People don’t need to be a psychiatrist to recognize that Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is an intense individual. He takes the game of football very seriously. Not a single minute spent should be wasted. If you’re not trying to be great, whether you’re a player or coach, then why are you even in the game? This goes a long way in explaining his aggressive mentality. Johnson has said many times since taking over last year that his goal isn’t just to win games. It is to dominate the opposition.

If you think you understand the full depth of those words, you’re wrong. Johnson might be best known for his occasional pettiness when he feels the Bears are being disrespected. Yet when you hear players talk about what he’s really like behind the scenes, you start to realize the truth.

Johnson is a sadist.

He wants to inflict mental and physical agony on the opponent. None more so than the Green Bay Packers. Wide receiver Luther Burden and tight end Colston Loveland both alluded to this when speaking to Dan Wiederer of The Athletic.

“I feel like he wants to beat them really bad,” Burden said. “Like everybody else in the room. Like every Chicago fan. We want to beat them really bad. And make them quit.”…

…Said Loveland: “We want to control the clock. We want to physically dominate. We want to score a lot of points. And Ben said this recently, ‘We want to impose our will to a point where we ruin the other team’s season.’ Where they lose to us and they lose the next couple games and then they’ve got guys falling by the wayside.”

Ben Johnson is that perfect blend of passionate and ruthless.

He has that mix of a burning desire to inflict pain and a lack of empathy for anyone he does it to. In a football sense, of course. There is no room for camaraderie or class in these games. Not from his point of view. There are 32 teams in the NFL. Only one of them gets to hoist the Lombardi trophy every year. If you’re not willing to exploit any possible advantage, including mind games, to weaken your opponent, you’re doing your own team a disservice. Johnson recognized immediately that Green Bay had something over the Bears.

The mental edge.

They’d beaten Chicago so many times that it eroded the confidence of fans and players alike. They always expected something to go wrong. Ben Johnson would not allow that. What is the best way to counteract a bully? Confront him head-on. So the Bears head coach immediately began taunting them, prodding them, and letting them know they’d better not expect the same docile rivals they’d seen over the past 15 years. All the while, he put his players through an intense grind in training camp, preparing them for the war he knew was coming.

The gambit worked beautifully.

Johnson’s constant jabs, mixed with the Bears’ rebuilt self-confidence, led to two epic victories late last season. Green Bay suddenly looked like the team that wasn’t sure of itself. That much has been reinforced in the months since their January playoff loss. They’re 2-2, and both of their wins were by the skin of their teeth against bad teams. It is completely foreign territory for them, and Johnson aims to keep them there on Sunday. He smells blood in the water and no doubt aims to deliver the kill shot.

Not just because it benefits the Bears. Also, because it brings him joy. So yes, a bit of a sadist indeed. Truth be told, the organization has probably needed someone like that for a long time. Looking back through the years, the Bears have always functioned at their best when they have a bit of a loose cannon in charge. You saw it with George Halas and against with Mike Ditka. Johnson is eager to carry on that tradition.

The Chicago Bears haven’t made any moves ahead of the trade deadline yet. That is no surprise. It is still another month before that becomes a factor. There is no reason to jump the gun on anything. Things are going well for them. They’re 3-1 with an offense that is clicking without its starting quarterback and a defense playing far better than expected. They want to see just how good this team is. If it continues winning, general manager Ryan Poles may decide the time is right for a calculated swing at the deadline.

As always, it comes down to who is or isn’t available. Best estimates indicate the Bears will likely be hunting for pass rush help. Marcus Davenport just retired, and Shemar Turner still hasn’t returned from his torn ACL last season. Will there be any viable options available? Jeremy Fowler of ESPN thinks so. Based on what he’s heard, there is a strong possibility that several prominent names could be on the move next month. A few of them should absolutely interest the Bears.

After talking to teams Tuesday, it’s worth watching defensive linemen on the trade front over the next month. The Arizona Cardinals fended off any Josh Sweat trade interest over the summer, intent on keeping him. Perhaps that changes closer to the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Teams will have interest in Sweat, 29, as well as many other rushers on teams with losing records. The Chargers’ Khalil Mack, Jets’ Will Macdonald IV and Tennessee’s Jermaine Johnson II are among rushers who could attract interest in the coming weeks.

The Chicago Bears must decide how aggressive they want to be.

Of that group, Sweat is probably the player most teams will desire the most. He is still in his prime and coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded 12 sacks. He’s off to a slower start this year, but remains a dangerous presence. He also has the size and length that Dennis Allen usually prefers at defensive end. Throw in his decent contract, and it feels like a sweet setup. In situations like that, you typically have many teams going after the player, making him more expensive to acquire.

If the Chicago Bears want to take a calculated gamble on somebody who’s still young and developing, then Will McDonald is the guy. He has 18.5 sacks over the past two years, and just turned 27 in June. He’s on the thinner side at 245 lbs, but the pass rush skills are impossible to ignore.

Johnson would be cheaper since he hasn’t really produced much since his Pro Bowl season in 2023. Injuries played a part in that. Conversely, if the Bears are looking for a one-year rental who still has some juice left, then a reunion with Mack is the easy choice. He has 3 sacks this season and played for Allen in 2014.

Price tag will be key.

Poles has never given up more than a 2nd round pick for a player in any trade since taking over the Bears in 2022. That feels like the ceiling for any deal that could happen over the next few weeks. McDonald and Sweat may command somewhere around that price, while Mack and Johnson will be less expensive. Given what we know about this regime, they will most likely go hunting for a Joe Thuney-type deal. Add a highly proven player who looks to have some tread still on the tires and acquire them for a mid-round pick.

Mack is the one who fits that profile. Maybe another prominent vet emerges on the market as well. Either way, the Bears will have options to choose from. They must do their part and remain competitive enough to justify such a deal. Fans should keep an eye on Halloween. It should be clear by then whether the circumstances are right for a trade to happen.

It felt reasonable for the Chicago Bears‘ defense to experience minor improvement this season. After all, they spent a considerable amount of money in free agency to find some help, including safety Coby Bryant and linebacker Devin Bush. Then they used their 1st-round pick on safety Dillon Thieneman. If they got better injury luck this year, ranking in the teens would feel attainable. Nobody could’ve predicted that it would sit at 4th in points allowed and 3rd overall a month into the season. Much of the credit for that must go to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

Remember, the Bears didn’t add any true superstar player to their lineup this offseason. Bryant hasn’t even suited up yet because of a knee injury. Bush and Thieneman have been big positives, but no one stands out as dominant. It has felt like a group that is greater than the sum of its parts, and that is because of the excellent ways Allen has deployed them. Nothing illustrates this more than his considerable adjustments to the team’s pass rush. Analytics expert Tej Seth revealed the extent of the changes.

“Dennis Allen has increased the stunt rate, going from 16.3% in week 1 to 37.0% since (6th highest). They are generating pressure on 56%(!) of their stunts weeks 2-4. They are also blitzing at a 41% rate, which is the 3rd highest in the league weeks 2-4. Devin Bush has 6 pressures on 18 pass rush snaps.”

Dennis Allen has shifted from what he did last season.

The Bears’ defensive coordinator does use stunts, as most do these days. It comes down to frequency. While data is difficult to come by, Allen has typically hovered between 15% and 20% for stunt rate. He seems to use it more as a wrinkle to throw off offensive lines from time to time rather than a regular weapon in the arsenal. The same was largely true of his blitz rate. Allen isn’t afraid to send extra rushers, but he doesn’t make it a habit to do so on the regular. Historically, his units sit between 20% and 25% on that front.

So, going from that to 35.3% on blitzes and 37% on stunts represents a massive philosophical shift for Dennis Allen. What compelled it? The most likely explanation is recognizing the NFL’s recent trend. Some of the best defenses in the NFL frequently utilize heavy blitz packages, including those of the Minnesota Vikings (#5), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (#4), and the New England Patriots (#6). Meanwhile, no team utilizes stunts more than the Los Angeles Rams, who went above 40% last season. They rank 2nd overall in the league.

The Bears are shifting with the times.

Rather than stubbornly hold onto his usual preferences, Allen has decided to follow what’s been working. It has been pretty evident this season that opposing offenses struggle against teams that blitz or stunt heavily. Perhaps it is due to the new wave of quarterbacks playing the game differently than their predecessors, like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees. Whatever the case, Allen’s adjustments have been working. The Bears have allowed just 28 points in their last three games.

Allen did say that you have to do things differently when you don’t have somebody special up front. When your defense has a Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, or Will Anderson, you don’t have to worry about blitzing or stunts. Just line those guys up and send them hunting. Most teams don’t have one, though. That means it is the coaches’ responsibility to do everything possible to help their guys get favorable matchups. Stunts and blitzes are the way to go, and Allen is leaning into that more than ever.

Few things can tell you more about what to expect in an NFL draft than patterns. Which players do general managers, personnel executives, and scouts seem to eye the most? It is no different with Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles. He’s been spotted at games frequently over the years, and those visits eventually proved noteworthy, as the Bears would end up selecting certain players from the teams he was there to watch. That is why it remains important to catalog any information that seems interesting regarding Poles’ activities.

Here is where the 2026 scouting season stands. According to independent scout John Vogel, there have been two instances in which he has spotted Bears scouts and execs attending games involving a team more than once. One is Notre Dame, the longtime college power that sits in close proximity to Chicago. The other is Miami. Each has seen Bears representatives show up twice. That feels difficult to explain away as a mere coincidence. Is it possible that both programs possess something the Bears are eyeing for the 2027 draft?

Ryan Poles isn’t masking their intentions too well.

If you look ahead to next spring, those programs will feature prominently. Both have an extensive number of players expected to be selected. Most of the biggest names reside on the defensive side of the ball. Between Miami and Notre Dame, no fewer than 8 of them are currently graded as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round picks. Just as noteworthy? Four of them are defensive linemen. It isn’t a secret that the Bears have wanted to bolster their defense for some time, still unable to find a genuine difference-maker on that side of the ball.

After years of investing 1st round picks on offense, it feels like now is the time to shift focus to the other side. They already added Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick this year. They may look to finally get that defensive line help they need next year. Ryan Poles has always been pretty straightforward with his scouting philosophy. Many of his plans center around the strengths of each draft. By most accounts, the 2027 class is strong along the defensive front. This feels like a great time to strike. It comes down to which players they believe fit their team.

Keep an eye on these names.

Given where the Bears are trending this season, it is likely they will end up with a 1st round pick that is somewhere in the bottom half. We’re talking #16 all the way to #32. If that holds true, the names to watch include Miami’s Damon Wilson, Justin Scott, and Ahmad Moten Sr. As for Notre Dame? Don’t overlook linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa. The Bears need fresh blood at the position and don’t really have a true impact player. Just an assortment of solid ones.

Obviously, the draft is unpredictable. There is no guarantee the Bears will select any of those players. Still, it does point in the direction Poles and the coaching staff are thinking. They understand football at its core. If you have a great offense, the next logical step is seeing if you can get the defense up to the same level. If and when that happens, you probably have a championship-caliber team.

The Chicago Bears have one eye on the trade deadline in a few weeks. Their 3-1 start has allowed them to start thinking bigger. If they can maintain their momentum until the end of October, there is a strong possibility they will have a green light to be aggressive in finding some extra help. Up until now, the list of potential sellers has been the same group of teams. Tennessee, Houston, Tampa Bay, Miami, and Los Angeles are all winless. They feel like the obvious ones to watch, as well as the 1-3 Arizona Cardinals and 1-3 Washington Commanders.

However, every deadline features an unexpected twist. Often, it’s a team nobody thought would be interested in selling. This year, it looks like that team is the Philadelphia Eagles. After starting the season 2-0, things took a rough turn as they’ve lost two in a row. If that weren’t bad enough, future Hall of Fame right tackle Lane Johnson just retired. The Eagles are going in the wrong direction, and it looks like they realize it. Rather than fight the inevitable, general manager Howie Roseman has gotten proactive. His first big move came when he shipped center Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens.

If the Eagles are open for business, the Chicago Bears should be shopping.

As a team that won a Super Bowl just two years ago, Philadelphia has plenty of talent. While they likely won’t go for a full fire sale, it’s fair to assume they’ll look to unload hefty contracts or players they know they can’t afford. The first name that immediately comes to mind is Moro Ojomo. The Eagles already handed huge contracts to Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter at defensive tackle. There is no way they can give another to Ojomo, who had a breakout year in 2025 with 6 sacks and 12 QB hits. He doesn’t have a sack this year, but he does have 12 pressures in 4 games.

The other name to watch is Jalyx Hunt. A former 3rd round pick in 2024, Hunt collected 6.5 sacks and 24 QB hits last season. His speed around the edge and closing burst are two things the Chicago Bears don’t really have on defense. Adding some alongside Montez Sweat and Austin Booker would give their pass rush a more diverse flavor. Both players have contracts coming up. Ojomo’s is next spring, and Hunt’s is 2028. Philadelphia can’t pay both of them. That means the Bears should have a chance to trade for the other.

Both players are in Ryan Poles’ wheelhouse.

He typically prefers to target younger, ascending talent at the trade deadline, as we saw with Sweat a few years ago. Ojomo and Hunt fit the bill. The Bears’ GM has already done business with the Eagles multiple times. It comes down to what price he is willing to pay for one of them. No doubt Roseman will look to drive the price tag as high as possible. It’s been his reputation for years. The trick will be to establish a clear line you’re not willing to cross and stick to it. If someone else outbids you? So be it.

If nothing else, this is a welcome sign that the Bears will have plenty of options on the table by the end of the month. The more teams you have willing to sell, the greater the odds of finding a deal you can live with. That is how the team landed Sweat in 2023. Maybe their good fortune will come from another NFC East team.

The Chicago Bears flipped a script that had been set for the past 30 years last January. Everybody knew that the Green Bay Packers always won games in the rivalry when it mattered most. You saw it in the 2010 NFC Championship and again in the 2013 season finale with the division on the line. Everybody expected the same outcome when the two teams met in the wild card round of the 2025 playoffs. It certainly unfolded as expected with Green Bay taking a commanding 21-3 lead.

Then things went off the rails. Chicago mounted a second-half comeback, taking advantage of every Packers mistake and scoring 25 points in the 4th quarter to go up 31-27. Green Bay failed to answer in the final seconds, cementing the greatest choke job in the rivalry’s history easily and perhaps the most brutal playoff loss the Packers had suffered since the NFC Championship loss in Seattle 12 years ago. For months, they managed to keep their real feelings about what happened under wraps from the media.

That finally changed when Tyler Dunne of Go Long TD got several coaches on the staff to vent about what happened. Let’s just say they had plenty to say.

“I don’t think we were a soft team,” one coach says, “but there were examples where we weren’t physical enough.”…

…“I don’t think the first half was as good as it seemed and the second half probably wasn’t as bad as it seemed,” one coach on staff says, before pausing. “But it was a shit show. That’s for sure.”…

…“Then, when we were dropping back,” a coach continues, “someone had a catastrophic fuck-up on each play. It was the same plays we were calling. It was just someone freaking out in the moment and making a mistake and it started snowballing. I don’t think we overcame that.”

It is clear the Green Bay Packers still can’t understand what happened.

For literal decades, they were the team that always closed games out when they had the lead in the 4th quarter. It was especially true against the Bears. From 1992 to 2023, Chicago managed only four 4th quarter comebacks to win against the Packers—none in the final 10 seasons of that stretch. Since Caleb Williams came aboard in 2024, the Bears have now done it to them three times in two seasons. That wild card game was by far the most gutwrenching of all. It seemed like something broke that day.

Since then, the Green Bay Packers have looked nothing like the team they’ve been for many years. They’re 2-2 to start the season, and that is by the skin of their teeth. They had to overcome a 17-3 deficit against the New York Jets and barely survived 17-14 against the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were starting an undrafted rookie quarterback. All of this is happening while injuries keep piling up. Wide receiver Jayden Reed (neck) and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (Achilles) are both done for the season. It feels like Sunday’s game could be make-or-break for them on several levels.

The Packers haven’t felt this way in a long time.

Being mortal. For 30 years, they sat on a mantle above most other NFL teams because they had a Hall of Fame quarterback under center, first with Brett Favre and then Aaron Rodgers. Everybody assumed the good times would continue with Jordan Love at the helm. While the former 1st round pick has played strong football since becoming a starter, it hasn’t been anywhere close to Favre and Rodgers at their peaks. Without that elite umbrella to shield them, the weaknesses on their roster have become much harder to hide.

Unless you play sound, efficient football across the board, you’re going to lose games against good teams. That is what happened to them on that fateful night at Soldier Field. They started making mistakes, the Bears found some momentum, and there was no Canton-bound quarterback to save them, as in years past. For the first time, they had to watch what being truly vulnerable feels like.