Host Zach Lee takes you through the final game of the 2020 season, as the Bears fall to the New Orleans Saints 21-9 in their NFC wildcard round.  The super mega blah feelings at the end of an 8-9 season.  The Javon Wims drop was not the make-or-break moment some would have you believe. Reviewing the Bears roster on offense and defense. Putting on the GM hat and plotting the course forward.  

Chicago Shuffle: A Chicago Bears Pod

SUPER WILDCARD WEEKEND: BEARS 9, SAINTS 21

Host Zach Lee is joined by SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell to break down the Bears week 17 destruction at the hands of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers while also making the playoffs due to the Rams defeating the Cardinals. It's a weird day!  The opening drive with more ups and downs than most games have The missed opportunities and settling for field goals The clear line of demarcation between the state of the Packers and the Bears and the accompanying depression it engenders. But we're in the playoffs! Yay! Yay?  Roquan Smith, David Montgomery, Darnell Mooney injury updates Previewing the Saints tilt next week by reviewing the previous meeting earlier this season. The big picture for this Bears franchise and what we as fans should emotionally prepare ourselves for next year Bonus Bulls content!

WEEK 17: BEARS 16 - PACKERS 35: Nothing like getting crushed by your rival but still making the playoffs to make the vibes extra weird.

After a series of misfires in the first half, The Bears buckle down in the 3rd quarter (!) and handle their business against the tanking Jacksonville Jaguars, 41-17. The Mitch Pick - Trubisky throws his worst pick ever, which is effing saying something The defense can't rush the passer and it's a problem. The Bears put the game on Trubisky's arm and he didn't totally mess it up. The defense finally got a couple of turnovers thanks to Mike "My Year" Glennon's unvenge game. Trying to unpack all the news and playoff seeding leading into next week. THE GRAND FINALE MATCHUP WITH GREEN BAY FOR A PLAYOFF BERTH AND THE GHOST OF CONTE PAST

WEEK 16: BEARS 41 - JAGUARS 17: The Bears handled their business and now Green Bay stands in the way of a playoff berth

Breaking down the Bears thrilling 33-27 victory over the Minnesota Vikings with the season on the line with SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell. The Bears offense might just be not terrible, it might be... okay? David Montgomery is a beast and the Bears O-line loves running in Minnesota How one throw from Mitch took him from an A to a C+ The defense is banged up and vulnerable but made the critical plays when it counted. BARELY. Flawed? Yes. But the Bears are entertaining again. Cairo Santos, a golden god. The crooked path to the playoffs and who the Bears need help from.

WEEK 15: BEARS 33 - VIKINGS 27: The offense doesn't suck, the Vikings season is over, and the Bears still have a shot to salvage their season. FUN SUNDAY!

Host Zach Lee breaks down the Bears dominant week 14 36-7 win over the Houston Texans, snapping Chicago's 6-game losing streak and quieting the torch and pitchfork crowd for at least one week. David Montgomery begins the game with an 80 yard house call! The defense comes back with a vengeance to the tune of 7 sacks and 13 hits of Watson Mitch Trubisky's finest game as a Chicago Bear What the hell do we make of this game in the grand scheme? Does this even mean anything?

WEEK 14: BEARS 36 - TEXANS 7: Our long regional nightmare is over as the Trubisky and the Bears destroy Deshawn Watson and the Texans

Host Zach Lee breaks down the Bears epic late collapse against the Detroit Lions, blowing a 10 point lead in the final minutes of the fourth quarter against a woebegone franchise fresh off firing their own coach and general manager.  The Bears have three first half rushing touchdowns!  Mitch looks really solid... untilllllll he doesn't at the EXACT WRONG MOMENT. The defense isn't good anymore. Facts. Allen Robinson's late game waltz out of bounds with the game on the line. The nail in the coffin. Of the season. Of Nagy. Of Pace. The winds of change are blowing like a hurricane.

WEEK 13: BEARS 30, LIONS 34 - An awful late game collapse puts a nail in the coffin for the 2020 season and perhaps the Nagy/Pace regime

Host Zach Lee is joined by SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell to discuss the latest Bears disappointment, this time a complete shellacking to their fiercest rival on national television with a season - and regime - on the line. In short, the winds of change are blowing Chicago-level strong with only five games remaining this season. The bears statistical competence due to garbage time points and yardage Mitch's untriumphant return A complete no-show by the defense... that's not supposed to happen? Being outclassed in all three phases by the packers ain't great The games to come...

WEEK 12: BEARS 25, PACKERS 41 - BAD DEFENSE, A MITCHIER BUT STILL TERRIBLE OFFENSE, AND A SEASON GONE DOWN IN FLAMES

Host Zach Lee is joined by SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell as we enjoy the calm sobriety of a bye week to discuss:  a recap of the season's first ten games 3 Nice Things! We are compelled to try to say our favorite things about this Bears team. It was hard! Ryan Pace's tenure with the Bears: the highs, the lows, the final judgments All time top 5 favorite Bears and whether any current players make the list What to look for the rest of the season and final win total predictions. We went long to keep you from looking at the news. You're welcome!

WEEK 11: BYE WEEK BEARS - A full season assessment and a deep dive into the Ryan Pace generation of Bears

Host Zach Lee is joined by SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell to break down the Bears dispiriting Monday night loss to the Minnesota Vikings, 19-13. The Bears head into the bye week 5-5 but with no answers on how to fix a completely broken offense and now with Nick Foles suffering a game-ending injury to boot.   The level of failure offensively is nearly without peer The offensive line isn't as bad as you think statistically, so what the hell is wrong? What do the Bears do to fix this generational quagmire? Is that... is that Mitch Trubisky's music?? The future of the roster, Matt Nagy, and Ryan Pace Bulls bonus chatter!

WEEK 10: BEARS 13 - VIKINGS 19 - Bill Lazor's playcalling couldn't fix the free-falling Bears from imploding once again.

Zach Lee breaks down the Bears total offensive no-show (except for garbage time) against the Titans in Nashville. At no point did Nick Foles and Matt Nagy's offense give fans a glimmer of reason to hope, and two second half fumbles by David Montgomery and Anthony Miller sealed the deal. The Bears have slid to 5-4 and now are on the brink of seeing their fortunate start to the season go off the rails entirely. We also get into Ryan Pace's mismanagement of the roster and how it's entirely illustrated by the state of the offensive line.

WEEK 9: BEARS 17 - TITANS 24 - This is a Top 3 most pathetic Bears offense and the season is going sideways

Host Zach Lee is joined by SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell to break down the Bears' 26-23 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Overtime. We discuss: The incredible opening series on offense where everything went right The momentum-shifting end of half sequence where the Bears fail in the red zone, kick a field goal, call a timeout during the Saints drive to get the ball back, and then give up a touchdown while in a soft prevent defense to totally shift the tenor of the game. The myriad injuries on both sides of the football, including a now-decimated offensive line. How bad can worse get? We're about to find out. The Javon Wims Captain Insane-o necklace rip and double punch. What in the entire hell The margin of error for this bears team The road ahead and how likely the playoffs are now. Many inappropriate references and mumbled curses

WEEK 8: BEARS 23 - SAINTS 26 - In the weirdest game of the year, the Bears were exposed once again.

Host Zach Lee is joined by SB Nation's RIcky O'Donnell to discuss the Bears embarrassing 24-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. We discuss: Nagy's playcalling, gameplanning, teaching. Which is the worst? What can be done about the offensive line? Ranking Nick Foles' in the Chicago QB pantheon Ryan Pace's responsibility for the team's weaknesses How the Bears get to the playoffs Life as a  bears fan Existential dread The three tenets of successful offense and how the Bears never have more than one. A nice little Chicago Bulls kernel of hope to keep things positive

WEEK 7: BEARS 10 - RAMS 24 - This is what we were worried about.

Host Zach Lee breaks down the Bears latest victory over the Carolina Panthers, 23-16. The defensive is back to its dominant best self, the offense still can't run the ball but shows signs of life (including the first 3rd quarter points scored all year!), the bears may have a new kicker now and into the future. Let's talk about your first place 5-1 Chicago Bears!

WEEK 6: BEARS 23 - CAROLINA 16 - The Bears defense is elite, the offense is enough, and this team is 5-1 and atop the NFC North

Behind a return to ascendant god performance by Khalil Mack, some clutch throws from Nick Foles to overcome  questionable play-calling and a total lack of a run game, and a good showing by special teams (!), the Bears defeat Tom Brady for the first time ever to move to 4-1. Has a team with so many things to correct ever been this successful early in a season? 

WEEK 5: BEARS 20 - TAMPA BAY 19 - The defense shows up, Foles comes through late, and the Bears somehow pull it out again.

After a week of conflating change with hope, Bearsdom comes back down to earth as their backup quarterback fails to fulfil our dumb dreams once again. Against a superior Colts team, the offense stalls until a late garbage time touchdown and the defense continues to be leaky in the run game. Sloppy play and missed assignments rear their ugly head again as shades of 2019 re-enter the chat, begging questions about what the Bears do going forward if they can't steer out of these disturbing trends.   This episode is brought to you by DoorDash and BetOnline.

Week 4: Well that sucked. Nick Foles wasn't it, the run game stalls, the defense is still leaky, and the Bears were outclassed by the Colts 19-11

Longtime Bears fan Zach Lee is the host of Chicago Shuffle, an all-encompassing Bears podcast. The content will focus on major storylines, film breakdowns and perspective from guests in what has become an exciting time for the franchise.

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Chicago Shuffle: A Chicago Bears Pod

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