The Chicago Bears stunned much of the NFL world when they crushed the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football 27-7. What made it stand out was how they managed it with Case Keenum at quarterback, a third-string backup. Head coach Ben Johnson crafted a brilliant game plan, staying one step ahead of the Eagles all night. Could he do it again this week against the New York Jets? He certainly aimed to try, and even threw a wrinkle into the mix to make it more interesting. He went away from Keenum in favor of the primary backup, Tyson Bagent.

It was a bold decision, to say the least. Keenum has 67 starts in his NFL career. His experience towers over Bagent, who only started 4 games as a rookie in 2023. Why not just ride the hot hand? Johnson ignored the noise. He believed in Bagent and was rewarded for it. The young quarterback led the Bears to a 23-12 victory on Sunday. This marks only the second time in franchise history that a coach has won three games in a season with three different quarterbacks. The game wasn’t even as close as the final score says.

If not for two touchdowns being called back, it could’ve been a lot worse. Bagent wasn’t perfect, but he was good enough when it mattered.

Ben Johnson has silenced any remaining doubters.

Most people saw him as nothing more than an offensive wizard who held the title of head coach. Sure, his offense would put up points, but you need more than that to compete in the NFL. You need a complete football team playing at a high level. Well, where are those critics now? In the past three games, the Bears have allowed 9, 7, and 12 points on defense. Meanwhile, the offense is still putting up three-plus touchdowns every week despite not having its most dangerous offensive player in the lineup.

That is what should terrify everybody. Ben Johnson is doing all of this through excellent coaching. When you cannot just win but win convincingly without your starting quarterback, that is the sign of a complete football team. The Bears have become something unrecognizable—a legitimate NFL contender. Injuries don’t derail them like they used to. When you have a top-of-the-line head coach, it becomes far easier to survive such setbacks. Have a backup quarterback? No problem. Run the ball for 235 yards. Lose your left tackle to a knee injury? Relax. Still hold the opponent to just one sack.

This team finally looks and feels like its head coach.

It was evident from the outset that Johnson was an intense and motivated individual. Nothing less than excellence would be accepted on his football team. That wasn’t just limited to the players, either. It was expected of everybody, including himself. Once that mindset began to percolate in the locker room, you saw the Bears start winning games they would’ve always lost under previous coaches. Coming into this season, expectations were that you’d finally see the team as Johnson wanted it.

Well, here it is. The Bears are 3-1, with all three victories being by double-digits. Each victory came with a different quarterback under center. Credit for that falls at the feet of Johnson. Yes, he is an offensive wizard. Just not only that anymore. He is a complete football coach and is pushing all the right buttons. Sunday’s win over the Jets was his mic-drop moment, removing any doubts about his ability to adapt.

Braxton Jones is going on Injured Reserve. All one can do is feel terrible for the guy. He fought like crazy to win the left tackle battle this summer, knowing it was probably his last shot to boost his stock for free agency next year. He got off to a great start in the first two weeks, but suffered a knee injury on Monday night against Philadelphia. This landed him on Injured Reserve, putting him out for a month. This immediately made people wonder if Ozzy Trapilo was nearing a return.

Chicago’s former 2nd round pick has made a remarkable recovery from a torn patellar tendon, resuming practice far ahead of schedule. However, the team has been careful to bring him along slowly, refusing to rush him back before he’s ready. Head coach Ben Johnson made it clear that Sunday is not the time. Theo Benedet will get the start in place of Jones. However, Johnson did say that Trapilo is close. Barring any setbacks, it sounds like there’s a strong possibility his return is imminent.

“We’re still working out Ozzy just to make sure that the confidence is back. He’s looking better each and every week. Like I said, he was one of those guys in Wednesday night’s practice in pads that I mean he stood out in a good way. So I think he’s going the right way and he might be available sooner rather than later. It’s not going to be this week. We’re going to go with Theo this week.”

The Bears’ waiting to activate Ozzy Trapilo for Green Bay is pure poetry.

That is who Chicago faces next week. They head up to Lambeau Field for the long-anticipated rematch with the Packers. No doubt their eternal foes are eager for revenge after falling in the playoffs to the Bears. It is certainly a game that Trapilo remembers vividly. It is the one where this entire saga began. He was on that fateful final drive in the 4th quarter that saw Caleb Williams hit D.J. Moore for the winning touchdown. The left tackle wasn’t able to finish it, though. His knee gave out midway through the march.

Think about the story. Trapilo almost sees his career die at the hands of the Packers in the biggest game the Bears have played in over a decade. His sacrifice to reach the sideline and preserve a timeout might be the only lasting memory. Then barely 10 months later, he returns to face that same team for a chance at revenge. You can’t tell us that Johnson didn’t have that game circled with this in mind. For all of the talk about his analytical mind, the man has a deep appreciation for football history—a true romantic of the game.

The potential setup is perfect.

Green Bay is in a crisis. They’re 1-2 with all sorts of problems. The offensive line is a mess, necessitating the addition of several veterans via free agency. That doesn’t include growing concerns about head coach Matt LaFleur and his shaky status inside the locker room as the team keeps collapsing late in games. Just imagine Ozzy Trapilo returning just in time to help deliver what could be a killing blow to their season. They play Tampa Bay this week. It should be a game they win, but the same thing was said about last Thursday against Atlanta.

If the Bears go into Lambeau Field against a 1-3 team, you can bet Trapilo and everybody else will smell blood in the water. The big left tackle will be eager to exorcise some demons. Everything points to next week being his time. It is so incredibly fitting. Johnson will deny that the timing has anything to do with the decision-making process. Anybody who knows how deliberate this head coach is, especially when it comes to the Packers, can safely think he’s lying.

The Chicago Bears have gotten far more from their pass rush through the first three games than many anticipated. Much of that is thanks to the good health of Montez Sweat, Austin Booker, and Dayo Odeyingbo. Together, the trio has produced 4 sacks through three games when aligned on the same front. Grady Jarrett has also chipped in with some strong interior rushes. Many do wonder how long this can hold up. At some point, it feels like the depth of that group will be tested in some way. That is why the latest news ahead of the New York Jets game feels so important. It appears Marcus Davenport is ready.

People have probably forgotten that the former 1st round pick was even on the team. Chicago signed him on August 17th, long after training camp began. That meant he’d have to spend extra time getting himself in top shape. That was largely why they elected to release him with the final cuts and bring him back on the practice squad. There, he could work himself into proper condition and ensure his body was 100% healthy. Now, just over a month later, he has been elevated to the main roster.

Marcus Davenport comes in with zero expectations.

He is a long way from his time with the New Orleans Saints when he was a highly touted 1st round pick. For a time, it looked like Davenport was on the cusp of becoming a dominant force with 9 sacks in 11 games in 2021. Everything seems to fall apart after that. Injuries began piling up. From 2023 through 2025, he has missed a total of 37 games. People aren’t sure what the 30-year-old has left to offer at this point. His body doesn’t seem able to handle the rigors of a full season.

Then again, that could make this situation in Chicago a perfect one. He already knows the defense, having played under Dennis Allen for years in New Orleans. Combine that with the fact he won’t have to carry starter reps, instead serving as a rotational pass rusher, and it’s possible his body might hold up better. The Bears don’t expect anything special from him. They likely hope he can get somewhere close to the level he played at early in 2024. He had 7 pressures and a sack in two games for the Detroit Lions before going down for the season.

This likely serves as his last chance.

Everybody knows Davenport’s history by now. They see him as damaged goods. The best ability is availability. Teams won’t sign players they don’t think they can rely on. Marcus Davenport likely knows it was his connection to Allen that got him in the door with Chicago. Otherwise, he would probably still be unemployed. This is all but guaranteed to be his last shot to extend his NFL career. If he can’t produce or gets hurt yet again, he’ll be forced to retire, willingly or not.

The setup is as favorable as he could ask for. It is a familiar defense, and he won’t be asked to play extensive snaps each week. Just get on the field and rush the passer. Plenty of careers have been extended by following that same formula. One thing is certain. If the Bears can even get 4-5 sacks out of him this season, that would be a massive victory, given where the current expectations are.

Among the pleasant surprises to start this season, the Chicago Bears‘ defense has to be near the top of the list. Everybody expected the unit to rank among the league’s worst. They were mostly bad last season, only managing to mask it with a league-leading 30 takeaways. Aside from a shakeup at defensive tackle and retooling the safety position, not much has changed. So you can imagine the surprise that they’ve allowed just 16 points in the past two games. The pass rush has looked surprisingly good, and the retooled secondary has stiffed quite a bit thanks to the rise of rookies Dillon Thieneman and Malik Muhammad.

However, not everything has been endlessly positive for the unit. Amidst the good vibes, there is a concerning issue on defense that has gone significantly underdiscussed. That is the apparent weakness at linebacker. Devin Bush has looked like a solid signing, ranking second on the team in tackles. The big problem is that his primary position teammates, T.J. Edwards and D’Marco Jackson, have 15 combined. Thieneman, a rookie safety, has 17 by himself. This goes a long way in explaining why the Bears’ run defense has been a problem all year.

“The Bears’ defensive front ranks last in the league in run stop win rate and has given up the 12th-most rushing yards per game this season. Chicago’s secondary has been much better, especially over the past two games. Even with Smith coming off a 24-point fantasy performance against Detroit, the Jets could lean more heavily on the run in this matchup.”

The Chicago Bears’ defense has ignored linebacker for a long time.

They have never significantly invested in it with draft capital under general manager Ryan Poles. Since 2022, spanning five drafts, the Bears have never selected a linebacker higher than the 4th round. That was Rueben Hyppolite last year, and he’s no longer on the team. The team has been making do with large free agent investments like Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. It worked briefly in 2023, as the team finished #1 in the NFL against the run. However, every other year, they have failed to finish higher than 27th. So far this season, they’re 22nd.

The harsh truth is, they don’t have the most capable unit. Edwards is still a really good coverage player, but his run defense has always been average. The same goes for Bush. Jackson? He was excellent in 4 relief starts last season, but he has never really shown himself to be capable of becoming a true long-term option. The group just doesn’t have a lynch pin. No Roquan Smith. No Brian Urlacher or Lance Briggs. It’s hard to find one unless you actively go looking for it. This regime has not.

Much of this can be traced to Poles’ philosophy.

Since becoming GM, he has stated on multiple occasions that he is heavily focused on what he calls “premium” positions. These are the offensive and defensive positions considered most important. Offensively, it is, of course, quarterback, left tackle, and wide receiver. Defensively, it’s edge rusher and cornerback. Linebacker, for some, is at the bottom of that list. Poles seems to be among those who view it that way, which is interesting, since his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs, used back-to-back 2nd-round picks on Willie Gay Jr. and Nick Bolton. Both were instrumental in the team’s 2022 and 2023 Super Bowl victories.

It’s hard to believe the Bears have become an organization that devalued linebackers to this degree. No franchise has a greater legacy at the position. Every time they’ve found a great one, success has usually followed. It feels long overdue for them to get serious about finding one. If the Chicago Bears defense wants that pass rush to reach its full potential, stopping the run comes first, especially knowing you’ll be facing teams like San Francisco and Los Angeles in the playoffs.

Head coach Ben Johnson has gone out of his way to deflect every question about who will be the starting quarterback on Sunday for the Chicago Bears. Many believe the obvious decision is to stick with Case Keenum, who just got done crushing the Philadelphia Eagles 27-7. Why wouldn’t you ride the hot hand? Well, it seems Johnson didn’t get the memo. Multiple insiders have since reported that Tyson Bagent is expected to get the start on Sunday against the New York Jets. He’s been the one receiving starter reps in practice all week.

It is difficult for some to understand. Bagent has only 4 career starts, while Keenum has 67. Wouldn’t going with the experienced guy who literally just won last week make more sense? In some ways, yes. However, there are notable reasons the Bears might go with Bagent instead. Here are the ones that make the most sense.

#1: Tyson Bagent is the primary backup

One must not forget that the Bears coaching staff chose him as the #2 quarterback each of the past two offseasons. If they had any misgivings about his ability during that time, they would’ve flipped him with Keenum. Johnson has been adamant from the start that he believes Bagent has the talent and qualities of a starting quarterback. That didn’t just magically disappear just because Keenum played well against the Eagles. The third-string QB came in and did his job. It’s not enough to justify changing their opinion on Bagent.

#2: He offers a different dimension

One thing to note about the New York Jets defense is that it likes to play a lot of man coverage. This allows Glenn to be more aggressive with pressure packages. One preferred way to counter that is with a quarterback who can move. It is why Caleb Williams is so good at it. For all the things Keenum can do, running is not one of them. Tyson Bagent isn’t a pure scrambler, but he has more mobility than he gets credit for. He amassed 109 yards and 2 touchdowns in 5 games as a rookie in 2023. Having that capability would ease some of the pressure on the offensive line, while also opening up more play-fake possibilities.

#3: Keenum’s Monday night was a little misleading

Don’t get it twisted. He was brilliant for long stretches in that game. The victory had his fingerprints all over it. That said, it was anything but flawless. Keenum came dangerously close to throwing two ugly interceptions. One of them was in the red zone that would’ve probably seen the Eagles’ defensive back running it all the way for a touchdown. This is where you can’t let the stat line tell the entire story. There is a good chance the Jets don’t drop some of those passes on Sunday as Philadelphia did.

#4: Keenum also has a history of consistency problems

If he didn’t, he’d probably still be a starter somewhere. If you look back at his career, the longtime quarterback has been what you’d call streaky. He would put together a couple of games where he looked brilliant, then have two or three clunkers. There was never any predicting when they’d happen. Just look back at the last time he had back-to-back starts for Houston in 2023. He managed 229 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT in an overtime win over Tennessee. Then the next week, he managed just 11 completions, 62 yards, and 2 INTs against Cleveland. The lesson seems to be don’t press your luck with him.

If there is one thing we’ve learned about Ben Johnson since he became the head coach of the Chicago Bears, it is that he doesn’t need much to get his competitive juices flowing. Last week, he got tired of people saying he’d never coached quarterbacks other than #1 overall picks in his career. That called his capability into question. So he used the Philadelphia Eagles as a whipping post with Case Keenum under center. This week? It is somewhat more interesting. The New York Jets aren’t a team the Bears play often, so there’s no rivalry involved. Well, not between the teams.

No, the source of Johnson’s hair-trigger competitiveness appears to be their head coach. Aaron Glenn worked together with the Bears’ head coach as coordinators with the Detroit Lions from 2022 to 2024. Their efforts yielded back-to-back division titles and a trip to the NFC Championship game. While it did lead to a lot of respect and friendship, Johnson also admitted that a personal rivalry developed between the two. One that he hasn’t forgotten, even over a year since parting company.

“He certainly lights a fire under you. I still remember to this day being next to him in training camp, and you can hear him — you can hear him. And when the defense makes a play, he lets you know. And so that shaped me a little bit as a young play caller there.

“And that really hasn’t changed. That’s who he is. He gets excited. He gets into it.”

Ben Johnson has been waiting for this opportunity.

There is something that just isn’t quite satisfying when you’re going against somebody in training camp. The cameras aren’t around, and the points scored or turnovers gained don’t matter. Everything is meant to prepare the team for the real games. Given how Johnson is wired, he was probably hoping that one day the two of them could go head-to-head with real stakes at stake. Then Johnson could remind Glenn that there are consequences to doing all that trash-talking.

He probably had this game circled on the calendar for months. Glenn doesn’t figure to make it easy. Despite their 1-2 record, the New York Jets look considerably improved over last year, especially on defense, where they rank in the top 10 in multiple categories. They should’ve beaten the Packers in week 2 and almost toppled the Lions in Detroit last week. Ben Johnson has no plans to take them lightly. He can’t afford to with a backup quarterback under center. Then again, if he can beat the Jets with Tyson Bagent, it will cement Johnson’s place as one of the NFL’s best.

It’s all about receipts.

Johnson accepted Glenn’s jabs in Detroit because it was all for the good of the Lions. That doesn’t mean the coach just brushed it off. He clearly still remembers everything the coach said—all the celebrations. Johnson has a long memory. He doesn’t forget stuff like that. He merely files it away and keeps it for when it might become useful. Like now. The Jets could’ve easily been viewed as a trap game after such a big win over Philadelphia, and the Green Bay Packers are up next after this week.

No problem. Just pull those memories from the databank and let them stew in the brain all week. By the time kickoff rolls around on Sunday, Johnson will be all revved up. Victory is never guaranteed in the NFL, but one thing is certain. Glenn’d better be ready for Johnson’s best shot. He does not care that they are friends. The Jets’ head coach is in the way, and he will do everything possible to crush him.

The Chicago Bears have been locked in a standstill on their push for a new stadium for months. Their strongest attempt came in the spring when it looked like they might get their desired bill through the Illinois House and Senate. Unfortunately, they couldn’t find enough votes in the latter to cross the finish line. Then, when a retool bill was proposed, it ran out of time before the House could review it. Since then, the team has publicly claimed it’s focusing on Indiana as their destination.

In reality, everything has pointed to them preparing for another try in Illinois’ fall legislative session.

To that end, they’ve shaken up their negotiation team. Team president Kevin Warren is out. Longtime part-owner Pat Ryan, fresh off getting a brand new stadium for Northwestern, is in. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell joined him to meet with Governor J.B. Pritzker and other prominent members of the state leadership. This adjustment has apparently led to some serious progress in discussions. Pritzker even stated in a recent interview that things are going so well that he expects real action on the issue when the legislature returns in a couple of weeks.

It even sounds like the Chicago Bears have an actual plan.

Danny Ecker of Crain’s Chicago Business reported in a recent article that the team is planning a proposal to steer away from direct private ownership. The idea is a bit complex, but a worthwhile compromise for all parties. The Bears would finance the construction of the stadium themselves. However, official ownership would go to Arlington Heights. The township would then lease the stadium to the team. This would allow the Bears to avoid paying property taxes altogether, which was the central issue from the beginning. The team stays in Illinois and also makes it easier to use public bonding, hotel taxes, or specialized sports authority mechanisms to fund surrounding infrastructure improvements.

“The approach – which cleared the Illinois Senate in May but never reached the House – has emerged as a focus of recent discussions among the Bears and state officials, sources familiar with the talks tell Crain’s…

…Sources close to the matter say the contours of the Senate bill are likely more palatable to members of the Chicago delegation in the Illinois House, who have bristled at the prospect of property tax breaks that help the Bears leave the city. As passed by the Senate in May, the legislation would allow all municipalities in Cook County with a population over 70,000 to create a new stadium authority with the power to issue bonds, make loans, take ownership of a stadium and enter into a long-term lease with a professional sports team. That means Chicago could create one, too, whether to pursue the Bears directly or help other pro sports franchises.”

The idea here is to ensure the city and state can still collect tax dollars. That is a big sticking point for government officials at both levels. Making it publicly owned allows them to benefit from other events, such as concerts and shows. However, unlike at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears would have far more say over how the stadium is developed, since they’ll be the ones funding it.

Much of this comes down to control.

How committed are the Bears to maintaining total control of the entire project? If that is their goal, then these talks with Illinois feel pointless. The state will never give them the tax breaks and infrastructure support they’re looking for. They don’t have enough allies in the state government to do it. This public ownership model is a compromise. It is essentially similar to the Soldier Field setup, but one where the team maintains final say on the stadium itself, giving the surrounding townships access to the surrounding property.

Neither side gets everything they want, but both get enough to make plenty of money in the deal. That is often how business agreements are conducted. The endgame is achieved. Illinois keeps its beloved football team in-state, and the Bears get a state-of-the-art stadium that opens new pathways to additional revenue. Now we wait to see if Ryan can get this over the line.

Things are going pretty well for the Chicago Bears lately. They dominated two of their first three games thanks in large part to an offense that seems to be gaining confidence and potency with each week. Seeing Case Keenum put up 27 points on a pretty good Philadelphia Eagles defense was telling. Several players are putting together career-best performances so far. Right tackle Darnell Wright and right guard Jonah Jackson are two examples. Running back D’Andre Swift is another. Import wide receiver Kalif Raymond is off to a scorching start. Plenty of guys are feeling good. Rome Odunze is not one of them.

The Bears have a long and somewhat tortured history with 1st round wide receivers. It was felt that Odunze was a caliber of talent that could overcome that curse. So far, that hasn’t been the case. Aside from the foot injury that derailed much of his 2025 season, the receiver hasn’t gotten over a persistent issue with dropping passes. He added to the growing list on Monday night when he bobbled an easy touchdown into an incompletion, costing the Bears 4 points.

It ended up not mattering, but it could’ve been so costly in different circumstances. This is a continuation of what happened last season. Everybody still remembers that drop against the Rams in the playoffs. The problem isn’t going away.

Rome Odunze faces an increasingly uncertain future.

As of now, the Bears have secured many of their core offensive players. Wright received a massive contract extension before the season began. All signs point to quarterback Caleb Williams eventually getting his own deal next offseason if he plays at the same level as last year or better. The only name that hasn’t been mentioned in those conversations is Odunze. Based on what Sports Mockery insider Jeff Hughes just stated on Twitter (X), it sure sounds like the Bears aren’t feeling compelled to consider the idea.

One thing we know about head coach Ben Johnson is that he loves efficiency. A stat for wide receivers he is certainly to pay attention to is something called Receiving Success Rate. This is a percentage calculated by the number of receptions made relative to the targets. Across his 32 career games, Rome Odunze has an RCR of 46.1%. For context, Marvin Harrison Jr., who is being called a bust for the Arizona Cardinals, sits at 50.5%. The best wide receivers in the NFL like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase? They hover around 56%. That is a pretty bad look.

Odunze has 14 games left to change his narrative.

While he is far from a liability in the Bears’ offense, the facts are the facts. He hasn’t played well enough to this point to justify any talk of an extension. Next year will be the last of his rookie contract. Right now, the Bears have no incentive to pick up his 5th-year option. If he doesn’t put together some strong run over the next three months to change the narrative, the Bears will start reshuffling their priorities in the passing game. Lots more Colston Loveland and Luther Burden. Less Odunze.

There are already signs that Johnson is growing frustrated with him. The drop issues are a big deal with him. A coach never likes it when a player ruins a great play call with poor execution. Odunze has done that way too many times. Granted, the guy has had some brilliant moments. That 4th and 8 against Green Bay will live forever. Yet one play does not guarantee you $20-30 million per year.

Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy were an incredible duo together once upon a time. From 2009 to 2016, they guided the Green Bay Packers to eight consecutive playoff appearances. That run of success included three NFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl victory in 2010. They were undeniably one of the best QB-coach tandems in the NFL. However, many people seem to forget that towards the end of their time together, the two couldn’t stand each other. It is why McCarthy was ultimately fired.

Reasons for the friction were numerous. Rodgers grew frustrated with the coach’s static offensive system, not including more motion and other fresh concepts. It is why he changed so many plays at the line of scrimmage, which didn’t please McCarthy. As the Packers seemed to plateau and not repeat their championship success, the tension grew. With no one willing to mediate, things festered until the falling out finally happened.

This is why it was a genuine shock when the Pittsburgh Steelers hired McCarthy as their new head coach to replace Mike Tomlin. Why would they bring in somebody who has a complicated history with the quarterback they’re trying to keep another year? It felt like a questionable decision.

Thursday night in Cleveland reminded everybody why.

Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy still hate each other.

Despite sitting at 2-1 going into the game, things took a sour turn late in the 1st quarter. Pittsburgh was on the edge of the red zone on 1st down. Things were moving fine. However, that changed as Rodgers waited for the next play call. When it didn’t come fast enough, he screamed at the sideline, “What the f**k? Call it!” McCarthy didn’t seem to appreciate that. As the quarterback turned to deliver the call to the huddle, the head coach was caught on camera seeming to say, “F**king a**hole.”

This only reinforces the questions about how all of this came to be. Aaron Rodgers hadn’t yet signed a new deal to return to Pittsburgh when the news dropped that McCarthy was taking over the team. He didn’t have to return. There is no way the quarterback didn’t have some reservations about a reunion. So why? The likely answer is that Rodgers wanted to play one more year, and the odds were that Pittsburgh was the only team willing to give him that. Most other teams around the league either had their quarterback or were looking to draft one. It was basically make it work with McCarthy or retire.

Rodgers is probably thinking he should’ve chosen the latter.

Right now, he is off to the worst start of his long career. Through four games, the future Hall of Famer has 7 touchdowns and 4 interceptions with an 81.6 passer rating. That is far below his previous career low of 90.5 in 2024 with the New York Jets. It would be incredibly fitting if McCarthy returned just in time to put one last tarnish on his legacy as one of the greatest of all time. Losing that game to Deshaun Watson and the Browns made it all the sweeter for fans who have loathed Rodgers for almost two decades.

Many see this as his 2010 Brett Favre moment. The two quarterbacks seem to share a legacy through eerie similarities. Both had immense early career success as starters. Both parted ways with their first head coach. Neither won a title after their first one, and each flirted with retirement on multiple occasions before ultimately getting traded to the Jets. Then both had a rebound year with a third team, Favre with the Vikings and Rodgers with the Steelers, before crashing and burning the next.

McCarthy may not like the losing, but some part of him has to be loving how much Rodgers is limping to the finish.