AZ54

Not a perfect game. I see slow feet against some of the speed rushes but also some really good plays against power. Great game considering his first start.

Ozzy makes his first start at LT and earns a 75 PFF grade. https://bearswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bears/2025/11/24/bears-steelers-pff-grades-week-12/87449245007/

Wow. Time to buy a jersey! For the record my Jersey collection: Sayers, Ditka, Urlacher, Butkus.

I'm still processing what I saw in today's game. There is far more good than bad. We scored 31pts and we're still complaining. At least I'm complaining about the missed plays. I can't tell you how refreshing that is. Offensive pre-snap penalties are way down and that is not just this home game but the trend has been favorable the last few games. We did that today with Ozzy making his first start at LT and Luke Newman taking some snaps both as 6th Olineman and subbing in at RG until Jonah was able to return. Oline struggled all day in the run game. Pass pro was better for the most part. I found it interesting that TJ Watt looked awesome until he rag dolled Darnell Wright. Then, just as quick as we gave up a TD on a sack fumble, TJ seemed to disappear from the game. Then the run game got better, not great but effective enough, and the passing game got better. TJ stats ended the game with 5 tot tkl, 2 solo, 1 sack, 1 QB pressure, 1 TFL. Most of that I believe I saw in the first quarter. I'll wait for the film studies to see if we schemed differently after that or did Darnell wake up and control him on his own? Did I notice Luke Newman on the field? No. Doesn't mean he played well just means he didn't play like a 5th round rookie. That alone makes me smile. Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy....I was concerned coming into this game how our LT would hold up because Pitt has two really good edge rushers, and some good LBs. The game ended with me still wondering how our LT held up. I don't recall seeing the usual left edge pressure Theo gives up. It did feel like we ran to the right side more than the left side. If true, was that by design to make it easier for Ozzy to focus on pass pro in his first NFL start? I'm not sure Theo gets his job back. Caleb just keeps getting better. No big leaps but each week is better. I know it was ugly early on but these chunk plays are seemingly on repeat week after week under Ben Johnson. Defense... in the Pitt first offensive series, maybe two, our LBs were largely static until the play was well underway. Dennis Allen and the LB coach (or someone) clearly got on them because you could see and feel the shift when they started playing downhill. After that there were still some misses but we also started getting some negative plays. It was enough that ,despite giving up big yards in the running game, it helped stall out some Steeler's drives. Maybe doing this meant giving up some pass plays because LBs were out of position in converage but the strategy worked against Rudolph. Might not have worked against Rodgers but that's the type of decisions and strategy coaches are supposed to do.

For all we know Jasón is enjoying life on a beach in the Caribbean. He might have better things to watch.

I don’t really know the answer but I don’t recall many games where Lovies offense scored 31 pts.

We had no business winning that game. There were players on the field who I’ve never heard of in a bears uniform. Very impressed by this coaching staff. i also like the fact I never heard Ozzy name alll game.

I want to see Ozzy. Theo looks like career backup.

If i said that it was in a trade back scenario, which I still think is a logical play for us.

I don't think anyone is out there saying this Bears team is a finished product. It's just year 1 of this coaching staff and turnaround. I don't know any Bears fan that think we're a Superbowl contender. Everyone I talk to is just happy that we now have a roster that no longer quits in close games and that our offense keeps getting better each week. I'm still not accustomed to all the chunk plays we get each game but 3rd and 10-15 is no longer the death sentence it has been for many years.

I don't think full participant necessarily means he's playing. There's a lot to football conditioning and one Thur practice followed by a light Fri practice isn't enough in my opinion.

Interesting to see this considering he was a draft option for us. https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/steelers/2025/11/20/steelers-arthur-smith-kaleb-johnson-usage-week-12/87376831007/

I don't see Kmet going anywhere given how complimentary Ben Johnson was on his play against the Vikings. Then just to create a hole that has to be backfilled using a draft pick. Given all the needs we still have on the roster we need all the picks we can get. However, he could be dangled in a trade either for a pick or more likely a player at a need position. Trading to fill a need offsets the value proposition with the draft pick. I see the same situation with DJ Moore, he's a benefit to the team but with his replacement already on the roster we have to consider options. Trading Kmet nets $8.4mil in cap savings. Trading DJ $16.5mil. Swift is the other logical place to free up money either through cut or I'd say they could consider a 1yr extension to eek out a bit of space. I'm pretty sure we'll be drafting another RB likely on day 3 again, cut Swift and it likely needs to be a day 2 pick. While I know fans have concerns over Swift, I think Ben Johnson's concern with a rookie replacement will be pass pro. His running ability can be replaced. Cap space for 2026 projected cap of $300mil, Bears have just $1mil in space. I expected Edmunds to get cut but seeing how he's been playing under Allen I think he'll get an extension that will lower his cap hit. Hopefully with a rising team we can get a bit of a home team discount instead of having to be highest bidder.

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2025/11/bears-designate-kyler-gordon-to-return-from-ir

For sure draft boards at this time will change dramatically. I've learned this early in the process you really need to look into anyone in the first / second round grades to get an idea of who really will end up with a round 1 grade. Rarely does an early-in-the-process 3rd Rd grade move up into late 1st but sometimes especially with very young players it can happen.