The Charter: A Chicago Bears Podcast

Ep. 168: Talking through the Bears’ playoff scenarios

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 opponents9:00: If the Vikings have the ideal quarterback matchup for the Bears, they also have the best defense12:00: Don’t count out the Packers just yet15:35: The next step for the Bears? Be a “finisher” when it comes to Green Bay’s playoff hopes17:15: Why Mitchell Trubisky sounds up for the task of eliminating the Packers21:35: The moment hasn’t been too big for Trubisky and that’s a good thing22:15: Jordan Howard’s game vs. LA is encouraging for the Bears down the stretch25:55: The rest of the Bears’ offense actually showed signs of improvement vs. LA…except for the QBSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 167: The Bears knock off the kings of the NFC

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 big02:00 Bears defense smothers, and made Goff look like a rookie03:30 What went wrong with the Rams05:30 Defense is winning games for us06:15 Bears are Super Bowl contenders07:30 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 game12:30 Mitch had a bad day13:30 Bears defense picks up Mitch14:30 What happened to Mitch?16:00 Worried about Mitch?17:00 Rams defense pressured Mitch18:00 Bears defense punished Goff19:00 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.

Ep. 166: Mitch Returns! Plus, a Rams preview with J.B. Long

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 Donald6:00: 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 Bears19:20: Why Sean McVay is the right coach for Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams21:45: 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.

Ep. 165: Bears come back but come up short

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.

Ep. 164: Can the Bears win again with Chase Daniel?

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 Wednesday1:30: 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 defense11:00: 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 2005-200616:15: Matt Nagy has a winning scheme22:30: A quick aside about how JJ got pranked into thinking a former Bears backup QB became a gym teacher at Lyons Township High School23:40: Back to business: Matt Nagy’s outstanding coaching is one more positive trendSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 163: Give thanks to the Bears defense for a win in Detroit

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.

Ep. 162: How Mitchell Trubisky’s shoulder changes Bears-Lions

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 go8:15: 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 seriously21:00: If the Bears win, why it’d be an outstanding coaching job by Nagy23:00: Kerryon Johnson not playing will be a big factor25:00: Reactions to Monday night’s Chiefs-Rams thriller, and what it means for the BearsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 161: What is the ceiling for the bears?

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 ONE2:30 IN - 2ND HALF, THE DEFENSE PREPARED FOR THE VIKINGS PUSH4:30 IN – GAME PLAN CHANGES WHEN THE WEATHER DOES6:30 IN – SUPERBOWL BEARS?8:30 in – Why did the Bears go for 2 early in the game?SEGMENT TWO11:15 IN – Are the guys worried about Cody Parkey?13:00 IN – Game balls and preparing for the Lions on short restSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 160: With NBC Sports Soccer’s Arlo White and Roger Bennett

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 fan4:35: 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 opener11:55: 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 awake19:00: Welcoming Roger Bennett to the pod, and how he became a Bears fan while growing up in Liverpool21:30: Calling random 312 numbers in Chicago to get the Bears score24:10: How White and Rog wound up at the same Bears preseason game in 1986 without knowing it26:10: Rog’s experience greeting the Bears at O’Hare at 2 a.m. after they played the Cowboys in London31:00: Why Rog moved to Chicago (and specifically Rogers park) right after college33:00: 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 #balds36:45: Rog’s prediction for Bears-Vikings38:20: 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.

Ep. 159: Previewing Sunday night’s massive meeting with Minnesota

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 year9:00 - Now that we’re a month out, the Miami game was a major wake-up call for the Bears10:15 - Back to the point of an “easy” schedule for a final thought before the break11:35 - Plugging Friday’s Under Center Podcast special with NBC Sports’ Arlo White and Roger Bennett, both of whom are huge Bears fans12:50 - 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.