Week 7: Bears vs Saints, Sunday at noon on FOX

[We Got The Whole 9]

Super awesome to get the W but im so disappointed in Caleb

 

I also may have had too much to drink 

[Geographyhater8888]

It’s been a while but I think I we finally have a kicker.

Edited October 19, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Soul]

Vikings about to lose.  Bears out of the cellar 

[gflore34]

2 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Super awesome to get the W but im so disappointed in Caleb

 

I also may have had too much to drink 

Conservatively he should have had 3-5 more completions if not for drops and Saints digging the balls out.

[Derwood]

Bank dem wins

[Soul]

Caleb has work to do.  He fell back into sandlot football too often today.  But look at how far the run game has come.  That really helps a QB too.

[champaignchris]

6 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Conservatively he should have had 3-5 more completions if not for drops and Saints digging the balls out.

There was also that completely ridiculous offensive pi call on Loveland early in the first half that took away a nice 15-20 yard gain. 

Edited October 19, 2025 by champaignchris

[gflore34]

1 minute ago, champaignchris said:

There was also that completely ridiculous offensive pi call on Loveland early in the first half that took away a nice 15-20 yard gain. 

What gets me is the Saints, on the second TD, did literally the same thing with far more contact by the Saints receiver.

[Rcal10]

Wasn’t Caleb’s best game, but I think he was a little better than the stats showed. At least 3 drops and that ridiculous pass interference call cost him. Still runs around a little too much, but he did fine. Ground game was very encouraging. If they can run like that all they need is Caleb to be good. He doesn’t have to be great. And I think he is already good. 

[BigSlick]

The refs are really picking on Loveland early in his career, not exactly sure what it was.

Caleb could have been helped out by some of his receivers making tough catches but IMO, I don’t remember any glaring drops. Most of those were contested catches with the DB draped all over them. 
 

Mostly, Caleb was just off target and panicked out of the pocket. Running circles around and I don’t know if he ever scrambled for yards, which he had several opportunities for. He was better, not great, in the pocket. Overall a pretty bad game, picked up by his defense and running game.

He’s gotta be better. But he has the whole rest of the season to improve.

[UMFan83]

21 minutes ago, Soul said:

Vikings about to lose.  Bears out of the cellar 

If the Cardinals beat the Packers (doubtful) and Bucs beat the Lions (possible) tomorrow, the Bears will be alone in 1st!

[NorthsideAvenger]

6 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Wasn’t Caleb’s best game, but I think he was a little better than the stats showed. At least 3 drops and that ridiculous pass interference call cost him. Still runs around a little too much, but he did fine. Ground game was very encouraging. If they can run like that all they need is Caleb to be good. He doesn’t have to be great. And I think he is already good. 

Agree. I am chalking this game as "one of those games". 

 

[UMFan83]

9 minutes ago, BigSlick said:

The refs are really picking on Loveland early in his career, not exactly sure what it was.

Caleb could have been helped out by some of his receivers making tough catches but IMO, I don’t remember any glaring drops. Most of those were contested catches with the DB draped all over them. 
 

Mostly, Caleb was just off target and panicked out of the pocket. Running circles around and I don’t know if he ever scrambled for yards, which he had several opportunities for. He was better, not great, in the pocket. Overall a pretty bad game, picked up by his defense and running game.

He’s gotta be better. But he has the whole rest of the season to improve.

It reminded me of the Vikings game.  Lots of holding onto the ball leading to scrambling and mid to deep bullets down the field into contested coverage.  Crazy because in the Cowboys and to a lesser extent Raiders games he looked a lot more comfortable in the pocket and playing within the rhythm of the offense but seems to have regressed.

[scarey]

I'm not thrilled with this game,  but good lord do some of you need to stop with the doom boners. It's embarrassing. It's mostly one person, but not exclusively. 

 

I get that we're traumatized Bears fans,  but the reactions are cartoonish at times.

 

Yes,  this was not a great game for Caleb.  Proven good QBs sometimes have bad games,  even against bad teams.  It happens.  It doesn't mean he sucks or is not progressing.

 

Back away from the ledge. 

 

[UMFan83]

12 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Wasn’t Caleb’s best game, but I think he was a little better than the stats showed. At least 3 drops and that ridiculous pass interference call cost him. Still runs around a little too much, but he did fine. Ground game was very encouraging. If they can run like that all they need is Caleb to be good. He doesn’t have to be great. And I think he is already good. 

On the flip side you could argue that Caleb had up to 5 TWP today, only one of them being an actual turnover.  2 of them hit Chase Young in the hands, one hit the DB in the helmet and I'm blanking on the last one.  I really don't think it was a good game for him at all to be honest.

[UMFan83]

1 minute ago, scarey said:

I'm not thrilled with this game,  but good lord do some of you need to stop with the doom boners. It's embarrassing. It's mostly one person, but not exclusively. 

 

I get that we're traumatized Bears fans,  but the reactions are cartoonish at times.

 

Yes,  this was not a great game for Caleb.  Proven good QBs sometimes have bad games,  even against bad teams.  It happens.  It doesn't mean he sucks or is not progressing.

 

Back away from the ledge. 

 

Progress isn't linear especially with a new coach and offense.  He's at times looked very comfortable and confident running the offense but today seemed like a big step back.  Hopefully next week is a step forward.

Edited October 19, 2025 by UMFan83

[jersey cubs fan]

On 10/14/2025 at 10:08 AM, jersey cubs fan said:

Chicago is a 5.5 point home favorite against the basement dwelling Saints. 

……

We should expect a TD+ victory. 

[Tryptamine]

Caleb has grown into one tendency that is driving me crazy. He just refuses to run and take the yards they're giving him. He'll dance around for 10 seconds hoping a WR gets open before he even considers taking off and it just doesn't make sense given his wheels. 

[BigSlick]

8 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Caleb has grown into one tendency that is driving me crazy. He just refuses to run and take the yards they're giving him. He'll dance around for 10 seconds hoping a WR gets open before he even considers taking off and it just doesn't make sense given his wheels. 

I have to imagine Johnson is stressing him throwing rather than running on scramble plays - and maybe he even picked this game in particular to overcorrect because it’s such a weak opponent.

But damn dude, he’s so much better when he’s picking up 2-3 first downs with his legs than throwing uncompetitive balls.

[Banedon]

I get that Caleb is still young and is coachable and has room to grow, but I just don't know.  I don't doubt his physical ability, but I do doubt his decision making.  I hope Ben can solve some of that through coaching...but I'm doubtful.

[UMFan83]

16 minutes ago, Banedon said:

I get that Caleb is still young and is coachable and has room to grow, but I just don't know.  I don't doubt his physical ability, but I do doubt his decision making.  I hope Ben can solve some of that through coaching...but I'm doubtful.

One thing that’s awesome is that Ben Johnson’s coaching is shining through despite up and down QB play. A lesser coaching staff would likely really be struggling offensively. That should buy time for Caleb to figure it out if he has the capacity to. 

[UMFan83]

What is your take on the high volume of takeaways? Good coaching, luck that will regress, a little of both?

[bukie]

3 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

What is your take on the high volume of takeaways? Good coaching, luck that will regress, a little of both?

Lucky, today's conditions really helped make the game sloppy which should have helped the Saints keep the game close (reminded me of when a terrible Bears team beat the Super Bowl 49ers on a sloppy day in Chicago a few years back). 

Caleb actually did really well under pressure, just terrible when he had time to survey the field, almost like he was purposely told not to scramble for yards today.

[gflore34]

Everyone' golden boy isn't exactly tearing it up against a sub-par Cowboys defense today. By the way.

[NorthsideAvenger]

3 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Everyone' golden boy isn't exactly tearing it up against a sub-par Cowboys defense today. By the way.

Patrick Mahomes was terrible in last season's Super Bowl. It happens to the best of them.