A trip to Lambeau Field was the perfect setting for a storybook win to honor the late Mike Ditka. The hard-nosed, old school style of football engrained into the identity of the 2026 Bears would have honored his legacy and provided his family with a smile. Playing uncompetitive football against the Packers should have been left with the last three decades of Bears teams. A potential program defining loss is less demeaning when you know Caleb Williams will return soon. Chicago needs the Iceman.
One week after a physically dominant showing against the Jets, the Bears faded away into an unrecognizable version of themselves. Both backup quarterbacks from the last two convincing wins saw the field, and both played uninspiring football. Tyson Bagent started and couldn’t complete anything down the field (12/21, 87 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT). They turned the ball over 5 times for the first time since a 24-17 loss against the Saints in 2023…when Bagent threw 3 INTs. Jordan Love tossed cannons way down the field that somehow landed every single time as he racked up 367 yards through the air. It was a recurring nightmare that brought back shades of Aaron Rodgers to Randall Cobb.
If you read last week’s Wind Chill, you know I didn’t predict this. I was on a different planet with my expectation for this Bears/Packers showdown. I thought the Bears finally had the right coach, culture, and talent in the trenches to handle their rival with ease. Instead, they couldn’t control the line of scrimmage and let every drive slip away from them. The Ben Johnson Bears were supposed to take permanent residence in a new stage of the rivalry. We were supposed to be done with the humiliation. The demons were supposed to be grated out of existence.
Losing to the Packers always feels like rock bottom. In Week 1, it preemptively ends the season. In the middle of the season, it has led to firings. Last year’s close loss was followed up by two miracle victories, including the epic playoff win at Soldier Field. This game was lost due to a collective failure, but it won’t determine their path the rest of the way. You can’t win when your backup quarterback can’t complete a pass. It was an impressive two week run from Bagent and Keenum, but the Bears need the Iceman back ASAP. Ben Johnson aimed for scoring records this season, and his offense has been rocky at best through 5 games. They need their franchise player back, and they need to settle into a rhythm.
With that said, two disasters in five games is concerning for a program that prides itself on playing tough football. When all eleven are locked in, they’re unstoppable. So far, there have been too many prolonged lapses.
The Ryan Poles vs. Ian Cunningham Bowl is on Sunday as the Bears take on the Atlanta Falcons! They came alive when Michael Penix, Jr. returned from injury, and their offense is completely loaded. If Caleb Williams can play in this one, it may be a ridiculously high scoring shootout.
Are you concerned about the 2026 Bears?
Patrick Kane’s return to the United Center ended in the most fitting way: the Blackhawks’ first win of the season. Artyom Levshunov played with confidence and had a brilliant assist on an Anton Frondell goal. Once the reunion ended, the Hawks reverted back to their losing ways. They actually outshot the Islanders 23-19 but couldn’t overcome goalie Ilya Sorokin, and the defending champion Hurricanes skated circles around them. The Hawks have started the season 1-5-0.
Last year’s hiccups are this year’s norm…for now. Jeff Blashill came to Chicago to establish a culture and develop the young core. Most of the roster seems to have plateaued, and they’re not cohesive as a unit. This could get ugly if the wheels continue to fall off. For now, we wait for the captain to return. The extended training camp without their franchise player has to be taken with a grain of salt. Connor Bedard changes the entire lineup and will elevate the group when he’s manning top line center and every power play.
There are six more games on this long homestand, and Connor Bedard should make his season debut during one of them. The difficult schedule continues with the Penguins, Jets, and Stars in town this week.
The preseason began last Wednesday! Caleb Wilson (17.6 ppg) showed off his athleticism and scoring abilities while also making blatant rookie errors. Leonard Miller exploded against the Nuggets last night for 26 points on 11/14 shooting. The regular season is only 9 days away, and the frontcourt is significantly shorthanded. Nic Claxton injured his hamstring and may miss opening night. The young Bulls need a reliable presence at center from the jump to protect the rim and fill out the “competent” roster, as Bryson Graham described he wanted, to help cater development.
I have to root for the Dodgers this week…
Oliver Moore, Frank Nazar, or Nick Lardis will get traded in the next 2 years.
We haven’t learned much about the Blackhawks core in the first six games of this season. All we can assume right now is that young players not named Connor Bedard, Anton Frondell, or Artyom Levshunov may not have a role in the future of this team.
Evaluating the state of the current roster led Kyle Davidson to trade for Bowen Byram. Evaluating the forward group this season will lead him to trade for any Top 6 forward he can get his hands on. He tried to acquire one before with Jake Guentzel and was linked to many other players. In a Top 6 that will feature Bedard, Frondell, and Kantserov, I don’t believe the other three will all fit in.
The Blackhawks loved all three players: their speed, their makeup, their scoring abilities. One or more may fill up the stat sheet this season and cement their place among the top forwards in the room, but anyone who constructs a lower ceiling than anticipated for themselves will be dragged down in the lineup and would ultimately end up out of town.
Case Keenum
Back-to-back salute for Keenum! He replaced Tyson Bagent in the 4th quarter against the Packers because of Bagent’s poor play. After the game, he talked about his conversations with Bagent after the switch was made. Keenum encouraged him, reminded him that the NFL is all about how he responds when he gets kicked down, and shared his appreciation that they are teammates.
