The Charter: A Chicago Bears Podcast

JJ Stankevitz is joined by The Ringer’s Robert Mays to look ahead to free agency, and if Ryan Pace will have the ability to be aggressive without much cap space. Plus, why Robert sees Adrian Amos as the better fit to return to the Bears, not Bryce Callahan. 1:00: The Callahan/Amos question is a strong indication of where the Bears stand heading into free agency 2:30: Is it realistic to expect the Bears to improve with internal growth, rather than major roster changes? 5:45: Does the lack of ability to tweak the roster make the Bears’ risk of becoming the 2018 Jaguars higher? 9:00: Would you rather keep Bryce Callahan or Adrian Amos? 13:00: Is it at all realistic or even possible for the Bears to be aggressive in free agency? Maybe going after Le’Veon Bell? 16:00: Where do the free agency splashes come next week, outside of Bell? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Producers Slavko Bekovic and Cam Ellis check in with J.J. Stankevitz -- who’s at the NFL Combine -- and the three discuss Cody Parkey, the Bears’ draft plan, how the offense should expect to progress in Year 2, and more. 0:45 – Bears confirm Cody Parkey is out 2:00 – Leg strength a priority when looking at kickers? 4:30 – Would the Bears consider drafting a kicker? 8:00 – Ryan Pace ready for all draft scenarios but focused on best player available 10:00 – Pace keeping draft strategy close to the vest 15:45 – Mitchell Trubisky entering year two in Bears offense 18:00 – Bears addressing inconsistent running game 21:30 – How does Jordan Howard fit in 2019? 23:00 – Harry Hiestand the x-factor for Bears offensive line 25:00 –Bears have become an attractive free agent destination 27:15 – Futures of Adrian Amos and Bryce Callahan 32:00 – The switch from Vic Fangio to Chuck Pagano on defense See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rotoworld draft guru Josh Norris joins JJ Stankevitz on the pod to break down this year’s crop of running backs and which of them could interest the Bears in April’s draft. Plus, Josh offers his thoughts on if a diamond-in-the-rough edge rusher could be available late in the draft and what the Kyler Murray circus will look like this week in Indianapolis. 1:30: How deep is this year’s class of running backs? Can the Bears find value in the middle rounds of the draft? 3:15: What traits stand out when looking to project pass-catching ability for a running back from college to the pros? 4:30: Josh offers a few running backs to watch at the Combine and in the coming months 11:00: What portions of testing at the Combine are you looking at for running backs? 14:30: How is the class of edge rushers shaping up? 16:40: Obligatory…but thoughts on Kyler Murray? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former Bears Head Coach Dave Wannstedt joins Luke Stuckmeyer and Bears insider JJ Stankevitz from the golf course in sunny Florida to shed light on his recent conversation with new Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano (1:30), Ed Reed's Hall of Fame belief in Eddie Jackson (3:00), whether he'd prioritize Bryce Callahan or Adrian Amos in Free Agency (6:15). Plus how he'd handle the Cody Parkey situation...since he had a similar experience with Jim Harbaugh when he was coaching the Bears (9:30). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the NFL Combine starting next week, JJ Stankevitz, Cam Ellis and Paul Aspan look at if the Bears should still focus their draft strategy on taking the best players available, or if needs at running back and/or kicker should supersede that. Plus, the gang dives into what questions they want to hear answered from Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy next week and wonders if the thought of trading a draft pick for a running back is a good idea. 1:00: What questions do we want answered by Ryan Pace & Matt Nagy next week? 7:40: Do the Bears need to shift away from taking the best player available to drafting for need? 16:20: Robbie Gould is likely to get tagged by the 49ers. Now what? 20:45: Thoughts on trading a pick for a running back…like Cleveland’s Duke Johnson? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz, Paul Aspan, Laurence Holmes, and Cam Ellis debate just how good Ryan Pace has been during his Bears tenure, wonder if Allen Robinson was underappreciated this year, and give their predictions on the likelihood of signing either Antonio Brown or Le’Veon Bell. 00:17 – Laurence describes not watching the rest of the NFL playoffs with the rest of New Orleans 02:46 – JJ polls the room on their confidence in Ryan Pace heading into the draft 05:11 – Laurence goes into why he’s not been as crazy about Pace’s tenure as others have 7: 30 – Ryan Pace’s mid-round picks have historically been great – but can they take the next step? 10:03 – Allen Robinson may have been underappreciated this year 11:15 – a deep, deep dive into the Bears’ kicking woes since Gould left 16:03 – How confident are we that Pace can find a suitable kicker? 21:28 – Cam defends Cody Parkey for some reason 24:15 – How likely are the Bears to sign Antonio Brown or Le’Veon Bell? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz, Paul Aspan and Cam Ellis look at how Matt Nagy can learn from Bill Belichick’s schooling of Sean McVay, and what Ryan Pace can learn from how the Rams went all-in to reach the Super Bowl. Plus, the gang wonders if a recent trend of second-year coaches reaching the Super Bowl is good news for the Bears in 2019. 1:20: Is it a total crapshoot to try to win the Super Bowl as long as Belichick & Brady are together in New England? 6:10: What should Matt Nagy have been watching for in the Super Bowl? 8:00: Should Ryan Pace follow the Rams’ blueprint in building the Bears’ 2019 roster? Can he? 18:15: Kudos to Matt Nagy for running away with coach of the year honors 24:00: Do we like Bobby Massie’s contract even more now that details of it have been reported? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz, Cam Ellis and Paul Aspan break down Bobby Massie’s four-year contract extension and look at why it was a smart move to retain him, even with Bryce Callahan and Adrian Amos set to hit free agency. Plus, the gang likes what they heard from Chuck Pagano last week and offers up Super Bowl predictions for Sunday. 1:20 - Does keeping Bobby Massie mean the Bears believe their running issues weren’t the fault of the O-line? 6:10 - Why Massie is worth the reported $8 million/year salary 8:30 - Is returning all 11 starters on offense a good thing? 11:30 - Why not make Bryce Callahan the priority? 15:00 - What’s the priority now that Massie is under contract? 18:25 - Thoughts on Chuck Pagano? 27:00 - Super Bowl predictions See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz, Cam Ellis and Paul Aspan wonder if Mitchell Trubisky’s trip to the Pro Bowl can be beneficial. Plus, they talk about the Bears going to London next year and how Ryan Pace can fix issues at kicker and running back in the offseason. 0:25: What if you had someone who both knew Sean McVay and was friends with Manny Machado? Would they be an NFL head coach or be playing for the White Sox? 1:20: Mitchell Trubisky is a Pro Bowler. Did he deserve it? Does it matter? 6:30: Why it’s cool to see Charles Leno and Cody Whitehair get Pro Bowl nods, too 9:05: The Bears are going to London! Neat opportunity, or cause for concern? 12:45: Did the NFC/AFC Championship games make you think the Bears are closer or farther to the Super Bowl? 15:10: Would you rather your team lose on Cody Parkey’s double-doink or on an absurdly missed pass interference call? 19:10: How should the Bears go about fixing their kicking situation? 23:00: What does Ryan Pace need to do to address the run game? 26:40: Sneaky positions of need for the Bears in 2019 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz, John “Moon” Mullin and Cam Ellis digest Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace’s end-of-season press conference at Halas Hall, including the pair leaving the door open for signing Kareem Hunt, Nagy’s criticism of Cody Parkey, the hiring of Chuck Pagano and more. 0:30: Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy leave the door open for signing Kareem Hunt 8:15: Nagy was not happy with Cody Parkey’s “TODAY” show appearance. Is he done in Chicago? 16:00: What should we expect from Chuck Pagano as he takes over the Bears’ defense? 26:00: Odds and ends on Bryce Callahan and Leonard Floyd as the offseason begins See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz, John “Moon” Mullin and Cam Ellis report from Halas Hall after Bears players cleaned out their lockers on a somber Monday following their season-ending loss to the Eagles. Where do the Bears go from here? And how important will growth from Mitch Trubisky be in 2019? 0:50: An update on Trey Burton 3:30: The Bears did not save their best game for the playoffs 6:00: The honeymoon is over, so now what? 10:30: Hear from Allen Robinson about why he’s confident in the Bears’ offense moving forward 15:15: What changes may be made to this offense? 18:20: What will Matt Nagy learn from this season? 22:00: Looking ahead to Ryan Pace’s offseason See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Forte, Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and host Laurence Holmes were in disbelief as Cody Parkey’s field goal hit off the uprights and the crossbar, ending the Bears season early. The guys break down what the team is feeling after a heartbreaking loss in the Wild Card round, whether or not Cody Parkey will still be on the Bears next season, and look ahead to the expectations for the team next season. 0:30 – What is the feeling in the Bears locker room after the loss? 4:45 – Can you believe that is how the Bears season ended? 7:15 – Does Cody Parkey have a job with the Bears next season? 9:00 –Bears need more accountability for lack of performance 12:00 – Evaluating what was a really good season for the Bears 13:00 – What to expect from Mitchell Trubisky next year 14:00 – Is there a way to keep Vic Fangio? 15:00 – What do Bears need to clean up for next season? 16:00 – Does sour end to this season dull optimism for next year? 17:15 – The Nagy/Trubisky tandem going forward 19:15 – Evaluating Trubisky’s game and season as a whole See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro joins JJ Stankevitz to get a full scouting report on the Eagles, and what Bears fans should expect on Sunday from a team that seems to be peaking at the right time. 0:50: Is Nick Foles going to do it again? 2:40: How much does Foles elevate the play of everyone around him? 4:45: What to expect from an improving Eagles O-line against the Bears’ front seven 6:30: We know Golden Tate and Alshon Jeffery well here, how strong is the Eagles’ group of pass-catchers? 8:15: How quickly will Doug Pederson abandon the run if it’s not successful early? 10:25: Just how good is Fletcher Cox? 12:20: Is this defense as beatable as some people think with downfield throws? 14:15: Quick anecdotes about former Bears and current Eagles DB Cre’von LeBlanc 15:15: How have the Eagles handled going on the road defensively? 16:45: So…are the Eagles peaking at the right time? 18:00: How’s local product and kicker Jake Elliott getting on? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz, John “Moon” Mullin and Cam Ellis preview Sunday’s Bears-Eagles playoff tilt, complete with these questions: Will the moment be too big for Mitch Trubisky? And can the Bears’ defense counter Nick Foles’ pixie dust? 0:45: Is Mitch Trubisky ready for the playoff spotlight? 5:00: A blueprint for success for Trubisky against the Eagles’ defense 7:30: How big an impact can Jordan Howard make? 10:15: The biggest player vs. player matchup of the Bears’ offense vs. Philly’s defense 14:40: How good have the Eagles been since Nick Foles started playing again? 17:00: Is the Bears’ defense good enough to just play its game and stop Foles Magic? 23:10: Picks to click for Bears-Eagles See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Bears finish the season 12-4 and now they know who they will face in the playoffs. Laurence Holmes, Matt Forte, Lance Briggs and Alex Brown break down the win over the Minnesota Vikings and when they really knew this Bears team was a legit contender. The guys also debate what the most intriguing part of the matchup is as the Bears will have to face the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the playoffs. Plus, Lance shares a story about how the Bears celebrated a bye week with a group outing in Las Vegas courtesy of a private jet provided by Brian Urlacher. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this special edition of Under Center, J.J. Stankevitz welcomes in Reuben Frank from NBC Sports Philadelphia. How are the Bears approaching their game at the Vikings? How aggressive will Matt Nagy be with his starters and playcalling? Would the Bears rather play the Vikings or the Eagles in the playoffs? Reuben explains why the Redskins game isn't a guaranteed win for the Eagles. Also, if the Eagles did sneak into the playoffs, how dangerous a team are they? 1:00 - How Philadelphia fans are viewing the Bears/Vikings game? 6:00 - How will the Bears approach Sunday's game in Minnesota? 9:00 - J.J. Stankevitz believes the Bears will help out the Eagles. 11:30 - Matt Nagy's sudden impact with the Bears. 15:00 - Bears should be worried about the Eagles in a potential playoff game. 20:00 - No one should assume an Eagles win in Washington. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin discuss what Matt Nagy’s rest strategy could look like this week against Minnesota (1:10), and if it’s better to face the Vikings for the second time in a week than a red-hot Philadelphia Eagles team (7:35). Plus, JJ and Moon debate whether or not it’s fair to still feel like 2019 is going to be the year this team really becomes a Super Bowl contender (12:10). Finally, Minnesota's really a 6.5-point favorite this Sunday (19:35)? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Once again, the Bears won ugly and improved to 11-4 following their win against the San Francisco 49ers. Laurence Holmes chats with Matt Forte, Lance Briggs and Alex Brown about the mixed bag for the Bears offense, as well as their concern level following the sloppy performance. Plus, the guys weigh in on the fight that broke out after a late hit to Mitchell Trubisky and who is the team they LEAST wish to play in the first round of the playoffs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz, John “Moon” Mullin and Cam Ellis look at why the Bears’ culture won’t let them ease up after winning the NFC North, plus the guys look back at the 2017 draft day trade with the 49ers that got the Bears Mitch Trubisky. Also, Bay Area News Group columnist Dieter Kurtenbach joins the pod to talk about how Oakland is handling the Khalil Mack trade now that the Bears are good, and why San Francisco still has something to play for this weekend. 0:55: Moon’s covered playoff teams before, so what is he looking for out of the Bears over these next two games? 3:25: We get the impression winning the NFC North didn’t actually matter much to the Bears, which is a good thing 6:00: Re-visiting the trade that got the Bears Mitch Trubisky: Why revisionist history is useless when this team’s going to the playoffs 13:50: Welcoming Dieter Kurtenbach of the Bay Area News Group with this question: What do people think of Jon Gruden? 15:35: With the Bears’ first-round pick in 2019 will at least be in the 20s, how is the Bay Area viewing the Khalil Mack trade now? 18:05: Dieter says it’s “patently hilarious” that Mack has more sacks and forced fumbled than the entire Raiders team 19:50: So where will next year’s Bears-Raiders game take place? Oakland? Santa Clara? San Antonio? London? 22:50: Why the 49ers still have something to play for this weekend 26:50: What’s gone wrong with Solomon Thomas? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sunday was a glorious day at Soldier Field as the Bears beat the rival Packers to clinch their first NFC North championship since 2010! Matt Forte, Lance Briggs and Alex Brown join host Laurence Holmes to break down the victory and look ahead to the playoffs. How far can this Bears team go? And what is their ceiling in the long term? 0:22 – 2-for-1! Bears win NFC North and knock out the Packers 4:30 – Breakout game for Leonard Floyd? 6:15 – What worked offensively vs Green Bay? 7:05 – Charles Leno proposes to his girlfriend after the game 9:40 – Where do the Bears need to improve most heading into playoffs? 11:20 – How can Bears avoid complacency? 15:00 – Are the Bears a year ahead of schedule? 16:10 – What’s the ceiling of this Bears team? 19:20 – Where can Trubisky continue to improve? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz, John “Moon” Mullin and Cam Ellis look at the best and worst-case scenarios for the Bears in the first round of the playoffs, and wonder if Mitchell Trubisky will be up to the task of putting the final nail in the Packers’ playoff coffin. 1:25: On the surface, who’s the Bears’ best and worst matchup in the wild card round? 2:45: Playoff odds time! Who has the highest chance of playing the Bears in the first round? 5:10: Ranking the quarterbacks of the Bears’ potential playoff opponents 9:00: If the Vikings have the ideal quarterback matchup for the Bears, they also have the best defense 12:00: Don’t count out the Packers just yet 15:35: The next step for the Bears? Be a “finisher” when it comes to Green Bay’s playoff hopes 17:15: Why Mitchell Trubisky sounds up for the task of eliminating the Packers 21:35: The moment hasn’t been too big for Trubisky and that’s a good thing 22:15: Jordan Howard’s game vs. LA is encouraging for the Bears down the stretch 25:55: The rest of the Bears’ offense actually showed signs of improvement vs. LA…except for the QB See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Where do the Bears now stand in the conference, and are they serious Super Bowl contenders? The defense carried the team while Mitch struggled to find his rhythm. Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Matt Forte join Laurence Holmes on the podcast to figure out what’s next for this tricked out team with 9 wins. 00:00 The defense studies their opponent, and comes up big 02:00 Bears defense smothers, and made Goff look like a rookie 03:30 What went wrong with the Rams 05:30 Defense is winning games for us 06:15 Bears are Super Bowl contenders 07:30 Who do the Bears matchup well against? 08:30 How big was this game? 10:30 What was wrong with the Bears? 11:30 The Bears creative run game 12:30 Mitch had a bad day 13:30 Bears defense picks up Mitch 14:30 What happened to Mitch? 16:00 Worried about Mitch? 17:00 Rams defense pressured Mitch 18:00 Bears defense punished Goff 19:00 Who scares the Bears? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and Cam Ellis look at what to expect from Mitchell Trubisky in the extremely high likelihood he plays Sunday night, and if it would be better for the Bears if their game against the Rams were a shootout or a defensive struggle. Plus, JJ chats with the radio voice of the Los Angeles Rams, J.B. Long, to get a sense of where Sean McVay, Jared Goff and the best team in the NFC stands heading into Sunday night. 0:15: All signs point to the return of Trubisky on Sunday, but will he have to be smarter with how he runs? 3:20: Why the Bears shouldn’t be concerned about Trubisky’s shoulder because they’re facing Aaron Donald 6:00: Did the Bears play this decision right to sit Trubisky for two games and with an eye on the last quarter of the season? 7:40: Is it better for Sunday to be a shootout or a defensive struggle? 13:10: Welcoming J.B. Long to the pod, and asking: What’s the mood of the Rams right now? 15:40: What have the Rams evolved into in Year 2 of the Sean McVay era? 17:00: Seeing parallels between the 2017 Rams and the 2018 Bears 19:20: Why Sean McVay is the right coach for Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams 21:45: How has McVay tailored his scheme to the players he has in 2018? 23:30: What should we make of the Rams’ defense? 25:40: What can the Bears do to stop the Rams’ offense? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Bears come back but come up short in overtime against the Giants, 30-27 in OT. Laurence Holmes, Lance Briggs and Alex Brown explain why this game felt off from the very start (3:30). Plus why you can count on the Bears bringing their A-game against the Rams (7:00) and what happened on the Odell Beckham TD pass (11:30). Plus Freezer Left! (15:00) , the issues Aaron Donald presents next sunday (19:00) and can the Bears offense with Trubisky keep up with the Rams (21:00)? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz, John “Moon” Mullin and Cam Ellis wonder if the Bears can beat the Giants without Mitchell Trubisky, and look at some encouraging trends that should help this team finish the 2018 regular season strong in the final five games. 0:30: Takeaways from Matt Nagy’s comments on Mitchell Trubisky on Wednesday 1:30: Does it matter that the Bears play the Giants and then the Rams for Trubisky’s outlook? 4:00: Is this a trap game? 7:20: A run of big tests looms for the run defense 11:00: What did the Lions game prove about what the Bears’ defense can do the rest of the season? 12:40: Why Moon doesn’t think this Bears defense is on par with 1985 and 2005-2006 16:15: Matt Nagy has a winning scheme 22:30: A quick aside about how JJ got pranked into thinking a former Bears backup QB became a gym teacher at Lyons Township High School 23:40: Back to business: Matt Nagy’s outstanding coaching is one more positive trend See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Bears improve to 8-3 with a Thanksgiving Day win in Detroit (0:20). Laurence Holmes, Matt Forte, Alex Brown and Lance Briggs discuss the Bears big plays on defense that helped them seal a win and debate whether Aaron Donald or Khalil Mack is the better defensive player. Plus, the guys were pleasantly surprised by Chase Daniel's performance but they'd like to see more from the Bears running game (10:55). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin look at how Mitchell Trubisky’s shoulder injury could change the outlook for Thanksgiving’s date with the Lions and what Chase Daniel could bring to the table if he does play. Plus, could this be a letdown game for the Bears? 0:40: So there’s a possibility Mitch Trubisky will not play against the Lions, huh? 2:10: Matt Nagy said Trubisky’s situation is similar to the Khalil Mack/Allen Robinson one, but how similar is it really? 3:10: What should we expect if Chase Daniel plays? 5:05: Hear from Daniel, who spoke to the media Tuesday, on his readiness to play if Trubisky can’t go 8:15: Daniel knows the offense well, but does he know it at game speed? 10:20: If Trubisky does play, how might the shoulder affect his play? 13:10: What’s your gut – does Trubisky play on Thursday? 17:15: Why the Bears need to take the Lions seriously 21:00: If the Bears win, why it’d be an outstanding coaching job by Nagy 23:00: Kerryon Johnson not playing will be a big factor 25:00: Reactions to Monday night’s Chiefs-Rams thriller, and what it means for the Bears See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Laurence Holmes, Lance Briggs, Matt Forte and Alex Brown tell us how far they think the Bears can go this season. Cody Parkey- do you trust him? Why did the Bears go for 2 early in the game? Preparing for the Lions and looking ahead. ‘SUPERBOWL…IS IT SO BIG?...I DON’T SEE ONE TEAM, MAYBE THE SAINTS, EVERY OTHER TEAM IN THE NFC WE CAN BEAT,' ALEX BROWN. SEGMENT ONE 2:30 IN - 2ND HALF, THE DEFENSE PREPARED FOR THE VIKINGS PUSH 4:30 IN – GAME PLAN CHANGES WHEN THE WEATHER DOES 6:30 IN – SUPERBOWL BEARS? 8:30 in – Why did the Bears go for 2 early in the game? SEGMENT TWO 11:15 IN – Are the guys worried about Cody Parkey? 13:00 IN – Game balls and preparing for the Lions on short rest See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two of the biggest Bears fans you’ll meet happen to be two of the most recognizable voices of NBC Sports’ Premier League coverage. Arlo White, the lead play by play announcer for NBC’s Premier League coverage, grew up in Leicester and fell in love with Chicago and the Bears in the 1980s, following games on a faint armed forces radio signal. And Roger Bennett of the Men in Blazers used to call random 312 numbers from a friend’s house as a kid in Liverpool to find out what the Bears’ score was. Hear from both about how they became Bears fans, how they’ve followed the team over the years and what they think of the 2018 side — which they both predict to beat the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. 0:00: Introductions, and is Arlo White the biggest Bears fan in all of Leicester? 1:10: How a childhood trip to Evergreen Park led White to become a Bears fan 4:35: How did you follow the Bears in England in the 1980s? 7:00: What was it like to get to call the 2008 Super Bowl for British radio? 9:40: How White managed to make it to Green Bay for the Bears’ season opener 11:55: White’s impressions of the 2018 Bears, and what it was like to get to watch Khalil Mack in person 14:20: Are there NFL fans around Premier League press boxes like there are Premier League fans around NFL press boxes? 16:20: White’s prediction for Bears-Vikings, beyond drinking “nine cups of coffee” to stay awake 19:00: Welcoming Roger Bennett to the pod, and how he became a Bears fan while growing up in Liverpool 21:30: Calling random 312 numbers in Chicago to get the Bears score 24:10: How White and Rog wound up at the same Bears preseason game in 1986 without knowing it 26:10: Rog’s experience greeting the Bears at O’Hare at 2 a.m. after they played the Cowboys in London 31:00: Why Rog moved to Chicago (and specifically Rogers park) right after college 33:00: The Bears are a centerpiece of the Bennett family Sundays, taking part in the “joy that is Tarik Cohen and his ebullience” 34:30: Why Rog *really* likes Matt Nagy #balds 36:45: Rog’s prediction for Bears-Vikings 38:20: Why Rog is an 11/10 in confidence the Bears will win the Super Bowl See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin look at how important Sunday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings will be for the Bears’ chances of winning the NFC North, and why the Bears on paper look like the better team on both sides of the ball…but why that may not matter. 00:00 - Mitch Trubisky wins NFC offensive player of the week, and nobody at Halas Hall seems to care (which is good) 1:00 - If the Bears lose, they’re in second. Is that a good or a bad thing about where this team stands? 3:00 - What kind of statement could the Bears make in beating Minnesota? 5:05 - Does it matter that the Bears have played, and will play, an “easy” schedule? It didn’t for the Eagles last year 9:00 - Now that we’re a month out, the Miami game was a major wake-up call for the Bears 10:15 - Back to the point of an “easy” schedule for a final thought before the break 11:35 - Plugging Friday’s Under Center Podcast special with NBC Sports’ Arlo White and Roger Bennett, both of whom are huge Bears fans 12:50 - How will Mitch Trubisky handle the Vikings’ defense? 17:00 - Is the Vikings’ offense better than it was last year, and how does the Bears’ defense match up against it? 20:30 - JJ makes the case the Bears have the edge on both sides of the ball, but Moon makes a counter-argument 22:40 - Who could be the surprise players, in a good way, for the Bears on Sunday? 25:35 - Just about every player on the Bears is trending in the right direction 26:50 - What Moon wants to see out of Trubisky on Sunday See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lance Briggs, Matt Forte and Alex Brown join Laurence Holmes to break down the Bears dominant win over the Detroit Lions. The Bears improve to 6-3 and snap an awful losing streak against the NFC North. Mitchell Trubisky had the best game of his career, Khalil Mack and Allen Robinson both had huge games in their return, but Cody Parkey hit the uprights four times and the guys discuss how the Bears should handle their kicking situation going forward. 0:30 – How does it feel to be 6-3 and in 1st place? 1:25 – Are the Bears exceeding expectations? 3:00 – A division win…FINALLY 4:00 – Cody Parkey had an awful day 6:05 – Can the Bears win big games with a bad kicker? 7:30 – How the rest of the team might feel if they keep Parkey 10:20– Was this Mitchell Trubisky’s best game? 11:58 – Trubisky living up to lofty expectations 14:17 – Concerned about the Bears running game? 16:01 – Excitement building for Sunday night vs Vikings 18:50 – Next two division games See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin look ahead to the start of a critical three-game stretch against the NFC North with Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions, and wonder how big an impact the trade of Golden Tate will have on this game. Plus, why stopping Kerryon Johnson will be key and how the Bears can still put up points even if they can’t get the run game going against Detroit. 0:00: Putting a bow on the Bills, and why the blowout mattered 1:45: Starting to wonder what to make of the Lions. They beat the three teams the Bears lost to, what does that mean? 3:45: What were the Lions trying to accomplish at the trade deadline? How big will the trade of Golden Tate be on Sunday? 6:35: How does Matt Stafford, fresh off getting sacked 10 (!!) times, handle the Bears’ pass rush? 9:25: The Bears’ defense is good against the run, and that’s huge for facing the Lions 14:00: Matt Nagy is the biggest reason for the Bears’ offensive success 18:10: The Lions’ D-line looks like a tough matchup for the Bears’ O-line 20:30: Does it matter how many yards Jordan Howard gets on Sunday? 22:15: A quick tangent on Kevin White being inactive, and where he goes from here 24:50: Will gameplanning for the Lions this week help out on Thanksgiving? 25:55: Evaluating the NFC Playoff picture and why the Bears shouldn’t rely on the wild card See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Bears take care of business against a struggling Bills squad. Laurence Holmes, Alex Brown, Matt Forte and Lance Briggs break it down. The defense smothers Peterman and Co, which didn’t surprise the guys at all. (:33) The Bears are 5-3 at the halfway point of the season with some big division matchups on the horizon (4:31) Forte is happy coach Nagy is finally getting the run game involved in short yardage situations (6:46) Trubisky and the offense had a pedestrian effort in Buffalo. (10:55) Who are the Detroit Lions? Seriously, we can’t get a read on them. The guys hope the Bears can by next Sunday. (17:11) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin look at why the Bears shouldn’t take the Nathan Peterman-led Bills lightly, and if Khalil Mack and Allen Robinson should take another weekend off. Plus, JJ sits down with Zach Miller to talk about his recovery from his gruesome injury, his outlook on life and his thoughts on Matt Nagy. Topics discussed: 0:00: Will Moon jump through a table to get the full Bills experience? 1:20: Nathan Peterman is not a good quarterback! 2:25: The Bills’ defense will be a challenge 5:10: JJ digs up an amusing box score from a previous Mitch Trubisky-Nathan Peterman duel 6:40: The Bears’ defense has an opportunity to rest Khalil Mack again this weekend 10:40: A word on Kyle Long 13:25: “Life changes || do you” what did Zach Miller mean by that? 15:20: How fulfilling is it for Miller that he can help people after going through what he’s gone through? 19:00: The impact of Miller’s family, friends and the Bears’ organization in keeping Miller’s outlook positive 21:25: What is Miller’s daily routine at Halas Hall? 22:20: Is it bittersweet for Miller to see the Bears have so much success on offense? 23:20: Why Miller has been so impressed with Matt Nagy 25:45: Will Miller ever take anything for granted again? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective. Matt Forte, Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Laurence Holmes break down the Bears win over the New York Jets. The defense held strong without Khalil Mack, but there is still room for improvement – especially with Leonard Floyd. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin break down the woeful state of the Bears’ pass rush and wonder if it would be beneficial for Khalil Mack to take a few weeks off to heal his injured ankle. Plus, JJ and Moon dive into why Jordan Howard isn’t a fit in Matt Nagy’s offense, but why the Bears still need to find a run game identity going forward. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Forte, Lance Briggs and Alex Brown join Laurence Holmes to break down the Bears 38-31 loss to the Patriots. What happened to the Bears defense over their bye week, and how did the special teams struggle so bad against New England? Plus – the guys debate Mitchell Trubisky’s decision making in the red zone and Matt weighs in on how the Bears should play his former team – the New York Jets – next week. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin look at how Bill Belichick and New England will attack Matt Nagy and the Bears on Sunday, and if Mitch Trubisky can get to the point where he can reliably lead a late-game scoring drive like Tom Brady is so good at doing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Forte, Lance Briggs and Alex Brown join Laurence Holmes to discuss the ramifications of the Bears overtime loss to the Dolphins. What went wrong with the Bears defense against Brock Osweiler? What did they think of Mitchell Trubisky’s game? Plus, they look ahead to a crucial Week 7 matchup with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin look ahead to Sunday’s game against the Dolphins and how big a “test” it’ll be for Mitch Trubisky, Matt Nagy and the Bears. Plus, can Khalil Mack keep up his monstrous pace, and why do players trust Nagy so much? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our own David Kaplan sat down with Bears coach Matt Nagy for Inside Look, with the full interview airing on NBC Sports Chicago in November. The full interview will air in November, but in this pod special we took some of Nagy’s best bites – about the Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Khalil Mack trade and Bears fans – to preview “Inside Look: Matt Nagy.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin look at whether the Bears’ off week – it’s not the bye week – is coming at the right time for a team that seemingly has some momentum after Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay. Plus, JJ and Moon take your questions and look at if the NFC North looks more winnable now than it did a month ago. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mitchell Trubisky throws for 6 TD – 5 in the first half, and the Bears crush the Bucs 48-10 to head into the bye week at 3-1 and in first place. The Football Aftershow team of Laurence Holmes, Matt Forte, Lance Briggs & Alex Brown discuss what is fair to expect from Mitchell Trubisky moving forward, how Khalil Mack continues play like he’ll eventually be heading to Canton, and the state of the 2018 Bears heading into the Bye week. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin wonder if Tampa Bay’s high-powered offense is good enough to give the Bears’ elite defense problems, and if that means Mitch Trubisky and the offense will have to cover for Vic Fangio’s group on Sunday. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It wasn’t pretty, but the Bears are in 1st place in the NFC North after a 16-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Matt Forte, Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Laurence Holmes discuss the good side of things as Khalil Mack and the Bears defense get it done once again – but and the bad, as Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears offense continue to sputter. Plus, will the Bears see Famous Jameis or Fitz-Magic next week against the Buccaneers? Forte provides some inside info on his former teammate, Ryan Fitzpatrick. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin wonder how long the Bears will have to deal with growing pains from their starting quarterback, and also look at how this team can still win games even with uneven quarterback play. Plus: Just how bad are the Arizona Cardinals? (Really bad.) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this edition of the Under Center podcast, Laurence Holmes, Lance Briggs, Alex Brown, and Matt Forte react to the Bears' 24-17 win over the Seahawks on Monday Night Football. The group discusses the dominant defensive effort by Khalil Mack and the front seven. Plus, the progression of Mitch Trubisky and the impact Allen Robinson is having on the second year QB. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin look ahead to what areas of concern the Bears need to address leading up to Monday’s game against the Seahawks. Plus, why JJ wants to see Mitch Trubisky throw an interception against Seattle. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Bears blew a 20-point lead in a loss to the Packers. Laurence Holmes, Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Matt Forte break down the 24-23 loss to the Packers. They discuss what went wrong in the second half, what needs to get better and what this game means going forward. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JJ Stankevitz and John “Moon” Mullin wonder how much Khalil Mack will play against the Packers and offer their predictions for Sunday night’s huge tilt in Green Bay. Plus, JJ sits down with Bears right tackle Bobby Massie to hear a player’s point of view on just how big a move adding Mack was for this team. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.