2025-26 NFL Season Thread

[Quin]

4 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Mevis has the body of a professional bowler.  🤣

Hey, the Thickness (unfortunately) gets it done.

[pettie4sox]

GG... Great season... let's hope the organization builds from here.

[Tony]

1 minute ago, Kyyle23 said:

Hats off to an incredible season that looks like the start of something special 

Correct take 

[WhiteSox2023]

2 minutes ago, Quin said:

Why did they not ice him?

Johnson must not believe in icing the kicker like he doesn’t believe in field goals.

[fathom]

1 minute ago, Kyyle23 said:

Hats off to an incredible season that looks like the start of something special 

Just a crazy, crazy season.  Way more entertaining than it had any right to be.

[WhiteSox2023]

1 minute ago, fathom said:

Just a crazy, crazy season.  Way more entertaining than it had any right to be.

Yep.  Also not sure I’d want to have to see any team face Seattle’s defense.

[fathom]

1 minute ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Yep.  Also not sure I’d want to have to see any team face Seattle’s defense.

Couldn’t be less interested in the remaining 4 teams

[SoCalChiSox]

Great season and a bright future for you guys. 

[MexSoxFan#1]

Funny that the D stepped up tonight, Caleb threw too many picks, WRs dropped too many passes, couldn't convert on short yardage situations and BJ left too many points on the field. Oh well, Seattle is the best team in the NFC and I hope they destroy this Rams team.

[fathom]

1 minute ago, MexSoxFan#1 said:

Funny that the D stepped up tonight, Caleb threw too many picks, WRs dropped too many passes, couldn't convert on short yardage situations and BJ left too many points on the field. Oh well, Seattle is the best team in the NFC and I hope they destroy this Rams team.

There was just no creativity on the short yardage plays.  

[Quin]

4 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

Hats off to an incredible season that looks like the start of something special 

+100

Still bummed. But build off this year so they don't have to rely on the mandate of heaven.

[southsider2k5]

The kicker that won the game from the Rams is also an Indiana kid.  He walked off against my HS with a 51 yard game winner.

[chw42]

Obviously amazing season. 

But man...to get that TD to send the game to OT and then fumble the game on that interception. That hurts. I'm not sure this team had what it takes to go win next week in Seattle, but you play the games for a reason. I bet nobody thought this defense could hold Stafford and the Rams to 17 points over 4 quarters. If you had told me that before the game, I would have guaranteed that we'd win. The offense just could not convert key 4th downs in the first half. That pick in OT was probably on Moore. We don't know what the play is, but I don't think Caleb just throws it up there like that if he didn't think Moore was going to break his route off. DJ's kind of known for improvising at the worst times, but he played a great game before that today. That's just part of the DJ Moore experience I guess. 

[Lip Man 1]

Well...you can't keep relying on luck to bail you out and it finally caught up with them.

So be it.

They had an impressive season but they aren't close to being a championship contender yet.

What do they need to do next to move closer to that goal?

Just my opinion:

1A. Williams has to stay healthy and keep progressing. he made some big mistakes tonight but it was his first playoff experience.

1B. The Bears have to beg, borrow, steal, trade draft picks, sign free agents whatever they need to do and bring in some game wreckers on defense. Period. Guys opponents have to specifically game plan for (and fear). The defense played out of their minds tonight but that hasn't been the case for most of the season. Again you can't keep expecting to force 2-3 turnovers a game.  

2. I think part of the reason Johnson doesn't go for field goals much is because Santos isn't capable of kicking home 55-60 yarders regularly. He doesn't have the leg for it. Go out and kind a kicker who can. They seem to be all over the place expect in Chicago. 

It will be an interesting off season.  

Edited 1 hour ago by Lip Man 1

[Lip Man 1]

8 minutes ago, fathom said:

There was just no creativity on the short yardage plays.  

It's called Tush Push, why don't the Bears use it?

[WhiteSox2023]

2 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Well...you can't keep relying on luck to bail you out and it finally caught up with them.

So be it.

They had an impressive season but they aren't close to be a championship contender yet.

What do they need to do next to move closer to that goal?

Just my opinion:

1A. Williams has to stay healthy and keep progressing. he made some big mistakes tonight but it was his first playoff experience.

1B. The Bears have to beg, borrow, steal, trade draft picks, sign free agents whatever they need to do and bring in some game wreckers on defense. Period. Guys opponents have to specifically game plan for (and fear). The defense played out of their minds tonight but that hasn't been the case for most of the season. Again you can't keep expecting to force 2-3 turnovers a game.  

2. I think part of the reason Johnson doesn't go for field goals much is because Santos isn't capable of kicking home 55-60 yarders regularly. He doesn't have the leg for it. Go out and kind a kicker who can. They seem to be all over the place expect in Chicago. 

It will be an interesting off season.  

A legitimate pass rusher is the #1 need.

Didn’t Johnson pass on a field goal when they were on the 20 yard line?

[chw42]

5 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Well...you can't keep relying on luck to bail you out and it finally caught up with them.

So be it.

They had an impressive season but they aren't close to be a championship contender yet.

What do they need to do next to move closer to that goal?

Just my opinion:

1A. Williams has to stay healthy and keep progressing. he made some big mistakes tonight but it was his first playoff experience.

1B. The Bears have to beg, borrow, steal, trade draft picks, sign free agents whatever they need to do and bring in some game wreckers on defense. Period. Guys opponents have to specifically game plan for (and fear). The defense played out of their minds tonight but that hasn't been the case for most of the season. Again you can't keep expecting to force 2-3 turnovers a game.  

2. I think part of the reason Johnson doesn't go for field goals much is because Santos isn't capable of kicking home 55-60 yarders regularly. He doesn't have the leg for it. Go out and kind a kicker who can. They seem to be all over the place expect in Chicago. 

It will be an interesting off season.  

I'd actually argue the Bears had terrible turnover luck in the playoffs. They forced 6 fumbles in the last 2 games and recovered none of them. Stafford also had 2-3 tipped passes that didn't get intercepted. All the turnover luck they had in the regular season just went away. They also threw 2 picks cause the receivers ran the wrong route and another one was because the main receiver slipped on 4th down. 

Edited 1 hour ago by chw42

[MexSoxFan#1]

2 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

It's called Tush Push, why don't the Bears use it?

Philly uses it because Hurts is a big strong QB. Caleb's strength is his quickness and speed, Johnson has to create short yardage plays extending a defense and letting Caleb get the first down with his athleticism and throw in plays where he can either use his legs or throw down field for a bigger play...

[chw42]

14 minutes ago, fathom said:

There was just no creativity on the short yardage plays.  

The scariest part of watching the Bears offense isn't when they face 3rd and forever, it's when it's 3rd/4th and short. We just can't consistently hit in the quick game. The fact that Ben keeps going for it in these situations just makes it worse. 

[Lip Man 1]

4 minutes ago, chw42 said:

I'd actually argue the Bears had terrible turnover luck in the playoffs. They forced 6 fumbles in the last 2 games and recovered none of them. Stafford also had 2-3 tipped passes that didn't get intercepted. All the turnover luck they had in the regular season just went away. They also threw 2 picks cause the receivers ran the wrong route and another one was because the main receiver slipped on 4th down. 

When you come from behind eight times including tonight in the last 2:00 minutes of a game to win or tie, that's a lot of luck involved. Something like that you'd expect to happen once or twice. Eight times?

That defies the law of averages, which is why it's never happened before in the history of the NFL.

[fathom]

2 minutes ago, MexSoxFan#1 said:

Philly uses it because Hurts is a big strong QB. Caleb's strength is his quickness and speed, Johnson has to create short yardage plays extending a defense and letting Caleb get the first down with his athleticism and throw in plays where he can either use his legs or throw down field for a bigger play...

Simple read option 

[chw42]

1 minute ago, fathom said:

Simple read option 

That Bo Nix injury yesterday is probably why they don't put Caleb on designed runs more often. 

[Lip Man 1]

2 minutes ago, MexSoxFan#1 said:

Philly uses it because Hurts is a big strong QB. Caleb's strength is his quickness and speed, Johnson has to create short yardage plays extending a defense and letting Caleb get the first down with his athleticism and throw in plays where he can either use his legs or throw down field for a bigger play...

Williams converted two short yardage situations tonight on his own. He's more than big and strong enough.

He's got better odds doing that then pitching the ball back to a running back five yards behind the line of scrimmage. (as was shown tonight as well)

[fathom]

3 minutes ago, chw42 said:

The scariest part of watching the Bears offense isn't when they face 3rd and forever, it's when it's 3rd/4th and short. We just can't consistently hit in the quick game. The fact that Ben keeps going for it in these situations just makes it worse. 

No problem in this game with each time they went for it.

[chw42]

3 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

When you come from behind eight times including tonight in the last 2:00 minutes of a game to win or tie, that's a lot of luck involved. Something like that you'd expect to happen once or twice. Eight times?

That defies the law of averages, which is why it's never happened before in the history of the NFL.

I mean yeah, but I'd argue that we were in those situations because the defense couldn't generate turnovers when they did the hardest part (force the fumbles).