2025 Bears roster pre Free Agency

   While the pick of Ben Johnson to be the Bears new Head Coach was swiftly made, the organization did their due part of looking at a vast amount of different types of coaching curriculums and get insight of every probable coach in the market offered them and other teams, at the end the Bears decided to go with the easy pick. Needing to find a way to be relevant in the offensive part of the ball, picking up Johnson is the right move, doesn't mean its going to automatically work but its still the road they should take. Now they need to focus on helping their new promising QB, so the logical thing to do is to surround him with all the help he can get to continue to get better, the roster is still a bit far from ready to contend at the moment, but fortunately the Bears organization has enough ammo to get a chance to build a contending team this year.

QB

Starter: Caleb Williams

Depth: Tyson Bagent, Austin Reed

   Its impressive that Williams was able to play every game without getting seriously injured with the high amount of hot he got this past season. Hopefully with an improved Oline, Willimas can progress with coach Johnson and get better at the position. Some critics believe the Bears will go for a veteran QB to help Williams to be a better QB, some say Teddy Bridgewatter could be in consideration due to being with the Lions roster last year. I believe they shouldn't force it, Bagent has good talent to be the back up even if he is a young QB, I don't see any QB that could really help Willliams or Bagent with Ben Johnson's playbook, just let the coaches bring them to speed and give them all the reps.

RB

Starter: None

Depth: D'Andre Swift, Roshon Johnson

   Swift was a boom or bust running back this past season, that wont do it, the Bears need someone that can gain more than 2 yards with more consistency , not using Johnson for a change of pace affected as well, was it because of injury or coaching strategy? I don't know, but if Johnson cant play then the Bears need someone that can get the tough yards to keep drives alive. I wouldn't consider to bring anyone back to fix this. I would prefer the Bears draft one this years, but if they decide to pick someone in FA, I would consider  Javonte Williams DEN, Ty Johnson BUF or Elijah Mitchell SF. If any of these players can push Swift to the role of speedy receiver threat off the backfield and get Johnson back to being the hammer of the group, this unit would look very good. A FB wouldn't hurt.

WR

Starters: Rome Odunze, D.J. Moore

Depth: Tyler Scott, Samori Toure, Maurice Alexander, John Jackson

   I expect Odunze to be the WR1 for this team, him and Moore can be enough as a starting duo. Scott was a forgotten man this past season and its a shame because he will still be viewed as a rookie and a question mark if he can pan out, he looked good returning kicks but they brought in Alexander, so he has competition for that as well. I wouldn't bring back Keenan Allen if possible and definitely not for a high price, everyone else I don't believe would make a difference. Picking a mid round receiver in the draft would be ideal. In free agency some say bringing in Tim Patrick would be beneficial, I wouldn't mind if he is considered depth along with someone else like Tyler Johnson LAR or Nick Westbrook-Ikhine TEN. Competition for the slot position like Greg Dorch ARI or Kavontae Turpin DAL, but both are RFA, so not very probable pickups, maybe Elijah Moore CLE, Rondale Moore ATL or Ben Skowronek PIT.

TE

Starter: Cole Kmet

Depth: Joel Wilson, Jordan Murray

   Kmet needs to get the ball more this next season, I believe Allen was hogging too much of the game plan, forgetting that there were other players that can do damage with the ball. I agree with Everett being cut. Time to let Marcedes Lewis walk, Stephen Carlson didn't show a lot last year before getting placed in the PS so I dont know how much he could help, but this group is very thin right now. Not sure if there is going to be enough ammo to draft a TE in the mid to last rounds but should be considered. In FA I would just consider someone getting for depth who is a decent blocking TE, getting Kenny Yeobah would be cool just because I ranked him high in my draft board.

OL

Starters: Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright

Depth: Kiran Amegadjie, Theo Benedet, Joshua Myles, Ryan Bates, Bill Murray, Ricky Stromberg, Chris Glaser.

   Build it and they will come. This unit needs to be finally addressed as needed. The two tackle positions are good enough to sleep well knowing they "just" need the full iOL group. They could bring back Teven Jenkins, but I seriously worry he will never be healthy enough to play a full season. Matt Pryor I could consider getting back, but specifically for depth to compete with Bates and Murray who dealt with injuries last season and are question marks. Amegadjie needs competition to fight for the swing tackle position, I don't believe he can play G right of the bat. How many players will have to come out the draft for this group is dependent of how well they can fill up holes in FA, there might not be many players in this draft that can play day 1. In FA they could throw the big bags to Trey Smith KC, they can bring in Kevin Zeitler and Dan Skipper DET for depth due to familiarity with Ben Johnson, or target guards Aaron Banks SF, Mekhi Becton PHI or Ben Cleveland BAL. At center they can send another bag to Drew Dalman ATL or go cheaper with Ryan Kelly IND or versatile Evan Brown ARI. I do think bringing in Skipper would be an ideal choice for a veteran swing tackle. I expect this coaching staff to go heavy in size.

DT

Starters: Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter 

Depth: Zach Pickens

   Need more depth, losing Billings at mid season really hurt the DL a lot. Wouldn't bring anyone back as a difference maker. Luckily draft experts are raving about this years DT pool of candidates so its a possibility that the Bears get someone to help in this area for needed depth. In FA there's some talent as well if the Bears decide to patch the needs with cash considering guys like Bobby Brown III LAR, Javon Kinlaw NYJ, B.J. Hill CIN, D.J. Jones DEN or Derrick Nnadi KC.

DE

Starters: Montez Sweat

Depth: Austin Booker, Dominique Robinson, Jamree Kromah

   There's a need to pair Sweat with another talent at DE. Walker was serviceable but not the answer, so I didn't mind much that he got cut. Its still a wait and see if Booker can be a solution or at least depth. Wouldn't bring anyone back, felt they didn't do enough to be considered. If the Bears try to get it fixed with a pick in the draft, its going to have to be with one of the first three pick, I believe the DE talent is going to fly off the board real quick. In FA there are possible answers like Josh Sweat PHI, Khalil Mack LAC or Joe Tryon-Shoyinka TB.

LB

Starters: T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds

Depth: Noah Sewell, Carl Jones

   Edwards can play as long as he has help in the trenches to not have to navigate through the crowd, Edmunds is a good starter but is paid to play like a superstar which he isn't doing. Sewell is a good special teamer but I would consider bringing back Jack Sanborn as insurance. Could consider drafting a LB late in the draft but other than finding someone to replace the starters in the future, there really isn't a need right now unless one of Edwards or Edmunds is cut or traded. Some depth can be considered in FA or try to reset a contract which would be risky, but with talent like Nick Bolton KC, Derrick Barnes DET or Ernest Jones SEA, it could happen?

CB

Starters: Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson

Depth: Terell Smith

   I'm a Stevenson believer, he is no CB1 but he doesn't have to be as long as Johnson is in the field, Stevenson is good enough to be Robin and can get get better with coaching. It wouldn't hurt to bring back Josh Blackwell and Jaylon Jones as backups. With a set secondary, I would skip using a pick on a CB on this draft. The Bears could try and get better depth in FA, but if they want to substitute Stevenson they could consider Asante Samuel LAC or Paulson Adebo NO.

S

Starters: Kevin Byrd III, Jaquan Brisker

Depth: Jonathan Owens, Elijah Hicks, Alex Cook

   Although I do consider Byard and Brisker as starters, Byard is getting old and Brisker cant stay healthy. The backups are reliable and I would consider bringing back Tarvarius Moore and Adrian Colbert. There are some intriguing safeties in this draft but I'm not sure if using a pick on one would benefit. There are solutions in FA, but giving big amounts to a safety when there are other needs in more critical areas wouldn't be wise.

Special Teams

K - Cairo Santos

P - Tory Taylor

LS - None

   As much as I like Santos as a player, he is limited as a kicker, it would not hurt to get someone to compete against him that can make the long field goals look easier. Taylor did OK this past season, I expect him to be more comfortable in his second season and do better. I really don't care who is the LS, I enjoyed Patrick Scales energy, Scott Daly did his job, bring either.

   Now, with all this said, using On Sports Tap spreadsheet (https://ontapsportsnet.com/nfl/fix-the-chicago-bears-roster-a-customizable-document-2025-edition?s=03) and using a mock draft simulator, the roster would look something like this,

Position	#1	#2	WRITE-IN's
QB	Caleb Williams	Tyson Bagent
RB	Pick 41	D'Andre Swift	(i.e. Omarion Hampton or Kaleb Johnson)
WR1	Rome Odunze	Samori Toure
WR2	D.J. Moore	Pick 148*
WR3	Tyler Johnson	Tyler Scott
TE	Cole Kmet	Kylen Granson	Pick 235
LT	Braxton Jones	Kiran Amegadjie	(i.e. Donovan Jackson) Pick 197 at C (i.e. Jake Majors)
LG	Ryan Bates	Pick 39
C	Drew Dalman	Ricky Stromberg
RG	Mekhi Becton	Matt Pryor
RT	Darnell Wright	Dan Skipper
iDL	Andrew Billings	Teair Tart	Pick 72 (i.e. T.J. Sanders or         Alfred Collins)
iDL	Gervon Dexter Sr.	Bobby Brown III
EDGE1	Montez Sweat	Pick 10	(i.e. Jalon Carter, James Pearce Jr. or Nick Scourton)
EDGE2	Josh Sweat	Austin Booker
LB	T.J. Edwards	Jack Sanborn
LB	Tremaine Edmunds	Noah Sewell
CB1	Jaylon Johnson	Terell Smith
CB2	Tyrique Stevenson	Jaylon Jones
nCB	Kyler Gordon	Josh Blackwell
SS	Jaquan Brisker	Elijah Hicks
FS	Kevin Byard	Jonathan Owens
K	Cairo Santos
P	Tory Taylor
LS	Scott Daly

   This roster would give the offense fresh legs, an OL with proven talent that if it should fail would fall back into known territory with its depth, the receivers will depend on Odunze, Moore and Kmet as it should. The defense gets depth in the interior line, a proven talent and a high prospect to pair with Sweat to get to the QB, and an already established back seven that should get much needed help with the improved pass rush. So, there is a chance this roster looks much better for next season.

2024 NFL teams recap

    Season is over and as always there were teams that were who we thought they were, others that came crashing from out of nowhere and others that went the distance when no one really expected them to go so far. So here's my recap and thoughts on the future for each team, from worst to first using this years draft order.

32. TENNESSEE TITANS

Ranked them 25th at the start of the season, so I expected them to struggle basically because I had my doubts on Will Levis being a good enough QB and my worries came true, this team could have won a few games if Levis just stopped turning the ball over, the defense was playing pretty well but just couldn't absorb the bad offensive play. They are in a good spot to turn things around with the first pick with a new QB if they wish to go this route, which I believe they should, they can bolster their OL and with an already solid defense, they can be in good shape next year.

31. CLEVELAND BROWNS

Ranked them 11th, way too optimistic in Deshaun Watson, he brought a talented team down big time, the city of Cleveland and arguably the team does not want anything to do with him anymore. The one I didn't expect to regress and I'm very sad about is Nick Chubb, maybe he can still bounce back form his last injury, only time will tell. The defense was present but just like the Titans, is was just too awful of an offensive performance. The Browns are in position to get the second best QB in this years draft and try to flip things around with a very good defense and an already solid OL in the building which is a good thing because they really don't have ANY cap to spend.

30. NEW YORK GIANTS

Ranked them 31st, no surprises here, Daniel Jones was not the right player to retain. Even so, rookie Malik Nabers didn't care much who his QB was, he balled, so the Giants have that going. Honestly this team was built for more but the QB group was too much of a burden. The Giants were in position to get the #1 pick but their talent just made it impossible to retain it, so now they are in a position to see if there is a QB they can be happy with picking with their #3 pick or go get the best veteran QB in free agency.

29. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Ranked them 26th. Welp, they can go one year without needing to draft a QB, so there's that. I knew the defense would not let them fall to dead last, but it really felt they should have been more in the run for the #1 pick, they were a really boring team to watch honestly. The Patriots need to work on their identity and they have enough to do it with, they can go and buy EVERYONE in free agency and need to have a good draft to built this team from scratch.

28. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Ranked them 21st, really believed in Trevor Lawrence but this QB draft class is cursed, poor guy, can they get him some competent coaching please? Better Oline while we are at it. The defense looks better on paper than they did on the field, this is a team that can get better just with better leadership and football minds.

27. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

Ranked them 32nd, Maxx Crosby made it that they didn't reach bottom. They need a QB, they will have to throw some big bags of cash in free agency because I don't believe they can get one on this draft, its going to be very difficult for this team to get better, they might have to be bad one more year before they can have enough ammo to build this thing back up again.

26. NEW YORK JETS

Ranked them 4th, top disappointing team this year for me, how is it possible to fall so low with this roster? Aaron Rodgers please just go away, another team derailed because of bad QBing but it has to hurt that it was with a proven veteran that had every fan waiting for greatness after only getting approximately 2 minutes of play time from him last year to only get a 5 win season the next. Its going to be tough for them to bounce back from this with a huge question mark at QB, a depleting defense and not much cap.

25. CAROLINA PANTHERS

Ranked them 20th, on the good side, Bryce Young showed promise that he could be the answer at QB for years to come, on the bad side, the roster has a lot of holes and not much cap space to work with. The team will have its hands full if they don't want to rebuild this roster, they will need to reconstruct some contracts and have a solid draft or two to elevate the level of talent to a contending team.

24. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Ranked them 22nd, this team needs a hard reset, they have an aging roster and are in cap hell AND no coaching staff, but they have a good defense, so its not all bad. I fear this team will get worse before it gets better with the type of contracts they give away.

23. CHICAGO BEARS

Ranked them 15th, so much went wrong that could go wrong, but it was impressive how much the coaching impacted negatively on this team. The team started with a promising roster and continues to do so, its a matter if they got the right coaches in the building this offseason to lead them right this time, with plenty of cap space and good draft capital, they have everything needed to turn it around next year.

22. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Ranked them 3rd, too many injuries derailed this team, it should be viewed as a down year for a still very talented team, although it is getting old and its fair to question if Brock Purdy is talented enough to make this team more than just a contender, still they have the cap and draft picks to continue being very relevant.

21. DALLAS COWBOYS

Ranked them 23rd, welp, I didn't believe in this team and I was right. Its going to take a lot of surprises to make me believe they can come back to relevance and a real contender, with no cap space, they will have to hit a lot of home run hits in this years draft. 

20. MIAMI DOLPHINS

Ranked them 10th, really disappointed in this team but also very worried that Tua Tagovailoa is still playing, its one thing that this team crumbles in winter, another is that they are relying on an injury prone QB that really should consider retiring.

19. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Ranked them 24th, a bit surprising that they did better because of their defense in spite of the bad QBing which I was expecting to be the reason they would win more because of an improved Anthony Richardson. He got a bit better at the end of the season but its a big concern if he continues to lose the ball and get injured often. I would expect them to try one more year with Richardson and see if they need to find someone better in 2026.

18. ATLANTA FALCONS

Ranked them 8th, what a mess of an offense, so many weapons just for Kurt Cousins to do close to nothing with them, he might have played his last game in Atlanta and now the pick for Michael Penix doesn't look as bad. If only Atlanta could spend to bolster their defense, but they don't have enough cap space or picks this year, they might just end their 2025 season in this same spot.

17. ARIZONA CARDINALS

Ranked them 27th, still not a fan of Kyler Murray, he does things that other QBs cant but he is so frustratingly inconsistent, the team has the cap and picks to help out the defense this offseason and have a honest shot at the playoffs next year, but I really am not a believer in Murray.

16. CINCINNATI BENGALS

Ranked them 9th, didn't expect the defense to be that bad, but here we are,. Their offense will take a hit losing Tee Higgins this offseason but they can manage, they need to place all their chips to help the defense out to return to their contending form.

15. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Ranked them 19th, I feel the Seahawks will be stuck at the middle ranks until they get a dominant defense or get better at QB because Geno Smith is a capable starting QB, but has shown he is limited talentwise, neither is a very viable option with no cap space and not enough draft pick value, so another mid meh season is looming.

14. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Ranked them 17th, the Bucs are the never say die team with the way Baker Mayfield leads this team, very fun and nerve-racking. Even with no real cap space to use, their roster is good enough to contend next year with a good draft.

13. DENVER BRONCOS

Ranked them 30th, the broncos defense really gave their rookie QB time to develop and Sean Payton did wonders to elevate his talent to the pro level, it will take a bit more work for Bo Nix to learn to win in the post season but, as of right now,  he is in the right track.

12. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Ranked them 18th, the Steelers are still chaos incarnated, they do just enough to be relevant and cant hold it together in the post season, this will continue until they get a legit QB to lead them, which is a hard thing to do when you do enough to not suck and in consequence be out of the top 10 draft picks every year, I think one of these year they will have to embrace the tank or just give picks to go get a top QB prospect.

11. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Ranked them 16th, I didn't expect for Jim Harbaugh to get this team winning so soon, and honestly they should of won more, they need to get better receivers this offseason, might as well use their cap on one or two this free agency and get younger at defense with their picks.

10. GREEN BAY PACKERS

Ranked them 7th, I can live with Jordan Love being good enough in the regular season and turn into a pumpkin in the postseason, because the team can get better with the cap and picks they have and continue to be a contending favorite, that's why I hope that Love keeps struggling.

9. MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Ranked them 28th, so is Sam Darnold the answer or no? Well they still have J.J. McCarthy to try out, so I really don't know what will be of the Vikings next season until I know what their plan is at QB, probably not will not ranked them as low as I did this year.

8. HOUSTON TEXANS

Ranked them 12th, there really is not much to worry with this team, they did much what I expected them to achieve and can get better this offseason just with better offensive coaching alone.

7. LOS ANGELES RAMS

Ranked them 14th, can Matthew Stafford play one more? Should Sean McVay start searching for the next QB? The team is young and can get better with experience alone, its just the question if Stafford can still last a whole season.

6. BALTIMORE RAVENS

Ranked them 1st, and will continue ranking them top 3, if they continue drafting like they have, they will continue to be one of the favorites to win it all.

5. DETROIT LIONS

Ranked them 6th, still felt disappointed they didn't go all the way, have enough to try again next year and have a legit shot.

4. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

Ranked them 29th, biggest flop in my rankings, I never expect a rookie to be good his first year, Jayden Daniels had a C.J. Stroud season and started his career on the right track, once the young players on their defense started clicking, they looked close to unstoppable. They have a bunch of cap to bolster this roster and if they have a good draft, they might be even better next year.

3. BUFFALO BILLS

Ranked them 13th, Josh Allen is a beast, he will have to keep it up because the Bills will have a tough time improving this roster with no cap and limited picks.

2. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Ranked them 2nd, the Chiefs were more lucky than good, but with Patrick Mahomes at QB and a solid defense, this team just need to keep things close and they will most likely get it done because of coaches maintaining the team disciplined and because the refs help them get one or two chances more that they should.

1. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Ranked them 5th, Saquon Barkley worked wonders for this team, going hard in the draft to fix the secondary has paid dividends, this team is solid in the trenches and will keep being a tough team to beat, even if Jalen Hurts is not elite.

2024 Bears recap

    The Chicago Bears entered the 2024 season with high expectations from the media, I agreed with the talks. The team had players to be excited about and that could back up what the experts expected from this team. The Bears ended up underachieving these expectations by a lot and ended up having a record expected by any team led with a rookie QB. Once again the team fell short due to poor execution due to bad coaching, scheme and use of personnel, evident by the firing of the offensive coordinator and head coach at the middle of the season. It went so bad that the franchise did something never done in its 100+ years in the league, so much negative media rained upon them that they just didn't have a choice but to do the right thing. Still even after this, they made a very questionable call in placing Thomas Brown as interim head coach, someone that was given the OC job weeks before they had to fire Shane Waldron, they were giving him the responsibility of the whole team, moving the focus from the growth of Caleb Williams as a player, to the QB of his offense to just one more player of the whole roster. It was a long shot for him to straighten the ship, it didn't work. So the Chicago Bears are stuck in their loop of GM, HC and QB off synched carrousel, QB done, HC in the wait, next in queue the GM, yatzee? As for Ryan Poles safety, he is not safe. Thinking about his last two years of work for the Bears, he has placed himself in a good spot roster wise due to the fleecing of the Carolina Panthers, other than that trade there's not much to feel good about what he has done. Getting Montez Sweat is still in the works, it looks good but if the losing keeps piling up, it's another second rounder down the drain not used to improve the offense, which is the biggest knock I have with Poles, I prefer having a GM that treasures draft picks to build the team than one that gives them away for band aids. The trade for Keenan Allen at the end of the season had some success, but felt like forced success as well, the game plan was too focused on him at the begging of the season and as was with D'Andre Swift, leaving other players, young talented players, forgotten on the bench.

   The Bears previous coaching staff couldn't make it work with QB Justin Fields who has high talent as an athlete with home run hitting abilities with his legs and arm but still has flaws as a passer. Now with Williams they have a talented passer with good athletic skills but showed he is more of a playmaker than a home run hitter like Fields. So, the team still has a promising QB in their hands, they need to place the right coaching staff in place to take advantage of the hardest part in football, have a talented QB. It wouldn't hurt to fix the Oline, wich played average as a whole and it was decimated by injuries, it could have worked better if it maintained itself more healthy but that is asking too much in this sport, the negligence by GM Ryan Poles to not bolster the starting line and add depth to this unit knowing they were going to start the season with a rookie QB is another knock on his resume. If the OLine ever gets fixed, I expect the offense to improve dramatically with better play calling focused on the talent at hand which the Bears have with Williams, Odunze, Kmet and Moore as unquestionable starter next season.

   With the departure of Matt Eberflus, the defense took a step back, honestly the defense started struggling once Andrew Billings was lost for the season, struggling to control the LOS against the run, it got a little better once Kyle Gordon returned but they still got gashed with inside runs. The lack of depth, tougher second half schedule and scheme change (maybe?) hurt the whole until, going from a top 10 defense to a bottom 10 just like that.

The team won't be losing critical players this year to free agency, they can bring a bunch of them back but it should only be to battle for depth at most.

   A 4-12 record does not say the talent of the roster, it was a season that was structured badly from the top, the Bears can turn things around next season with the cap and draft picks they have, they are in a position to get the right person to build it right this time. The Bears front office is looking desperate, they should. They are doing things differently to try and get better while looking lost, they have been for a long time now. Before, they would be asking other people to guide them to make the decision of who should lead this team. Now, they kept it in house, they jokingly interviewed every possible HC candidate for any and every scenario, and as of yesterday, just a day after he was available, they picked arguably the most coveted candidate in the league, the biggest offensive brain available for hire and hit him with the biggest bag of cash given by the organization to a new comer, why? Because their desperate, good. Will it work? Not sure, but it's what needs to be done. Next, is to get the best coaching staff possible and the best Oline and Dline possible, then we can seriously talk about improving for next season, because the Bears winning the offseason doesn't do it for me anymore.

W13@DET: Accept the stupidity

    The last straw, the loss to the Detroit Lions was the last utter disaster that was the tenure of HC Matt Eberflus, three straight divisional games lost because of "bad luck", well a cleansing was due and it happened with his firing, it was clear that this was needed, the locker room was lost as was the hopes of any playoff chances the Bears had this season and boy did they had them, three divisional games lost by a sum total of 7 points, a blocked FG, an OT loss and a saved time out that with better time management would have probably send them to another OT game, the bar was low on expectations for this team this season with a rookie QB, but it was turning for the worst, there is finally hope at the QB position and the leadership was doing everything possible to burn it to the ground once more. Luckily the decision came crystal clear, too many losses, to many drama, too many eyes from the outside criticizing the organization while screwing up in national television, the change had to be made and so it was, the Bears have the chance once more to stumble into a good situation by elevating new OC Thomas Brown to interim HC, he went from being the passing coordinator to be the top dog in 3 weeks, its the only way the Bears can turn things around, by pure luck and stupidity. 

   The offense once more was missing in the first half of the game, all three and outs the first four possessions, penalties and getting behind on the scoreboard forced them to abandon the run which made it to difficult for Caleb Williams to move the ball against a stout Lions defense that are too good against an offense that goes one dimensional. In the second half they started to play clean football and the run game started to work which opened the door for Williams to do his magic. The Bears once again where in position to at least tie the game, 1st ant 10 at DET 25 with 46 seconds and 2 time outs, a bad pass from Williams that would probably take them inside the 10 but was thrown behind DJ Moore, for some reason a time out had to be used after an incompletion, second down ended with a 12 yard gain negated by penalty, 2 and 20 ended in a sack with 36 seconds and running, the next play took 30 second to snap the ball because the time out left was never used, the game ended in an incompletion. Enough was enough, its everyone's fault but the responsibility goes to the head of the team, it was time for change.

Upside players: Caleb Williams keeps making big plays and keeping games close. Keenan Allen is keeping himself relevant in this offense.

Downside players: Still waiting for Cole Kmet to get more targets. DJ Moore might benefit by playing a bit less, he really looks to be hurt.

   The defense continued to do enough to have a chance to win, the game could have been over if it wasn't for the forced fumble by Tyrique Stevenson at the end of the second quarter when Jahmyr Gibbs took the ball inside the Bears 10 yard line, it probably would have ended in another TD for the Lions. Before that the Lions scored points the previous 4 drives, in the second half they scored in their next dive and then missed a FG, the Bears defense managed to stop them on two drives, one of them was a 3 and out. So yeah, they still did just enough, but just enough still is not enough.

Upside players: Kyler Gordon makes a big difference in this defense. Gervon Dexter sighting is always a good thing, making the pass rush relevant.

Downside players: When the pass rush is generated by the DTs and still there are no sacks generated, its a bad look for the EDGEs.

   Next up is a visit to the west coast against a familiar foe that are the 49ers who are struggling mightily to keep their players healthy, the defense might struggle because of this but the offense can still click even without Christian McCaffrey although he will be missed with good reasons. The Bears defense might be in its way to shift a bit in mentality with the coaching changes, the whole season they have been the bend but don't break unit that has kept games close for their offense to respond, but when they need the offense to shut the door they haven't been able to do it. Now with Erick Washington at the DC spot, I would like this defense to take more chances and execute the blitz packages more effective and often, its really frustrating to see blitzing LBs just get stuffed in the LOS and generate no pressure at all. Offensively is gong to be the main story and focus, will Thomas Brown be capable of transitioning from leading an offense to now lead a whole team and still keep the focus on elevating Caleb Williams game? This season is much over for this team, now is the time to focus on what works and who stays to get this team ready for next season, this organization still needs to get things done but at least there seems to be one thing that they finally FINALLY don't need to worry about and its the QB is set and ready to be build around him, DONT SCREW IT UP.

W14 picks

   Took a week of after one awful weekly prediction. What the hell Cowboys, you should be dead. I'm disappointed in the Bears, but real disappointments are the Falcons, Bengals and Jets. The NFC West would be the new NFC South if the NFC South would stop being the NFC South. Dolphins and Colts hanging to dear life. Texas are you OK? Can someone else beat the Chiefs for Pete's sake. On to next week.

Last week: 2-10 (16%)

Season overall: 37-125 (22%)

Browns (+7) @ Pittsburgh    (O43.5)

   Probably wrong going with the Browns but these two teams always seem to go to the wire when facing each other.

Jets @ Miami (-6)    (U44.5)

   The Dolphins are fighting for playoff hopes, the Jets are thinking offseason.

Falcons (+6) @ Minnesota    (U45.5)

   As bad as the Falcons have played, they are still a team with lots of talent that go toe to toe with every one, just cant get out of their own way.

Saints (-5) @ NY Giants    (O41)

   The Saints are still in the hunt while the Giants are experimenting with q QB carousel. 

Panthers (+13.5) @ Philadelphia     (O45)

   The Panthers have been playing better, still need to get more weapons. The Eagles are cruising to the post season thanks to Saquon Barkley.

Raiders @ Tampa Bay (-6.5)   (U46.5)

   The Raiders are still a good team with a big hole at QB, against a Bucks team that is getting their best player in Mike Evans back, there is no chance.

Jaguars (+3.5) @ Tennessee    (U40)

   Which coaching staff can keep their team fighting for nothing?

Seahawks @ Arizona (-2.5)    (O44.5)

   I don't know man, just toss the coin. The Seahawks are getting DK Metcalf back, but the Cardinals should still be the better team.

Bills (-3.5) @ LA Rams    (U49.5)

   Josh Allen is a man possessed, the Rams defensive front will have their hands full for this one.

Bears (+3) @ San Francisco    (O43.5)

   The Bears have new energy if the coaching change works for the better, the 49ers are still very banged up, the offense will have to make do to get the win.

Chargers (+4) @ Kansas City     (U43)

   The Chargers are a capable team, can they break the voodoo magic of the Chiefs, which is play a mistake free 4th quarter.

Bengals (-5.5) @ Dallas    (U49.5)

   The Cowboys cant continue winning like this can they?

W12 picks

   Had my personal best las week, still the BS is too much for me. I just cant with the Bears. The Saints are an impressive team, not necessarily a good one. The Patriots have something going, just not this year. The Broncos on the other hand are building something right now. The Cowboys, Jets and Falcons are so disappointing. The 49ers and Bengals just cant find a way to climb out the ditch they got in. The Chargers are not chargering. Thank you Bills. On to next week.

Last week: 6-6 (50%)

Season overall: 35-115 (23%)

Chiefs (-11) @ Carolina    (U43)

   The Chiefs are going to win, but I can never feel sure that they will be able to cover. They should.

Vikings (-3.5) @ Chicago    (U39.5)

   The Bears cant stop shooting themselves in the ass. The Vikings are playing solid football.

Patriots (+7) @ Miami    (O46)

   The Patriots are a whole different team with Drake Maye at QB, still don't have enough dudes to be relevant.

Lions (-7.5) @ Indianapolis    (U50)

   The Colts put up a good fight against any team, but these are the Lions who are very healthy and motivated.

Titans @ Houston (-7.5)    (O40.5)

   The Texans have been struggling, this game could bring back their mojo. the Titans are just not good with their defense missing players with injury.

Cowboys @ Washington (-10.5)    (U45)

   The Cowboys are done without Dak Prescott. The Commanders just keep getting better.

Buccaneers (-6) @ NY Giants    (O40.5)

   The Giants have entered the rebuild, time to get stomped by Baker Mayfield and a healthier Bucs team.

Broncos (-5.5) @ Las Vegas    (U41)

   The Broncos with Bo Nix have shown to be a team on the rise, contrary to the Raiders.

Cardinals @ Seattle (PK)    (U47.5)

   Both teams go hot and cold, playing in Seattle is never easy.

49ers @ Green Bay (-5.5)    (U44.5)

   The Packers get to play a very banged up 49ers team, lucky them.

Eagles (-3) @ LA Rams    (U49)

   The Eagles found out how to play defense, bad news for everyone.

Ravens @ LA Chargers (+2.5)    (U51)

   The Ravens just don't know how to end games, contrary to the Chargers that are growing as a team.

W11vsPackers: There's just no way

    Gut-wrenching loss to the Packers on the last seconds of the game by a blocked filed goal, the Bears just find new ways to lose these close games, it just getting too frustrating as a fan to cheer for this team. It was a game that few believe the Bears had a shot of winning and did just enough good things on offense and defense to make it close, but both had mental mistakes and bad luck to give the Packers the shot they needed to win and just break every Bears fans heart in a new way.

   The offense clicked faster than I would expected, new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown made it possible to help Caleb Williams get rid of the ball faster and let him get more positive yards with his legs, this opened up the running game and opened the door for the possible upset. Still, its only one game and its still a wait and see if Brown can adjust and mix it up so that next opponents wont catch up on tendencies he might present. Getting Rome Odunze more involved like on this last game is key for the improvement of this offense. Getting Cole Kmet back in this offense has to happen, he cant go more games with 2 or less catches. Giving the rock more to Roschon Johnson can change the tempo of the offense. Getting the Oline back in shape and limit the time they have to block can be good news overall.

Upside players: Willimas could have been the hero of this game if not for the blocked FG, his last three throws were pro caliber. Odunze has to see more balls thrown his way, he has everything to be the WR1.

Downside players: D.J. Moore looks to be playing hurt and just doesn't look as explosive. Not throwing to Kmet is just bad football.

   The defense played good enough but just slipped at the worst times, they made Christian Watson´s stat line look dominant with 2 big plays where the secondary just had a meltdown. They didn't blitz enough to help pressure the QB and they struggled to stop the run at the start of the game ,but managed to improve in the second half. It was an up and down game for this unit that once more did just enough for the offense to have a chance to finish it. Still, Matt Eberflus approach looks to be relying on the defense by limiting the offense to make a mistake, this just doesn't look to be helping the offense improve and its not like this defense is playing lights out with a bunch of three and outs, it has been playing to stop the big chunks and limit them to field goals, that wont give the offense better field position even with big punts by Tory Taylor and with an offense playing scared that struggles to move the ball, it just makes the defense play more and will get tired, its not a good formula.

Upside players: Kyler Gordon is a very important part of this defense in the run game. 

Downside players: The pass rush is still not where one would like, not enough pressures are being generated from the edges.

   Next up is a visit by the Vikings who are arguably playing better ball than the Packers. They are as well coached as the Packers, but have more firepower on offense with their pair of pro caliber receivers, while the defense is well schemed and can put any QB in a bind. The Bears will need to play better than they did against the Packers, they were close and another step forward could be enough to come up with the win, but that depend more than just the offense playing better, all three units need to be better prepared and that is the whole coaching staff getting all their player ready to execute and fight until the last second on the clock.