2025-26 NFL Season Thread

[Lip Man 1]

2 minutes ago, chw42 said:

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

Fluke injury, it happens. Williams can also get hurt anytime he steps on the field.

You have to measure that against the number of times in critical situations when you can't convert on 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1.  

[chw42]

2 minutes ago, fathom said:

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

I honestly thought they should have taken the points on the first drive. But the problem with that drive was Odunze short arming the TD he should have caught. 

[WhiteSox2023]

Completely unrelated but I watched Stafford’s postgame interview and could not help but notice his ridiculous fake teeth.  The dude is worth over $150 million and can’t buy a better set of veneers than those?  I found this thread on Reddit from a year ago and someone just updated it tonight with the comment, “whiter than the snow tonight.”  🤣

 

Edited 4 hours ago by WhiteSox2023

[Lip Man 1]

2 minutes ago, chw42 said:

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). 

Again that another luck situation. How many times can you keep expecting to force 2-3-4 turnovers a game like they did this year which is why bringing in some game wreckers on defense has to be a priority this off season. 

[fathom]

1 minute ago, chw42 said:

I honestly thought they should have taken the points on the first drive. But the problem with that drive was Odunze short arming the TD he should have caught. 

I’m sure Johnson didn’t think it would be a game where field goals help you beat the Rams offense.  And yes, all the main receivers/Loveland had issues tonight.

[chw42]

1 minute ago, fathom said:

I’m sure Johnson didn’t think it would be a game where field goals help you beat the Rams offense.  And yes, all the main receivers/Loveland had issues tonight.

Loveland was so dependable all year, but he had some absolutely terrible drops in the first half. At this point, I expect Rome to not come up with the tough catches. He plays like he's a much smaller receiver way too often. He's basically Chase Claypool without the personality and attitude issues. 

[Quin]

4 minutes ago, chw42 said:

Loveland was so dependable all year, but he had some absolutely terrible drops in the first half. At this point, I expect Rome to not come up with the tough catches. He plays like he's a much smaller receiver way too often. He's basically Chase Claypool without the personality and attitude issues. 

To be fair to Rome, he's had a fractured foot for a while.

[chw42]

1 minute ago, Quin said:

To be fair to Rome, he's had a fractured foot for a while.

Yeah I get that, but even prior to the injury, he was trending in the wrong direction after a good start to the season. 

[fathom]

12 minutes ago, chw42 said:

Loveland was so dependable all year, but he had some absolutely terrible drops in the first half. At this point, I expect Rome to not come up with the tough catches. He plays like he's a much smaller receiver way too often. He's basically Chase Claypool without the personality and attitude issues. 

Felt like Caleb was throwing the ball harder than usual due to the weather

[WhiteSox2023]

20 minutes ago, fathom said:

I’m sure Johnson didn’t think it would be a game where field goals help you beat the Rams offense.  And yes, all the main receivers/Loveland had issues tonight.

Probably not, but he passed on a short and very makeable field goal.  Also, Dexter gave the Rams a field goal on his stupid penalty.  6 point shift there.

[Quin]

Also: Bring back Quanny and Byard

 

[chw42]

21 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Probably not, but he passed on a short and very makeable field goal.  Also, Dexter gave the Rams a field goal on his stupid penalty.  6 point shift there.

Shelton looks like he flopped. I'm not even sure that Dexter meant to push him. They kind of just ran into each other. 

Edited 4 hours ago by chw42

[The Beast]

12 minutes ago, Quin said:

Also: Bring back Quanny and Byard

 

They might have to let one walk.

There could be some cap casualty, like Swift, or Moore/Kmet will be traded. They really need to hit and get a pass rusher.

Overall, I wasn’t a fan of not taking the three points at time when Johnson could have. Williams can’t throw three interceptions and win. Dennis Allen blitzed at the end when he shouldn’t have. But it was a fun season with a playoff win despite losing in the end. Hopefully more to come even with a tougher schedule next year.

[greg775]

1 hour ago, SoCalChiSox said:

Great season and a bright future for you guys. 

True dat. Great game. Was a bit surprised the Bears lost in OT. I figured after the TD pass that tied it and had we won ranked in the top 10 individual plays in Bears history, that we'd indeed win in OT. Was disappointed at the interception but like everybody is saying it was a great season. No complaints, just sad, cause in a perfect world the Bears get another first down or two and kick the game winning field goal instead of throwing a pick.

As a playoff only fan (I may pay a lot more attention next year now that I'm familiar with the team) I have no right to say anything but "thank u Bears for all the exciting wins and good luck as you try to win the division regularly and get some homefield advantage again in the future.

The city woulda been hopping had the Bears completed the deal. No complaints here.

[Harry Chappas]

Defense stood tall today especially the DBs.

Moore half assing it in OT in a do or die situation...ugh

Johnson gooing for it the second possession negates not getting it the first.  

I'm just not a Rome fan and am tired of DJ Moore.  They need sure handed good route runners.  

Sky is the limit

[chw42]

If you watch the all 22 of the interception, Ben Johnson drew up a play that created a massive window in the defense. Moore ends up running way too deep of a crossing route and doesn't flatten it like he's supposed to. If he turns his route into more of a dig instead of a deep crosser he would have been wide ass open. At the very worst that's incomplete because Caleb maybe leads him on the throw a bit too much. Everyone maybe should have gotten a little blame on this play. Johnson with maybe too aggressive of a play call (even though it should have worked), Caleb with maybe leads DJ too much on this throw even if he runs the correct route, and DJ for straight up running the wrong route for the situation. But the main issue stems from DJ running the wrong route. You can't be having miscommunications like this in the playoffs in overtime in a gotta have it situation. That's something that Ben Johnson and the FO have to address. Cause this is a personnel and coaching issue. 

[fathom]

16 minutes ago, chw42 said:

If you watch the all 22 of the interception, Ben Johnson drew up a play that created a massive window in the defense. Moore ends up running way too deep of a crossing route and doesn't flatten it like he's supposed to. If he turns his route into more of a dig instead of a deep crosser he would have been wide ass open. At the very worst that's incomplete because Caleb maybe leads him on the throw a bit too much. Everyone maybe should have gotten a little blame on this play. Johnson with maybe too aggressive of a play call (even though it should have worked), Caleb with maybe leads DJ too much on this throw even if he runs the correct route, and DJ for straight up running the wrong route for the situation. But the main issue stems from DJ running the wrong route. You can't be having miscommunications like this in the playoffs in overtime in a gotta have it situation. That's something that Ben Johnson and the FO have to address. Cause this is a personnel and coaching issue. 

He’s done it all year.  He was basically jogging the whole play.

[chw42]

6 minutes ago, fathom said:

He’s done it all year.  He was basically jogging the whole play.

DJ is like Yoan Moncada. He acts like he just died every time he gets hit too hard. Maybe sometimes he does and he toughs it out, but I've never seen a player go down so many times and then come back a few plays later like nothing happened. Either he's a tank or he just over sells the pain. Then you have the constant effort issues despite being clearly a very talented player. It's frustrating, especially because he was a big part of so many big wins in the past month. We're not playing in this game without him, but at the same time, he contributed to us losing this game. 

Edited 3 hours ago by chw42

[almagest]

8 minutes ago, fathom said:

He’s done it all year.  He was basically jogging the whole play.

I like DJ. He dogs it on way too many plays though. It's been an issue all year and it bit him big time in a huge moment tonight.

I'm guessing he's traded this offseason. Probably won't get a ton for him but they'd open up $20 million for other areas.

[chw42]

3 minutes ago, almagest said:

I like DJ. He dogs it on way too many plays though. It's been an issue all year and it bit him big time in a huge moment tonight.

I'm guessing he's traded this offseason. Probably won't get a ton for him but they'd open up $20 million for other areas.

His dead cap is bigger than his cap hit next year. I don't think he's getting traded. Poles made a huge mistake giving him that extension with 81 million guaranteed before he even played a snap with Caleb. Especially when you consider he was under contract for 2 more years at that time. 

[almagest]

33 minutes ago, chw42 said:

His dead cap is bigger than his cap hit next year. I don't think he's getting traded. Poles made a huge mistake giving him that extension with 81 million guaranteed before he even played a snap with Caleb. Especially when you consider he was under contract for 2 more years at that time. 

Yeah, I was misreading that. He's here for another year.

[almagest]

 

[The Beast]

1 hour ago, chw42 said:

His dead cap is bigger than his cap hit next year. I don't think he's getting traded. Poles made a huge mistake giving him that extension with 81 million guaranteed before he even played a snap with Caleb. Especially when you consider he was under contract for 2 more years at that time. 

 

54 minutes ago, almagest said:

Yeah, I was misreading that. He's here for another year.

Then who goes to make changes this offseason?

[chw42]

3 minutes ago, The Beast said:

 

Then who goes to make changes this offseason?

Cutting Edmunds saves a lot of money. They can also restructure a decent amount of money to make space. They can leverage the future a little bit to make some space, but I can't see them signing or trading for anyone too significant. They're going to need to improve through the draft. 

[almagest]

25 minutes ago, The Beast said:

 

Then who goes to make changes this offseason?

They can probably push some of Sweat's money next year into 2027. He'll likely still be here and still be reasonably effective. They can do the same with DJ but I don't know if I want an older WR to be a big cap hit if cut. I'd probably just eat one more year with him and then move on. They could push some of Odeyingbo's cap hit to 2027, but who knows if he recovers from his injury, so he's probably best left alone and cut in 2027. They could push some of JJ's money into 2027 too.

Cutting Edmunds saves $15 million, so you'll likely see that. Cutting Swift saves $7.5 million - if they draft an RB this might happen.