All right, ladies and gentlemen, here we are—season two, episode 22, the season finale of The Shawn Mackey Show, Bears versus Lions. And let me tell you right off the bat, that Bears game absolutely stunk. From beginning to end, it was a debacle. I’ve got plenty of thoughts on what we witnessed, what might be going on, and what I’m hoping is actually happening behind the scenes with this team.

Over the last three games, we beat the Packers, lost a shootout to the 49ers, and then got humiliated at home by our division rival Detroit Lions. Statistically and visually, the Bears looked brutal for most of this game. Caleb Williams once again worked his magic, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter to tie the game late. But once that happened, all Detroit needed was a field goal. The Bears got an interception from Kevin Byard, who ended up leading the league in interceptions, but then the offense went three plays for five yards and punted the ball right back. Detroit did exactly what you feared—they drove down the field and kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.

That’s where I start questioning the decision-making. At that point, shouldn’t it have been four-down territory? All season long, Ben Johnson has gone for it in those situations. One first down could’ve put the Bears into field-goal range and flipped the entire narrative heading into the playoffs. Instead, we’re limping in, facing the Packers yet again, without momentum—and confidence matters more than people want to admit.

I know some people say these guys are pros and confidence shouldn’t matter, but that’s nonsense. We’ve seen fundamentals break down all season—missed tackles, penalties, lack of discipline. Confidence absolutely matters. I learned that firsthand back when I played semi-pro ball in 1988. We went undefeated, and when we reached the championship game, we knew we were going to win. That mindset matters, especially in high-pressure moments.

As we head into the Bears-Packers matchup, I’ve been thinking about Ben Johnson’s offensive approach. Part of me wonders if what we saw against Detroit and San Francisco was intentional—a vanilla game plan, maybe even a smokescreen. Maybe he put things on tape that Green Bay will overprepare for, while holding back a more refined plan for the playoff game. It wouldn’t be unheard of, especially with a creative offensive mind.

Defensively, though, I have real concerns. The Bears defense looked atrocious for most of the Lions game. Somehow, they managed to get stops in the fourth quarter, which tells me the personnel is capable. That’s why I keep coming back to scheme and play-calling. Dennis Allen doesn’t seem to know when to apply pressure, when to back off, or whether to play man or zone. The Bears show pressure and then drop into zone so often that even I can call it from my couch.

Zone defense only works if you’re getting consistent pressure up front, and the Bears aren’t. Without dominant defensive tackles clogging the middle, quarterbacks can pick this defense apart. That’s why I don’t buy the argument that the Bears need to rebuild the defense again through the draft. Ryan Poles has been building this defense since 2022. The majority of starters are his guys. If it’s still not working, then you have to question the coordinator.

What this team really needs are dominant interior defensive linemen—guys who command double teams and free up edge rushers like Montez Sweat and Austin Booker. That’s how you fix both the run defense and the pass rush. Without that anchor in the middle, everything else falls apart.

So that’s my rant on Bears versus Lions. Now it’s time for Bears versus Packers, a playoff game in Chicago. Win, and everything changes. Lose, and hard questions have to be answered. Either way, I’ll be here breaking it all down. Bear down, Chicago Bears. Go beat the cheeseheads.