The Bear’s Den, May 15, 2026

Takes mentioned in this episode

• Matthew Stafford player · positive

  “The Panthers had a 31-27 lead over the Rams with 2:39 remaining in the game, but Matthew Stafford lead his team to a touchdown drive with 38 seconds left in the game to help secure a 34-31 win.”

  The Panthers had a 31-27 lead over the Rams with 2:39 remaining in the game, but Matthew Stafford lead his team to a touchdown drive with 38 seconds left in the game to help secure a 34-31 win.

• Bears team · neutral

  “Like the Bears, the Panthers (8-9) ended a long playoff drought with the team’s appearance against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round.”

  Like the Bears, the Panthers (8-9) ended a long playoff drought with the team’s appearance against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round.

• Panthers team · positive

  “Like the Bears, the Panthers (8-9) ended a long playoff drought with the team’s appearance against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round.”

  Like the Bears, the Panthers (8-9) ended a long playoff drought with the team’s appearance against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round.

• Los Angeles Rams team · neutral

  “Like the Bears, the Panthers (8-9) ended a long playoff drought with the team’s appearance against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round.”

  Like the Bears, the Panthers (8-9) ended a long playoff drought with the team’s appearance against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round.

• Jets team · negative

  “I mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?”

  I mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?

• Cardinals team · negative

  “I mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?”

  I mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?

• Titans team · negative

  “I mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?”

  I mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?

• Miami Dolphins team · negative

  “I mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?”

  I mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?

• Raiders team · negative

  “I mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?”

  I mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?

• Lions team · negative

  “The Lions are generally turkeys.”

  The Lions are generally turkeys.

• Los Angeles Rams team · neutral

  “THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIALBEARSSSSSSBet on it: They had 11 regular-season wins in ’25, but Kiev O’Neil’s Pythagorean win figure has them at 8.04 in ’26.Turns out, it would have been just as accurate to pull numbers out of a hat for many teams.Here’s the Sun Times take on it.The Lions are generally turkeys.Like the Bears, the Panthers (8-9) ended a long playoff drought with the team’s appearance against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round. The Panthers had a 31-27 lead over the Rams with 2:39 remaining in the game, but Matthew Stafford lead his team to a touchdown drive with 38 seconds left in the game to help secure a 34-31 win.“He seems to be, you know, not only more, you know, just more and more comfortable as the years go on, but I also see him being a leader in the building. I see him working hard. You know, really trying to do things the right way, which is hard to do. The fact that somebody with his athletic ability is now doing that, I think the sky is the limit for what our offense can be.”Vegamite for everybody!Bye week. Book it.I’ve got nothing on this one. Dude gets a haircut. OK.By then Santa will know who has been naughty and nice. Don’t diss Santa, he will mess your ass up.From the “who give a $#%* department.Five teams have no primetime gamesI mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?KNOW THINE ENEMYBen vs. Dan didn’t go very well the first game. Dan without Ben didn’t go very well for the last-place Lions either.IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE PAGE2nd City Gridiron is our video home! So hit the link and help us grow that brand!THE RULESWindy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following are not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender-based insults of any kind, racial insults, profanity, etc.2nd City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, Bear & Balanced from Jeff Berckes and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr., Bears Over Beers featuring Ryan Droste and Bryan Orenchuk, Making Monsters with Taylor Doll, The Mac & Read Show from Evan McLean and Ross Read, The Chicago Draft Room with Ari Temkin and Jacob Infante, and an occasional T Formation Conversation from Lester; Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert is another fun one.”

  THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIALBEARSSSSSSBet on it: They had 11 regular-season wins in ’25, but Kiev O’Neil’s Pythagorean win figure has them at 8.04 in ’26.Turns out, it would have been just as accurate to pull numbers out of a hat for many teams.Here’s the Sun Times take on it.The Lions are generally turkeys.Like the Bears, the Panthers (8-9) ended a long playoff drought with the team’s appearance against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round. The Panthers had a 31-27 lead over the Rams with 2:39 remaining in the game, but Matthew Stafford lead his team to a touchdown drive with 38 seconds left in the game to help secure a 34-31 win.“He seems to be, you know, not only more, you know, just more and more comfortable as the years go on, but I also see him being a leader in the building. I see him working hard. You know, really trying to do things the right way, which is hard to do. The fact that somebody with his athletic ability is now doing that, I think the sky is the limit for what our offense can be.”Vegamite for everybody!Bye week. Book it.I’ve got nothing on this one. Dude gets a haircut. OK.By then Santa will know who has been naughty and nice. Don’t diss Santa, he will mess your ass up.From the “who give a $#%* department.Five teams have no primetime gamesI mean, who really wants to see the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins or Raiders on national TV?KNOW THINE ENEMYBen vs. Dan didn’t go very well the first game. Dan without Ben didn’t go very well for the last-place Lions either.IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE PAGE2nd City Gridiron is our video home! So hit the link and help us grow that brand!THE RULESWindy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following are not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender-based insults of any kind, racial insults, profanity, etc.2nd City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, Bear & Balanced from Jeff Berckes and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr., Bears Over Beers featuring Ryan Droste and Bryan Orenchuk, Making Monsters with Taylor Doll, The Mac & Read Show from Evan McLean and Ross Read, The Chicago Draft Room with Ari Temkin and Jacob Infante, and an occasional T Formation Conversation from Lester; Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert is another fun one.