Week 1: Bears vs Vikings on MNF

[jersey cubs fan]

Chicago is one of 7 home dogs in the NFL’s opening week but the only one to open as a favorite, moving from -1.5 to +1.5.

After a huge upgrade in the head coach hopes and expectations were sky high but have since cooled as people continue to doubt Caleb Williams and everybody realizes the defense kind of sucks. Something tells me we are in for some good old fashioned overreactions regardless of the results. 

[PackLandVA]

It wouldn't be post Week 1 in the NFL without huge overreactions.

[BigSlick]

I'll be in Greece during this game and I'll have to figure out a way to watch it at like 5 am Tuesday morning Greek time. 

[Brian707]

Bears 24 Vikings 20

[UMFan83]

No idea how reputable this guy is and I don't have paid access but it sounds like a long form piece breaking down and criticizing Poles' process for drafting Caleb.  Obviously take everything with a huge grain of salt as it sounds like a hit piece but figured I'd share anyways

https://www.golongtd.com/p/house-of-dysfunction-part-i-the-curious

https://www.golongtd.com/p/house-of-dysfunction-part-ii-inside

This is how Grok summarized it:

Part 1:

Spoiler

• Williams' Rookie Struggles: The piece highlights a defining moment from the 2024 season where, during a timeout with commercials rolling, interim head coach Thomas Brown attempted to coach Williams, but the quarterback was unresponsive. This incident is framed as emblematic of the Bears' 5-12 season, marked by two firings and a disappointing finish.
• Lack of Preparation: Coaches from 2024 are quoted criticizing Williams' work ethic. One states, “If you can’t sacrifice? There’s no substitute for the work. That’s something he needs to learn.” The article suggests that Williams struggled with basic play-calling, often misreading his wristband instructions, leading to incorrect huddle calls and misaligned players on the field. A coach notes it was "like it was in another language."
• Hype vs. Reality: Despite the pre-draft hype and record ticket sales following his selection, the article argues that warning signs were evident early. It contrasts the external excitement with internal dysfunction, suggesting the Bears overlooked critical flaws in Williams' game.
• Signature Move: Ironically, Williams' most notable "signature move" as a rookie was not a highlight-reel play but his apparent disengagement or resistance to coaching, a moment unnoticed by fans at home but telling to those inside the organization.

Context of the Draft

• The article ties back to the Bears' acquisition of the No. 1 pick through a trade with the Panthers in 2023, which netted them receiver DJ Moore and draft capital, including the 2024 first-round pick used on Williams. This sets the stage for the draft decision scrutinized in Part II.

Tone and Implications

• The tone is critical, painting Williams' rookie year as a microcosm of broader organizational issues. It implies that the Bears' infatuation with his college highlight reels—where "cameras weren’t flashing and sycophants weren’t hyperventilating"—failed to prepare them for his professional shortcomings. The piece sets up a narrative of regret and foreshadows deeper analysis of the draft process in subsequent parts.

Supporting Details

• The excerpt mentions specific struggles, such as Williams' prolonged stares at his wristband and frequent errors in relaying plays, indicating a lack of readiness or adaptability. The 5-12 record and coaching changes (e.g., Thomas Brown as interim head coach) underscore the season's chaos.
• The article hints at a disconnect between Williams' pre-draft persona and his on-field performance, suggesting the Bears may have been swayed by superficial appeal rather than substantive evaluation.

Part 2:

Spoiler

• The article "House of Dysfunction, Part II: Inside the Chicago Bears' 'rigged trial' at No. 1 overall" details alleged biases in the Bears' 2024 NFL Draft process for selecting quarterback Caleb Williams.
• It claims General Manager Ryan Poles manipulated draft meetings by showcasing Drake Maye's worst college footage to discredit him, including incomplete passes and awkward throws against Clemson and Miami.
• A Bears scout, Chris White, challenged Poles by requesting fairer footage, leading to a brief display of Maye's stronger NFL-level throws, but Poles dismissed these with sarcastic remarks.
• The article alleges Poles and his team laughed at Maye's struggles, effectively ruling him out as a first-round pick.
• Jayden Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner, was also overlooked, with sources saying Poles never seriously compared him to Williams despite Daniels' superior performance.
• When Williams' film was reviewed, the tone shifted to positive, with his flaws—like a poor Notre Dame game—downplayed or ignored.
• The piece suggests Poles was infatuated with Williams since 2022, turning the draft into a predetermined choice rather than a fair evaluation.
• It highlights internal dissent, with scouts feeling pressured to align with Poles or risk their jobs, creating a "pack of hyenas" dynamic.
• The article previews future discussions on other 2024 draft quarterbacks, odd Williams interactions with NFL execs, and his current dynamic with new head coach Ben Johnson.
• It notes the Bears' decision could become a historic "what if?" if Daniels outperforms Williams, given their contrasting work ethics so far.

 

Edited September 5, 2025 by UMFan83

[SpongeWorthy]

the bears have tons of beat guys (bigger than any other sports team i can really think of) and a huge media ecosystem in general.

i've never lived in the market but the amount the average bears fans knows about the local sports talk radio/pundit class is absolutely unparalleled (defamatory). they talk about caleb literally everyday on get up, first take, the herd, blah blah blah. the appetite for bears coverage is ravenous.

so all those people with a vested interest missed this career defining story and let some substacker scoop them?

 

 

[UMFan83]

2 minutes ago, SpongeWorthy said:

the bears have tons of beat guys (bigger than any other sports team i can really think of) and a huge media ecosystem in general.

i've never lived in the market but the amount the average bears fans knows about the local sports talk radio/pundit class is absolutely unparalleled (defamatory). they talk about caleb literally everyday on get up, first take, the herd, blah blah blah. the appetite for bears coverage is ravenous.

so all those people with a vested interest missed this career defining story and let some substacker scoop them?

 

 

im reading more, this guy is a packers fan and his likely sources are coaches let go after last year (which makes sense given some of what was reported).

Oh well I'll leave it up but by no means should it be treated as fact.

[SpongeWorthy]

Just now, UMFan83 said:

im reading more, this guy is a packers fan and his likely sources are coaches let go after last year (which makes sense given some of what was reported).

Oh well I'll leave it up but by no means should it be treated as fact.

i just have a hard time believing cronin, fishbain, biggs, weiderer, hammond, hoge, jahns et. al. not to mention all the "analysts" both locally and nationally and the million bears blogs that have some level of access to the team were scooped by an out of market substacker with a paywall

 

[UMFan83]

28 minutes ago, SpongeWorthy said:

i just have a hard time believing cronin, fishbain, biggs, weiderer, hammond, hoge, jahns et. al. not to mention all the "analysts" both locally and nationally and the million bears blogs that have some level of access to the team were scooped by an out of market substacker with a paywall

 

I mean I do remember hearing murmurs about his work ethic last year when things were going south...I think those were circulated on 670 but don't remember who was "reporting" it.  But yeah none of the reputable sources have said anything like that especially this preseason in particular which by all accounts Caleb has been engaged, working his ass off, taking well to coaching, etc.

[BigbadB]

14 hours ago, UMFan83 said:

I mean I do remember hearing murmurs about his work ethic last year when things were going south...I think those were circulated on 670 but don't remember who was "reporting" it.  But yeah none of the reputable sources have said anything like that especially this preseason in particular which by all accounts Caleb has been engaged, working his ass off, taking well to coaching, etc.

Bottom line, the truth will be in the results. The OLine is about as good as you can get it. 2 TE sets should create extra blocking while also creating dump pass options.  I already noticed more plays designed to get the ball out of Caleb's hands quicker. There are better skill player options with the additions of Burden III, Loveland and Zaccheus to add to what they already had. And now a coach who clearly turned Goff into a good QB while also creating a top offense in the league. And this coach doesn't appear to be okay with nonsense. And he seemed to have enough info to want the job knowing Caleb would be his QB.

I don't expect the offense to be 100% ready to go on day 1. They need reps together in a new system. Doesn't mean they can't persevere. Just don't get yourself embarrassed or play like idiots, because that's what Eberflus seemed to be okay with.

If I had to guess, it's probably a bit of both. There's probably some truths in there, and it's probably also a hit piece. We are talking about a young kid getting a taste of entering the grownup stages of life where you may not be quite ready to do that yet, especially with million dollar checks pouring in. These guys have to mature in ways I certainly can't imagine. Same can be said about our military. Grow up now, kid!

Peyton Manning sucked in his first season in the NFL. It's not the measuring stick, but it gives hope that once a QB is done with their growing pains, they will have the chance to become HOF level QB's. I don't even need HOF level. I just want a QB that maybe plays for the Bears for 10-12 happy years or so and takes us to the playoffs most of those years. What would Caleb like his legacy to be?

[jersey cubs fan]

3 minutes ago, BigbadB said:

Bottom line, the truth will be in the results. The OLine is about as good as you can get it. 2 TE sets should create extra blocking while also creating dump pass options.  I already noticed more plays designed to get the ball out of Caleb's hands quicker. There are better skill player options with the additions of Burden III, Loveland and Zaccheus to add to what they already had. And now a coach who clearly turned Goff into a good QB while also creating a top offense in the league. And this coach doesn't appear to be okay with nonsense. And he seemed to have enough info to want the job knowing Caleb would be his QB.

I don't expect the offense to be 100% ready to go on day 1. They need reps together in a new system. Doesn't mean they can't persevere. Just don't get yourself embarrassed or play like idiots, because that's what Eberflus seemed to be okay with.

If I had to guess, it's probably a bit of both. There's probably some truths in there, and it's probably also a hit piece. We are talking about a young kid getting a taste of entering the grownup stages of life where you may not be quite ready to do that yet, especially with million dollar checks pouring in. These guys have to mature in ways I certainly can't imagine. Same can be said about our military. Grow up now, kid!

Peyton Manning sucked in his first season in the NFL. It's not the measuring stick, but it gives hope that once a QB is done with their growing pains, they will have the chance to become HOF level QB's. I don't even need HOF level. I just want a QB that maybe plays for the Bears for 10-12 happy years or so and takes us to the playoffs most of those years. What would Caleb like his legacy to be?

The bears coaching staff was an absolute joke, especially the offensive coaches. Hiring that coordinator to lead a first overall QB in his rookie year was malpractice. Those guys were exposed as bad coaches and want to shift blame to the player who was left on an island to prolong their careers. A packers fan was happy to oblige. 

[PackLandVA]

16 hours ago, UMFan83 said:

im reading more, this guy is a packers fan and his likely sources are coaches let go after last year (which makes sense given some of what was reported).

Oh well I'll leave it up but by no means should it be treated as fact.

 

Tyler Dunne is no more a Packers fan than any other national journalist is a fan of a team in a city they worked for a period of time.  He's been a national sports journalist for most of his career.

[WrigleyField 22]

I think it would be homerific to completely deny the reports but also, who cares.  It's not definitive of anything. The person who comes off worse is Poles and if Ben is the right coach that will scarcely matter - he'll either fall in line as 3rd most important guy or hell be replaced in a few years. 

And if Caleb busts and Ben is still the right coach, also, we'll have the right coach. 

 

And if Ben busts well then /Bears

[Soul]

That’s where I’m at.  There’s probably some truth to it.  Regardless, Caleb has a chance to move forward with what everyone believes is a top quality offense-minded coach. If he fails, he fails.  He wasn’t meant to be a successful NFL QB then.  And we move on.

[Brian707]

So no Edwards and Johnson is questionable on defense. 

On the flip side, Harrison Smith and their left tacke i believe is out

[Wilson A2000]

On 9/5/2025 at 4:45 PM, UMFan83 said:

I mean I do remember hearing murmurs about his work ethic last year when things were going south...I think those were circulated on 670 but don't remember who was "reporting" it.  But yeah none of the reputable sources have said anything like that especially this preseason in particular which by all accounts Caleb has been engaged, working his ass off, taking well to coaching, etc.

Jaylon Johnson never said who, but he publicly criticized players for lack of work ethic and Caleb was the one that most people thought he was referring to

[Wilson A2000]

14 hours ago, Soul said:

That’s where I’m at.  There’s probably some truth to it.  Regardless, Caleb has a chance to move forward with what everyone believes is a top quality offense-minded coach. If he fails, he fails.  He wasn’t meant to be a successful NFL QB then.  And we move on.

It would suck if the Bears had to move on after getting two consecutive # 1 overall picks and trading one and drafting the wrong QB in another. And then extending the GM who made those decisions. But it would be very Bears.

[Wilson A2000]

On 9/6/2025 at 7:54 AM, jersey cubs fan said:

The bears coaching staff was an absolute joke, especially the offensive coaches. Hiring that coordinator to lead a first overall QB in his rookie year was malpractice. Those guys were exposed as bad coaches and want to shift blame to the player who was left on an island to prolong their careers. A packers fan was happy to oblige. 

Both can be true: bad coaching and a QB who thinks he is a lot better than he is. Caleb needs to take down that narrative this year. He showed leadership, toughness, and closing ability last year. Now be a big part of the reason the Bears win games in 2025. 

[jersey cubs fan]

3 hours ago, Wilson A2000 said:

Both can be true: bad coaching and a QB who thinks he is a lot better than he is. Caleb needs to take down that narrative this year. He showed leadership, toughness, and closing ability last year. Now be a big part of the reason the Bears win games in 2025. 

horsefeathers. Show me a quarterback that doesn’t think he’s better than he is and I’ll show you a bad quarterback.

[Wilson A2000]

1 hour ago, jersey cubs fan said:

horsefeathers. Show me a quarterback that doesn’t think he’s better than he is and I’ll show you a bad quarterback.

That’s not what I meant. Caleb thinks he’s better than he is therefore he didn’t put the work in last year.

[Soul]

5 hours ago, Wilson A2000 said:

That’s not what I meant. Caleb thinks he’s better than he is therefore he didn’t put the work in last year.

He sure took a beating. I didn’t see a lot of whining and/or complaining which I guess I would expect from a player who thinks he’s too good for his situation.

I don’t know.  This strikes me as a lot of sports talk stuff that doesn’t really matter.  It’s a different year, different coach, and hopefully a different Caleb.  Personally I don’t doubt that he will put in the work.  I guess we will just have to see.

[Wilson A2000]

Kyler Gordon is now questionable. Potentially not having 3 of your top 4 defensive players available is not a great start to the Ben Johnson era. 

[jersey cubs fan]

Vikings and the over 

[CubinNY]

Although he's from the DC area, Calib has a SoCal laid-back persona. That's all well and good if he's performing. If he's not, it comes off as lazy or "having an attitude". 

He needs to do the easy things well first. He's not done that yet. The reasons are many and varied. Hopefully, they are on the right track. 

[Brian707]

13 minutes ago, jersey cubs fan said:

Vikings and the over 

All games but 2 this weekend went under. But i think you might be right