Bear Download — A Chicago Bears podcast

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Recapping the Bears' 19-14 win over the Giants in a battle of bad teams Nov 25, 2019

Show notes

The Bears outlasted the Giants, 19-14, in a battle of bad teams Sunday, and Rich and Dan break it all down. Even though the Bears claimed their fifth win, they demonstrated plenty of their trademark sloppiness — even against a terrible Giants secondary. They dissect both of Mitch Trubisky's interceptions, which were particularly troubling considering this is Week 12 of the NFL season. The stalled running game is on the hook, too, as are poor red-zone performances, dropped passes and penalties. But there were bright spots, including Khalil Mack returning to top form and a defense that was solid overall. After quickly handing out game balls (the recipients were super obvious), Rich and Dan run through their favorite three-word reviews from the audience.

Previewing the Bears' matchup against the Giants on the Bear Download podcast Nov 22, 2019

Show notes

What do Mitch Trubisky, Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer have in common? Full participation at Halas Hall this week. As the Bears’ starting quarterback practices in the wake of suffering a hip pointer, Rich and Dan preview Sunday's game against the Giants. Rich leads off by turning in the homework assignment Dan gave him, a sobering one at that. They disagree on whether backup QB Chase Daniel would allow for more comprehensive evaluation of Matt Nagy's offense over the final six games as well as what's at stake for GM Ryan Pace as the Bears play out the string. In That’s Just Stupid, they spotlight the latest kicker problems (how can Eddy Pineiro be too confident?). Next, they lay out Dan’s three keys to a Bears victory, two of which involve Nagy’s offense (finally) hitting its stride. Getting to their predictions, they agree on who will win Sunday — though neither predicts a blowout. Finally, in Crown ‘Em, they wonder which Bears defensive player will bring home hardware by beating up on the woeful Giants.

Do Mitch Trubisky's performances and injury signal a change for the Bears? Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

Mitch Trubisky's premature exit from the Bears' 17-7 loss to the Rams has had 36 hours to marinate, and Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer are here to break it all down. They share how they experienced Matt Nagy's decision to pull Trubisky, first from the press box as it happened and then from the postgame media area. They break down what Nagy and Trubisky said what Nagy explained Monday. They explore the possibility Chase Daniel finishes the season at quarterback and discuss the evidence that Trubisky was hindered by his hip pointer. They look ahead to the week, mindful of what questions need to be answered, and finish by sharing your 3-word game reviews.

Why did the Bears draft Mitch Trubisky? A behind-the-scenes look at the 2017 NFL draft. Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

Rich and Dan discuss their 10-chapter examination of why the Bears drafted Mitch Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson (which can be found at chicagotribune.com/bears). In a supplement to the online project, the guys provide important context and analysis of what they reported about the draft decisions and developmental processes for all three quarterbacks. The objective is to understand how the Bears got to this point with Trubisky in order to establish where they're headed. They shine a light on general manager Ryan Pace's role in leading the Bears to Trubisky and potential shortcomings in how the Bears evaluated Watson. They look at the infrastructure the Chiefs had in place to develop Mahomes, as opposed to the Bears' situation for Trubisky. They answer audience questions at the end of the show, including some about Pace and Trubisky's future and what role race played in the evaluation of all three quarterbacks.

Highlighting the good and the bad from the Bears' 20-13 win over the Lions Nov 11, 2019

Show notes

Bears win! Well, yes, they did end their four-game losing streak with a 20-13 victory over the shorthanded Lions. But Rich and Dan break it all down and let some air out of the balloon — not that much was in there to start. On the bright side, quarterback Mitch Trubisky threw three touchdown passes and the offense showed it could take advantage of another bad defense. But the Bears had seven three-and-outs on 12 possessions and gained only 25 yards on their first 15 plays, and they were fortunate Lions QB Matthew Stafford was scratched. Next up are Rich and Dan's favorite three-word reviews from the audience, including several bites at the Trubisky-to-Gabriel apple. Last but not least, they hand out game balls: one to a linebacker in a contract year and another to a tight end whose senses have been heightened.

Previewing Bears-Lions while discussing whether to bench QB Mitch Trubisky Nov 08, 2019

Show notes

Rich and Dan break down the matchup against the Lions as the Bears hope to end their four-game losing streak Sunday. Leading off: To bench or not to bench? Quarterback Mitch Trubisky, that is. Would starting backup Chase Daniel help them in the long run? Beyond stabilizing the QB, what does coach Matt Nagy have to do to spark the offense, including getting more out of the void at tight end as well as Tarik Cohen? There are rumblings that a switch on the offensive line is imminent, by the way. In That’s Just Stupid, Rich and Dan come to Trubisky’s defense: They can’t believe his tongue-in-cheek remark about turning off the TVs at Halas Hall ballooned into a nationwide talking point. Next, Dan offers his three keys to Sunday’s game — one of which sounds awfully familiar. They also analyze how to slow down Matthew Stafford and the Detroit passing game. Getting to their predictions, both writers agree on who they think will win — and they foresee the same scoring output for the Bears. Finally, in Crown 'Em, they get a bit slap happy while reminiscing about Patriots coach Bill Belichick's praise of Trubisky and receiver Taylor Gabriel. They've got clips and everything!

Breaking down the Bears' season-crushing loss to the Eagles Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

Each week, the Bears find a new way to underscore their ineptitude. This time it was a 22-14 loss to the Eagles, highlighted by an atrocious offensive performance in the first half. Rich and Dan break it all down from the Lincoln Financial Field press box. They discuss the historically bad first half that featured nine total yards — nine! — and doubt much can be done to fix the mess. Even the defense (ahem, seven penalties) deserves blame, as it hasn't sustained the magic that carried the Bears to the 2018 NFC North title. Next, Rich and Dan reflect on how every level of anger could be found in the locker room afterward, which is indicative of the team’s brand of last-place football. They finish the show by sharing the audience’s best three-word reviews. As usual, the readers do not disappoint in that regard.

Previewing the Bears' matchup against the improving Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field Nov 01, 2019

Show notes

The Bears have lost three straight for the first time in Matt Nagy's tenure, and his critics are out in full force. That includes Rich — who dressed as an NFL equipment manager for Halloween — and Dan as they preview the Bears' game at Philadelphia on Sunday. They discuss Nagy's overflowing self-confidence and defiance in the face of outside second-guessing, after which they break down the coach's ability to bring his offensive wits to the level of his heralded people skills. In That's Just Stupid, they take on the Curious Case of the Missed 41-yard Field Goal. What follows is a spirited back-and-forth on how the Bears handled the lead-up and aftermath of Eddy Pineiro’s ill-fated attempt against the Chargers. FYI, Rich and Dan aren't quite on the same page here. Moving on to Dan's 3 keys to a Bears victory, running backs, defense and Mitch Trubisky (of course) are in the spotlight. The duo definitely agree on how the game against the Eagles will turn out — they even have the same margin of victory for the winner. Finally, they give a young Bears running back his due in Crown 'Em.

Breaking down the Bears' gut-wrenching loss to the Chargers in Week 8 Oct 28, 2019

Show notes

The Bears’ hope (hype?) doesn’t feel real anymore as they have gone 0-for-October. Rich and Dan break down the team’s third straight defeat, a gut-wrenching 17-16 loss to the Chargers, from Soldier Field. They start with the end, discussing coach Matt Nagy's anxiety as well as his decision to kneel down and run the clock down before Eddy Pineiro’s ill-fated, 41-yard field goal. Next they dive into Mitch Trubisky's latest struggles, including his two fourth-quarter turnovers, before shifting gears to analyze Nagy's commitment to the running game and David Montgomery's breakout performance. They examine where this season is headed now that the losses are piling up and the schedule is getting tougher. Finally, they wrap up by handing out game balls (not everyone played poorly, after all) and some of their favorite three-word reviews.

Previewing the Bears' matchup against the struggling Chargers at Soldier Field Oct 25, 2019

Show notes

The Bears are preparing to host the Chargers, hoping to snap their two-game losing streak, and Rich and Dan go into therapy mode: They put the team on the proverbial couch and examine its collective psyche. That includes coach Matt Nagy — who’s asking his team for "ruthless anger" as opposed to "reckless anger" — quarterback Mitch Trubisky and a locker room wobbling under the weight of championship expectations. In That’s Just Stupid, they brush off the criticism of Trubisky's demeanor at Wednesday's press conference as behavior to be expected from a QB coming off a terrible game. Then they break down Dan's three keys to a Bears victory, including a defensive recovery (yes, really), an ultra-low bar for the offense and exploiting the Chargers' biggest weakness. Next come the score predictions, and both Rich and Dan are on the same page. Finally, they look outside the Bears universe — specifically to the cream of the NFC crop — in Crown ‘Em.

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