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markpotash.bsky.social
@markpotash.bsky.social
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markpotash.bsky.social
Ben Johnson's fourth-and-1 gamble failed, but at least he lost being Ben Johnson. That's the only way the #Bears are going to break the cycle of losing at Halas Hall. 1st-and-10: www.markpotash.net/post/1st-and...
1st-and-10: At least Ben Johnson lost being Ben Johnson
After a 17-16 loss to the Chargers at Soldier Field in 2019, Bears coach Matt Nagy appeared mystified and a little miffed at being questioned about his decision to have Mitch Trubisky kneel to set up ...
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December 9, 2025 at 7:13 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
The Magnificent 7 — Seven players who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 28-21 loss to the Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field: www.markpotash.net/post/the-mag...
The Magnificent 7
Seven players who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 28-21 loss to the Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field: 1. Jordan Love This game did not settle the Jordan-Love-or-Caleb-Williams debate one way o...
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December 8, 2025 at 3:54 AM
markpotash.bsky.social
Before Ben Johnson was hired, Ryan Poles traded a second-round pick (No. 32) for WR Chase Claypool. After Ben Johnson was hired, he traded a fourth-round pick (currently No. 131) for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney. How Johnson is making Poles a better GM. 1st-and-10:
www.markpotash.net/post/1st-and...
1st-and-10: The Ben Johnson Effect — Ryan Poles is on a roll
Ben Johnson was hired to make a quarterback out of Caleb Williams. But he’s also making a general manager out of Ryan Poles. Before Johnson was hired, Poles had more misses than hits — he traded for t...
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December 3, 2025 at 1:49 AM
markpotash.bsky.social
Ben Johnson vs. Vic Fangio will be a playoff-caliber matchup in the #Bears' showdown vs. the Eagles on Friday — the kind of battle Johnson ultimately will have to win to get the Bears over the top. 1st-and-10:
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1st-and-10: Ben Johnson vs. Vic Fangio could tell the tale of the Bears' 2025 season
Since Lovie Smith and Dave Toub left the Bears after Smith was fired following the 2012 season, two high-level coaches in particular have been able to rise above the dysfunctional muck at Halas Hall t...
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November 26, 2025 at 7:19 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
The Magnificent 7 — Seven players who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 31-28 victory over the Steelers on Sunday at Soldier Field ...

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The Magnificent 7
Seven players who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 31-28 victory over the Steelers on. Sunday. 1. Caleb Williams For better or worse, Williams figured in five of the eight touchdowns scored in th...
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November 24, 2025 at 2:26 AM
markpotash.bsky.social
The #Bears' 2025 season is trending like 2012, when Lovie Smith's team started 7-1 against a soft schedule, predictably fell flat against better opponents and missed the playoffs. But there's one big difference. Well, two. Maybe three. 1st-and-10:
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1st-and-10: Shades of 2012? We'll see about that
With yet another exhilarating victory, the Bears 7-3 start under rookie head coach Ben Johnson keeps evoking memories of previous glorious seasons in the post-Ditka era. To wit:  • The uncanny, fantas...
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November 19, 2025 at 3:58 PM
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The Magnificent 7 — Seven players who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 19-17 victory over the Vikings on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium: www.markpotash.net/post/the-mag...
The Magnificent 7
Seven players who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 19-17 victory over the Vikings on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium:1. Devin DuvernayThe veteran kick returner had not made a big impact this season o...
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November 16, 2025 at 11:34 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
The Magnificent 7 — Seven players who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 24-20 victory over the Giants on Sunday at Soldier Field: www.markpotash.net/post/the-mag...
The Magnificent 7
Seven players (actually six players and one coach) who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 24-20 victory over the Giants on Sunday at Soldier Field: 1. Caleb Williams It remains to be seen if Willia...
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November 10, 2025 at 1:00 AM
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Dawn of a New Era: There's always been an an excitement about Ben Johnson's offense. Now there's a confidence it can put the same hurt on vulnerable defenses like the Giants' that good teams have done: www.markpotash.net/post/weather...
Weather or not ... Bears have an offense you can count on vs. Giants
You are what your record says you are, but the Bears know they can’t be deceived by the 2-7 Giants on Sunday. The Giants have lost their last three games, but against the Broncos (8-2), Eagles (6-2) a...
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November 9, 2025 at 5:01 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
It remains to be seen if Caleb Williams is the right guy. But he's at the right place at the right time, which is a big advantage over previous #Bears QBs, like Jay Cutler — 1st-and-10:
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1st-and-10: Caleb Williams at the right place at the right time
Some guys have “it.” And some guys don’t. Jay Cutler had tremendous talent but couldn’t buy a break. Even when he was in the right place, it seemed like the wrong time. In 2011, Cutler was leading the...
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November 5, 2025 at 2:46 AM
markpotash.bsky.social
The #Bears have a chance to exorcise a demon that led to their ruin last season — and show the heart, leadership and verve they didn't have last year — in return trip to Northwest Stadium to face the Commanders on MNF. This isn't just another game:

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1st-and-10: Bears return to the scene of the crime
The Bears are 2-2 under Ben Johnson, which is the same record they had after four games last year under Matt Eberflus. And their victories aren’t that impressive — over the Cowboys (2-2-1), who have b...
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October 8, 2025 at 12:39 AM
markpotash.bsky.social
With a tip of the cap to my former Sun-Times colleague Jim O'Donnell, who did this better than anyone ... The Magnificent 7 — Seven players who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 25-24 victory over the Raiders on Sunday in Las Vegas: www.markpotash.net/post/the-mag...
The Magnificent 7
Seven players who made the biggest difference in the Bears' 25-24 victory over the Raiders on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas: 1. Josh BlackwellThe fourth-year undrafted free agent from Duke ...
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September 29, 2025 at 1:36 AM
markpotash.bsky.social
Ben Johnson's offense vs. Matt Eberflus' defense Sunday is a poetic litmus test for Johnson in an early key moment of his #Bears coaching tenure. The last time they met, it was Eberflus who had the edge, until the fateful final minute at Ford Field ... 1st-and-10
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1st-and-10: A litmus test for Ben Johnson vs. Matt Eberflus
The last time Ben Johnson faced Matt Eberflus, when the Lions played the Bears on Thanksgiving Day last season at Ford Field, Johnson's offense came in averaging 35.5 points in the Lions' previous eig...
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September 17, 2025 at 1:54 PM
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A checklist for Ben Johnson's debut season — is going 3-3 in the NFC North too much to ask for? ... Why D'Andre Swift is the pick to click in Week 1 ... Jaylon Johnson should not play in the #Bears opener vs. the Vikes ... all that and more in 1st-and-10:
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1st-and-10: Setting the bar for Ben Johnson's debut season
Three consecutive winning seasons. That seems like a reasonable — and modest — bar for success for Ben Johnson as the Bears' head coach. The Bears haven't done that since 1984-88 under Mike Ditka. And...
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September 3, 2025 at 4:16 PM
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It's up to Ben Johnson to make a QB out of Caleb Williams and a GM out of Ryan Poles. ... Did the Bears use the 56th pick of the draft on a backup RT? ... A legitimate bar for success in Wk 1 ... An optimistic Bear-ometer. All that and more in 1st-and-10:

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1st-and-10: Can Ben Johnson make a GM out of Ryan Poles?
Asked about the Bears' curiously vacant left tackle position 13 days before the season opener, Bears general manager Ryan Poles deferred to coach Ben Johnson to figure it all out. At least that's what...
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August 28, 2025 at 5:54 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
The Bears' upset of the Packers in Week 18 was a big morale boost at Halas Hall, but also cost them 3 spots in the draft, and the chance to take Texas OT Kelvin Banks — the dedicated LT the Bears appear to need. Will Ryan Poles' regret not trading up to get him? www.markpotash.net/post/the-ris...
The rising cost of the Bears upset of the Packers in Week 18
A perusal of 70 mock drafts in April revealed three main candidates for the Bears' first-round pick: Penn State tight end Tyler Warren (18), Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty (15) and Texas offen...
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August 16, 2025 at 2:56 AM
markpotash.bsky.social
History shows you don't have to win the training camp battle to win the war — see Olin Kreutz vs. Casey Wiegmann, 1998. But if Ozzy Trapilo is close, shouldn't he be the Bears' starter at LT in Week 1? www.markpotash.net/post/experie...
August 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
Ryne Sandberg was beloved as player with the Cubs, but beloved as a person in retirement — a transformation that endeared him to multiple generations of Cub fans who will miss him, but never forget him. RIP.
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Ryne Sandberg, 1959-2025
There have been two ex-Cubs I wanted to be named manager of the Cubs — Randy Hundley and Ryne Sandberg. Hundley because he fit the profile. He was a catcher with a passion for the game and a work ethi...
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July 29, 2025 at 4:29 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
"Collusion" used to be like yelling "shark," but not when mid-tier quarterbacks are making $55M a year, with $150M+ guaranteed. Fans want to see players get what they earn, but they also want to see players earn what they get.
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Why NFL fans don't care about collusion
The blockbuster Dolphins-Steelers trade that sent Miami cornerback Jaylen Ramsey to the Steelers for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick on Monday was a blow to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio's crusade to get ...
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June 30, 2025 at 8:48 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
The Bulls are preaching patience — which is a tough sell after the Thunder and Pacers played for the NBA title two years after being at or below the Bulls' level. What are the Bulls doing wrong?
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June 26, 2025 at 10:38 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
Oh, to be 16 again — 1975 was the summer of not only "Jaws," but "Love Will Keep Us Together," a smash hit by Captain & Tennille that came out of nowhere, and brings back a lot of great Summer of '75 memories 50 years later: www.markpotash.net/post/50-year...
June 25, 2025 at 6:17 PM
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In MLB's first ever draft in 1965, the Cubs took pitcher Richard James sixth overall, but also U of I left-handed pitcher Ken Holtzman, who became the first draftee to make it to the big leagues and later was traded for No. 1 overall pick Rick Monday. Story:

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June 9, 2025 at 6:59 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
Ben Johnson's attention to detail is another new-coach cliche, but can't be dismissed as the same-old, same-old with the #Bears. Sometimes the coach who thinks he's the smartest guy in the room actually is the smartest guy in the room. markpotash.net
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Ben Johnson's attention to detail becoming an attention-getter
There aren't many people still around who have consistently bet on the new Bears coach being different from the guy before him, because most of them went broke doing that. But Ben Johnson's first impr...
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June 5, 2025 at 2:39 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
The #Bears offseason Bingo card is filling up, with good reason this time ... markpotash.net
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Bears offseason Bingo card filling up
Bears offseason optimism figures to kick into high gear this week with three days of media access at mini-camp Tuesday through Thursday at Halas Hall. The Bears get mocked for winning the offseason fo...
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June 4, 2025 at 7:16 PM
markpotash.bsky.social
When Ben Johnson became the Lions' OC in 2022, the running back (D'Andre Swift) and tight end (T.J. Hockenson) were among the proven veterans who didn't make it to Year 2. That puts a the spotlight on Swift and Cole Kmet in 2025. markpotash.net
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June 4, 2025 at 7:08 PM