5 On It: How concerned are you that the Bears won't repeat their success of 2025?
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This hour is brought to you by Jewel Osco. Number one.
The NFL released its strength of schedule rankings. The Bears are at the top of the list with the toughest schedule in the league, which amounts to a 550 opponent win percentage. We won't have the full schedule until Thursday, but here's the breakdown of the Bears opponents for those who. Need a refresher. Home opponents, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, New England Patriots, and New Orleans Saints. The Bears away opponents that will be on the schedule for 2026. The Detroit Lions, the Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Vikings, the Buffalo Bills, Marshall, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and the Seattle Saints.
Seahawks on a scale of one to 10 on the worry meter trademark. How concerned are you that the bears won't be able to match the success they had last season when they took the North? Do you think they're going to give it back?
Okay. I'm going to preface this by saying my resting worry face. That's just how my face looks. That's just my natural worry state.
What are the Bears' toughest opponents for the upcoming season?
RWF?
Is a six, yeah. I think that that's... I'm just naturally worried. That's how I have so much gray hair. I color it. Don't worry about that. In the meantime, I think for the Bears and the worry meter... I am still slowly absorbing the center situation as they see it as being more catastrophic, I think, to the team than even I realized at the time. I wonder how much of this is also when you're willing to start a rookie safety, when you're willing to not say draft defensive lineman if you didn't see any there, you want to go with your team on the field. Are they building us in for some natural understood possible regression? But I'm still just at a seven.
Wow.
I mean, I feel like, yeah, this is a challenging schedule. But if your quarterback improves the way we think he improves. then that can override a lot of what I just mentioned. You're at least feeling better about all of the games on the schedule. You're home against the Eagles, at least, as opposed to away this time around. But the division games stand to be what they are. You've got to have a better record in the division this next year. Away at Buffalo, they got that new stadium they built.
Yeah.
Away Carolina, who I think really showed a challenge for the Rams in the playoffs. And then there's that Seattle game. Guys, I might just chalk up the Seattle one like Jacob DeGrom against the Rangers on Sunday. So seven.
So you're at a seven. Let me tell you why I'm at a nine. Because I know that's a big number when you're talking about a scale of zero to ten. I think the schedule is the baked-in regression. I think it's very difficult... to say, hey, we're going to come up with as much success as you came up with last year. Remember, they had a playoff win. No team in the last 10 years, 10 seasons, has had the most difficult schedule and ended up with a playoff win. Just has not happened in the last 10 seasons. So when you take that into account and you understand that even if Caleb Williams takes his step, I'm still looking at the defensive line. Even if you coach him up, I don't see the talent there that is requisite for...
them to be that much better against stopping the run and getting to the passer. You hit the nail on the head when you talked about division play. If they can come out of division play 3-3, maybe I'll rethink this. But it's hard for me to see them winning 11 games and getting a playoff win based on their schedule being the most difficult. And when I say most difficult, I do understand that some of the teams that were good last year won't be as good, but also some of the teams who weren't as good last year will be better this year.
Or at least healthier. Exactly. Take that into account.
So I take all of that and say, yeah, my worry is at a nine because I think they can be better than they were last year and still only win nine or ten games.
I'm going to put it at a six here, and it is nice to be talking about the pitfalls of winning as opposed to all the things that the Bears have to do because they sucked the previous year.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–1:18
2
What are the Bears' toughest opponents for the upcoming season?
1:18–4:33
3
How concerned are fans about the Bears' success in 2026?
4:33–5:23
4
What factors contribute to the Bears' worry meter rating?
5:23–6:35
5
How does the Bears' schedule compare to last season's?
6:35–11:27
6
What are the implications of the Bears' division play for their success?
11:27–15:32
7
Which games on the Bears' schedule are considered 'gimme' wins?
15:32–18:11
Speakers
4 identifiedMore from Rahimi & Grote Show
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Cubs squander chance to clinch playoff berth in losing to Marlins, 3-2 (Hour 1)