably one of the best number two edge rushers now in the league. Like Rashawn Gary is going to get single teamed. Xavier McKinney is going to have the back, like secondary, locked the fuck up.
00:49:35
Speaker
Edwin Cooper, second year breakout is going to just, this team is just going to be fucking like feasting on offensive lines for a while. And I'm, I'm extremely excited to see it because I haven't seen somebody like this since like Clay Matthews, I think. Yeah.
00:49:51
Speaker
Yeah. It's going to be inconsistency. It's going to be fun. You know, ah it'll be good. It'll make for good football for sure. and it He's extremely versatile. You can put him in the middle. You can stand him up. you can He came out as a linebacker. so I was just about to say, this is going to help your lineback like your linebackers too. well That's what I'm saying. You can like draw him in for like a chip or double team and then he goes out and covers a tight end and then you've got Rashawn Gary doing a one-on-one on the edge. like it just It frees up everybody for just such... It's going to be such a fun defense, especially with Jeff Halfley. like
00:50:28
Speaker
a defensive guru who actually like knows how to use his players. I think it's going to be extremely fun to watch. I'm glad we don't have Joe Barry still. Cause then I wouldn't really be excited about this yeah because it would still, you know, well, again, this goes back to why I wasn't excited about Caleb Williams coming to the bears. Cause he was coming into Eber flutes. Like yeah he was coming in into a guy that didn't know shit about anything. He was coming. Yeah.
00:50:51
Speaker
So, you know, like, um, so like um it's that same idea of like man talent is one thing, but if it doesn't fit the scheme, Coaching is like so important in the NFL, especially quarterbacks.
Packers vs. Lions: Jordan Love's Crucial Test
00:51:07
Speaker
That's why I'm very excited about it. It's a perfect fit. You have a good D.C. When I had my moment, because I had a little moment too where it was like I was looking at it and people kept talking about like oh, well, you know, the Packers were they were top 10 defense last year, blah, blah, blah. And I was kind of like looking at it and I like had glos ah glossed over real quick and I saw like, oh, well, the main thing they were good at was turnovers.
00:51:26
Speaker
But then I looked at like passing and rushing defense and you guys were still top 10 in those categories too. And so's something thing we so I was looking at that and I was like, my mom was like, Oh my God, they were already like, i you know, top 10 in those, uh, in those statistics. And then they fucking added Micah Parsons. Like this is going to be an insane defense. Like the defense is going to be fucking crazy. Like,
00:51:48
Speaker
I mean, truly scary. And just like you're saying, just like you guys are saying, it's just nuts. The versatility, the ripple effect. I mean, having a guy that teams are going to have to pay attention to it's going to free up everyone else.
00:52:00
Speaker
It really is it is scary. scary to a lot of dennessee north A lot of Jeff Halfley's issue last year was he had to scheme up pressure because he couldn't get home with four. And then you add fucking Micah Parsons. and getting You're getting home with four this time. Yeah, it's not an issue. Yeah. that's You might get there with three. He's going to be able to scheme up so much stuff now, and it's just it'll be it'll be such a fun defense, I think, just as like a football perspective, just to watch to see how.
00:52:27
Speaker
um Because I think Jeff Halfley can really kind of like flex his you know mind a little bit and his you know play calling with someone like that of that caliber on the team. ah you what how you How you feeling about the game then, Isaac?
00:52:42
Speaker
I am feeling like Jordan loves got to get one over on the lions sooner or later. He has to earn it, man, for sure. Like his he's that's, that's the key, right? Like your defense is solid.
00:52:54
Speaker
Yeah. Jordan Love is the thing, right? He's got to do it against a division rival, like against the division rival for you right now. like We haven't beat the Lions in Lambeau since 2021. We need to like go out there. and I think need to set the pace and make a statement with this win because, I mean, do just you made this splash ah play. We get a new president over the offseason, and he said that,
00:53:21
Speaker
Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst aren't safe. Like he's reevaluating everybody top down. and so they go out and make a splash play. And I think it needs to translate.
00:53:33
Speaker
And I think. I mean, when you make a move for someone like Parsons, it's either Super Bowl or bust, right? I mean, you can't – you don't make that move for nothing. definitely feels like – yeah, it feels like the window is now. Like, you got that is a win-now move. And, yeah, like, you got to be competing in the next year – this year and next year and the year after. Like, if you're – As long as we have –
00:53:54
Speaker
as long as it's love and parsons are on contracts we gotta have a window you know we have to like exercise the cap is going towards those two guys it's it's insane and then we got a lot of people coming up next year for contracts like watson dobbs all that and speaking of offseason the packers drafted a wide receiver in the first overall round for the first time since oh two yeah so um over 10 years what is that over 20 years yeah Yeah, 23 years. I think it'll be really fun to watch because our biggest issue last year on offense was wide receiver drops. If he could just catch the ball, you know? like if he That was his biggest... He doesn't even need to be like... That was his biggest catch of all thing.
00:54:36
Speaker
yeah That was his biggest thing. That was his biggest trait coming out of college was the hands. Like, he'll catch anything. good and He just switched his number to zero. So, I mean...
00:54:49
Speaker
That's a Hall of Fame player right there. and He was 22, but then he switched to zero. And so zero just looks way fucking cooler than 22. That's true. I agree with that. Yeah. That looks sick.
00:55:02
Speaker
Well, anyway also, Micah Parsons got number one. First Packer player to wear number one in 99 years. Historic. Since Curly Lambeau.
00:55:14
Speaker
The Curly Lambeau. But yeah, from just the game perspective, I think just Jordan Love needs to go out there and get one over on the Lions. I mean, it's now or never, you know?
00:55:26
Speaker
and For sure. I think this is a good opener just to... This will be a good battle test, I think, for them to start the year. hundred percent 100%. If anything, it'll be a really good experience for them for the next time they see them.
00:55:40
Speaker
right it I think it's it's going to set the tone and and allow you to Now, because Parsons just came in, it's going to be very interesting to see like is he actually be able to like drop in He's still going to make difference.
00:55:56
Speaker
difference But being able to actually scheme a route like for him is, you know, I think that's going to take a couple of weeks, especially with it just being so fresh right now. Yeah, um they're go to have to immediate of this yeah snap counts because he hasn't practiced really too much. And also I think, but I think just his presence out there is going to change the game.
00:56:17
Speaker
ah Oh, absolutely. you can have a pep in their stuff He demands respect on the field. Like you can't, you can't deny that. Yeah, so I think, yeah, the even if first few weeks he doesn't like go crazy, I think you'll see other people get theirs because of him and his presence, so.
00:56:35
Speaker
We had a similar conversation when the Bears went out and got Montez Sweat, right? Where it was like just the that next level that it it allows everyone else to play up to, right? It opens up opportunities.
00:56:47
Speaker
um And he came in and made almost an immediate impact you know before they even really like did anything specifically for him. So I think you're going to see a very similar thing with Parsons there, where he still demands respect. He still demands a double team. He's still he's still going to get your ass at some point. Yeah.
00:57:05
Speaker
um and creates that pressure that alleviates pressure somewhere else on the field then so um yeah it'll be it'll be fun it'll be a lot of fun wrap it up on the vikings real quick yeah let's do it yeah i thought the vikings felt like it was pretty quiet at least maybe i missed some stuff but i felt like they had a pretty quiet off season um like you said a lot of trenches ah investments for them yeah i think it's just more so a year for them to evaluate mccarthy and see i think that's been the main conversation is just like what is he going to be and i think that's been most mostly what i've seen from them is just like you know the coaches be coming out and being like yeah mccarthy's our guy then doubling and tripling down and making him feel
McCarthy vs. Purdy: Vikings' Offensive Setup
00:57:49
Speaker
and make showing everyone else that they they are putting their faith in in this guy
00:57:54
Speaker
Yeah. And I think they'll be good with him. I think he'll be decent. i think he kind of he kind of reminds me of like a Brock Purdy, what Brock Purdy's turned into, you know, like extremely accurate and like can move if he needs to.
00:58:06
Speaker
yeah He's got a good release. He makes it through his reads really well. like I think he's certainly above average. He's a Kevin O'Connell wet dream, basically. so yeah he's just i think Kevin O'Connell's been able to work with the bottom of the barrel quarterbacks.
00:58:27
Speaker
I think McCarthy will be just fine this year. and um it'll just be It'll be interesting to see how far they can go with him. Maybe not this year, but in the future, how high they can take him. But yeah, i think they they did a good job just building around the Vikings and making some good defensive moves and free agency and locking up some of their good players like Van Ginkle and stuff like that.
00:58:48
Speaker
For sure. The Addison injury is going to sting a little bit um because after Jefferson, it kind of drops down a little bit. and I know Nailer's injured. Yeah, we don't have a lot of depth at wide receiver. Yeah, but at the end of the day, you have fucking Jefferson. So, I mean, he's going to get his regardless.
00:59:06
Speaker
I think Hawkinson is healthy too now. Yeah, they got Hawkinson too. I was going to say he's good. Nice little security blanket for him. yeah i think That's a great word for a security blanket. I like that. that that You're absolutely right.
00:59:19
Speaker
yeah I think, yeah, they they got Will Fries from Indianapolis and then got Ryan Kelly from Indianapolis. So i kind of poached in the indian Indianapolis a little bit for their offensive line. I mean, they have their tackles.
00:59:31
Speaker
They probably have one of the best tackle tandems in the league outside of like the Chargers with Brian O'Neill and Derisaw. And so they're just trying to shore up that inside. And I think, yeah, I think. I think McCarthy's stepping into a very good situation, very good offense.
00:59:46
Speaker
and Kevin O'Connell's just kind of one of the best guys to be around if you're a young quarterback and still trying to figure it out. Yeah, 100%. I think he's he's perfect for developing J.J. McCarthy. How are you feeling about the game, Stein?
01:00:00
Speaker
Week one, Bears-Vikings.
Betting Insights: Bears vs. Vikings
01:00:02
Speaker
I'm looking forward to it. I think it's going to lot closer than what people may have thought um coming in. you know I will say ah one thing I've gotten really big into the last year is sports betting. so watching Watching the lines, watching the the the different lines trending and watching some of the the houses make moves on some of this, it's been it's tight.
01:00:29
Speaker
It's very tight. still Still in favor of the Vikings, but just barely. um I would love nothing more than the Bears to wo go out and just fucking dog walk them in the first game to just like set an example of whatever this new Bears football is going to be.
01:00:47
Speaker
I don't think that's going to happen. I think it should be a dogfight between these two because you do have that developmental piece is going on on both sides of the ball here. So... um for both teams.
01:00:59
Speaker
So I think it is going to be tight. I would,
01:01:05
Speaker
um because of the injuries to the Vikings, I think that's one of the reasons i actually took the bears in most of my betting. was So purely because of the injuries, uh, if it had not been for that, I would have leaned towards the Vikings for sure.
01:01:21
Speaker
Um, so, But I think the matchups are far more favorable now. ah I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be could be great Monday night, man.
01:01:32
Speaker
Yeah. it's that's my odd That's my one thing about it. I hate that it's on the on a Monday. It feels like it's so far away. you know It does, yeah. But no, I'm excited. I won't work the next day. So I'm going to go to the bar, watch the wash the bears and get fucking hammered. Getting litty. Yeah.
01:01:49
Speaker
No consequences. For good or bad, right? Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm excited for this game. Either drown the pain or celebrate. Right, exactly. There you go. I'm excited for this game. I think it'll be good too, just to see, like, I think it's great out the gate week one, getting this division matchup. And I think, cause I think the way the schedule works is we're not going to have another division, another division game until like week 12 or something, if I remember. Right.
01:02:16
Speaker
So be interesting to kind of get this benchmark against the Vikings first game. And then I think later on in the season, kind of see where both teams are at. And then I think that'll be really, really fun to follow. You guys play the lions in week two. i was going to say, I thought we had and yeah.
01:02:31
Speaker
and then not mathematically i was like what's that i was like mathematically i was like we would basically only play divisional games the rest of the season then at that point yeah it's lions must have remembered wrong lions week two and then not until week 10 is the vikings again the yeah okay that's what i was thinking of then but you do see the packers in like twice in one month in december so that's kind of weird it's good december It'll be a good December.
01:02:59
Speaker
Yeah, I'm excited. That's just good football. i love i love that. like No matter how that ends up going down, like I just love good football, man. For sure. um Yeah, any final thoughts on on the game? I think I got the Bears. I think they can do it. I think like you're saying with the injury, i think if they can get some pressure on J.J. McCarthy, if Dennis Allen can get him kind of off clock, off rhythm, and get him feeling kind of nervous, think I think he can do that. think um Yeah. What about you, Isaac?
01:03:29
Speaker
What do you think?
Game of the Week Predictions
01:03:31
Speaker
Where is it at? Is it in Chicago, right? Yes.
01:03:40
Speaker
Yep. I think I might go Bears too, honestly. i don't know. I think... him that home field advantage plus the injuries plus, yeah. Yeah, i think I think it'll be possibly a dogfight. I could see that. I could see it being a scrappy like 2017 kind of game.
01:03:57
Speaker
But I think it'll be... i have 23-20 as my Yeah. Important to note that Ben Johnson is a four and O against Brian Flores and averages 31 points a game against him. So we'll see if that trend continues.
01:04:18
Speaker
JJ McCarthy homecoming group. from the area. Yeah. from the area yeah uh all right do you see all the pictures that they're sharing about him like him wearing a urlacker jersey when he was a kid and stuff no i missed that that's hilarious i was like i saw that i was like the fuck is that and now the dots are connecting that's awesome all right i think uh we can uh wrap up on that uh you guys got anything or yeah let's hit a game of a week any game you guys are excited to watch besides you know besides like our teams yeah i feel like yeah just yeah i think the one that's obvious i mean it's got to be i'm looking at i think uh lions packers has to be like the answer but that feels like a cop-out um my game of the week i'm gonna go with titans at broncos um i think it'll be fun to watch cam ward go against like the best defense in the league maybe for his first game like in denver yeah um i think it'll be interesting because he's been kind of
01:05:20
Speaker
a disrespected number one pick like he hasn't got a lot of there hasn't been a lot of talk about him yeah there's not a lot of hype or anything around him and then think it would be fun to watch the broncos i like the broncos this year i think sean payton is doing a really good job over there and i think that defense is going to be insane this year yeah um so i think it'll just be fun to watch but yeah outside of that i think lions fight or lions packers is going to be insane battle i feel i mean this raven raven's bills game Yeah, I feel like that that's great. That's always going to be fun. Yeah, that's going to be a crazy Give me Josh Allen any day, baby. Like, any day. like I think Josh Allen's going to have like, I think it's going to be a slow game, but I think the Bills, because that's what the Bills like doing. They like draining out the clock now.
01:06:04
Speaker
That's their new, like, Joe Brady scheme. They just like running it out. Yeah. So i think I think it'll be fun, yeah. What you got, Stein? um My game of the week.
01:06:22
Speaker
Texans Rams could have fireworks. The Texans Rams will be good. i think that one 30 to 30 game. Yeah. um Who? ah Oh, shit. Who does?
01:06:34
Speaker
Washington has the Giants, right? Yep. Yeah. That's who I was looking at. um Mostly because the Giants are such a fucking question mark. that yeah yeah i' very what changes Giants might have the beat best defensive line in football right That's where I'm looking at. yeah i think yeah I'm like looking at the Giants and i'm like, and not just that, like we saw how much fun, you know, the the red air the cheap the commanders were last year.
01:07:02
Speaker
um i So I'm like, man, I kind of want to lean that direction, I think. I think that that one's going to be a real fun game. I think that the Giants are going to end up showing out a little bit. I think they're going to do a little bit more than people expect them to.
01:07:17
Speaker
um Will they win it? Maybe not. But also, God damn, give me like a I want to see just James Winston on the sideline every now and then. That dude makes my day. He's such a happy guy.
01:07:31
Speaker
I remember lot when we were doing the podcast last time, Isaac, you were you were talking about how he he just is like the funniest guy. and i didn' I didn't really understand, but dude, he I get it now. like He really just does the like goofiest, silliest shit, dude. like He's just such a goober, dude. That's the thing, though. He's funny, but it doesn't seem intentional. It just seems like that's how he is. No, that's just, yeah. He's just a goober, dude.
01:07:53
Speaker
A goober. That's a great way to put it. Who's their starter? Is it Russ? Yeah. Yeah. it should It should absolutely be Russell Wilson. I mean, let's be real here. like Yeah. like I think if Dart starts, they're doing him a disservice. I think they need to sit him off with it.
01:08:08
Speaker
When I think they start off the year really rough with the schedules, I think. You also develop behind freaking Russell Wilson. Like, yeah come on Like, just do it he he's the like say Again, i I held this the year before when he was with the Steelers.
01:08:24
Speaker
The dude knows his shit. Like, say what you will. He got fucking just blackballed when he was with Denver. He still knows his shit. He's still very good at what he does.
01:08:34
Speaker
Those like just easy like flutter back shoulder passes. The like just dropping that shit in like it's nothing. He still has it. And so like but it's the patience in the pocket. It's the quick like being able to make it through your your entire progression and I don't know.
01:08:54
Speaker
I feel like there's a lot there to learn from and absolutely keep dart on the bench. Let him learn, let him understand. um Yeah. and They have opportunity there. Like don't fuck it up.
01:09:07
Speaker
yeah Darts got a similar profile too. I mean, he's, he's good on his legs and he's got a good arm. So, I mean, just, I liked dart coming out of college. I think two years ago i was kind of surprised. Well, I wasn't surprised, but I think him staying in for another year, you kind of hurt his draft stock, but Well, obviously not because he got drafted in the first round. Yeah. if you do yeah But i think I think he's got the tools. I think he just has to have the right coach over him.
01:09:33
Speaker
For sure. Development coaching is very important. The most important, I think. All right, guys. I think that wraps that up.
Conclusion and Social Media Shoutouts
01:09:41
Speaker
we're just You guys got anything, any final callbacks or cleanups you want to hit before we finish here?
01:09:49
Speaker
i don't think so. It's good to be back, man. yeah we got a lot we hit a lot on this episode i'm really i think that's really good i've got a lot of good stuff i'm excited to be back and be doing this it's very fun talking you guys and getting to talk football um yeah well thanks uh if you're listening thank you for joining we will be doing this weekly we're going to be shooting for probably wednesday or thursday release um and we're going to be doing stuff on socials anything you want to plug isaac
01:10:18
Speaker
Just my Instagram, E-Y-E-Z-E-C-K. I just keep it updated with my music and my career adventures. Stein, you got anything? Nothing.
01:10:28
Speaker
I got nothing right now. Nothing? Oh, man. I'm not nothing. I'm so goddamn busy with everything else right now. You don't want anything else, huh? I don't want anything else. don't want anything else. yeah Stay the fuck away, everyone.
01:10:41
Speaker
yeah ah Yeah. If you guys want to if you want to follow my Instagram, it's at O-H-M-A-R-D-A-N-I-E-L, Omar Daniel. I keep that updated if I'm doing anything.
01:10:51
Speaker
Yeah. yeah Thanks, you guys, again. Thanks for listening. we're gonna It's going to do it for us. We will see you next week, hopefully after a Bears win and after a Packers loss.
01:11:03
Speaker
Keep it cool. down, baby. and Bear down, baby. fair down baby