Podcast appearances and mentions of Dennis Allen

In the final hour, Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote were joined by FS1 host Danny Parkins to discuss the Bears' dominant win over the Eagles on Monday and the quarterback decision they're facing as they welcome the Jets to Soldier Field in Week 4. Parkins believes Tyson Bagent should get the start at quarterback instead of Case Keenum as starter Caleb Williams (hamstring) remains sidelined. Later, Rahimi and Grote listened and reacted to Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's comments about cornerback Kyler Gordon returning to practice after dealing with injury.

In the final hour, David Haugh and Jarrett Payton were joined by NFL/ESPN reporter to share her takeaways from the Bears' 27-7 win over the Eagles on Monday Night Football and praised the Chicago defense's improvement under the direction of coordinator Dennis Allen. Dales also called rookie safety Dillon Thieneman's performance "exceptional." After that, Cubs Radio color analyst Ron Coomer joined the show to break down the club's ugly 8-0 loss to the Padres in Game 1 of their National League wild-card series Tuesday. He also previewed Game 2, which is set for Wednesday at 9 p.m.

David Haugh and Jarrett Payton were joined by NFL/ESPN reporter to share her takeaways from the Bears' 27-7 win over the Eagles on Monday Night Football and praised the Chicago defense's improvement under the direction of coordinator Dennis Allen. Dales also called rookie safety Dillon Thieneman's performance "exceptional."

Chicago Bears podcast hosts Austin and Reece break down the Bears' dominant Monday Night Football win over the Philadelphia Eagles behind backup quarterback Case Keenum. They react to the backup quarterback victory, Ben Johnson's coaching masterclass against Vic Fangio's defense, the eight-minute statement touchdown drive that put the game away, and the reshuffled offensive line with Jonah Jackson and Darnell Wright. They also dive into Dennis Allen's defense confusing Jalen Hurts, standout performances from Grady Jarrett, Dayo Odeyingbo, Austin Booker, Malik Muhammad, and Dylan Thienemann, plus Khalif Raymond's emergence, Rome Odunze's drops, Kyle Monungai's downhill running, and the Case Keenum versus Tyson Bagent backup quarterback debate. They finish with a look at Caleb Williams' hamstring recovery timeline, the Week 4 matchup against Aaron Glenn's New York Jets, and why this Bears team has real Super Bowl hopes in a wide-open NFC. Subscribe to Bear Necessities Podcast for Chicago Bears analysis throughout the NFL season, and leave a rating or review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. For Business Inquiries please reach out to: Bearnecessitiespodcast@gmail.com

In the final hour, Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes were joined by Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic to break down the Bears' 27-7 win over the Eagles on Monday Night Football. Fishbain detailed how the Bears' defense had so much success. After that, Spiegel and Holmes discussed how Bears head coach Ben Johnson and veteran quarterback Case Keenum responded to a few narratives that swirled before their win Monday.

Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes were joined by Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic to break down the Bears' 27-7 win over the Eagles on Monday Night Football. Fishbain detailed how the Bears' defense had so much success.

Episode #236 | Bears vs. Eagles Postgame Reaction: Instant Analysis In Episode #236 of The BFTV Podcast, Dave, Ficky and Griff react to an absolute statement win, Bears 27, Eagles 7. With Case Keenum, of all people, looking like prime Peyton Manning. Is this really a coaching masterclass from Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen, or did the Bears just get lucky against a banged-up Philly team? The guys also cover Case Keenum vs. Tyson Bagent for the starting job while Caleb Williams is out, a dominant defensive performance with four Eagles turnovers, and Cairo Santos' up-and-down night on kicks. Get the instant reactions, the QB debate, and the real fan hype after one of the wildest wins of the season. BEAR DOWN! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of Bears On Tap, we're breaking down the Chicago Bears' shocking 27-7 victory over the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles. With third-string quarterback Case Keenum thrust into action, the veteran delivered one of the most unexpected performances of the season, throwing for 247 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score of his own.But the real story may have been Dennis Allen's defense, which completely suffocated Philadelphia's offense. The Bears forced three turnovers, held Jalen Hurts to 153 passing yards and an interception, and limited one of the NFL's most explosive teams to just 248 total yards and seven points.The Bears were missing key pieces, starting a third-string quarterback, and facing one of the league's top contenders. All they did was dominate for four quarters.Tap in and celebrate one of the most surprising Bears wins in recent memory with the Bears On Tap crew.

The Chicago Bears defense may be changing faster than anybody expected — and Monday Night Football against Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles is about to show us which changes are real.Dennis Allen's defense looked much better in Week 2 after allowing just nine points, but Jalen Hurts presents a completely different challenge than Bryce Young or Carson Wentz. Through two games, Hurts has thrown for 467 yards and five touchdowns while adding 62 rushing yards, forcing Chicago to balance pressure with rush-lane discipline.The biggest question: Can the Bears pressure Hurts without creating escape lanes that turn broken plays into explosives?Haize also breaks down two quiet depth-chart developments.

The Chicago Bears are dealing with a growing injury list heading into Monday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles — and the secondary may suddenly be one of the biggest concerns on the roster.Caleb Williams remains week-to-week with a hamstring injury, while backup quarterback Tyson Bagent is in concussion protocol. But the injury questions extend well beyond quarterback.Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson is now week-to-week with a hamstring injury, Coby Bryant remains on injured reserve, and Chicago did not open Kyler Gordon's 21-day return window despite him being eligible. When Ben Johnson was asked whether there had been any encouraging signs with Gordon, his response was simply: “I've got nothing to add there.”That creates a huge question for Dennis Allen's defense:What exactly does the Bears secondary look like Monday night?Could rookie Malik Muhammad now be forced into a full-time outside role? Who handles the slot? And how aggressive can Dennis Allen be without the nickel defender he specifically envisioned as a major piece of his system?There is some good news.Chicago officially opened the return-to-practice windows for Shemar Turner and Noah Sewell, and Turner could become one of the most important midseason additions on the entire roster. The former second-round pick is just 23 years old, offers positional versatility and could eventually give Chicago another interior pass-rush and rotational option without surrendering draft capital in a trade.We're also discussing a roster move that flew under the radar: Chicago waived long snapper Beau Gardner and signed veteran Scott Daly after a rough special-teams performance against Minnesota that included a blocked 23-yard field goal.Haize breaks down:

Chicago Bears podcast hosts Austin and Reece break down the 9–3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Caleb Williams' hamstring injury, and what it could mean for the matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. They debate Ben Johnson's play-calling against Brian Flores, costly red-zone mistakes, Garrett Bradbury's penalties, and the backup-quarterback options. Plus, they assess Dennis Allen's defense and what the offense needs to fix. Subscribe to Bear Necessities Podcast for Chicago Bears analysis throughout the NFL season, and leave a rating or review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. For Business Inquiries please reach out to: Bearnecessitiespodcast@gmail.com

Bears head coach Ben Johnson and his staff believe it's going to be "mental war" when they face the Vikings on Sunday. Dan Wiederer and Mark Grote break down the Week 2 matchup in this episode. How is Johnson trying to avoid overthinking what Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores might do? Also, the Bears defense has to be better than it was against the Panthers. What's defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's plan to improve his unit? And can we expect tight end Colston Loveland to have any catches this week?!?

The Chicago Bears scored 59 points in Week 1 — but the defense gave Bears fans plenty to worry about.Chicago allowed 478 total yards, 37 points and five offensive touchdowns, while Bryce Young threw for 361 yards and three scores. The defense did create turnovers and some timely stops, but Dennis Allen admitted the Bears need to clean up mental mistakes and regain control of the line of scrimmage.Now comes Minnesota, Justin Jefferson and veteran quarterback Carson Wentz. Haize breaks down what real defensive improvement should look like, why Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson must respond, how the pass rush and coverage work together, and whether Week 2 starts telling us if Carolina was simply opening-week rust — or a sign of bigger problems.

Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes opened their show by discussing how Cubs veteran third baseman Alex Bregman has helped star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong this season. After that, the guys listened and reacted to Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's comments about how his unit can improve.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson and his staff believe it's going to be "mental war" when they face the Vikings on Sunday. Dan Wiederer and Mark Grote break down the Week 2 matchup in this episode. How is Johnson trying to avoid overthinking what Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores might do? Also, the Bears defense has to be better than it was against the Panthers. What's defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's plan to improve his unit? And can we expect tight end Colston Loveland to have any catches this week?!?

Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes listened and reacted to Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's comments about how his unit can improve.

Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote were joined by Score contributor Herb Howard to share a Bears report live from Halas Hall.

After talking with Mike Wobschall of the Bleav in Vikings, Liam Lyons breaks down the Bears vs Vikings one final time. How will Dennis Allen and this Bears defense do against the Rams style offense that Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings run? Will Carson Wentz succeed in the passing game? The Bears scored 59 points in week one, but Brian Flores and the Vikings defense will try and limit the Chicago attack. Liam has you covered with all things Bears, from offense and defense to even hitting on the special teams. The Monsters of the Midway vs Skol Vikings in the Windy City at noon should be a fun one. The Bears have a tough test come Sunday in Chicago, but stay tuned for all things Bears on the Bleav in Bears podcast with Liam Lyons. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Caleb Williams and the Bears' weapons get the headlines, but Chicago's offensive line may be the real reason this offense has elite potential. The Bears rushed for 291 yards — their most since 1984 — with six rushing touchdowns, and Ben Johnson gave the entire offensive line a game ball afterward.Haize also debates whether Ben Johnson's fourth-down aggression can cross the line into recklessness after Chicago went for 4th-and-1 from its own 21 against Carolina and failed.Plus, should Ryan Poles call Pittsburgh about Joey Porter Jr.? There's no report Chicago is actively negotiating, but Porter's coverage production and potential fit in Dennis Allen's defense make the idea worth discussing — especially if the price eventually drops.

In the final hour, Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote were joined by Bears defensive tackle Neville Gallimore to break down the team's resounding 59-37 win against the Panthers on Sunday in its season opener. Gallimore shared his enthusiasm for playing his first season in Chicago and detailed what the Bears defense has to improve on. After that, Rahimi and Grote discussed how the Bears don't believe their defensive line is a finished product.

Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote were joined by Bears defensive tackle Neville Gallimore to break down the team's resounding 59-37 win against the Panthers on Sunday in its season opener. Gallimore shared his enthusiasm for playing his first season in Chicago and detailed what the Bears defense has to improve on.

The Chicago Bears exploded for 59 points and 552 yards in Week 1 — but Week 2 against Minnesota is where we find out how real this team actually is. The Vikings are coming off a 39-22 comeback win over Green Bay and now bring Brian Flores' aggressive defense into Soldier Field. Haize breaks down whether Malik Muhammad can become another chess piece for Dennis Allen after posting 3 tackles, 2 pass breakups and an interception in his NFL debut. Plus, does Caleb Williams even need a traditional WR1? Chicago spread the ball around in Week 1, with Kalif Raymond leading the way while Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, Cole Kmet, Swift, Monangai and Jahdae Walker all contributed — and Colston Loveland didn't catch a pass at all. And now Caleb faces a Brian Flores defense that blitzed Green Bay on 78.3% of its defensive snaps and generated pressure on 50% of plays.

The Chicago Bears opened 2026 by dropping 59 points, 552 yards and eight offensive touchdowns on the Carolina Panthers — and suddenly Ben Johnson's goal of chasing the NFL scoring record doesn't sound completely insane.Caleb Williams finished 21-of-29 for 269 yards and 2 passing TDs, while adding 65 rushing yards and 2 more scores. D'Andre Swift celebrated his new extension with 124 rushing yards and 3 TDs, while Kyle Monangai added 100 yards and a 61-yard touchdown.But the defense allowed 37 points and 478 yards, raising the bigger question: if Chicago's offense is truly elite, how good does Dennis Allen's defense actually need to be?Haize breaks down the studs, duds, historic offensive potential, defensive concerns and what Week 2 against Minnesota could reveal.

Chicago Bears podcast hosts Austin and Reece break down everything ahead of the Bears' Week 1 season opener against the Carolina Panthers. The guys react to Drake Maye's rough NFL opening night performance and what it means for the Patriots this season, then dive into the Bears' defensive depth chart — including Cantravious Street earning the starting nose tackle spot, Tyreak Stevenson and Cam Lewis holding down roles in the secondary, and what to expect from Dennis Allen's defense after the Kyler Gordon injury uncertainty. They also cover the latest injury report updates on Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Kyle Monangai before breaking down the Week 1 matchup with Carolina — revisiting the blockbuster trade that sent DJ Moore and draft picks to Chicago while the Panthers drafted Bryce Young, who now leads a Carolina offense featuring Tet McMillan, Chuba Hubbard, and Rico Dowdle. Key matchups to watch include Garrett Bradbury versus Derrick Brown on the interior offensive line, Colston Loveland exploiting Carolina's linebackers in the passing game, and Jaylon Johnson shadowing Tet McMillan on the outside. The episode wraps with keys to the game — dominating the trenches, establishing the run early, and forcing Bryce Young into deep throws — plus final score predictions from both hosts. Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson, and the Bears open the season on the road looking to start 1-0. Subscribe for weekly Chicago Bears coverage all season long, leave us a rating and review on Spotify, and drop your game predictions in the comments. Bear Down! For Business Inquiries please reach out to: Bearnecessitiespodcast@gmail.com

Blaine and Zach examine the defensive chess match, highlighting Jets defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and his connection to Dennis Allen's hybrid 3-4 schemes. Blaine and Zach explore how New York’s blitz-heavy approach could test quarterback Cam Ward, Ward’s rookie struggles against pressure, and the importance of quick outlets and screen passes to counter the aggressive front. The crew also reacts to Robert Saleh’s comments breaking down the art of in-game adjustments quarter-by-quarter, looks at the impact of Cedric Gray’s injury on the linebacker rotation, and reminisces about Chris Johnson's electric 2,000-yard season ahead of his Ring of Honor induction. Finally, the show wraps with full-season Titans record predictions and Zach’s latest slate of college football picks in The Lion’s Den Best Bets!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dennis Allen talks about how the Bears defense ‘has to play' full 581 Thu, 10 Sep 2026 21:41:57 +0000 xObH29Epx63IND7EfA6hmzctDz2oepdI nfl,chicago bears,sports Spiegel & Holmes Show nfl,chicago bears,sports Dennis Allen talks about how the Bears defense ‘has to play' Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes bring you Chicago sports talk with great opinions, guests and fun. Join Spiegel and Holmes as they discuss the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox and delve into the biggest sports storylines of the day. Recurring guests include former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt, former Bears center Olin Kreutz, Cubs manager Craig Counsell, Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner and MLB Network personality Jon Morosi. Catch the show live Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT on 104.3 The Score, the exclusive audio home of the Cubs and the Bulls, or on the Audacy app. © 2026 Audacy, Inc. Sports https://player.amperwavepodcas

Dennis Allen talks about how the Bears defense ‘has to play' (Hour 3) bonus 2583 Thu, 10 Sep 2026 23:30:00 +0000 Ib6ID8ffKFmzRuzJhpwHs4Lg61GmpguU sports Spiegel & Holmes Show sports Dennis Allen talks about how the Bears defense ‘has to play' (Hour 3) Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes bring you Chicago sports talk with great opinions, guests and fun. Join Spiegel and Holmes as they discuss the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox and delve into the biggest sports storylines of the day. Recurring guests include former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt, former Bears center Olin Kreutz, Cubs manager Craig Counsell, Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner and MLB Network personality Jon Morosi. Catch the show live Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT on 104.3 The Score, the exclusive audio home of the Cubs and the Bulls, or on the Audacy app. © 2026 Audacy, Inc. Sports https://player.amperw

Panthers season opener week is here, and Two Growls One Roar brings you the full breakdown of everything owner David Tepper, head coach Dave Canales, and quarterback Bryce Young said before Carolina hosts the Chicago Bears at Bank of America Stadium.Tepper didn't hold back — correcting a reporter's framing of his "point guard" comments on Bryce Young with a sharp "try again," while reaffirming he's still a believer in Young's ceiling. He punted on extension questions ("that's a question for Dan Morgan"), set the bar at two straight winning seasons for the first time in franchise history, and opened up about the ongoing practice facility renovation.Dave Canales ran through the Week 1 injury report — Pat Jones is out, Jonathan Brooks and Bobby Brown are trending in the right direction — before diving into the real theme of his presser: building a fast-start culture after years of slow starts sinking this team. He also explained why rookie Lee Hunter earned a starting nose tackle role and broke down his respect for Chicago's coaching staff, Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen.And Bryce Young addressed the Baker Mayfield extension comparison head-on, insisting he's genuinely happy for his fellow 2023 draft classmate and unbothered by his own contract situation. He also opened up about his father's new book, "Growing Up Young," why he refuses to set long-term individual goals, and what's actually changed in his pre-snap operation heading into a pivotal season.Three different voices, one clear picture of where this Panthers team stands heading into Week 1. Subscribe to Two Growls One Roar for full Panthers, Hornets, and Gamecocks coverage all season long. Keep Pounding.

Dennis Allen's Chicago Bears defense is built around much more than pass rush. The secondary is responsible for disguising coverage, creating pressure, fitting the run and making quarterbacks process everything a half-second too late.Haize breaks down how Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Malik Muhammad, Dillon Thieneman, Xavier Woods, Clark Phillips and eventually Kyler Gordon fit into Allen's system—and why Gordon's reported plan to begin practicing a few weeks into the season could be massive for the defense.Plus, Ozzy Trapilo continues progressing from his patellar tendon injury, while Ben Johnson confirmed Braxton Jones will open the season at left tackle.And is T.J. Edwards actually the heartbeat of Chicago's defense after being voted a captain by his teammates?

The Chicago Bears aren't rebuilding—but Ryan Poles is entering 2026 with TEN rookies on the active roster, and several could be asked to play major roles immediately.Haize breaks down the pressure on Dillon Thieneman, Malik Muhammad II, Jordan van den Berg, Sam Roush, Zavion Thomas and Logan Jones, and whether relying this heavily on young players is brilliant championship roster construction or a dangerous gamble.Plus, Dennis Allen says he's extremely confident in Chicago's defensive line despite the Gervon Dexter trade, and Kalif Raymond may be much more than a return specialist as his chemistry with Caleb Williams continues to grow.

In the final hour, Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote shared their reactions to a short video surfacing of Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon doing rehab work with a private trainer as he deals with a calf injury. Was the video encouraging? After that, Rahimi and Grote listened and reacted to Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's most notable comments in his media session Wednesday.

Chicago Bears podcast hosts Austin and Reece recap the entire offseason, headlined by the surprise Gervon Dexter trade to the Falcons for Clark Phillips and a fifth-round pick, what it says about Ryan Poles' roster building, and why the defensive line remains the biggest concern for Dennis Allen heading into Year 2. They react to the final 53-man roster cuts, including Jack Sanborn's release and practice squad return, Terrell Smith getting claimed by the Commanders, and undrafted free agents like Jaden Loving and Skylar Thomas earning real roster spots. Plus a full preseason recap featuring Zavion Thomas' breakout game against the Titans, Malik Muhammad's rise, and the rookies who improved every week. They close with 2026 season predictions, why the Bears might be one game-changing pass rusher away from legit Super Bowl contention, Max Crosby trade dreams, a worrying Packers offensive line, and a first look at Caleb Williams vs Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers in Week 1. Subscribe to the Bear Necessities Podcast for weekly Chicago Bears coverage all season long. For Business Inquiries please reach out to: Bearnecessitiespodcast@gmail.com

Dan Wiederer and Mark Grote hear what defensive coordinator Dennis Allen had to say about corner Jaylon Johnson, who seems to finally be getting back to his old self.

Dennis Allen says he's extremely confident in the Chicago Bears defensive line and believes it could be one of the deepest position groups on the roster—but Bears fans have every reason to ask whether “deep” actually means “dangerous.”On today's Chicago Bears Central, Haize breaks down the pressure on Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, Austin Booker, Grady Jarrett, Kentavius Street and Jordan van den Berg after Chicago traded Gervon Dexter. Allen has praised both Street and van den Berg, but after the Bears finished near the bottom of the NFL in pass-rush and run-stop win rate last season, this group still has plenty to prove.Plus, could Ryan Poles still trade for another edge rusher? Josh Sweat is one intriguing possibility after recording 12 sacks in 2025.Also:

Dennis Allen explains why the Bears traded Gervon Dexter (Hour 4) full 2685 Wed, 02 Sep 2026 23:03:00 +0000 nBV0xoNBLqX7cxkPopcR9XgIjM2B6szQ sports Spiegel & Holmes Show sports Dennis Allen explains why the Bears traded Gervon Dexter (Hour 4) Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes bring you Chicago sports talk with great opinions, guests and fun. Join Spiegel and Holmes as they discuss the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox and delve into the biggest sports storylines of the day. Recurring guests include former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt, former Bears center Olin Kreutz, Cubs manager Craig Counsell, Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner and MLB Network personality Jon Morosi. Catch the show live Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT on 104.3 The Score, the exclusive audio home of the Cubs and the Bulls, or on the Audacy app. © 2026 Audacy, Inc. Sports https://player.amperwavepodca

Dennis Allen explains why the Bears traded Gervon Dexter full 1431 Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:26:42 +0000 2Ds5yq9bxMr98afBIXBuyT9Hu4e3i32C nfl,chicago bears,sports Spiegel & Holmes Show nfl,chicago bears,sports Dennis Allen explains why the Bears traded Gervon Dexter Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes bring you Chicago sports talk with great opinions, guests and fun. Join Spiegel and Holmes as they discuss the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox and delve into the biggest sports storylines of the day. Recurring guests include former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt, former Bears center Olin Kreutz, Cubs manager Craig Counsell, Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner and MLB Network personality Jon Morosi. Catch the show live Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT on 104.3 The Score, the exclusive audio home of the Cubs and the Bulls, or on the Audacy app. © 2026 Audacy, Inc. Sports https://player.amperwavepodcasting.com

Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote reacted to Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's comments on cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

In the third hour, Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote discussed a variety of sports topics in the 5 On It segment. After that, they explained how Bears head coach Ben Johnson doesn't sound fully confident in the team's left tackle position. Later, they reacted to Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's comments on cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

As we continue counting down to the Bears' first game of the 2026 season, head coach Ben Johnson explained that quarterback Caleb Williams is "less goofy" this year. Dan Wiederer and Mark Grote decipher what they believe Johnson meant by that. How's Williams being more serious when it comes to his approach to the game? Also, we still have zero idea what's going on with nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon. Even general manager Ryan Poles isn't sure when Gordon will be back — if he's back at all. And defensive coordinator Dennis Allen had praise for what he has seen out of cornerback Jaylon Johnson during the offseason.

Is Caleb Williams finally about to end the Chicago Bears' quarterback curse for good?After setting Chicago's single-season passing record with 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, Caleb enters Year 3 just 58 yards removed from the first 4,000-yard passing season in Bears history. But the bigger leap may be leadership, accuracy and complete command of Ben Johnson's offense.Haize also breaks down whether Chicago should extend D'Andre Swift after his career-best 1,087 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, plus why the Bears' injury-hit secondary may be the REAL Week 1 concern with Coby Bryant out and Kyler Gordon starting the year on PUP.

The Chicago Bears have officially revealed their initial 53-man roster for the 2026 NFL season—and Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson made some surprising decisions. But the biggest takeaway might be that Chicago is NOT finished building this roster.On today's episode of Chicago Bears Central, Haize breaks down the biggest winners, losers, surprises and potential waiver-wire additions after the Bears finalized their initial 53.Several young players turned impressive summers into NFL roster spots.Undrafted rookies Jayden Loving, Hayden Large and Skyler Thomas all survived final cuts, along with defensive lineman Jamree Kromah and veteran defensive tackle Kentavius Street.But Chicago also made some unusual roster-construction decisions.

Chicago Bears football may be going through an identity crisis—and Bears fans might have to embrace it.For generations, Chicago has been defined by defense. Monsters of the Midway. Linebackers. Pass rushers. Physical football.But the 2026 Bears?This team is being built around OFFENSE.On today's episode of Chicago Bears Central, Haize breaks down why the face of this era isn't going to be the next Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers or Khalil Mack.It's Caleb Williams.And around Caleb, Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson have assembled arguably the deepest collection of offensive talent Chicago has seen in years: Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, with proven veterans across much of the offensive line.This isn't just August hype either.In Ben Johnson's first season with Caleb, Chicago scored 441 points—the third-most in franchise history—and ranked second in the NFL with 127 explosive plays.That means the next step isn't proving Chicago can make explosive plays.It's becoming efficient.Ben Johnson has already identified the areas that need another jump: route detail, ball placement, catching the football and consistently getting the primary receiver open.And Luther Burden III could be the swing piece that ties everything together.Burden gives Chicago quick-game juice, yards-after-catch ability, motion flexibility and another way to punish defenses that focus too heavily on Rome Odunze or the Bears' tight ends.So Bears fans may need to adjust to a very different reality:Chicago can still be physical. It can still run the football. Defense still matters.But this era belongs to Caleb Williams—and the Bears may finally be built to dictate games offensively instead of waiting for the defense to save them. Then we flip to the biggest concern.

It may be hard to believe, but it has been 16 ½ years since Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints captured their one and only Super Bowl title. February 7, 2010 marked the greatest day in Saints history. The New Orleans Saints began play as an NFL expansion team in Tulane Stadium against the Los Angeles Rams on September 17, 1967.  The opening kick-off was returned by Saints wide receiver John Gilliam for a touchdown as 80,000 fans roared their approval. Sadly, the Saints lost Game #1 27-13 and finished their initial NFL season with a 3-11 record. Twenty years later, the New Orleans Saints had yet to post a winning season.  Successful former USFL coach Jim Mora was hired to lead the team.  Coach Mora turned around this franchise and posted five winning seasons over the next seven years. They finally made the playoffs for the first time in 1987. WhoDat Nation was born in the mid 1980’s! Fans gleefully chanted “Who Dat say they gonna beat ‘dem Saints?” as New Orleans had finally became a regular contender in the NFC. Until they weren’t. The 1992 NFL playoffs marked the final post-season appearance for the Saints for another eight seasons.  A surprising 2000 New Orleans Saints team finished 10-6 and finally won the first playoff game in the history of this long-suffering franchise. In 2006, it was new head coach Sean Payton and newly acquired quarterback Drew Brees teamed-up to rebuild the Saints into a long-time NFC powerhouse over the next 15 seasons. Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season.  He was recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Coach Sean Payton “retired” a year later. He opted for the television booth with FOX Sports.  The Denver Broncos coaxed him to return to coaching with an eye-popping contract offer in 2022. Sean Payton has turned-around another NFL franchise.  His Broncos have become top playoff contenders in the AFC after only three seasons as the team’s head coach. Those two legends are no longer part of the NFL franchise in New Orleans.  Saints fans still love their football team, but the playoffs seem like a distant memory. Successive years of 5-12 in 2024 and 6-11 in 2025 are making many Saints fans wax nostalgic about “the good old days” of two decades ago. Is Kellen Moore a miracle worker or will he become just another short term coach? The Saints hired and later fired former defensive coordinator Dennis Allen after 2 ½ seasons following the departure of head coach Sean Payton. The 2025 season saw New Orleans hand the coaching baton to Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore with the top job.  Moore was a dynamic quarterback in college with Boise State during the Broncos’ ascension in major college football twenty years ago. Kellen Moore then played five seasons in the NFL before becoming the quarterbacks coach in Dallas.  He would be elevated to the team’s offensive coordinator for three seasons.  Moore earned a Super Bowl ring as the OC for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. Ironically, that Super Bowl victory came in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Kellen Moore became the new head coach for the New Orleans Saints less than one week later. Moore’s offensive knowledge did not seem to help the Saints’ putrid offense last season.  New Orleans scored only 18 points per game to finish in 28th place in the NFL. Saints fans saw a glimmer of hope after second-round rookie draft pick Tyler Shough (pronounced “Shuck”) was inserted into the line-up for the second half of the season. The Saints offense immediately caught fire as New Orleans won four of its last five games to finish 6-11. An underappreciated Saints defense finished in the middle of the NFL pack (16th) and allowed only 22 points per game for the 2025 season. Off-season moves have firmed-up the Saints offense The 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh saw the New Orleans Saints select: Round 1 – Jordyn Tyson, wide receiver, Arizona State Round 2 – Christen Miller, defensive tackle, Georgia Round 3 – Oscar Delp, tight end, Georgia Round 4 – Jeremiah Wright, offensive guard, Auburn Round 4 – Bryce Lance, wide receiver, North Dakota State Round 5 – Lorenzo Styles, defensive back, Ohio State Round 6 – Barion Brown, wide receiver/return specialist, LSU Round 7 – T.J. Hall, defensive back, Iowa That made three wide receivers and a talented tight end taken with the eight draft picks. Fifth year wide receiver Chris Olave has grabbed passes for more than 1,000 yards in three of his four years with the Saints.  He and quarterback Tyler Shough got their wish in the NFL draft.  There are significant new weapons with this impressive trio of wide receiver draft selections plus a top tight end prospect in Oscar Delp. It’s hard to believe that running back Alvin Kamara is entering his tenth NFL season. The 2017 Rookie of the Year has been slowed by injuries over his career.  Kamara has not played a full regular season since that initial 2017 campaign. The team’s all-time leading rusher will be joined in the backfield this season by newly acquired running back Travis Etienne.  He comes to the Saints from the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Etienne (like Alvin Kamara) is exceptional at catching the ball coming out of the backfield. This tandem should give NFC South defenses plenty to be concerned about. The New Orleans Saints lost long-time offensive standout Taysom Hill to retirement at the end of last season.  This versatile former BYU quarterback had played back-up quarterback, tight end, and running back over his nine seasons with the Saints.  The oft-injured Hill became a fan favorite in New Orleans. Can the Saints defense do it again in 2026? A quick look at this year’s Saints draft picks showed that defense was definitely not a priority for the team. Consider how ineffective the New Orleans Saints offense was in 2025.  The team’s inability to score points kept the Saints defense on the field for longer than the NFL average.  New Orleans’ 16th rated defense may show further improvement this season if the team’s offense stays on the field longer and give the defense more rest. Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley (the former head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers) put together an opportunistic and relatively young defensive unit for the Saints in 2025.  The team collected 20 turnovers last season.  It was also ranked #3 in the NFL at shutting down the opposing offense on third down. Former Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry and former Washington first round defensive end selection Chase Young led a hungry New Orleans Saints defensive unit in 2025. New Orleans’ popular and eight-time Pro Bowl selection Cameron Jordan was drafted in 2011.  Now age 37, he remains a force at the other defensive end position for New Orleans. A lack of depth may unravel the Saints this season Injuries happen – especially in the NFL.  For as optimistic as things look for the Saints first team units, a lack of quality depth (especially at quarterback) could sink the Saints chances in 2026. Preseason games generally feature back-ups so that the coaches can determine which players deserve a spot on the team’s regular season roster. The Saints 34-0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last weekend in the second preseason game showed just how weak this team’s back-ups seem to be.  They were skunked by the reserves from a Rams team which went 12-5 last year. Seeing the other team’s reserves blank the Saints back-ups raised some warning flags about the upcoming season. Speaking of back-ups, New Orleans is attempting to transform another top first round draft selection into a future weapon at quarterback. Former New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (the #3 overall pick in 2021 out of BYU) threw more interceptions (25) than touchdowns (23) during his three years with New York.  Wilson was then shipped to Denver in 2024 and moved again last season to Miami as a reserve QB for the Dolphins. Will head coach Kellen Moore (a former NFL quarterback) be able to restore the confidence of Zach Wilson and turn him into productive offensive weapon for the Saints? Prediction time! The first seven games in 2026 will tell us a lot about this year’s New Orleans Saints team. New Orleans opens with two tough road games – at the Detroit Lions and at Baltimore to play the Ravens. They’re likely to be 0-2. However, the next five games are all winnable (home for Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Minnesota), on the road at the New York Giants, and a (fake) home game in Paris against the Pittsburgh Steelers. If the Saints are 5-2 or even 4-3 heading into the second half of the season, they have a realistic chance of going 9-8 this year.  That record might be good enough to win a very balanced (but weak) NFC South. I predict the Saints will finish 8-9 this season. Anything better than 8-9 this season will have all Saints fans (me, included) downright giddy about the future of this football team. Put away those paper bags (at least for now), Saints fans. It’s “Who Dat!?” time once again in N’awlins! The post Hype or Hope for this year’s New Orleans Saints? appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

Laurence Holmes and Anthony Herron reacted to the Bears briefly playing their starters in a 27-9 loss to the Bengals on Saturday in preseason action. After that, the guys discussed Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's approach against the Bengals on Saturday.

The Chicago Bears aren't the fun little rebuilding story anymore. Expectations have changed—and Caleb Williams is now being asked to lead a team with legitimate championship aspirations.On today's episode of Chicago Bears Central, Haize breaks down four questions that could determine just how high Chicago's ceiling really is in 2026.First, Caleb Williams has no excuses—but does he have enough to cover up the Bears' remaining flaws?Chicago went 11-6 and won the NFC North last season while Ben Johnson's offense scored 441 points, the third-most in franchise history, and generated 127 explosive plays, second-most in the NFL.The foundation is real.Caleb has Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai around him, and his sack rate dropped dramatically from 10.0% to 3.8% under Johnson.But there's another side.His completion percentage fell from 62.5% to 58.1%, Chicago faces an extremely difficult schedule, and some of last season's late-game magic and defensive turnover production may be difficult to duplicate.The question is no longer:Can Caleb Williams become good?It's:Can Caleb become the quarterback who covers up imperfections when a Super Bowl-caliber team needs him to?Then we turn to Ryan Poles.

Laurence Holmes and Anthony Herron discussed Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's approach against the Bengals in preseason action Saturday.

The Chicago Bears suffered an ugly 27-9 preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and while the result itself doesn't matter much, several developments absolutely DO.On today's episode of Chicago Bears Central, Haize breaks down the biggest takeaways from Chicago's second preseason game, including the continued problems at left tackle, another impressive showing from rookie defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg, the growing injury concerns in the secondary, and a potentially important contract decision involving D'Andre Swift.The Bears failed to score a touchdown, converted just 2-of-14 third downs and committed 11 penalties in a frustrating night in Cincinnati.Caleb Williams and Chicago's starting offense only played one 10-play series. Williams finished 2-of-5 for 28 yards, connecting with Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland before the drive stalled and ended with a field goal. The starting unit wasn't spectacular, but it also wasn't the biggest problem of the night.That distinction belongs to LEFT TACKLE.

From 'Take The North' (subscribe here): The culture the Bears have built under head coach Ben Johnson continues to be more and more evident. New defensive tackle Neville Gallimore raved about the standard the Bears have and how it's different from other teams he has been on. Dan Wiederer and Mark Grote discuss what this type of talk means for an up-and-coming team. Also in this episode, how is defensive coordinator Dennis Allen handling the injuries the Bears secondary has had? And defensive tackle Gervon Dexter believes he's made improvements as he enters an important contract season.

In this week's Best of the Bears, Adam Hoge of CHGO checks in with a report on Caleb Williams and the offense; Mark Grote shares what Williams offered as he reported for training camp; and Dan Wiederer of the Athletic discussed Dennis Allen's plans for the defense.

Ruthie Polinsky and Clay Harbor are joined by The Athletic's senior writer Kevin Fishbain from training camp to break down the biggest storylines, including 'Caleb Williams' added mobility, Kyler Gordon's injury, the linebacker battle, and what to expect from Dennis Allen's defense in Year 2. They also discuss Press Taylor's offense, wide receiver Rome Odunze's camp, veteran wideout Kalif Raymond, Dayo Odeyingbo's recovery, and other standout developments from Bears camp.