# Stacey Dales: Dales, per Derry, believes the Bears will be great this season, echoing Schein's optimism. **Claimed:** Sep 4, 2026 **Pundit:** Stacey Dales — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/stacey-dales **Outlet:** Locked On Lions (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/locked-on-lions-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/a0cc13/lockedon.simplecastaudio.com/05bcf1ce-c643-45f9-b7f9-bd4cf110ab06/episodes/df231054-4e23-4858-88b8-a0654fefeb84/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=05bcf1ce-c643-45f9-b7f9-bd4cf110ab06&awEpisodeId=df231054-4e23-4858-88b8-a0654fefeb84&feed=ASw0G4io One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened. Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in. > Stacy thinks the same thing that Shine does, that they're gonna be great this year. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Chicago Bears to beat expectations** - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears ## What others said about the same people - Mike Moraitis on Ozzy Trapilo: Moraitis writes that although Braxton Jones has looked like the favorite, Ozzy Trapilo is likely to take over as the Bears' starting left tackle once he's healthy enough to play. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cdfe5f0f-6783-4730-b9bb-d942e28b037a (scored 0) - Pete Martuneac on Ozzy Trapilo: After Trapilo's activation from the PUP list roughly seven months after rupturing his patellar tendon, Martuneac says the Bears' left tackle competition is over and Trapilo will be starting at left tackle early in the 2026 season, even if not by Week 1. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d42f10ad-a71c-4ea9-95e8-2b53fde77971 (scored 0) - Eric Cohen on Chicago Bears: Cohen says the Bears win easily in Carolina, and that Tennessee starts 1-0 over a Jets team he considers the third-worst in the league. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/37c0b874-cb1b-43c8-b78e-96a7b287ae62 (scored 100) - Gene Chamberlain on Chicago Bears: Chamberlain picks the Bears to beat the Panthers in Week 1 at Charlotte, 34-30, giving Chicago the edge in the run game, passing game, pass defense and coaching. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e3f71681-dd59-4531-8ada-05079a4ee840 (scored 57.14) - Danny Parkins on Chicago Bears: Parkins picked the Giants to upset Dallas, the Steelers to beat Atlanta by two scores, the Bears to beat Carolina, the Bills to beat Houston and Denver to beat Kansas City outright; he also said Justin Herbert will win an MVP and had the Bengals as AFC North champs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/36c480cc-6b54-4cea-8204-3fc00ea6493c (scored 100) - Kirk Herbstreit on Chicago Bears: Herbstreit made a full slate of Week 1 picks — Lions, Ravens, Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys — and also said he still thinks Seattle is the team to beat in the NFC West. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5bc3755c-9b84-484f-b8f2-b18d51a12261 (scored 100) ## More surprise team calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Pete Prisco on New York Jets: An unsigned Week 2 NFL power rankings column places the Seahawks first and the Dolphins last, with the 49ers rising six spots after beating the Rams and the Cowboys falling 12 after losing to the Giants. It also suggests the Cardinals and Jets could be better than expected. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c5b3ea52-abec-4709-9830-c2d0c3016f61 (not settled) - Rich Eisen on New Orleans Saints: Eisen accepted that the Giants can be the best team in the NFC East (while pumping the brakes on NFC contender talk), restated his preseason Josh Allen MVP pick, insisted the Rams are too talented to miss the playoffs, and put his marker on the Saints as the NFC South team that can beat expectations. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c97509bf-62f7-4680-9786-5ec11688175a (not settled) - Steve Hartman on Cincinnati Bengals: Hartman picked the Rams and Bills to meet in the Super Bowl with the Rams winning, named the Bengals as his surprise team with Joe Burrow winning MVP and Cincinnati winning its division and reaching the AFC Championship Game against Buffalo. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/419294f8-3232-424c-8913-448c91b6a31f (not settled) - Fox Sports on New Orleans Saints: Relaying anonymous NFL executives and scouts, the piece names Saints QB Tyler Shough as this season's breakout star whose numbers could pop, suggests New Orleans could surprise people in a weak division, and says Bears youngsters Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland will become elite — with Burden taking over as Chicago's No. 1 receiver ahead of Rome Odunze. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4a5acd69-ba40-4b2c-b159-d5ac40adfa8f (not settled) - Bill Cowher on Pittsburgh Steelers: Cowher said the Steelers are flying under the radar entering the season and will have a better identity, framing them as a team that beats expectations. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9d5aa196-bf81-47c2-aacf-4ee04d5eb84f (not settled) - JJ Watt on Jacksonville Jaguars: Watt gave Seattle's defensive front the edge over New England's, said the Jaguars remain underrated and under-discussed, and described USC product Lloyd as the Packers' bell-cow starting back. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a0b8cdf2-fac3-4496-a7cf-c7592d7d82ea (not settled) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=stacey-dales