Week 6 Recap

BJ & Da’ Bears vs Loose Lucy

I fell six points short of a signature win on Monday night, but due to the result of the Bears/Commanders game, I am not all that upset.

Caleb Williams had an okay game, it could have been better had there not been a ticky-tack penalty on a TD pass to Rome Odunze. Williams has become a safe floor fantasy quarterback.

Unfortunately, my opponent’s second year QB had a bigger game. I lost the QB battle, 38-23.

I also lost the RB battle, 23-22, even though I played 3 RBs to my opponent’s two. Rachaad White had a great game but David Montgomery did not.

I inserted Rhamondre Stevenson into my starting lineup and listed him as one of the keys to my week. It failed miserably. It’s hard to trust any of New England’s running backs right now.

I did win the WR matchup, 20-4, but again I had one more WR in my lineup than my opponent. Rome Odunze had his worst week of the season, but he did have a TD called back by a questionable penalty. Without that penalty, I win this game.

Tetairoa McMillan had his breakout game, catching two touchdown passes against Dallas and putting up 16 fantasy points. Williams had more points, but I’m giving my MVP to McMillan.

Quentin Johnston was one of my keys to the week, unfortunately he was a late scratch. I kept Brian Thomas Jr on my bench for the second week in a row and he had his best fantasy week of the season. I considered putting him back into the lineup when Johnston was ruled out, unfortunately I did not and it cost me the game.

I listed Trey McBride as one of my keys, saying he needed to at least cancel out one of my opponent’s two tight ends. He did that, but I still lost the TE battle, 23-13.

Overall, RB, WR & TE were pretty close, I actually won those matchups by 5 points.

Kicker was pretty much a wash. We both needed to hit the waiver wire, my opponent won the kicker battle by 1 point.

My streamed defense, Las Vegas Raiders, outscored my opponent, 20-12.

This was a tough beat to a really good opponent. I had my chances. If I had chosen Brian Thomas Jr instead of Keon Coleman when Johnston was ruled out, I win.

If the Caleb Williams to Rome Odunze touchdown had stood, I win.

My team still has some issues, but they’ve actually been better than I expected. A couple breaks here and there and I could be right in the mix for a playoff spot.

Week 7 Preview

BJ & Da’ Bears vs The Tweedle Beetles

I face my nemesis this week. Early in our rivalry, I could never beat the Tweedle Beetles. No matter how good my team was, I always lost to them. In recent years, however, I’ve been able to right that ship.

This should be another tight game. I’m slightly favored, but we are pretty evenly matched. I catch a break with Derrick Henry being on bye, and I have no player of significance out.

Here’s my keys to this matchup:

1. Rome Odunze: Odunze is coming off his only dud of the season and has a plus matchup versus the Saints. I need him to bounce back. I have plenty of confidence he will. If not for a borderline penalty call, Odunze would have had another double digit fantasy week this past week.
2. Rachaad White: I need White to continue to take advantage of Bucky Irving’s absence. If he can even out Josh Jacobs’ production that would go a long way to securing a victory for me.
3. Tetairoa McMillan: McMillan had his first two NFL touchdowns this past week, and his highest fantasy output of the season. I need him to continue his breakthrough.
4. Trey McBride: McBride is also coming off his best fantasy week of the season and I need him to continue that trend. McBride needs to start winning the tight end battle for me on a consistent basis.

Week 6 Recap

Trash Pandas vs Cleveland Steamers

Well, I’m not going to dwell too long on this one. This was about as bad of a fantasy football performance as I’ve ever had. I pretty much knew I was going to lose by halftime of the one o’clock games.

It got so bad that I didn’t even bother replacing Cairo Santos at kicker when he was ruled out before kickoff on Monday night.

Justin Herbert was listed as my number one key to the week, and that’s about the only thing that went right. Herbert bounced back and he was the only guy in my lineup that actually produced.

Herbert actually outdueled Josh Allen and helped me win the QB battle, 26-20.

I lost the RB matchup, 26-14. Michael Carter was one of my keys, but he took a backseat to Bam Knight in the Cardinals’ backfield. Still, his 6 points were enough to equal Jahmyr Gibbs, who was thoroughly disappointing.

I nearly benched TreVeyon Henderson, but injuries forced me to put him in at flex. I was not rewarded.

Quentin Johnston was another of my keys, but he was unable to go. To make matters worse, Marvin Harrison got knocked out of the game with a concussion & Rome Odunze had a TD wiped out by a questionable penalty.

Brock Bowers, another of my keys, sat out another game. Mason Taylor didn’t replicate his week 5 output, as the Jets passing game was downright dreadful. I lost the TE battle, 23-0.

The signs for a bad week were there from Thursday night, when the Philadelphia Eagles defense managed to put up negative five points.

This was a thoroughly embarrassing effort. Everything that could go wrong, did, except Herbert rebounding for a solid game.

Short term memory, I need to move on to the next game.

Week 7 Preview

Trash Pandas vs Lancaster Lightning

Big matchup this week. I need to right this ship and get back to winning. This is also a division matchup and I’m 2-0 in the division thus far.

I’m a slight favorite, but I think we’re pretty evenly matched. We both have some injury questions. I’m unsure, as of this writing, if I’ll have Quentin Johnston, Marvin Harrison Jr or Brock Bowers available. My opponent may or may not have Puka Nucua available.

Here’s my keys to the week:

1. Jahmyr Gibbs: Gibbs has another high profile matchup against a tough opponent, but I need him to come through. He’s been mildly disappointing this season and I need him to to start putting up some big weeks.
2. TreVeyon Henderson: I need Henderson to take over that Patriots backfield, somehow, some way. I really don’t have any other viable option as my number two RB, Henderson needs to start putting up points.
3. Jordan Addison: I could list any of my WRs here, they were all bad last week. But, I’m pretty confident Rome Odunze bounces back. Quentin Johnston was out with an injury, so I’m hoping he’ll be back to his normal, productive self this week. I’m going with Addison as a key because I’ve made the decision to play him over Marvin Harrison Jr, make it pay, please.
4. Brock Bowers: Honestly, the troubles I’ve had with this team can all be traced to Bowers hurting his knee in week one. Bowers is a cheat code, when healthy. Plug and play and know I’m getting WR production from a TE. Instead, my TE position has been an abyss.

Another chaotic week in the NFL, the top three teams all lost. We’ve got a new number one team for the third week in a row. This one might prove to be short lived, too.

Last Week: #4, won vs #13 San Francisco, 30-19

It might end up being short lived, but the Buccaneers have earned the number one ranking thus far.

This Week: at #3 Detroit

Last Week: #6, won vs #24 Arizona, 31-27

I still expect the Daniel Jones bubble to burst, but there is no denying the Colts are playing very good football.

This Week: at #13 LA Chargers

Last Week: #1, lost at #11 Kansas City, 30-17

Losing on the road in KC should never drop you too far down the rankings. Big chance to move back up with a showdown against Tampa at home.

This Week: vs #1 Tampa Bay

Last Week: #7, won at #19 Baltimore, 17-3

The Rams have been a bit inconsistent, but they do have the talent to make some noise in the NFC.

This Week: vs #14 Jacksonville in London

Last Week: #5, won vs #30 Cincinnati, 27-18

Green Bay was dominant through two weeks, since not so much, but the talent is there.

This Week: at #25 Arizona

Last Week: #8, won vs #25 Cleveland, 23-9

I’m not sold on Pittsburgh being true contenders in the AFC, but they are in total control of their division.

This Week: at #30 Cincinnati

Last Week: #9, won vs #32 NY Jets in London, 13-11

Denver still has some work to do offense, but the defense is starting to be the dominant force many envisioned.

This Week: vs #22 NY Giants

Last Week: #2, lost at #27 NY Giants, 34-17

The Eagles have serious issues on offense, especially, but I think they’ll eventually get them figured out.

This Week: at #17 Minnesota

Last Week: #11, won vs #1 Detroit, 30-17

As other AFC elites are starting to show cracks, the Chiefs are starting to show fixes. Watch out.

This Week: vs #26 Las Vegas

Last Week: #3, lost at #20 Atlanta, 24-14

Buffalo’s defense will torpedo any Super Bowl aspirations they have.

This Week: BYE

Last Week: #14, won at Jacksonville, 20-12

The Seahawks are the NFL’s road warriors. They could make some real noise in the NFC.

This Week: vs #21 Houston

Last Week: #10, lost vs #17 Chicago, 25-24

Washington needs to get healthy and they need to clean up the sloppy ball handling, but they’re still in the mix.

Last Week: #15, won at #29 Miami, 29-27

It wasn’t as resounding as one would’ve hoped, but the Chargers did snap their two game skid.

This Week: vs #2 Indianapolis

Last Week: #12, lost vs #14 Seattle, 20-12

Jacksonville lost a tough one at home, have to go overseas for another tough matchup. This could define their season.

This Week: vs #4 LA Rams in London

Last Week: #17, won at #10 Washington, 25-24

The Bears have won three in a row and have a string of very winnable games upcoming.

This Week: vs #28 New Orleans

Last Week: #18, won at #26 New Orleans, 25-19

Patriots suddenly find themselves in first place and Drake Maye looks like a legit MVP candidate.

This Week: at #31 Tennessee

Last Week: #20, won vs #3 Buffalo, 24-14

Biggest win in Atlanta in years, the Falcons might have found a pass rush.

This Week: at #19 San Francisco

Last Week: #16, BYE

Minnesota should be healthier coming out of the bye.

This Week: vs #8 Philadelphia

Last Week: #13, lost at #4 Tampa Bay, 30-19

The Niners have endured a lot of injuries, but losing Fred Warner for the season could be the one that breaks them.

This Week: vs #17 Atlanta

Last Week: #23, won vs #22 Dallas, 30-27

Carolina has shown some growth over the last couple weeks.

This Week: at #32 NY Jets

Last Week: #21, BYE

Coming off their bye, the Texans have an uphill battle in the AFC and their division.

This Week: at #11 Seattle

Last Week: #27, won vs #2 Philadelphia, 34-17

Giants are coming off their biggest win in years, can they keep the momentum?

This Week: at #7 Denver

Last Week: #19, lost vs #7 LA Rams, 17-3

The Ravens’ free fall continues into the bye, but Lamar Jackson should return after.

This Week: BYE

Last Week: #22, lost at #23 Carolina, 30-27

Dallas is much better at home than on the road and that defense… Yikes.

This Week: vs #12 Washington

Last Week: #24, lost at #6 Indianapolis, 31-27

Cardinals almost pulled off a huge upset with their backup QB, but the losing streak reaches 4.

This Week: vs #5 Green Bay

Last Week: #31, won vs #28 Tennessee, 20-10

Vegas ended their losing streak and should get Brock Bowers back soon.

This Week: at #9 Kansas City

Last Week: #25, lost at #8 Pittsburgh, 23-9

Cleveland’s defense will keep them in most games, the offense needs to find something.

This Week: vs #29 Miami

Last Week: #26, lost vs #18 New England, 25-19

The Saints put up a fight every week, but they just don’t have the talent to pull off the wins.

This Week: at #15 Chicago

Last Week: #29, lost vs #15 LA Chargers, 29-27

Dolphins apparently have serious locker room problems, it translates onto the field.

This Week: at #27 Cleveland

Last Week: #30, lost vs #5 Green Bay, 27-19

Cincy looked better with Joe Flacco, but this still isn’t a good team without Joe Burrow.

This Week: vs #6 Pittsburgh

Last Week: #28, lost at #31 Las Vegas, 20-10

Tennessee fired their head coach, not sure if that will translate into any wins.

This Week: vs #16 New England

Last Week: #32, lost vs #9 Denver in London, 13-11

That was as terrible an offensive display as I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been a Bears fan for over 30 years.

This Week: vs #20 Carolina

There we have it, the first coaching casualty of 2025. My money was on Mike McDaniel in Miami, but the Tennessee Titans pulled the trigger first.

Tennessee has been bad, terrible even. There’s an argument to be made that they’re the worst team in the NFL, despite the New York Jets being the only winless team through six games.

The Titans lone win was the result of an epic collapse by the Arizona Cardinals, and two of the strangest plays you’ll ever see. In every other game, Tennessee has been almost completely uncompetitive.

As a Bears fan, I know exactly where the Titans are right now. They have a rookie, number one overall pick quarterback. Cam Ward is the franchise, everything Tennessee does has to be about maximizing his development and potential. When you come to the decision, as an organization, that the head coach is not the right guy to develop your prized quarterback, you have to get him out of the building without hesitation.

Ward is now the fourth consecutive number one overall pick quarterback to have his head coach fired midway through his rookie season. Trevor Lawrence, Bryce Young & Caleb Williams have all been where Cam Ward now is.

Ward and the Titans most closely resemble the situation with Chicago and Caleb Williams last year. Whereas Jacksonville & Carolina paired their prized rookie quarterbacks with new coaches and just chose the wrong ones, in the eyes of those respective organizations. Tennessee and Chicago, however, chose to retain their head coaches with the full knowledge that they’d be drafting a quarterback with the first overall pick.

The difference between Tennessee and Chicago is that in Chicago GM Ryan Poles had hired Matt Eberflus, in Tennessee GM Mike Borgonzi did not hire Brian Callahan. While I am not excusing Poles and the Bears not recognizing sooner that Eberflus was the wrong coach to pair with a prized rookie quarterback, perhaps there was loyalty and continuity concerns at play.

In Tennessee, those excuses don’t exist. Did ownership force Borgonzi to retain Callahan and not make his own choice for head coach? If so, that is just organizational malfeasance.

I hope, for Cam Ward’s sake, that Tennessee gets it right with their next head coach. I hope they give Borgonzi and his pick for head coach an ample chance to prove they can develop Ward and turn Tennessee around.

Last Week: 6-8 / 6-8

Season: 47-31 / 38-40

Philadelphia Eagles (-7.5) @ New York Giants

Jaxson Dart hasn’t seen a defense like this Philly defense.

Denver Broncos @ New York Jets (+7.5)

This game is in London. Jets will get a back door cover.

Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-4.5)

Cleveland played in London last week, returns to play in Pittsburgh. Rough.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Miami Dolphins (+4.5)

Long road trip for the Chargers, but Dolphins are exactly what they need for a get right game.

New England Patriots (-3.5) @ New Orleans Saints

Patriots cannot afford a let down after their biggest win in years.

Los Angeles Rams @ Baltimore Ravens (+7.5)

Even if Lamar Jackson returns, I like the Rams.

Arizona Cardinals @ Indianapolis Colts (-6.5)

Colts are for real. Cardinals are not.

Seattle Seahawks @ Jacksonville Jaguars (-1.5)

Tough road trip for Seattle. Jaguars are looking legit.

Dallas Cowboys (-3.5) @ Carolina Panthers

Dallas’ offense should be the difference here.

Tennessee Titans (+4.5) @ Las Vegas Raiders

Neither team is very good, I’ll go with the Raiders at home but I’m not laying more than a field goal.

San Francisco 49ers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5)

No matter what, Tampa Bay will find a way to get the win.

Cincinnati Bengals (+14.5) @ Green Bay Packers

I think the Packers win easily, but that’s a lot of points to lay.

Detroit Lions (+1.5) @ Kansas City Chiefs

I can see a wild shoot out here, but the Lions just have too much firepower.

Chicago Bears (+4.5) @ Washington Commanders

I was very close to picking the Bears outright, but I’ll settle for just picking a cover.

Buffalo Bills (-3.5) @ Atlanta Falcons

I expect Buffalo to bounce back in a big way.

BYES

Week 5 Recap

Trash Pandas vs Lanc Lanc Underdawgs

This is why you can never be overconfident in fantasy football. On paper this was a mismatch, and it turned out to be just that but completely in the opposite direction.

This blowout happened for two reasons; my team severely underperformed and my opponent had a couple guys go off.

Justin Herbert had another down week and I’m starting to wonder if I should alternate my QBs based on matchup. The Chargers have had a rash of injuries on their offense and they’re down to their third string running back. Maybe that bodes well for Herbert’s fantasy outlook as they may rely on the passing game.

Jahmyr Gibbs wasn’t bad, but he had a very favorable matchup and I had hoped he would have had bigger week. TreVeyon Henderson was nearly non existent and it may be time to put him on my bench. Michael Carter was a waiver wire pick up and a flex play. He responded with a nice game, equaling Gibbs’ fantasy output.

Unfortunately, I lost the RB matchup 50-30, even though I had 3 RBs to my opponent’s 2. Rico Dowdle had a monster game for my opponent.

I lost the WR battle even worse, 57-13. Quentin Johnston had his worst game of the season. Marvin Harrison Jr had a decent game, but didn’t find the end zone. Ja’Marr Chase had a huge game, mostly in garbage time, for my opponent. Chase, alone, nearly outscored all my RBs & WRs combined.

Brock Bowers was a late scratch and I picked up Mason Taylor at TE. Taylor actually had a pretty good week, putting up 9 points. That’s the most points I’ve gotten out of my TE since week one.

I’m giving Carter my MVP for week 5.

This one was really all about Rico Dowdle & Ja’Marr Chase. Those were two of the highest scoring players on the week in the entire NFL. Even if my guys hadn’t underperformed, I’m not sure I could have overcome that.

Week 6 Preview

Trash Pandas vs Cleveland Steamers

I’m a slight favorite in this matchup, but I’m a little nervous. My main concern is Josh Allen. I’ve gone up against Allen too many times when he’s put up monster numbers.

On paper, I have the advantage just about everywhere, but we saw how that played out last week.

My keys to this week:

1. Justin Herbert: Herbert was a top five fantasy QB through three games, but he’s fallen to just a fringe starter. I’m sticking with him because of matchup this week (vs Miami) and I need him to produce. The Chargers are down to their third and fourth RBs, they should be leaning heavily on the passing game.
2. Quentin Johnston: Johnston had his first dud of 2025. I need him to bounce back this week. He’s got a great matchup and as I said when talking about Herbert, the Chargers should be leaning on the passing game.
3. Michael Carter: I’m finally making the move and benching TreVeyon Henderson, despite a plus matchup. I’m banking on Carter being the lead back in Arizona.
4. Brock Bowers: I really hope an extra week of rest allows Bowers to return to form. He hasn’t been himself since week one. The Raiders are a mess, but a return to form for Bowers could help, a lot.

Week 5 Recap

BJ & Da’ Bears vs Off the Post

I put up the most points in the league this week, yet I still had to sweat it out on Monday night because my opponent was #2 in points scored.

With Caleb Williams on bye, I turned to Justin Fields at QB. For most of the game it looked bad, but Fields ended up putting up good numbers in garbage time including 2 TD passes & 2 two point conversions. Fields ended up with a solid 25 fantasy points.

My running backs came through big time this week. David Montgomery had his best week while in my starting lineup. Scoring a TD on the ground and throwing for another on a halfback option. Montgomery had 21 fantasy points.

Bucky Irving’s injury was a stroke of luck for me. I quickly inserted Rachaad White into my lineup and was rewarded with 2 rushing TDs & 19 fantasy points.

I won the RB position 43-28 and I needed it because my WRs had a bad week with Rome Odunze on bye. Tetairoa McMillan & Keon Coleman each had 7 fantasy points, which is okay, but Quentin Johnston had his worst outing of the season with only 2 points. I lost the WR position 52-16.

I listed Brian Thomas Jr among my keys to the week, but then made the decision to bench him. Even with losing the WR battle, I do not regret the move as Thomas only had 5 fantasy points.

Trey McBride had another pedestrian effort and got beat by Travis Kelce, 13-4.

While Justin Fields gets my MVP for week 5, the real difference was made at kicker and team defense. Ka’imi Fairbairn won the kicking battle for me, 24-10 & I streamed the Indianapolis Colts defense, which put up 22 fantasy points compared to my opponent’s 12.

I expected a close contest this week, but I didn’t expect it to be a high scoring shoot out. I feel for my opponent, I’ve been there. It sucks to have a great fantasy week only to be matched up with someone that has a slightly better one.

My team is right in the mix, and more importantly I seem to be past the managerial mistakes that plagued me earlier.

Week 6 Preview

BJ & Da’Bears vs Loose Lucy

This week I get the only undefeated team left in our league. I’m a slight underdog, but I think I have a chance as my opponent has some bye week issues and a key injury to deal with.

Both of us will be hitting the waiver wire for kickers this week, me because of a bye, my opponent because of an injury. I have waiver priority, so…?

My keys for this week:

1. Quentin Johnston: Johnston has been a fantasy revelation this season, but he’s coming off his worst outing. The Chargers offense is ravaged by injuries and has been out of sorts the last two weeks. A hefty bounce back week from Johnston would be huge.
2. Trey McBride: My first two draft picks, Brian Thomas Jr & McBride, have been major busts thus far. Thomas has already been relegated to my bench. Unfortunately, I don’t have a viable alternative or McBride might join him. My opponent is likely to run out two tight ends in this matchup. It would be nice if McBride could at least cancel one of them out.
3. Rhamondre Stevenson: I stuck with TreVeyon Henderson longer than I probably should have, but I’ve finally made the move and put Stevenson into my lineup. The Patriots seem determined to keep Stevenson as the lead back and I need him to reward that faith and reward me for making the switch.
4. Kicker: Ka’imi Fairbairn is on bye so I’m hitting the waiver wire. My targets, in order, are Jacksonville’s Cam Little, Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell & the Rams’ Joshua Karty. Whoever I end up with needs to be the right one. Oh, and I’ve protected Fairbairn by keeping him on my roster during his bye week.

Only the most delusional of Bears fans didn’t expect some ups and downs in Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach. We’ve had exactly that through four games.

The opening loss to Minnesota was frustrating because it felt all too familiar. The Bears dominated for three quarters, but offensive inconsistency and momentary defensive lapses allowed the Vikings to stay within striking distance. And then they did.

The Bears gave away a game they should’ve won. They couldn’t put away a defeated opponent and they let victory slip away, like so many times under Matt Eberflus.

Unfortunately, the following game against Detroit also resembled the Eberflus era. The Bears seemed wholly unprepared and were humiliated by the Lions.

In the first sign that this is a new era of Bears football, Ben Johnson took full accountability. He vowed that things would change and he kept his promise.

The Dallas game might have been the Bears best offensive display since the short lived glory days of the Marc Trestman era.

Caleb Williams played perhaps his best game as a professional and for the first time in his NFL career, he didn’t suffer a single sack.

The Bears squandered an early lead, and I cannot be the only fan that thought “here we go, again”. These Bears, however, are different.

After taking the lead back, the Bears then engineered a great drive to end the first half with a touchdown and a ten point lead. Then, early in the second half, the Bears embarked on a soul crushing, run heavy, time consuming drive culminating in Williams’ fourth touchdown pass.

With the help of an opportunistic defense, the Bears were able to salt away the game and claim the first victory of the Ben Johnson era.

As enjoyable as that victory was, it was the win in Las Vegas that truly made me believe that we are in a new era of Chicago Bears football.

The Bears offense was inconsistent and they lacked any semblance of an effective running game. They nearly allowed Maxx Crosby to take over the game.

Defensively, they were gashed by the Raiders running game. But, they also proved to be opportunistic, once again.

The Bears persevered. Williams made some big throws and used his legs to great effect, when needed. They took the lead late, but failed on the two point conversion that would’ve put them in a more comfortable position. They also left too much time on the clock.

To complicate matters, they gave up a long kickoff return, putting the Raiders in excellent position to win the game.

I have been jaded by past Bears disappointments. I was ready to hang my head in defeat. The Bears had been unable to fully capitalize on the four turnovers they had created and now they were about to lose a game they should have won.

But…

Kevin Byard, in addition to his two interceptions, came up with a huge run stuff on third and short, forcing the Raiders to attempt a long game winning field goal.

Then it happened.

Josh Blackwell shot off the edge, launched himself through the air and blocked the kick!

After having our hearts ripped out many times in exactly this fashion, it was glorious to see the Bears do it to another fan base. This team is learning how to win.

I’m Happy With:

• Caleb Williams- This season was always about Williams’ development. It hasn’t always been smooth, but the growth has been evident. He’s been more decisive, more accurate on his deep passes and playing more within structure. He’s missed some throws and some reads, but with each game you can see his grasp of this offense improving. I have little doubt that the Bears have their franchise quarterback and that Caleb Williams will rewrite the Bears passing record books.
• Rome Odunze- Odunze’s ascension to WR1 has been glorious to behold. The chemistry between him and Williams is obvious and it’s great to see him being used in proper fashion. With all due respect to Brandon Marshall & DJ Moore, Odunze may go down as the best WR in Bears history.
• Tyrique Stevenson- Kyler Gordon hasn’t played a single down this season and Jaylon Johnson played less than a half, yet the Bears secondary has held their own, despite a distinct lack of pass rush. Stevenson has been a big reason for that. He was awful down the stretch last season and got off to a rough start this year, but he’s turned it around the last couple weeks. The Bears needed him to step up in Johnson’s absence and it bodes well for their future if Stevenson can become 1B to Johnson’s 1A on the corners.

• Ben Johnson- I was ecstatic when the Bears hired Ben Johnson to replace Matt Eberflus as head coach. After four games, I’m entirely convinced he’s the right man for the job. Week one felt all too familiar with an inexcusable collapse. Week two saw the Bears thoroughly unprepared and outplayed, but unlike past years, the head coach took responsibility and vowed change. He’s delivered since. Johnson’s offensive genius was never in doubt, there were questions about whether he had the gravitas to be the head coach. In my mind, he’s answered that question and the team is buying in. It’s nice to see a coach looking pissed off on the sideline than one with a thoroughly confused look like Eberflus often wore.

I’m Concerned About:

• The Running Game- The Bears had that one great drive against Dallas where they leaned on the running game, beyond that they’ve produced little on the ground outside of Caleb Williams scrambles. The offensive line has been decent thus far, so I think the problem lies with the running back position. In Detroit, Ben Johnson had Jahmyr Gibbs & David Montgomery, aka Sonic & Knuckles. The Bears don’t have anything close to that. D’Andre Swift can be electric in space, but he’s not proven to be an effective between the tackles runner. There’s been talk of the Bears looking for a better lead back on the trade market, but I don’t think that’s necessary or likely, due to the cost. Instead, I think rookie Kyle Monangai should be given a greater share of the carries. He’s the type of physical between the tackles runner that can wear down a defense and open up the passing game even more. They will never be Sonic & Knuckles, but Swift & Monangai could be an effective duo, if used in a more balanced fashion.

• The Defensive Line- The Bears run defense has been especially bad thus far, and they’ve generated little pass rush. They’ve been bailed out in the passing game by the play of the secondary, but I fear their inability to stop the run could prove fatal to any postseason hopes we may have. Help is on the way, however. Linebacker TJ Edwards should finally make his season debut which should help the run defense. Defensive end Austin Booker is eligible to come off IR, which helps the pass rush. Meanwhile, the return of nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon will boost their run & pass defense.
• DJ Moore & Cole Kmet- This pains me because Moore & Kmet have been two of my favorite Bears for the last couple of years (hell, I even have a DJ Moore jersey), but neither have developed the chemistry with Caleb Williams that they had with Justin Fields. It’s also obvious that neither are a priority in Ben Johnson’s scheme. They’ll become less of a priority as rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III become a bigger part of the offense. At this point, I would not be surprised if neither Moore or Kmet are on this team next season. Both make too much money to be, at best, the third and fourth options in the passing game. Moore, I think, has a good chance of being moved before this year’s trade deadline.
• Left Tackle- It appears as if Braxton Jones has lost his starting job, but I have concerns about whether Theo Benedet can hold up at left tackle. I find myself wondering if Darnell Wright can make the switch to the left side because I think the Bears best tackle combination could be Wright and rookie Ozzy Trapilo.

Looking Ahead:

The Bears have an opportunity to show the NFL they’re a different team over the next few weeks. They’ve got a string of winnable games and how they fare could define the first year of the Ben Johnson era.

• @ Washington Commanders- The site and the foe that turned their season upside down last year. The second battle between the first and second picks of the 2024 draft. A chance at redemption, a chance to change the narrative surrounding the Chicago Bears. It won’t be easy, but the Bears can win this.
• vs New Orleans Saints- Flat out, this is a must win game. The Saints are one of the least talented teams in the league and it’s in Chicago. The Saints play hard, but the Bears must win this one.
• @ Baltimore Ravens- The Ravens season has been a disaster thus far, but if Lamar Jackson is healthy you have to believe they’ll turn it around. Two weeks ago, I would have written this down as a loss and just hoped the Bears didn’t embarrass themselves. Now, there’s at least a sliver of hope.
• @ Cincinnati Bengals- Before the season started, I thought the Bears wouldn’t be able to slow down the Bengals offense enough to pull this one out. However, Joe Burrow will be out until at least December and Cincy is barely competitive without him. The Bengals defense is suspect and the Bears ball hawking defense should enjoy facing Jake Browning.
• vs New York Giants- The Giants got a bit of a boost by inserting Jaxson Dart into the starting lineup, but like a lot of rookie QBs, he showed some questionable ball security in his second start. The Giants will also be without their best offensive weapon in Malik Nabers. New York does have a fierce pass rush, but with this one in Chicago, I feel the Bears should prevail.

I think the Bears should, at minimum, go 3-2 over the next five and I think there is a pretty good chance they go 4-1. That would leave them at 5-4 or 6-3 heading into the rematch with Minnesota, Five wins would also match their total from last season.

The third quarter of their schedule is tough, but heading into it above .500 should boost their confidence.

Random NFL Thoughts:

• Most Surprising Team: Indianapolis Colts- I’m still not a believer in Daniel Jones, but I am a believer in Jonathan Taylor and the Colts. They’re possibly a boneheaded Adonai Mitchell play away from being the only undefeated team in the NFL.
• Most Disappointing Team: Baltimore Ravens- Even before Lamar Jackson’s injury, the Ravens haven’t looked like the juggernaut I believed them to be when I picked them to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. The defense has gotten shredded in every game except versus Cleveland. Derrick Henry has had uncharacteristic fumble issues. Baltimore has issues, but they remain a dangerous team, for now.

• MVP: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills- Right now, I think Allen is the favorite to repeat as MVP, but I think Baker Mayfield is a strong contender. Daniel Jones is probably number two, for now, but I still expect him to falter. A dark horse candidate could be New England QB Drake Maye.

• Offensive Rookie of the Year: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Egbuka has been sensational and has already established himself as Tampa’s new WR1.

• Defensive Rookie of the Year: Abdul Carter, EDGE, New York Giants– Carter has been as good as advertised and has fueled rumors of Kayvon Thibodeaux being on the trade block.
• New Super Bowl Pick: Philadelphia Eagles over Buffalo Bills- I picked Philly over Baltimore before the season and I still think the Eagles are the favorite. I think they’ll eventually figure things out on offense and the defense is elite. Buffalo is me default pick in the AFC due to Baltimore’s collapse, but I have reservations about whether or not the Bills can overcome the Kansas City Chiefs when it matters.

What a wild week in the NFL. Four of the top five teams in the rankings lost. New Orleans and Tennessee both got their first wins of the season. There are no undefeated teams and only one winless team. We have a new number one:

Last Week: #3, won at #29 Cincinnati, 37-24

The Lions are showing that week one was an aberration. They’ve been in total control since.

This Week: at #11 Kansas City

Last Week: #1, lost vs #14 Denver, 21-17

Philly blew a double digit lead and the offense is completely out of sorts, but I have to believe they’ll figure it out and that defense is elite.

This Week: at #27 NY Giants

Last Week: #2, lost vs #21 New England, 23-20

Not only did Buffalo lose for the first time, they may have gotten a serious challenger for division supremacy.

This Week: at #20 Atlanta

Last Week: #6, won at Seattle, 38-35

All four of their wins have been fourth quarter comebacks. The Buccaneers just have a will to win.

This Week: vs #13 San Francisco

Last Week: #8, BYE

Packers benefit from the attrition in front of them on their bye week.

This Week: vs #30 Cincinnati

Last Week: #12, won vs #27 Las Vegas, 40-6

I still don’t wholly believe in Daniel Jones, but I do believe in Jonathan Taylor and the Colts.

This Week: vs #24 Arizona

Last Week: #4, lost vs #16 San Francisco, 26-23

Rams fell to division rival and into second place in their division, but I ultimately believe they’ll win said division.

This Week: at #19 Baltimore

Last Week: #10, BYE

Pittsburgh has a clear path to the division title and another post season berth.

This Week: vs #25 Cleveland

Last Week: #14, won at #1 Philadelphia, 21-17

Denver came back from 14 down in the fourth quarter against the defending champions in what may be Bo Nix’s signature win.

This Week: vs #32 NY Jets in London

Last Week: #11, won at #7 LA Chargers, 27-10

The Commanders were dominant on the road in Jayden Daniels’ return from injury.

This Week: vs #17 Chicago

Last Week: #5, lost at #15 Jacksonville, 31-28

The Chiefs don’t seem to have the same aura around them anymore and the schedule doesn’t get easier.

This Week: vs #1 Detroit

Last Week: #15, won vs #5 Kansas City, 31-28

It might be time to start believing in Jacksonville as legit contenders.

This Week: vs #14 Seattle

Last Week: #16, won at #4 LA Rams, 26-23

The Niners injury list keeps me from elevating them into the top ten, but I may have to soon.

This Week: at #4 Tampa Bay

Last Week: #9, lost vs #6 Tampa Bay, 38-35

Seattle stood toe to toe with Tampa, but they need to find a way to win those games if they want a shot at the NFC West crown.

This Week: at #12 Jacksonville

Last Week: #7, lost vs #11 Washington, 27-10

The Chargers have looked nothing like the team they were in the first 3 weeks, and now the injuries are mounting.

This Week: vs #29 Miami

Last Week: #18, won vs #24 Cleveland in London, 21-17

The Vikings need to find some offensive consistency if they’re to contend in the tough NFC North.

This Week: BYE

Last Week: #17, BYE

The Bears get a shot a redemption coming out of the break, and they should get some key defenders back.

This Week: at #10 Washington

Last Week: #21, won at #2 Buffalo, 23-20

The Patriots look like they may be ready to surge up the rankings.

This Week: at #26 New Orleans

Last Week: #13, lost vs #22 Houston, 44-10

Lamar Jackson’s return will help, but it won’t fix the Baltimore defense.

This Week: vs #7 LA Rams

Last Week: #20, BYE

Did the Falcons figure out a fix to their inconsistency over the break?

This Week: vs #3 Buffalo

Last Week: #22, won at #13 Baltimore, 44-10

Too soon to tell if Houston has righted the ship, but they’ve won two in a row heading into a break.

This Week: BYE

Last Week: #23, won at #30 NY Jets, 37-22

Dallas had their most dominating victory of the season, albeit against the lowly Jets.

This Week: at #23 Carolina

Last Week: #25, won vs #28 Miami, 27-24

The Panthers are one of the more inconsistent teams in the NFL.

This Week: vs #22 Dallas

Last Week: #19, lost vs #32 Tennessee, 22-21

Simply an inexcusable loss to Tennessee. Arizona is far removed from their 2-0 start.

This Week: at #6 Indianapolis

Last Week: #24, lost vs #18 Minnesota in London, 21-17

No bye after a London game, on the road vs Pittsburgh. The NFL hates Cleveland.

This Week: at #8 Pittsburgh

Last Week: #31, won vs #26 NY Giants, 26-14

The Saints came from behind to get their first victory of the season.

This Week: vs #18 New England

Last Week: #26, lost at #31 New Orleans, 26-14

The Giants fell back to earth after the first win of the Jaxson Dart era with a turnover fest in the Big Easy.

This Week: vs #2 Philadelphia

Last Week: #32, won at #19 Arizona, 22-21

The first win in the Cam Ward era was a wild one, Tennessee should fall back to earth now.

This Week: at #31 Las Vegas

Last Week: #28, lost at #25 Carolina, 27-24

Miami did what bad teams do, squandered a game they could have won on the road.

This Week: vs #15 LA Chargers

Last Week: #29, lost vs #3 Detroit, 37-24

Cincy flashed some offense with the game well out of hand, but they might not win a single game without Joe Burrow.

This Week: at #5 Green Bay

Last Week: #27, lost at #12 Indianapolis, 40-6

Vegas has no identity right now, and little fight.

This Week: vs #28 Tennessee

Last Week: #30, lost vs #23 Dallas, 37-22

The Jets are the least disciplined and poorly coached team in the NFL.

This Week: vs #9 Denver

Last Week: 8-8 / 5-11

Season: 41-23 / 32-32

San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams (-6.5)

I expect the Rams to start taking control of the NFC West with this game.

Minnesota Vikings @ Cleveland Browns (+3.5)

This game is in London. Because they stayed overseas this week, I think the Vikings have the advantage.

Houston Texans (-2.5) @ Baltimore Ravens

The Texans benefit from Baltimore’s nightmare season. If Lamar Jackson could play this pick would be different.

New York Giants @ New Orleans Saints (-1.5)

Saints have fought hard all season, they’ll be rewarded with their first victory against an overconfident New York.

Denver Broncos @ Philadelphia Eagles (-3.5)

Denver is no match for Philly on the road.

Dallas Cowboys @ New York Jets (+2.5)

Dallas is a different team on the road. The Jets will take advantage of a porous defense to get their first win.

Las Vegas Raiders (+6.5) @ Indianapolis Colts

Indy should bounce back from their first loss, but Vegas will keep it close.

Miami Dolphins @ Carolina Panthers (-1.5)

Miami is coming off their first win, Carolina is coming off an ugly loss. Still I like the Panthers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3.5) @ Seattle Seahawks

Seattle has a chance to establish themselves as legitimate contenders and they will.

Tennessee Titans (+7.5) @ Arizona Cardinals

Getting the lowly Titans at home is exactly what Arizona needs to end their 2 game skid.

Washington Commanders @ Los Angeles Chargers (-2.5)

The Chargers will bounce back from a terrible loss.

Detroit Lions (-10.5) @ Cincinnati Bengals

This one will get ugly, fast. Detroit rolls.

New England Patriots (+7.5) @ Buffalo Bills

Patriots aren’t quite ready to slay the dragon, but they’ll put up a decent fight versus Buffalo.

Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars

It certainly appears as if the Chiefs are back. I cannot pick against them.

BYES