Bears Dominate Defending World Champions

The Boys Rally Around Kevin Byard's League Leading 6th Interception. 11/28

Bears Dominate the World Champions on the Road in a Signature Win

The Chicago Bears are the NFC's Number 1 Seed in the month of December for the first time since 2006. That 2006 team wound up winning the NFC and going to the Super Bowl, so it's safe to say this team is making history. This is an absolute signature win for a team that has plenty of doubters. The Bears went on the road to the most hostile environment in the NFL and ruthlessly beat the defending World Champion Philadelphia Eagles with some good ole fashioned Chicago Bears football. It was Bear weather in Philly and the Bears win it 24-15 with suffocating defense and a great ground game. Doubters said that we couldn't beat anybody, and Vegas had the Birds to win by a touchdown (-7.0), but this team responds and with each passing week they look better and better.

GOOD, BETTER, BEST!

GOOD: The Running Backs

This past April, as picks turned into rounds, people criticised GM Ryan Poles for not selecting a running back. Media and fans scoffed at the selection of Rutgers running back, Kyle Monangai in the draft's final round. Despite being the 22nd running back selected, Monangai is fourth among rookies in yards with 591 and third in touchdowns with 5. He is also the only rookie to have two 100 yard rushing performances this season. The Bears may have found their RB1 in Monangai, after gashing Philly for 130 yards and a TD on 22 carries. Former Eagle D'Andre Swift had quite the revenge game adding 125 yards and a TD on 18 carries. The Bears dominated the Eagles on the ground and carried the game in 30 mile an hour winds. This is the first time since 1985 that the Chicago Bears have had two 100 yard rushers in a single game. Anytime you share a record with Walter Payton, you must be doing something right.

BETTER: THE OFFENSIVE LINE!

Another credit to Ryan Poles for the complete overhaul of this offensive line this offseason. The Chicago Bears offensive line has quickly gone from a pitiful group to one of the most elite units in the entire NFL. Darnell Wright is a bonafide stud at the right tackle position and made things difficult for All-Pro Jalen Carter. Rookie Ozzy Trapillo was a second round pick from Boston College who primarily played right tackle in college (another Poles move that was heavily under fire). After Trapillo's second start at left tackle, he looks to be the real deal. The interior of the line is where the Bears look unrecognizable with newly signed center Drew Dalman leading the charge as the anchor, and newly acquired Jonah Jackson going back to Pro Bowl form. The absolute game changer on this offensive line is future first ballot Hall of Famer and 4-time Super Bowl Champion Joe Thuney who was acquired from Kansas City for just a fourth-round draft pick. He has been the veteran leader this offense and offensive line needs and is setting the tone for the way this team operates. All said and done, it seems the Bears could have three potential Pro Bowlers on this line in Thuney, Dalman, and Wright. Come January, offensive lines win games, and this team has the right unit to power a winner in the playoffs.

BEST: Head Coach, Ben Johnson

What a difference a year makes! Exactly one year to the day after the Bears fired former Head Coach Matt Eberflus, they defeat the World Champions on the road to become the NFC's number 1 seed. Ben Johnson has completely revamped the culture in this building. The Chicago Bears used to be the laughing stock of the NFC North but with the culture of Ben Johnson, this is a team that finds a way to win the football game. When offensive guru-type offensive coordinators become Head Coaches, the question of "can he be a leader of men" always comes up. That question can be easily answered by watching his locker room speeches. This is Ben Johnson's team, and he has these players playing on an insane level.

The city of Chicago is buzzing, and people are rallying around this historic Bears team. Ben Johnson is giving these hungry fans everything they've hoped for (and also free hot dogs). This is probably the first coach in Bears history to rip off his shirt for the city, and what is more Chicago than free hot dogs after a Bears win!

Eagles Look Flightless

The Philadelphia Eagles wore black to the funeral of the Tush Push.

"Ban it!", "Officiate it better!", "It's not real football!", or just learn how to stop it like the Bears did. Nahshon Wright flanked the Eagles signature play and ripped the ball right out of the hands of Eagle's Quarterback Jalen Hurts. He leads the NFL in total turnovers with 5 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries and looks like another Ryan Poles Masterclass signing.

Speaking of Turnovers, Kevin Byard had yet another interception to bring his total to a league-leading 6th of the season. With the return of Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson from injury, the safeties got to drop back and play their game against the Birds. Byard finished with 6 tackles, 1 defended pass, and an interception while Jaquan Brisker finished with 6 tackles and a pass defended. Johnson and Gordon didn't miss a step in their first game back and TJ Edwards could make a potential return this upcoming week against Green Bay.

Don't Look Now! The Chicago Bears may be getting healthy at the perfect time.

Caleb, Caleb, Caleb. Was it a perfect game? No.

Did it get the job done? Absolutely.

Caleb is still progressing, he is continuing to get better each week, but there is plenty of room for improvement.

Rolling to the left, flipping his shoulders, throwing as he jumps, pressure in his face.

Perfect touch. Perfect Ball. Touchdown.

He didn't need to play his best game to win on Black Friday, but in a critical moment, he made an unbelievable throw to Cole Kmet for a touchdown to essentially put the game out of reach for Philly.

This team looks great, and they may be finally getting healthy. If they can keep up this momentum and find themselves on the plane home from Green Bay with another tally in the win column, they will be in the driver's seat in the NFC and control their own destiny in the North. They have their identity, they have their coach, they have their quarterback.

Chicago has been hungry, and it's finally time to feast...

on hotdogs (thanks Coach).

Let's Have a Week

Bear Down

Green Bay Sucks

Vince Fioretti

12.2.25