2025-26 NFL Thread

[Shaka Shart]

Bagent would have made that throw

[WhiteTrash]

As I said, throw away game for the Bears but they keep proving to me that they are a very good team. Not a Super Bowl team, but team worthy of their record. The future looks bright.

[MuggsyB]

As I said, throw away game for the Bears but they keep proving to me that they are a very good team. Not a Super Bowl team, but team worthy of their record. The future looks bright.

The o-line has really stepped up. 

[MU82]

The two Saturday games next week (Caro @ TB and Sea @ SF) are big, as is the Sunday nighter (Pit @ Bal). But all of the Sunday day games are a$$!

[JWags85]

As I said, throw away game for the Bears but they keep proving to me that they are a very good team. Not a Super Bowl team, but team worthy of their record. The future looks bright.

Disappointing result, but Johnson and Williams put up 330 yards and 2 TDs in the air and 38 points on the road on a defense that only gives up 230 yards and 21 pts a game for the season lead by a really damn good DC.  That's encouraging as hell. 

Playoffs are all house money at this point (assuming they don't lose to the Packers  ), but its hard not to be super excited about this offense with a QB as talented as Williams with 3 potentially elite receiving talents all under 24 (Odunze, Loveland, Burden), a running game that has turned Swift back into a 1000 yard rusher while also making a 7th round pick into a back who would be a 1000 yard rusher if he had RB1 touches...and its only going to get better as they get more experienced.  Oh and they still have another 2 years of DJ Moore.  Its almost unfathomable to think about given the offenses in Chicago over the past 20 years.

Speaking of encouraging, my god Luther Burden is exciting and hopefully the quad injury is minor.  There is a reason that he was the top offensive prospect in the country coming out of HS.  I was stoked that they got him in the second.  If he went to Bama or played in a better college offense, he would have been a top 15 pick, IMO.

For all his failings, this 2025 draft is looking like an absolute coup for Poles.  Loveland is on his way to becoming an absolute star, Burden is a stud, Trapilo is an above average OL already, and Monangai is a diamond in the rough.

[Pakuni]

The two Saturday games next week (Caro @ TB and Sea @ SF) are big, as is the Sunday nighter (Pit @ Bal). But all of the Sunday day games are a$$!

You're not a real fan if you're not tuning in to see Chris Oladokun's Kansas City Chiefs take on a Las Vegas Raiders team that is actively trying to lose (and doing a great job of it).

[MU82]

Speaking of encouraging, my god Luther Burden is exciting and hopefully the quad injury is minor.  There is a reason that he was the top offensive prospect in the country coming out of HS.  I was stoked that they got him in the second.  If he went to Bama or played in a better college offense, he would have been a top 15 pick, IMO.

As an oldster who was a huge Knicks fan when I was a teenager, I remember his grandfather.

Luther "Ticky" Burden was a NY playground legend who had a great college career at Utah before declaring "hardship" after his junior season - which, back then, one had to do to go pro before one's eligibility expired (ain't that quaint?).

He was drafted by the Knicks but chose to go to the Virginia Squires for what turned out to be the final season the ABA existed. After the league was usurped by the NBA, I was thrilled that Ticky went to the Knicks after averaging 20 ppg for the Squires. But he was an inveterate gunner who didn't care much for defense. Then-coach Willis Reed stopped playing him much and eventually cut him, and no other team would have him.

It's safe to say that the Bears' Burden has already surpassed Grandpa Ticky's professional athletic achievements. Looks like he's gonna be a helluva WR - he's already damn good.

[JWags85]

You're not a real fan if you're not tuning in to see Chris Oladokun's Kansas City Chiefs take on a Las Vegas Raiders team that is actively trying to lose (and doing a great job of it).

You mean giving up 34 points to a Giants team that has scored more than 21 points exactly once in the previous 8 games wasn't a full on effort?

[Dish]

Caleb progressing and Ben Johnson progressing as a head coach were the two big things I wanted to see this season.

Caleb's deep ball is so much better this year than a season ago, which is a great sign. Limiting sacks and turnovers, another great sign. He's close to being a real star in this league, but he has to make those intermediate throws (that he badly misses). If he hits a wide open Duvernay (yes he was pressured), they score there.

Ben Johnson's game management still needs work. Timeouts usage on that final drive was rough (using their second timeout with the clock stopped). Still gets too cute inside goal to go and wastes downs. Flip side, right before the hook and ladder play, I told my kids "this is the perfect spot to run a hook/ladder". Problem with how they ran it though it wasn't closer towards the sideline. Good idea, and Swift probably should have gone out of bounds.

Probably won't be a popular opinion, but if they're going to try to acquire a stud defensive end this offseason, I would offer Odunze up in a potential trade. Still on rookie deal, high value, 24 years old. His value should help offset their 1st being in the late 20's.

[JWags85]

Problem with how they ran it though it wasn't closer towards the sideline. Good idea, and Swift probably should have gone out of bounds.

That was my biggest what if.  I got over the underthrow to Duvernay.  Yes you want him to make that but that was a REALLY tough throw.  But man, Swift going outside...I feel like he has not only a better angle to potentially beat the defender, but otherwise he goes OOB and they save precious seconds.  Ah well.

[Dish]

That was my biggest what if.  I got over the underthrow to Duvernay.  Yes you want him to make that but that was a REALLY tough throw.  But man, Swift going outside...I feel like he has not only a better angle to potentially beat the defender, but otherwise he goes OOB and they save precious seconds.  Ah well.

The other problem is they had Kmet run his route to the corner of the end zone. Niners were in zone and the safety and corner are right there near Kmet. If Kmet runs a post and draws those defenders away, who knows?

[WhiteTrash]

Caleb progressing and Ben Johnson progressing as a head coach were the two big things I wanted to see this season.

Caleb's deep ball is so much better this year than a season ago, which is a great sign. Limiting sacks and turnovers, another great sign. He's close to being a real star in this league, but he has to make those intermediate throws (that he badly misses). If he hits a wide open Duvernay (yes he was pressured), they score there.

Ben Johnson's game management still needs work. Timeouts usage on that final drive was rough (using their second timeout with the clock stopped). Still gets too cute inside goal to go and wastes downs. Flip side, right before the hook and ladder play, I told my kids "this is the perfect spot to run a hook/ladder". Problem with how they ran it though it wasn't closer towards the sideline. Good idea, and Swift probably should have gone out of bounds.

Probably won't be a popular opinion, but if they're going to try to acquire a stud defensive end this offseason, I would offer Odunze up in a potential trade. Still on rookie deal, high value, 24 years old. His value should help offset their 1st being in the late 20's.

I agree with all of this. The fun part is, Johnson and Williams have the opportunity to both get better. It's not like Williams needs to get more athletic or have a bigger arm, just better decisions. Far from a certainty that he will, but an attainable goal.

[MU82]

Caleb progressing and Ben Johnson progressing as a head coach were the two big things I wanted to see this season.

Caleb's deep ball is so much better this year than a season ago, which is a great sign. Limiting sacks and turnovers, another great sign. He's close to being a real star in this league, but he has to make those intermediate throws (that he badly misses). If he hits a wide open Duvernay (yes he was pressured), they score there.

Ben Johnson's game management still needs work. Timeouts usage on that final drive was rough (using their second timeout with the clock stopped). Still gets too cute inside goal to go and wastes downs. Flip side, right before the hook and ladder play, I told my kids "this is the perfect spot to run a hook/ladder". Problem with how they ran it though it wasn't closer towards the sideline. Good idea, and Swift probably should have gone out of bounds.

Probably won't be a popular opinion, but if they're going to try to acquire a stud defensive end this offseason, I would offer Odunze up in a potential trade. Still on rookie deal, high value, 24 years old. His value should help offset their 1st being in the late 20's.

Burning that timeout when the clock was stopped anyway was an absolute killer. When it was called, I asked the coach (via talking to the TV): "What are you doing?" But overall, Johnson has done a great job with Williams, with attitude adjustment of the entire operation, and with many other things. I expected Williams to be a lot better this season, and he has exceeded my expectations.

I am not now nor have I ever been a Bears fan. But like most folks who lived in Chicago for a long time, I've seen a bazillion Bears games and witnessed a lot of ineptitude from the top down. The current version is really entertaining to watch, and it looks like they are building a team that can win over the long term. I never felt that way watching the Wanny Bears or Jauron Bears or even the Lovie Bears - in great part because they never had a QB prospect like Williams, but for plenty of other reasons, too.

Obviously, time will tell if Williams, Johnson and the rest of these Bears will live up to their potential.