BEARS PREDICTION SHOW: Can Ben Johnson REPEAT as NFC North Champ, Push for Super Bowl? | CHGO Bears

0:00from the infinity loft. We are back in our West blue studios on a big day here at C H show. We got our kickoff party tonight at Utopia in tailgate. There's still time to R C P and show up to that tonight. It's going down. It's from six to 10 o'clock right in Old Town. We got Casas Amigos Crown Royal, Kettle one. It's going to be fun. The whole crew. I'm going right after the show and plan on coming in lit. Wow. Okay. Didn't you say you were driving John's? Yes. What would I like to ride with one of you two? No, you're coming with me. Worst, worst start now. Where are we going? I'm going to do a show. He just said we're coming in lit. That's what he said. It'll be a great Hogan John's. I believe we're just going to double the attendees.

1:00Now after that tease. Yeah, that was good. So we got a Hogan John's taping. We're going to do a little Q&A with everybody. We're going to watch football because football is back. We're ready to go Seahawks Patriots tonight. The bear should be playing tonight, but instead they're going to Carolina. Instead, anyway, the whole crew is here. Adam Hock, Mark Carman. Adam John's found the studio. Greg's here. Steven's producing. And we are this show is going to be a lot of predictions. So we are going to make our season predictions, which I know you guys are just cannot wait to hear. Favorite show to do it because every year I get it right and you all look ridiculous at the end of it. And everybody tells me how smart I am come January. I think all of that was true except the end. Greg, would you like to bow down to me right now and just say I know the car is going to be right now. I'll be wrong. I would like to stay on track and I'm going to do that. We also have X's and Hokes coming up our first of the season breaking down the Carolina Panthers.

2:03Do we have the song? Are we doing that? If not, do it live. You don't have to. I'll do it live. Let's do it live. I'll do it live. Oh man. X's Annie Ho. I got it. No problem. I think you do. All right. Well, that's coming up in our next segment. But we're going to start this off hot or as Carmen say lit with our bears record predictions right off the top. Given this a lot of thought. And you know what? I think at the end, they you you got to have just a little bit of a gut feel to it as well. And that's that's sort of where I'm at. So I will go first, everybody. And I did a little of this on Friday show when we went through all the bears opponents and I gave you a glimpse of what I was looking at with the bears. But you know, my gut reaction just going through the schedule after training camp, led me down a road of 12 wins, which is pretty high.

3:08I also like to do this in more like segmented and like quarters of the season. The old lovey Smithway. And actually when I did it, that way I only came out to 11 wins. However, another thing I and I'm putting a little bit more of a lean on this this season. I did this with all the teams that the bears play as well. So if you watch Friday show, you saw this. But it's what I'm just simply called a quarterback record. Just forget picking the game, which team in all in the schedule has the better quarterback. And I believe where Caleb Williams is at this schedule while it is technically harder and strength the schedule. I think it's seventh hardest just based on Vegas over unders right now, which I think is a way better way of looking at it than last year's records. I think the bears have the quarterback advantage in 13 of the games. And I would ask you guys this too. Just for a little discussion here.

4:10Who do you I say bear sea hawks? Who is the quarterback advantage? Well, bears. I guess the question I have for you is like how do you view the divisional games? Like do you give Jared golf? One of those games you get. Those are the two I'm going to ask you guys about Jared golf and Sam Darnelt versus Caleb Williams. Because in the 13 and let's do the math on that four right record. I'm doing just based off a quarterbacks. I gave the Lions the edge for Jared golf and I gave the sea hawks the edge for Sam Darnelt. Not because I would take those guys over Caleb Williams. I would certainly take Caleb Williams over them in the long term. But we're just doing this as of this game this week. Who do you trust the most to carry you to victory? So my point is I was being conservative in the 13 and 4. And I still got to 13. I don't think this bear schedule is as hard as a lot of people are making it out to be.

5:10Because I think they are going to have the edge with their head coach and their quarterback in a lot of games. So when it was all said and dotted factoring all of that in. I'm going with 12 and 5. Kind of averaging it all out together between there. I think the bears are obsessed with winning. I think their head coach is obsessed with winning. I think their quarterback is obsessed with winning and ready to take a jump. And I think this defense will get into this more. I think the defense is going to be faster and better than last year's defense as well. 12 and 5 is my prediction. Adam Hogan the board. I will go next. Go for it. Fair enough. I'm calling this as I look at the schedule. I'm a little more concerned about the schedule than Hogan. I'm calling this the absolute year of Ben Johnson as far as how things should go in the football season when you're playing your absolute best at the end. Because I am, listen, I'm worried about week one. I'm worried about Caroline. I would not be surprised at all if the bears lose on Sunday. And by the way, I will not freak out if they do. I am predicting them get ahead of it. They're going to win by one.

6:10But I think that game is a complete coin flip. Caroline's got a good defense. Not going to be easy start. But I look at it like this. I see the bears. I'm looking the more in chunks here. Caroline at home. Caroline on the road at Minnesota, Philly at home, the Jets at home. I think you come out of that and you're sitting at three and one. The next sands, you're on the road three of the next four plus your plan New England and Seattle. Like I that is a tough stretch. So I look at that whole thing first eight games that you are sitting at four and four some way, shape or form. Tampa Bay and New Orleans back to back at home. The bucks, you know, could be a very underrated football team this year. The same seemed like a win, but some I'm just going to split that one up as well. Five and five. And then I you go at Detroit home with Jacksonville. Jaguars are a playoff team. To me, that's another split. You're sitting at six and six and then you're back on the road. Miami and Buffalo. So I look at it's I think the bear sit at seven and seven coming into three straight

7:10division games to end the year. And this is where I see the Ben Johnson effect. The the bears playing their best. Learn the lessons healthier football team. That's right. I'm even talking about you, Kyler Gordon coming back at that point. Green Bay Detroit at home, Minnesota on the road. You win three division games in a row and you roll into the playoffs as a hot football team at 10 and seven. 10 and seven on the board. Not one in the division, but getting yourself in and feeling awful. Good about your momentum going into the playoffs that anything can happen. It's my turn. It's I think this schedule has just something like unique scheduling courts to it. I know we've talked about this like before like week seven, Thursday night new England. You have a Monday night game at Seattle after that. And you come back from Seattle to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That's a weird tight window against a very good team. Then you have the by week. The back to back games going from Miami to Buffalo. Like the the degree difference I think is something to watch.

8:11It could be like significant 70 degree. I'm serious. Dolphins do it every year. Yeah, we're going to have a great time in Miami. Come on our tailgate. We're going to be there. Yep. So just some unique I think scheduling quirks that could lead to some either impressive wins or maybe some let down games just something to think about. So I don't see this as regression team. I see this team making a lot of progress specifically. The Bears quarterback with cable volume specifically with Ben Johnson and charge of which looks like a loaded offense. But I think progress could still be like I got him going 11 and 6. They don't have more wins than last year. Maybe that comes in the playoffs. But I still think progress could be met with the same record. I think there's some tough games on the schedule. I'm with you. There's a lot of times where I make my pick based on the quarterback or how they're playing right now. But like Jordan love at home. I might have to take Jordan love over cable volumes at lamb. But like Jared Goff in that dome.

9:12I might have to take Jared Goff in Detroit over over cable volumes. So the division is where it comes down to. But 11 and 6. That's my prediction. After each of you guys finished, I kind of like felt like clapping. Like I don't know. Like it's just because I'm just so excited. And each one was like a good win total. I would take any of those. Would you guys like the good news or the bad news here first? I guess I'll start with the bad news. I won't even let you pick. The bad news is that the Bears have four must win games to start the year. The good news is they can win all four of these games. But they are must wins. And I know I do this every year. But I'm serious, even though I'm kind of smiling as I say this. But when you look at the rest of the schedule, and there's certainly a gauntlet they have to go through starting with Green Bay on October 11th and Green Bay. And we're going to be there to make sure you go to all cht.com slash events and join us while we go to Green Bay. But those first four, you got to come out of there three and one.

10:14And that's really what I'm looking at here. And you look at last year and the way this team started. They weren't ready to win games. They started oh and two and they were able to find their way, fight their way back to win the NFC North and find their way to the playoffs. And we had our long drawn out battles in December of the importance of certain games. And everything fell the bears way at the end of last year for them to win the division and make the playoffs. And they certainly put themselves in that position. But you can make life a lot easier on yourself this year if you can get off to a hotter start. And I think they have every opportunity to do that because of who this team is now compared to the start of last year. And what this schedule is here to start the year. I like how just like last year, some of these winnable cupcake games, however you want to phrase it or kind of sprinkled in whether you got the Vikings at the beginning and the end of the year. You've got that Jets game, you've got that Saints game, you've got that Jaguars game, each kind of incrementally spaced out in different spots that give your team kind of a reset potential. And so I like all of those things.

11:18I mean, at the end of the day, the difference between 10 wins and seven wins as Hermann Words once said is about three plays, right? The difference between the six win team and 10 win team is about a few handful plays. So Lions missed the playoffs last year. The Bears won the the division. All four teams in the NFC North had a winning record. This is going to be by the smallest of margins. And the reality is the other part of this that I think I think bears fans are going to have to embrace and accept. While last year felt like an anomaly and oh, they could never have these kind of games again. Get ready guys. This is how every game is going to go this year. Every single game is going to come down to the wire and it's going to come down to Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams and the Dramatics and the Heroics. That's just who this bears team is. They're going to find their way into those spots, whether it's because they're letting the team back in or they're fighting their way into it. But I just feel like the way this team plays and the way they hunt explosives. That's going to cause teams at times to be in and a little longer than they should be, but it's also going to cause

12:22the Bears to be able to come back from the dead at times and win game. I don't think the complexion of what this team was last year. I think we're going to see every bit of that again this year. It's going to be fun and we're all going to lose another 10 years on our life. I actually hope you're wrong about that because I do think that if that's the case, there is case for the regression that you're just you can't maintain the right. It's proven over the course of the NFL that want teams that win by one scores. It's not always the next year, but it over the course of time, it averages out. And so my whole thing on them, I'm being more optimistic about the record is that they're going to play with leads more that they're going to be a better first quarter team, that they're going to be more consistent on offense, that the running game's going to be more consistent. And that's going to help make up for whatever deficiencies they have on defense and ultimately lead to them having a better record overall. And that's the hope, right? That's that's the formula they're trying to come up with. But can the defense get off the field? And with the offense trying to decide between ball control and haunting explosive,

13:27sometimes that's going to cause a few three in outs. So like those two things at times, I think work against each other. And then what this defense is is a huge question mark. Well, I just think you look, for me, you look at it logically, start of the season where they're going to be the end of the season. How much better is Dylan Thinam and going to be in week 17 that he's going to be in week one? How much better is Mollik Mohammed going to be later in the year? If you want to dream it up as I was saying, how much better is Kyler Gordon who will be basically in a contract here at the end of your trying to prove himself at that point? Guys that are coming back from injury, Grady Jarrett, if he stays healthy, how much better is he towards the end of the season? As you develop as you trapello as another, he's a huge point. So like I really do think the team should get better as the season goes along. Austin Booker would fall into that line. I mean, he's been dealing with an injury. So I mean, you also could it could go the other way they get a bunch of guys think Daddy of them all. Yeah, yeah, but but Carm to your point, I think we don't we don't talk about. Yeah, thank you. Sorry. My bet. Good point. Do you guys know their record over the last seven weeks last year, including the playoffs? Last seven weeks or seven weeks, which is a pretty decent

14:32sample size. I don't remember. There were three and four. Yeah. Oh, yeah, right. That's my point. Like that's another reason I think I'm agreeing with you. I think this year they are going to peak and be more consistent later in the year. Ben talked about that all last season. How they want to be playing their best football in December, January. They didn't really do that. They managed to win a playoff game, but they they lost more than they won down the stretch. The best game. You can't win a Super Bowl that way. The Seahawks, the clean up set Eagles game, which I think is that was their peak and even that lost the 49ers. Well lost. It was a great game. That's where I felt most emboldened, most encouraged about the Bears, you know, well, they're future in the playoffs really. It's but it was a loss. I know what you're saying. Well, I was just worried about their defense after that game. That's a good new answer point, though, by John Z, because the record looks like they weren't playing that well, but in reality, the offense did not look better all season long than it did in the Niners game. But again, that's where to me, these four must wins to start the year are so important because when we're talking about this team not

15:35scrambling. It's not just from a quarter to quarter. It's a game to game thing. And when they started Oh, and two last year that put them behind the eight ball for the first 12 games of the year. And it wasn't until that Eagles game that they finally, finally created enough breathing room to where we were going to be like, okay, now they have a shot to make the playoffs. You get out of faster start this year. Then these games, even when there's, you know, implications within the game, there won't, it won't feel as daunting for the season implications if that makes sense. So, I think that's where if this team is scratching and clawing in games, the pressure will feel different if they can give themselves a little bit of cushion. Start the I will give you there are two cant lose games in the first four weeks. Yeah, well, the Jets and the Vikings. You cannot, if you're going to be serious about winning the North, you can't lose to the Vikings at home this year. You got to weigh within last year. You can't do that this year. You got to, you got to win your home games in general, but you can't lose to the Vikings at home. No, it's a can't lose. And then the second one is you can't lose to the Jets at home. That's just not allowed. Well, I think what

16:37makes that your point so important is they have like these prime time games at home against the Eagles, against the Patriots, against the Buccaneers, and you have a new game against the Jaguars. Those are all playoff teams like those aren't, but I like that. Yeah, I know, I know, I like that. What I'm saying is that's what's make make should be old advantage. Those should be home those your games that you're talking about have to be wins because these games while home field is an advantage. You're going to be they're going to be difficult. But that's one of the reason why I'm bullish with my overall record because I think it is an advantage to play those teams. It should be these players all they talked about all off season was how cool the atmosphere was at Soldier Field late in the year. So that should carry over this year. You get nine home games, not eight. You only had eight last year. You get nine home games. You get nine opportunities to defend your home field with this crowd and all this excitement that's going to carry over from last season. That should be an advantage, especially in those night games against the Eagles against the Bucks. And yeah, and start out the season. Start out the season strong. Be at least at one of our tailgates of the first three

17:39home games. If not all three, be like Greg, get there early, have a great time. All those things are very important. I will remind you this real fast. I'm going to get lit. It's my new saying. I learned that. That's what the kids say. I want to be cool. Don't we did this last year at Oh and two. You looked like you were not going to be able to go into the next day and it was going to be over. So I would just like for my own say, let's not do what? Just don't be doing the must-win thing early in the season. They're sending. I already did it. I understand. Well at Oh and two, you know what they're, you know what their potential at Oh and two if they lose to Carolina and Minnesota, you know what their potential record could be after they lose those two games. If that happened 15 and two, it'll be okay this year. I'll go along with that last year. I wouldn't. That would have been silly this last year. This year they can win every game on their schedule. I will concede just from the sake of the bit. I'll reveal a little behind the curtain here. All right. Fine. The first game isn't a must win. Just by my, I have a scientific. There's like a

18:41heart and vibe and soul method to my must win methodology, but there is also a scientific, you know, obviously I'm very good with math. Well, speaking of that, they're less than a field goal favorite. Yeah, so that's never a must win unless it's winter go home. My scientific formula on the road. It's not a must win. So it's not a must win week one. Well, I'll explain more about why it's not just a must win in our next segment because we got X's in a hoax. It's coming back. Bears and Panthers. We're still going to pick the North and we're still going to give you our Super Bowl predictions a little bit later on in the show, but hit that like button because we're going to talk bears, Panthers on the other side of this time out watching CHGO. Are you Mark Carmen ready to turn your basement into the ultimate family hangout? That is my dream. Well, dream no longer my friend because matrix basements makes it simple with a free design

19:43consultation just for you. The team at matrix basements listens to what you want and brings fresh creative ideas, whether you want a home gym, get shape, you know, play room with the kids, you know, have their fun or a cozy spots or relax or of course, man cave that we're all dreaming about every single day. Start your basement project with matrix basements and they're going to help you with an easy fun process from start to finish and don't forget we have an opportunity for you to win an $80,000 basement transformation. That's right. You heard that right. An $80,000 basement transformation. Enter now at basementgiveaway.com again, basementgiveaway.com matrix basements and CHGO $80,000 one basement one winner. And shout out to our friends at Xfinity. You know that feeling, you're second, you walk out the door and you're coming to work and you're so happy you're working with me. But then you think, did I lock the door? Is the dog getting after the couch yet? We don't want that. What about the kids? What's Addy doing over there? This is not good. But when you have

20:47the Xfinity shield, you need the Xfinity shield. Sounds like you need it. It's the force field for your home. It's built right into your wife by it gives you peace of mind for your home, your family, your life online, all the good things. Wifi motion detection, your Xfinity gateway. It can sense movement in your home. The movement you don't want. No cameras needed. You can rest easy wherever you are sitting here hanging with me. That's why Wifi that gives you the peace of mind all built in Xfinity. Imagine that restriction applies like pants only. Xfinity, internet and compatible equipment is required. Thank you, no friends at Xfinity. All right. It is time. Steven says he found the song. So pick off the season right. If you're new here, this is actually a very serious segment in which we break down the bear's opponent each and every week. But Carm likes to kick that off with stupidity.

21:48So here he is. Never. I wish you guys could see the still image of the video before we play. Like we can see it. You can't. And there you look so ridiculous right here. It looks like Colonel Sanders. Like I don't even know what I'm looking at right here. But it is the most ridiculous look you've ever had. And you've had some really bad ones. I have seen it. Yes. Shout out to the Beijing group and Shepherd football. And this look I look amazing in this song. Why are your sleeves rolled up? It's a it's a it's a bellicic. It's a bellicic cut off. All right. Let's let everybody see it. And unfortunately here it is. Well, I had me a boy turn him into a man. I showed him all the things that I didn't understand. Whoa. Then he started to grow. Boom. Boom. Boom. Now he's hosted two podcast cursing my name found a better lover. Johnson's name. Hey, hey. He's talking bears twice a day.

22:56Boom. Boom. One, two, three. Who we play this week? Cause we need the path of victory. One, two, three. How do we win this week? They always want to score. But they never throw deep. X's and a ho ho ho. He haunts me like Brags will cry if they don't win it. All X's and ho. X's it hog. I mean, I think we're ready for the season now. Are we not? I guess we are. We have to be. We have to be. I would you. Henny J 35. You're my guy. I like the comment that just said, wow, this is dumb. Yes. Completely and utterly moronic. I agree. But amazing. All right. So last year we did this action on an actual whiteboard. But for some some logistical reasons. And cause I want this to sound more interactive and more of a conversation, especially for the

23:58podcast listeners. Wow. We're going to be doing this live. And we're going a little bit more digital. Steven let's throw it up on the board as we were used to nap. We're going to the iPad this year to do X's and a hoax. This is big. Can you handle this car? I don't know. I'm going to try. The corner now used to go on the patio and watch it. The bigger thing is the business. Do what to sleep on a bathroom. Yeah, I'll do that later. Yeah. Unfortunately, the worst part of this for Greg is that he actually has to listen and learn about the bears bear. We'll see. All right. So we got a new game on Fox calling the game. Adam Amin and Drew Breeze. New Hall of Famer on the call, which I find interesting because John's we've talked about this before. I think you even wrote about it. The Sean Payton influence on Ben Johnson in his offense. So I'm curious to see what Drew Breeze has say about this during the game. The bears are at two and a half point road favorite. Let's go bears offense

25:02versus the Panthers defense to start a zero a vero is their defensive coordinator to play a lot of zone. And they got some new pieces here because Devon Lloyd who's got the green dot. That's why there's a green dot above his name Greg following. Okay. He's new and Jalen Phillips is new. They basically did what the bears did not. They went out and spent money on an edge rusher and they're expect you know, high expectations for a Jalen Phillips this season. And then of course in the middle Derek Brown is probably the best player on their defense and if not their entire team and he's going to be a handful in the middle. But obviously this side of the the bears line too is the strength of their offensive line. And so if there is good news Jalen Phillips likes to rush from the defensive left a lot. He's going to see a lot of darn out right. Of course Derek Brown will

26:02move around a little bit, but we did talk yesterday to Jonah Jackson about that challenge. And I think the bears up front are probably up for up for that challenge. A lot of zone on this defense. They like to play nickel. They did not perform well against tight ends last year. So if I'm the bears and I'm looking at these things and I'm Ben Johnson, I'm probably using a lot of 12 personnel, maybe even seeing some Sam Raus in the game and using the tight ends to their advantage to force them to play more base defense. Now I know one of the things the bears are worried about Devin Lloyd is also one of the the better blitzers in the league. So you know, are they going to send him and try to confuse the bears up front. But I, you know, I think the more the bears get into their heavy tight ends sets, that'll be an advantage in this game. And then of course stopping Derek Brown up front. But I think this defense, honestly, for the Panthers a little underrated. The corners are

27:05good. There's been talk that JC Horn could play more in the slot this year. I know that they've experimented with it a little bit. And so that might be something you watch. And I know the safety's come down hard and are not afraid to hit as well. You heard Ben Johnson talk a little bit about just a strong secondary for the Panthers. So I would just I would describe this side of the ball, this battle in this game guys as sort of the strength on strength. You know, the bears often is better in defense. I think the Panthers defense is better than our offense. And I'm really intrigued to see how this all plays out on this side of the ball. How much the Panthers can actually slow down the bears. And I do think this is going to be tough. Like I think there's going to be there might be prepare yourselves for three and outs at times. This Panthers. Devin says is not bad. Nope. It's not great though. If you're Ben Johnson put your Ben Johnson hat on here. Who is the one player that you're circling that you have to scheme against? Is it

28:07Derek Brown? Yeah. You're seeing what JC Horn does. I'm worried most about Derek Brown first and foremost. What did you say, Steven? Yeah. I mean, I think Devin Lloyd and how they use him, he's playing in a different scheme, a different defense than he has in the past. I think there's just a lot of unknown how they're going to deploy him. I think you're going to see him. He's to me, he's one of the better blitzing linebackers in the league. So just, we heard Ben talk about the unscouted looks yesterday, you know, on his press conference. There's just going to be a lot of that and on the fly. But that's where I trust the bears coaching staff. I trust them to make adjustments in the first and the second quarter and a half time to ultimately over the course of the game, be the, you know, win this side of the ball. They got a lot of speed. And I mean, to me, we talked about three and outs. The bigger key in this game is it's just do what the bears have done in the past, which is not turn the ball over a ton. If you do that, and when we start to talk about Carolina's offense, that should be enough to somehow someway squeeze out a nice win in week one

29:12on the road. However, Carolina does have the ability to turn you over. And if you start giving up points that way, then it could get a little tricky. I know the talking point is what will Ben Johnson do with the Panthers? Unscouted looks. What are the Panthers going to do with Ben Johnson's Unscouted looks? They've never had Colston Lovlin and Sam Rausch and Cole, Cole, come out on a field together before they haven't had cleaf Raymond. Like Luther Burton was a major part of the offense early on in the season like he is this year. Like he's on the record saying earlier this week that well, I don't know who our top receivers are going to be. I don't know which plays I'm going to use for them. Like I would trust Ben Johnson's Unscouted looks to beat the Panthers defenses Unscouted look. And that's it. You know, it's funny. So you mentioned Lovlin. Like I didn't really know where to line him up here, even just drawing this up. I mean, you can you can you can line him up more over here closer to the tackle. You can go to tight ends over here. Well, he at least needs to be on the line of scrimmage to have a legal formation. But you know, the the point is you you I don't

30:17know this is and this is the problem. The Panthers are the Panthers and every team that play the Bears is going to have this season because if you line him up out here like kind of in the slot where where I have them, how do you play them? Do you do you stay in base? Bring a safety down to go up against them linebacker or do you go nickel? Honestly, this is where I wonder if they use JC Horn where they've been talking about they've been talking about putting him more in the slot and that might be best on best. But then if you do that, you know, assuming no dunes is healthy, I have him here in red because he's you know, questionable at this point. We are going to get the first injury report by the way this afternoon. The Bears are not practicing today. So we'll be estimated. I think I think the biggest thing when you look at this Panthers defense is they're having just as many injury issues as the Bears are having. They lose Nick Scorton at some point from Texas A&M. A guy that I was high on coming out of college. You know, for a season ending the injury, they lose on their defensive

31:23line here for the first four games on the public's Turkwort and it appears they just don't have very much depth when it comes to stopping the run. So, you know, I know we're going to talk about potential weather here coming up on Sunday. You're on the road. You're still trying to get your bearings with your passing game and it'll be interesting to see how that looks. But I just to me running the football and really putting pressure on the Panthers depth and ability to stop the run, I think is going to be key in this game. All right, let's go to the other side of the ball. So take a look at the Bears defense now. So I think I mentioned I thought the other side was good on good. This is where I think there's a lot more variation on what we might see. Don't know what we're going to see. I think both teams are kind of feeling this. The biggest thing. So offensive coordinator for the Panthers is Brad Idzik. So this is an interesting move. Dave Canales gave a play calling duties this off season and Brad will be the first time play

32:26caller in this game. I think the only other time he's called plays was you know outside of the preseason in in a pro bowl. So I think you got that opportunity once. Did you see why did they give a reason why he did that through with the play calling. Dave can house. Yeah, Dave can house giving up the play calling. That's just surprising to me. Well, he obviously thinks it's better for the offense so he can concentrate on a lot on your plate as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. I mean, not our head coach. He's calling the plays. I always tend to look at that more as a red flag because we will do that through Matt Nagy. Yeah. When you 100% like can you picture a world in which Ben Johnson's giving a play calling. That's why that's the only reason I asked. So you know, wasn't sure. Take that Matt Nagy. I view it as a red flag and there's when we start talking about the NFC North later. There's a big reason. There's a there's a team who I think it should be set up to have a very, very good season that has a major, major red flag. I'm going to discuss here in a

33:29little bit, but keeping this on the Panthers for now. So the bit you were talking about injuries. I mean, the big question marks right here are their tackles. Yep. So Walker, we know well from Green Bay. He didn't get paid in the offseason. Like that a lot of people thought he'd be a highly priced left tackle and the Packer said, Sayonara and that nobody really paid him. And and now he's filling it left tackle. And I think it's as big as a question mark as Braxton Jones is to start this season. If not a bigger question. On the other side, you guys know how I know how I feel about Monroe Freelene. Really excited about him. If he somehow fell to the Bears, I thought he would be a great pick. I think ultimately he could play left tackle, but because of their situation right now, he's going to start on the right side next to Robert Hunter, right guard. Who's one of their better players? Just underlying that they're starting a rookie right tackle first came ever in the NFL. Keep going. Exactly. So I mean, believe it or not, guys,

34:33the Bears probably should have an advantage of front in this game in my opinion. You know, you like the idea of Montess White going up against a rookie tackle? I do. Yep. On the other side, I put Austin Booker in here still over Dio Dengbo as he works his way back from injury. I have him in red because we still don't don't fully know, but that's a matchup. I think Austin Booker's capable of winning. And we just spent the whole month talking about up the middle, these defensive tackles, maybe being a little bit better than and it's not just those two guys can TV street and Grady Jarrett because they're technically the starters, but it's the guys you can bring in behind them and how many reps is a Jordan Vanembourg getting this game? It's not like Luke Fortner's new at center. It's not like this interior of this Panther's offensive line is all that great. Not to mention, to me, the biggest obviously if we're doing a Carolina Panther show, the biggest question in Carolina is Bryce Young. Right. And I'm just not a huge Bryce Young guy. He doesn't necessarily scare me. What does scare me though, guys, is the slot. And that is the one

35:42if I'm Brad Edzek, I'm looking at how do I take advantage of Malik Mahamid or is that Kamalouis in the slot. Jalen Coker is a good player. They did not have him for a lot of last season. They did not have Jalen Coker and Tep Mcmillan on the field a whole lot last season. And here's another thing I mentioned playing Horn in the slot on defense. They've also been using Tep Mcmillan in the slot more. And if I'm drawing this up for the Panthers this week, and I'm looking at the big weakness potentially, being what the Bears are doing here at Nickel, you know, if not the back end at safety as well with the Kobe Bryant injury, it would be pretty enticing to put Tep Mcmillan in the slot quite a bit in this game too and try to, you know, if you get lying him up against a Malik Mahamid in his first ever NFL game, that would be an area where I would hope that I'd have an advantage if I'm the Carolina Panthers. But how do the Bears potentially negate that? Get after the quarterback and then I do think that they should have the

36:44advantage of front believe it or not. Now that we're actually here to a game. Well, last time for Tom of the Panthers receivers for a second, last time we saw Jalen Coker, he was lighting up the Rams in the playoffs last year. Yeah, like nine catches. Yeah, and I think it was 130 plus yards in the game and Tep is a problem and healthy. So and last time we looked at the Bears cornerback situation and all, you know, hopefully Jalen obviously is ready to start out super hot, but but it's not it's you can't be super comfortable with that matchup. The other side of it is the Bryce Young part, which, you know, up and down, what are they going to get a QB? I mean, if you're trying to create mismatches for yourself, putting Tep Mcmillan in the slot prevents Dennis Allen from using Jalen Johnson as a shadow. Right. Like he won't do that if he's playing in the slot. Now if he's outside, I think Jalen Johnson, there's a chance maybe he in certain situations, he travels with him a bit, but if he's going to move them inside, it opens the door for mismatches and opportunities for the Panthers. Yeah, I mean, you're looking at, um, I would I would picture a lot

37:49of like these kind of in breaking routes. If they start putting Tep Mcmillan in the middle, you know, to kind of stress the middle of the Bears defense too. And if that's case, you're going to need Dylan Deneman to be the player, the Bears hope he could be at some point this season crossing routes, not as has not been the Bears for today for quite a while now. All right. Would you guys think Greg, you still with us? I am. I'm locked in. I saw Steven holding up the break sign. So I'm respecting the break sign, respect the break sign, consistency. New season, new breaks. I like to, I like to weave in my own world. I like to weave in more components to the X's and holds just the one screen with the diagram is sweep. I like to just do a little more for play in there. I'm not exactly sure what that looks like if it's a you want than the move. It could be a back to the set followed by a quick flash to the to some,

38:57I have no idea. I think we can, I think we have off to a good start, the whole off to a good start. And we finished strong with whatever you just said. Thank you. The four play and whatnot. Before play and whatnot. All right. More predictions coming up next here on CHGO Bears. More for play. A reminder football is back. It starts tonight. That's right. And with the draft Kings at Casino Queen Sportsbook September comes with a boost. Oh, that's right. All September long. You opt in and you get a 50% profit boost. Gregory, you want that that's every game day with draft Kings game day boost pass. So in the time of the year. Caroline on Sunday, you can get even more out of the action 50% profit boost every game day, all September long. New draft Kings Sportsbook customers. If that's you sign up with the code CHGO get a 50% profit boost every game day code to CHGO in partnership with draft Kings to crown is yours.

39:59If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 100 gambler 21 and over Illinois only pass through of per-wager tax may apply eligibility and restrictions apply one football boost per customer maximum bet limits and wagering restrictions apply tokens or single use and expire at the end of the final select game each day when offered terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com slash promos. And apt your number one destination for the home guys. It now has the Kitchen Aid French Door refrigerator with intelligent auto fill. Are you tired of waiting around fill your cup of water? Yes refrigerator has three sensors that fill your favorite cup up for you hands-free. Stop automatically and if that sounds lazy, you might not have kids because you're kid. I don't know every time my kid tries to go fill the water bottle, it overflows every single time. Or if you never drink water, you should buy this refrigerator so you get healthy. It might help them. Yeah, and you guys know what true counter depth is? I don't. Oh, you should know you got to get in on the counter depth.

41:01Counter depth? Yeah, well, it fits seamlessly with the edge of your counters instead of sticking out like a foot. I thought that's what the I thought Ben Johnson was going to call counter depth on first down. He's got to use this code CHGO nine touchdown for free in home delivery professional installation and complete satisfaction shop at app pleasing people since 1936. All right, it is time to take the temp on the NFC North as we make our NFC North predictions. This is brought to you by four seasons. You're trusted local experts for heating, air conditioning, plumbing, sewer, and electric. They've been serving Chicago land for over 50 years. Visit four seasons heating cooling.com for all their special offers and money saving coupons. That's four seasons heating cooling dot com. All right, guys, so we already gave our bears predictions. I had the bears winning 12 games going 12 and five. Is that enough to win the NFC North? The Detroit Lions have a ridiculously easy schedule and they are still extremely talented.

42:05They have a ton of guys on offense, then a guys on defense. And if they stay healthy, you think that talent alone should be enough to win 12 games, win 13 games. Even. And I think they have the quarterback advantage. And I think I did this other day. It was like 16 and one. And that's without thinking Jared golf is like a top five quarterback. I think Jared golf is a really good quarterback, but that just gives you an idea of what other quarterbacks are facing this year. It's it's not that daunting. The next week against Josh Allen, I think, was the one loss I gave him because I was trying to give them the benefit of that doubt, even against Caleb Williams, when I got to my 13 and four on the bears quarterback schedule. Here's my red flag with the Lions, though. I don't know if you guys have been following this. Do you know who they hired as their OC? Drew Petsing. It was much more lined in Ben Johnson's wedding Arizona. Yeah,

43:06as you say, it's a Ben Johnson guy. So on one hand, they're, you know, they're going to Ben Johnson's wedding party now to try to replace Ben Johnson still a year later. They're still looking for their Ben Johnson. So now maybe that's a good strategy. But do you guys know that he came in and they forced him to learn the Lions existing offense instead of letting him install his own system? That sounds familiar. Yes. I remember one spot of time being forced to love defense. Bell Tucker had to learn the lovey Smith defense and it did not go well. Now I do not think this is apples to apples. They're certainly I'm sure our Lions friends that are always in our chat for some reason would tell you that this is Dan Campbell's offense. I think we know that, Jim. You just see this. You know, they're still in denial. Just high-octives you, Jim. They're still in denial over who's offense that really was. It's how he sound, bro. He made

44:06him sound five times higher than Bragg's does during a commercial rate. That was unbelievable. Now I do not think this is necessarily be a disaster because I again, I think they have a lot of talent. I do think there is some truth. The idea that Dan Campbell has an identity that he wants to play with and that bringing Joe Petsie in to follow that identity. It should still work. However, I still firmly believe that their Super Bowl window has closed here. And it's not been opened since Ben Johnson left. Now is the window to still win the North there with the schedule with that talent? Yes, I do. So ultimately, it's a long way of me saying I think the Lions have a good year. But there's enough red flags and they're still going to be struggling to chase what they had a couple years ago with Ben Johnson. They finished 11 and 6 and it's second place right behind the Bears. I have the Packers going 10 and 7 and the Vikings

45:07eat in nine. Once again, a very competitive division across the board in the out of scene north. And there's a reason why Detroit is the Vegas favorite, win-wise in the division. The schedule that you're talking about is it's just a bizarre schedule. The Lions have their biweek in week six and then they play five of their next six games at home. That is very rare that you literally are just and their one trip in there is just like a little like dolly onstown to Miami where they can go get some sun in the middle of them and just come back home and play indoors. So it's like it's a very friendly stretch for them. Now they do end the season three of their last four weeks at Minnesota. Then they come home and they're at the Bears at Green Bay. So but I look at that schedule and like 16 times I'm like I'm not I can't I can't do this to Detroit. I have them winning the vision. It would be shocking to me. It would be shocking if they don't get the double digit wins with the schedule that they have. We got to take a quick time out here. We're up against the clock but the rest of these guys will will predict the NFC North when we

46:12come right back. So hit that like button. You're watching CHG. Hey shout out to our friends at Game Time Tickets. The Game Time app gives the fans the advantage with constant innovation. Always seeing the future. It's how you unlock amazing tickets and experiences in a few steps. Hold that's what I did on Sunday. I kept looking. I looked all weekend and we weren't even going to go and then my wife said it about 10 a.m. She's checking time one more time. This is all true story. I checked the ticket prices has come down. Got in the car. Went to Lambo. Had a great day despite the result and it was dead simple to use right game time. Garen T makes sure you get 100% authentic tickets. Did you get in? Oh, I got in and it showed me the best value tickets and they turned out to be great. They also showed me the seat views and it was all accurate. Perfect. There it is. Take the guest. We're going to buying tickets to every type of event even if you're going to Lambo download the game time app. Create an account. Use the code CHG. $20 off your purchase. Create that account. Redeem code CHG. $20 off. Download the game time

47:16app. Two day. Yeah, new vehicles are in store at Ray. Chrysler Dodge Jeep brand. This is your chance to score a great deal during the make this the summer event. You can head to Ray CD JR and route 12 today to choose from their huge inventory of new Chrysler Dodge Jeep brand models right now. You can get up to 25% off MSRP on the new 2026 Ram 1500 model or 0% financing for 60 months on new models plus you can always shop over 125 vehicles at a price under $20,000 with a friendly team of brand experts. The team at Ray CD JR is here to help you during each step of your car shopping journey. Go check them out with the raised price promise. The price you see is the price that you pay. It is that simple. Don't miss out on the make this summer event going on right now for more information visit Ray CD JR on route 12 in Fox Lake or you can go online at racdjr.com. They've been serving the community 1963. One one just closing the book on my line

48:21thought. If you go back to before ban Johnson's ago versus play collar, they were in the same exact spot with Anthony Lynn who Dan can't get all that like bite kneecap stuff. Yeah, that is their physical identity, but they struggled to find somebody to run that offense before and now after Ben and I just don't think that that can be ignored. Meanwhile, within the north relevant to this conversation guys, this just came out that Viking said coach Kevin O'Connell announced that Carson Wentz will be the backup quarterback against the Packers on Sunday. Oh, it's a Kyla Murray and not JJ McCarthy. The Vikings are looking at JJ McCarthy almost like the way the bears are looking at Kyler Gordon. See you later. It's over. You will be playing football elsewhere in the near future as in next year. Yeah, I got the Lions for 12 wins. I there were when I did the schedule, I was like 13, 14 Detroit still has a ton of talent. They still they're going to score points. I don't care who the offensive coordinator is. So I've got them a 12 and 5. The Vikings,

49:25meanwhile, they're scheduled. I almost had the Vikings at 4 and 13, but I saw it went into 6 and 11. Minnesota has an incredibly tough schedule. And then Green Bay, you look at, you know, Josh Jacobs, what's going on there? How long does that hang over their team? That's not great. Obviously for the Packers in any way, shape or form, or just in general, Marshawn Lloyds being asked to do a whole lot stepping in there. Plus, when Mike Parsons, they're targeting week six for him to return. I have Green Bay over 500, but barely at 9 and 8. So 12 and 5, 10 and 7 bears in the playoffs. Packers and the Vikings, both missing the playoffs and the Vikings missing it substantially. Okay, my turn. Let's make this quick. I have the Lions going 12 and 5 bears 11 and 6 Packers, 9 and 8 Vikings, 7 and 10. I think the Vikings, what's playing out in Minneapolis right now is a story we know all too well where you have a QB conundrum, UFQB conflict, and nobody wins. We'll see how good of a head coach, Kevin O'Connell is. He was a miracle worker with Sam Donald, but turns out, maybe Sam Donald

50:26is just a pretty good quarterback. Just want a Super Bowl, right? So we'll see what he could do with Calamari. I have less faith in that, well, written that redemption project. I'm with you guys. Lions have an easy schedule. The Lions have a ton of talent. Yes, I am very concerned about what they have going offensively that that was Ben Johnson's offense. We should like make that very, very clear. The more you did stories on it, the more you asked around, he created that thing himself. Yeah, John Morton cannot replicate that. It's why Drupet Singh is learning the language of Jared Goff wants to speak. Ben Johnson built that offense over three years, three years in charge. It's kind of interesting that like, yes, he took JT bear with them. Yes, he took Antoine Randall L with them took him back home the Chicago, but like Hank Frailey, the offensive line coach who's been there forever, he can't call place Mark Brunel. He's a former quarterback. He's a quarterback's coach. He can't be promoted to OC. There's something off there that said, easy schedule. Tons of talent. I think this is probably the last run that the Lions have

51:32at this under Dan Campbell. Well, I think you guys are kind of tiptoeing around why I think that the Lions are in a little bit of trouble this year. I understand the easy schedule and I understand what they are on paper. You can make the argument. At the end of the year, they beat the bears pretty bad. The souls are filled at the end. I know the bears made it interesting as they always do at the very end of the game, but like the Lions were arguably had they snuck in the backdoor of the playoffs could have been one of the more dangerous teams in the NFC and then they didn't make the playoffs at all. So I understand their capability. I'm not underestimating that. That being said, everything you guys are laying out is why I have the Lions at nine and eight this year. Their question marks on how they want to run an offense and you're going to speak the language of Jared Goff, which Jared's trying to speak the language that Ben taught him. So this is like trying to, you know, three ways from Bacon to Drew Petsing. Drew's got his own language. Thank you very much. And three ways from Bacon. I don't want to stop you with people. I've never heard that.

52:36I haven't heard that one. It's seven ways from Bacon. Okay. It's seven degrees. You know that I don't know that seven seven ways from Kevin Bacon. Seven degrees. Seven degrees. Right. It's it's how you're everyone has a connection to Kevin Bacon. What is happening here? Three ways to Bacon. I have three ways to Bacon. Blackstone, Bacon, microwave. That's my three ways to Bacon. It was six degrees. First of all, from how many degrees or ways it's the expression just enjoying it. Okay. I should have said it's keep going. It doesn't matter. It's not simmering. But six degrees. Seven three doesn't matter. Actors and movies and not what's on the griddle. But anyway, go ahead. So it's not a role. Let them go. So it's so it's fine. So my whole point is I think they're going to have that to work out still. And then you add in the fact that they lost, they put a lot of money into a center that this office is and who gets hurt. And now he's now

53:36you've got a rookie in rat ledge that you're hoping. So you've got an office where the language isn't right. You got a center. We don't understand how important that position to hear is in Chicago. I think there's things to be concerned about in Detroit, even with the amount of talent they have there. Packers, same thing. I'm just kind of I am very bullish on the rest of the NFC North. And I'm very high on the Chicago Bears. I didn't say it because we went through our stuff in our prediction. I guess I neglected to say I have the bears going 12 and five this year. And I think they're fully capable of even winning more than that. As far as much as we talk about this defense and and the unknown and they certainly, you know, I think are going to have times where we're going to be pulling our hair out. I think this offense is set to be one of the most exciting things we've ever seen in this city. I really do believe that between Caleb Williams, Colson, Lovell and Luther burden, Ben Johnson, Roma, it just goes on and on. It never stops. Never mind the

54:39fact that they have a top rushing team and football. And now they know what they're doing last year. They didn't even know what they were doing until halfway through the season. I think this bears offense is going to be a force to be reckoned with. And for every flaw that we really focus on so much every day on this show, trying to figure out how this team is going to win a Super Bowl. I don't know if it's going to matter half the time because of how good this offense is going to be. And I'm excited for everybody to see that here coming up in a few days. Your Lions concerns. If it weren't the opposite way, you hit on every reason why it would. So I you're not I don't think it's off the table. What that's wrong on that at all. I actually originally had them tied at the top of the division. I was trying to look at the tie breakers figure out. And then I just knew some common sense. The bears have a better offensive line. And they have Ben Johnson and the Lions don't. Right. Those things are important. That's the tiebreaker. That's the tiebreaker. So I moved the Lions down to win. Yeah, but I mean, we listen, I'm optimistic on Luther Burton. And even

55:39that Rome is going to find his way to some health and have a reputable year. But none of those guys are touching what I'm on Ross bringing to the table. Like the Lions have playmakers, man. They've got a quarterback who was seasoned and done it and throw for 4,000 year time and time again. They're I just one rule. But it's some of its empty calories. If you look at like they they still finished really high up in passing yards last year and they scoring offense. Well, then why the hell did they pull play calling in the middle of the year from the guy they hired to replace Ben? And why are they well, they have a new OC? You know what I mean? Like it's the part of the Brexit. That's don't always tell the whole story. That's the part of the Brexit end of which I think I think it's a fair thing. It's basically if you want to if you want to dog the Lions, I think it's very simple. You lost Ben Johnson. Now he's the head coach of the Chicago Bears. That's a problem for you. Period. Like Terry and Arnold, right? Had that whole thing this outside. Who what is their secondary? They're not great. Both safeties are out right now. They've always had trouble. No scary anyone from passing on them. Those are those concerns.

56:43Two quick thoughts, though. The lines still beat the Bears twice. Absolutely. And one of them was an absolute buck kicking and then it yes. And at the end where the Bears are playing, I think for seating that they lost 19 to 16 last game of the year. Yes, not a good loss. So the Bears and Ben Johnson will have this stuff to prove they could be his former team as part of the conversation. And guys, are we not talking about the Green Bay Packers? No, we're not here. No, okay, fine. Going overtime. Well, yeah, I definitely I definitely love that part of it out, but between my Lions concerns and then my pack and the Vikings, it's obvious they're concerns, but the Packers part of it too. They lost a lot of players that Packers fans are like 50, 50 on, but losing Romeo dobs, I think is big. And I just think it's really interesting to see where the Packers are at. They're not going to have my comparisons for X amount of weeks going into October. I think that's going to put them behind the eight ball a little bit. Sure, they've got some must wins in their first four games of the schedule. So yeah, I think it really does set it. It's just

57:45one of those two good to be true. So you're afraid to speak it into existence, but I like where the Bears are at this year. The bigger thing with Mike of it, I didn't say when I was talking about Green Bay. Yeah, okay, fine. Let's just say hypothetically that he is back for week six. He's not going to be premium Mike Parsons in week six. It just doesn't work that way. Well, that's why I don't think he's going to be back. I think they want to save him for the second half of the season. They're whole things that they don't have another nose dive late in the year and finish with the seven. I'm on the point I'm making those even when he comes back. When you've missed that much football coming off a significant injury, you are not going to vault right back to where you were. It does it just it does not work that takes time to become well. It just seems like to me that they're banking on their entire season on Christian Watson staying healthy and Matthew Golden developing into a legitimate player. And that just seems really really risky to me. Reminder tonight Utopian tailgate. We're going to be there. It's our kickoff party. We're going to have a live Hogan Johns recording. We're going to have a Q&A with all of us. We're going to be watching football because there's real football on tonight. We cannot wait to become a die hard

58:47and whatnot. Come on out to the kickoff party. Enjoy the start of the NFL season with us. Tonight Utopian tailgate in Old Town as we head to overtime here on CHG O Bears. All right guys. Super Bowl. Is anybody going to go there? That is the question. I will go first. I have the bills beating the sea hawks in the Super Bowl. I think A. Keep it to the NFC North for a second. The only reason I can come up with when not picking the sea hawks. I guess there's two right. Okay. Everybody scared of the Rams. I have some thoughts on that. But yeah, if they're not going to just give us the Rams, that's a problem for them. That's in their division. The second one is that they were on hard knocks and that never goes well. That those are the only reasons I can come up with. And their roster is

59:51just as good in my opinion. They have firepower on offense. The defense with Mike McDonald there. I know obviously it lost Kobe Bryant, but you know, sort of the bears. I just think they're really good. And I think they come out of the NFC again. Here's the problem I have and why didn't put the bears here. The sea ox schedule also is not that hard for having a first place schedule. It is more than manageable. And I think that they're going to win the division again. And it's going to give them a home field event. I think they're going to get the one seat again. And that means that the bears have to go on the road to Seattle and the playoffs. And that was my issue there with with trying to take that next leap with the bears. So I had the sea ox coming out of the NFC. And then with the bills. I know some people are questioning the Shaw McDermott move and to fire him. But clearly there were some hurdles or some roadblocks into what Josh Allen really wanted to do.

1:00:54What Joe Brady as the OC want to do, they don't promote him to head coach unless there's a rock solid relationship there between the head coach and the quarterback. And I a lot of people questioning the defense are these people they didn't know who Jimmy Leonard is. I'll be the one guy that sticks up for my guy Jimmy Leonard, but I think he is an outstanding defense of mine. And I think he is an upgrade for their defense. The person I might not all be there, but I think that is going to be enough to make the bills a really, really tough team this year. So I'm going all the way with them. I have the bills beating the sea ox in the Super Bowl in Los Angeles. Carm. Yeah, so I probably need to get past Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reed and everything that is going on in Kansas City after a down year, but I still look at Oh Mahomes back. Defense looks pretty good. Still got Andy Reed. Buffalo's never somehow gotten over the hump.

1:01:54I think the chiefs are still the best team in the AFC. So I have them in the Super Bowl. And I look at the NFC to me. It's a little more wide open than I mean, I was tempted very much. So to pick Seattle just send them back there, but back to back is just so hard to do. And then I so looked around who's the best up front and who's also got a division that I think is going to be easy to easier at least to get through. And it brought me to the Eagles. And the Bears will see him in week three. That's an interesting matchup. So I have the chiefs. And I have Philly and I have the Bears in the playoffs and I have the chiefs winning it all again. It'll be a nauseating situation. But I'm when you're asking me to make a prediction in the Super Bowl right now, that's that's how I like you pick. I just I like it, but I don't like it because obviously I picked bills over over Rams, but I'm with you. I don't believe that the chiefs are done yet with patch my homes in any way. I don't think their storybook run together

1:02:57is over. And the same thing applies to the Eagles. The Eagles just win with Jalen Hertz. They just win and they got Vic Fangio calling their plays and defense. They just win with Nick Sireani. That's what they do. There are let me let me give this number right here. There are 14 teams. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 teams right now. And draft kings with better Super Bowl odds than the Chicago Bears. I think there is something to that. I think the questions about the defense are for real. Eventually, maybe it catches up to them. Maybe it's the playoffs. Maybe it's against the Rams. Maybe it's even before that. So I have bills over Rams. My question about the Rams is like when super teams are made like this, do they ever really work out? Now this is like a super super team. Miles Garrett and Aaron Donald are Hall of Famers. It's different than the old dream team of the Philadelphia Eagles that they come to mind. But and I and I eventually think Josh Allen is going to get one Buffalo. So maybe

1:04:02this is the year. You better. Well, I've tried to do that every year. The last three years and picked the bills to win the Super Bowl because if there was one team that I would be happy for, outside of the Bears winning the Super Bowl, it would be the bills. And unless about Josh Allen, who I think obviously deserves one and I think is a great quarterback in the sleep, but they're fans having gone through four straight Super Bowl losses. There's they are the only fan base that I feel truly sorry for because I could not imagine that kind of pain and I wouldn't wish that on anyone except for Mark Carmen. And so for me, I was going to pick the bills to win it, but now I've kind of gotten to the point where bills fans get and I just realized they're never going to do this. And it's just every year they're going to choke somehow. And so this year, they're going to choke to the Rams and the Super Bowl because they are that good. And Miles Garrett and Aaron Donald cannot be stopped. So unless something's going to happen, where we're going to put them out in Hawaii on Hogue Island and let them swim out and and not play football the rest of the year, those two are

1:05:08going to just dominate this league. And I'm very concerned about the Rams. So the Rams are going to beat the bells and bells fans are just going to have to eat it. Rams bears NFC championship, giving rematch. That's great. Wouldn't be terrible. Wouldn't be terrible. I could definitely see that. I could definitely see that. Yeah, I want to hit on a bunch of just random thoughts on a bunch of teams. I mean, one is look, the Rams are good. They were good last year. They, I don't know, Aaron Donald didn't travel to Australia though. We're we're we're everybody just Aaron Donald's going to come back after two years and be the same guy. Yes, not King Book of World. He's calling it out. At least can he play a game? I mean, I think he can be a good player. I'm just I know he's being the same Aaron Donald. Yeah, eventually he'll hit the same Aaron Donald level that he was I think just some players are are special. He's like, yeah, exactly. There's there's levels to this. I understand that players come back at different times for for different reasons and there's value in like some of these guys he's facing have played football for two consecutive years. That's meaningful. Yeah, but at the same time, this is what a three time defensive player

1:06:13of the year. Sure. Fire Hall, Famer. That matters too. I get it, but you know, they're they're also one Matt Stafford injury away from being awful. That's every team. Yeah, Stafford the Bears. Stafford the Bears, they got nice mission. They're right. Set that up. It is every team, but some teams are more are a little bit closer to that being a reality than others. And and I would put the Rams in that category and Carmon push back on the chiefs too. What what what did the chiefs magically do in the off season to erase the problems they had last year before my homes got hurt? Patron homes is healthy. Okay, but he was healthy when they suck last year too. And I feel like everybody's forgetting them. Yeah, they were bad before he got hurt. So him getting healthier still coming off an AC doesn't fix the problems that were existing before that. I'm with you. I understand where you guys are coming from. I've done underestimate the sleeping giant of Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reed ever, but I'm more on your side of it. Like wait, I had a fantasy draft last night and my

1:07:14homes was taken like he was like 15th. It was it took forever to be taken in. I mean, it's too cute. You can be leaving. You got taken. Wait, it's to be the top 10, but like now they yeah, I get it. So I get both sides of this is my my official sweats are Lin take on this. Well, it brought a delicious product. I should have done that too. Sayonara Matt naggy right there. That's at least three wins. Yeah, I mean, no offense, Matt naggy. No, I mean, they should have a little bit more of an attitude to them this year with their being me there. Maybe I'm just still. I don't know. Just the chiefs have played so much football over the past four or five years to like eventually that catches up to you. Like across the roster. Do you think the rest did know? I don't know if the rest did, but like I'm a human nature tells you like repeating that whether like look at this. I still don't think they have enough weapons and Kelsey is a show. So 2019 won the Super Bowl lost the Super Bowl lost the conference championship won the Super Bowl won the Super Bowl lost the Super Bowl then went six and 11. It's a hell of a lot of football to play. But it was also just I mean, so they were a flawed

1:08:19team and my homes got hurt. They also finally the luck started to run out for them because all those years you just mentioned how many games they win that they should not have won at the end. That was the one score thing I was bringing up early. Right. It eventually comes back around. But when you said that and it wasn't going to go back and forth after six years. That was going to be my rebuttal to you was right. The special special ones. They run into these situations every game and they just get it done. And for whatever reason, my homes and the chiefs just for many reasons, I sure didn't, but they're always have the capability of doing it. Listen, it's you know, it's a lot easier to pick Buffalo right now. It's more logical, but it's well, you know, it's also I just feel like it's a will see there. And like this can't say he could still get to the quarterback and they have if he's healthy the best quarterback. So it's for me, it's hard to go against him with or before making when we're making Super Bowl predictions before the season starts. But we can, you know, we'll review hook. We'll review. We can have a midsy.

1:09:24Yeah. So yeah, I think I can't walk her. What is solid? Solid addition. All right. Um, two more teams. I want to comment on the way on the way out here. Uh, I'm not sleeping on the Cincinnati Bengals. I like what I saw in Cincinnati from the Bengals. I think they still, you know, the of course, the big question there is Kendra Burrow stay healthy. But if he does, and I think he might have a good shot to do so this year. Um, a lot of offensive firepower. And they, to me, got a lot better on defense. So I think that that is a team to recommend. I like the Ravens too. So I don't know if I don't know if the Bengals can win that division. But I think the Bengals get back in the playoffs this year. Um, and I would like to see that as a Joe Burrow fan. Uh, and then I can't quit the bucks guys. I'm sorry. I can't quit them. I just, you know, I, and they got Rubin Bain. He fell to them in the draft. And that was just like, and his highlights in the preseason. They're just popping off. They were lit. Carm. They were lit.

1:10:27They were lit. And I just, I just, I think the bucks are, they screwed around last year. They were six and two. And they let me down. Cause I think I picked them the lose in the NMC championship game and they let me down, um, with the way that they finished. But I just think that they're going to be in a spot this year where in that awful division, they will hold on to it this year. And now I'm not saying that they're making any type of deep playoff run, um, because they still think there's enough flaws. But why I wanted to bring up the bucks was I was looking at this pretty closely. I, you know, I thought they might fire Todd Bowles last year. I think a lot of people in Tampa were at the point where they thought they should fire Todd Bowles. And I kind of realized. Do you guys ever wonder or spend any time thinking I'm guessing Greg, you might be the only one ever on this panel that maybe has wandered down this road before. But you ever wonder what would have happened with the Bears had not fired. Lovey Smith after the

1:11:282012 season. Because I think that's what this bucks team is. I'll give you the cop. Okay. So I think a very similar type of head coach, little soft spoken, has a little bit more fire behind the scenes. The players absolutely love playing for Todd Bowles. I mean, some of the things that Vita Veya said, even when they were going through the contract stuff about, you know, playing for Todd, they didn't want to see him fired just like the Bears didn't want to see lovey fired back in 2012. They have a quarterback who may not be for everybody. I would actually prefer maker may feel the J color, especially in terms of leadership, but he's not for everybody. He rubbed some people the wrong way. And this was a good comp until yesterday when they extended Baker. They were looking like they were going to the season with not really sure what to do with him. Should they extend them? Should they not that was the situation. Jay Cutler was in when they fired lovey Smith going into 2013 season. They also lost LaVonte David. Now, I think if lovey Smith was a head coach, Brian Erlacher probably still

1:12:33plays the next season. But, you know, they do lose a linebacker there. However, this plays out. And I don't know how it's going to play out. But I think this is that alternate universe where what would have happened if the Bears had kept lovey Smith? That's that's essentially what the bucks are doing. They're running the back one more time with Todd Bowles. They're seeing what it looks like. And I think it's going to be enough to win that bad division. But if it doesn't work out, he's probably fired. And they're just a year farther down the road and needing another head coach. Yeah, I mean, to me, it's it's a tough comparison only because with the Cutler, I mean, they just signed Baker Mayfield to an extension here the other day, right? Yeah, yes, right. So to me, that's the biggest difference is I was kind of at the time out on Jay. I was hoping they would draft someone of the likes of Russell Wilson or Dak Prescott. I can remember having those conversations.

1:13:35And then they went the opposite. Like you said, they fired lovey, they keep Jay, they extend Jay. What are we doing here? So to your point, though, just running it back with the guy that, you know, and that's such a reverse of what the model of what most NFL teams are doing here. I like Baker Mayfield. So I'm happy to see his kind of reclamation through the NFL. And I liked how he kind of stood up for himself here. This offseason got his money because he's he's turned into one of the more like I for me, it's must see to see what Baker's when Baker's on TV. I'm excited for the primetime game against the last. Baker's not super sexy to watch, but I think Baker's story is incredible. The he was a straight. I didn't like him. I didn't like him in college. I looked at him as a very immature dude that would be in some fraternity that I would never want to hang out with spiking the flag at the shoe, which at the time, you know, he apologized for that back in the day, but he really was he was a cocky dude. And it did not start out well from in the NFL and

1:14:39Cleveland. And now he's what he has become in Tampa is a winner and it's impressive. And he's a phenomenal competitor and he lifts that team up. I like Todd Bulls too. So I like the bucks. I think the bucks are they need to bring back those Baker Mayfield is the progressive commercials. Like at home of Baker Mayfield, those were fantastic commercials. He did end up doing some commercial at the end of last season and I'm forgetting what it was. Yeah, he had that run because you actually forget it actually did start well for him in Cleveland. They went to the playoffs and that's why he got all the commercials he got. And then it went bad after that. Yeah, I guess I forgot the blip of the and then they decided to trade for DeShon Watson, which was a great trade. Phenomenal trade. We're got really well for that. That was a great job. Yeah, really 230 million. Mubs genius. I know what your Dak Prescott was drafted. Okay, I said Russell Wilson, then Dak Prescott were two quarterbacks that I said the Bears should go for instead of sticking with Jay

1:15:42every year. Don't care Jay, saunting around training camp, not giving an F about anybody, but himself. They should have kept Lovy and got a new quarterback in here. But everybody kept saying, what are we going to do without Jay? Well, it took us about eight years to figure that one out. Yeah, and whoever said that I'm an 80 year old immature person, I don't like you. Shut up mubs. Thanks for the hysteready problems with the comments. When I heard any grieving 9,000 percent mubs had to Google what your Dak was drafted. Yeah, wrote him a surprise. Have his little dunk off in the chat. Shut up mubs. Yeah, mubs prime. Mubs. Now Google what your Russell Wilson was drafted. I like to see that people agree with me on the progressive commercial. I love everybody on the chat. All right. Super. Super chats. Mubs better have one in here. Yeah. Hey, all for this is from E-man $10. Hey, y'all first super chat, but have been watching since the Justin Fields draft. Just had to give my guy calm some love for that amazing X's and O's performance. I fear some people hate on

1:16:48greatness. Great work. E-man. That's what I've always appreciated about you. You see the forest through the trees. And that's why we should go have lunch along with paradigm Omaha, by the way, who's given $2 for Converse's Joni, I can't believe I'm going to be able to do that. I'm going to be a long season for him. Yeah, meet Carmen Hottub somewhere. So. Yeah, I don't that whole hot tub scene thing is, uh, you see it? I have a lot of questions. Two of them are wearing in the hot tub. None of them were willing to take their shirt off. Our guys shows off in the pool. I'm actually completely stung. The Joni acted that. That's right. I'll get in the pool right now and do a swim around and get flexible, which by the way is carrying me on the tennis court, opening opening night last night,

1:17:524 5 B. And that's right. The Van Duser. Jordan Vanembourg, you play the same people. Wasn't what gets it's it's it's just 4 5 B me. So it's a level of tennis that few reach, let alone the same people. Yeah. Yeah. Well Greg Van Duser is a regular. He's a great guy. I love him. Uh, but he just wasn't ready for what Carmen was bringing last night, start off the season 1 and 0. Just like the Bears are going to try and do on Sunday, but I'm already got it in the books, maybe 1 and 0. 7564 Hogue. Take that out to sets. That's right. You know, didn't even have to go to the 10 point tie break. Uh, all right. I also like to shout out my guy Alex Mikkelsen, who I had at 1300 to 1 to win the US Open was up two sets to none lost and then cried in the arms of his opponent, which I've never seen before in the history of any sport. Carmen, this next super seems like it's up your alley. $5 from the real stupid milkshake. Mm hmm. That's fantastic. Sorry for the donor. Thanks for being around guys. Just got out of a five year relationship and love watching

1:18:56the soda keep me busy. Bear down. Listen to me. Stupid milkshake. The big not stupid. Not well, you might be you might be stupid because you stayed in that relationship too long. But if it wasn't right, getting out is always the right move. So you just went from stupid milkshake to being a smarter milkshake because you know, you are feeling pain now, but the glory is right around the corner. There's nothing greater in the world than setting yourself free and finding your best self. Lori, you could talk about that too. I know you can. We won't put you. Yes. I am. Well, stupid milkshake. The real stupid milkshake just got up of five years. Feel in the pain, but he's not you're strong enough stupid milkshake. You're strong enough to feel that pain and move forward. You're not just a chocolate milkshake. You're a cookies and cream as well. You are right where you need to be. Good luck to you. You'll get there. How old is van dozer? 38. Really? Really? Data three elite athlete. Just couldn't handle what I was bringing last night.

1:20:07You know, I smoke, huh? I mean, I googled tennis warmup videos beforehand. It was upstairs. Just doing everything you possibly can to get ready to want to give away my secrets, but that's what I did. Then I took a little nap, a little pregame nap, because I was so exhausted after the amazing work we did yesterday and then boom, nine o'clock last night, ready to rock and roll. That's going to do it for us today. milkshake, call me if you need me. I got you. I'm disappointed. No one went to the Super Bowl. I'm shocked. I've got 12 and 5 over there and he had it and he just didn't go there. Yeah. Didn't want to win the game. That's what it is. Didn't want to jinx it, right? That's what's right. Okay. The Super Bowl will be a must-win. I think that's true. All right. Um, by the way, real milkshakes are better than anything about real ice cream. In real orange juice. Real orange juice. We're back tomorrow. Five o'clock will

1:21:10have Hal's Hall covered for you. It's a 5 p.m. show tomorrow evening. We also have our festivities tonight, which include a live taping of Hogan John. So that will actually drop in the morning for you that episode that we taped tonight at Utopia and tailgate. Come on out. There's still time. It's going from six to 10. We're going to watch football tonight. We're going to talk to you guys. It's going to be a great time. We also got brick by brick at 10 a.m. central live tomorrow. We'll be our second week in a row being live for the Thursday morning slot. We got a really fun guest plan here trying to lock this in as well. What are you going to do if Hogan John's goes over an hour? We're just going to, um, we're just going to dominate the Chicago sports media landscape with amazing bears coverage and find out a way to organize it properly. I'll be alive. I'm really managed to win through that one. Take my time. There's a lot to consider there.

1:22:10All right. Well, it never ends. Every week one coverage is still nonstop all week. That's right. Till Carm picks the pant, there's the win. Hold open the door to get him to keep talking. Just a good point. Goodbye.