(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Thanksgiving weekend end. The turkey is stuffed with football upsets. Sportswriter Howard Bryant joins us. Howard, good morning.
HOWARD BRYANT: Good morning, Scott. How are you?
SIMON: Well, I'm much better after the Bear game last night.
BRYANT: (Laughter).
SIMON: Look, Thanksgiving weekend, Thanksgiving games. Both teams that made the Super Bowl last year look a little frail now. Last night, Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles got their wings clipped by the Chicago Bears 24-15. Excuse me. (Singing) They're the pride and joy of Illinois.
BRYANT: (Laughter).
SIMON: Bears have won five in a row. Lead the...
BRYANT: They have.
SIMON: ...NFC North.
BRYANT: I have to say, Scott...
SIMON: Caleb Williams looks good.
BRYANT: Yes, he does. He looks terrific. And remember all of the criticism about whether or not he was the right pick or not and whether or not he was going to be yet another bust, and why can't the Chicago Bears develop a quarterback? And now he's...
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: ...Looking like he's everything he was supposed to be. And I have to say, Scott, as we get into the holiday season, is anything more joyous than you and a Chicago team winning?
SIMON: Yeah. No, nothing. Absolutely, nothing.
BRYANT: (Laughter).
SIMON: And I'm not ruling out any of the deeply religious holidays, OK?
BRYANT: It's amazing. I think that when you look at these two teams, when you look at both Kansas City and Philadelphia, they have their own problems. Kansas City has won three Super Bowls since 2020.
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: And they were in the Super Bowl last year. And they're 6-6 right now. They lose to Dallas. And essentially, Patrick Mahomes, the all-world quarterback, says we have to win every game now. So they feel that desperation. And it's one of those things where, you know, you're not going to be on top forever, and you always wonder when it's going to happen. Everyone thought it was going to be Buffalo that took them down. But look, Buffalo is struggling just like Kansas City is, and now it's the...
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: ...Bizarrely 10-2 Patriots and the 9-2 Broncos and the - you know, and the Colts, who are the very good teams. And then you look at Philadelphia. And everyone likes to make fun of Philadelphia because it is such a mean city. It's my old college town.
SIMON: (Laughter).
BRYANT: But at, you know, the place that boos Santa Claus. But my Philly friends have been telling me, I'm telling you this team's not that good. And now you - they say the national media is paying attention to Philly because the record is so good. But if you watch this team day in and day out, they're not that good. And, you know, they're kind of right. And Chicago really put it on them, and Philadelphia can't score. And even the insiders are laughing at their elementary pedestrian offense and who's taking over. The Bears are really good. The Rams are really good.
SIMON: Yep.
BRYANT: And just like Buffalo was supposed to be the team that was going to challenge Kansas City. It was supposed to be the Lions.
SIMON: Yep.
BRYANT: And now the Packers are in first place. And so, once again, you've got to go out and play the games, and you can't just be out there on paper thinking that it's your turn to succeed the champs because somebody else is always right behind you.
SIMON: I kind of like a football season, I must say, where the Bears and Packers are really good. I don't know, I think that's good for the game.
BRYANT: No, I'm with you on that. A hundred percent, Scott. I mean, I think that if you're - I love traditions as well and it is the holiday season, so, of course, let's talk traditions. And these two teams have been around since 1920. They are...
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: ...They are foundational. And it's good to have those dynastic teams be good. It's what people remember. Doesn't mean that they have to win all the time. But the sport is a better sport when you've got those familiar teams who are doing well, which is why I hate when they create all of these rules to sort of take away dominance. Football is - of course, football should have...
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: ...Bears and Packers and Cowboys and all these good teams out there while having other teams have a shot to win. So I think it's great. I also really like to see teams. This is my favorite time of the year when it comes to football because we'll find out who's good and who's not good.
SIMON: Well, let me ask you - New England Patriots are 10-2 atop the AFC East, three games ahead of the vaunted Buffalo Bills. Are the Pats really back?
BRYANT: They're a great team because they're doing the one thing you have to do, which is win. When you watch them, do you go, oh, my God, I'm blown away - this is Tom Brady 2.0 with Drake Maye? No, but you've got hope and you look at them, and they look - they are doing the first thing you have to do when you're rebuilding, which is learn how to win big football games. And now the next few weeks are going to be big for them, too.
SIMON: Yeah. Boy, well, let me just tell you, Howard, bear down (laughter).
BRYANT: Bear down.
SIMON: Sorry. It's - do you realize this is the 40th anniversary of (singing) we are the Bears, shufflin' crew?
BRYANT: Well, you know, as a New Englander who got destroyed 46-10 at the Super Bowl...
SIMON: That's right. They - yeah.
BRYANT: ...No, it doesn't ring a bell at all.
SIMON: No. Right. Yeah, no.
BRYANT: You know, being...
SIMON: Coach Ray Berry in that team.
BRYANT: ...Being embarrassed on national television doesn't ring a bell at all, Scott, no.
SIMON: Oh, all right. Sorry to bring that back, my friend.
BRYANT: (Laughter).
SIMON: Well, sportswriter Howard Bryant has been kind enough to put aside his misgivings and join us once more. Talk to you soon, OK?
BRYANT: Thank you, Scott.
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