Stephen A. Smith delivers blunt verdict after Bears’ trash talk backfires vs. Packers
· Yahoo Sports
Stephen A. Smith had little sympathy for the Chicago Bears after their pregame trash talk backfired in a 31-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
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Speaking on ESPN’s First Take, Smith defended Packers linebacker Zaire Franklin for responding to Chicago’s comments. He argued that the Bears needed to respect their rivals instead of making bold promises.
“I don’t have a problem with it whatsoever. I mean, the Bears got their a** kicked, and they deserved it,” Smith said.
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The ESPN analyst also praised Bears coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams. However, he stressed that Chicago’s confidence did not justify disrespecting its opponent.
Smith specifically pointed to rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III, who reportedly said the Bears would make Green Bay quit. “Respect the game. Respect your opponents,” Smith said.
He also referenced the film Any Given Sunday to explain why teams cannot overlook their opponents in the NFL.
“This is the National Football League. Anything can happen,” Smith added. “… They’re professional football players. And when you get in front of a microphone and you talking about making the team quit and just beating them really bad and all this other stuff, you feeling yourself because of what happened last year.
“Well, that was last year. This is a new season and it ain’t the same situation.”
Packers make Bears pay for their bold comments
Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) walks off the field after the game against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field.at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Green Bay delivered a dominant performance at Lambeau Field, forcing five turnovers and exploiting Chicago’s backup quarterbacks. Jordan Love threw for 367 yards and two touchdowns, both to Christian Watson. Running back MarShawn Lloyd added two scores as the Packers controlled the game.
Chicago played without Williams, who missed his third consecutive game with a hamstring injury. Tyson Bagent struggled before Case Keenum entered, and neither quarterback could generate a comeback.
Smith acknowledged that Green Bay had struggled earlier this season. However, he argued that those problems did not excuse Chicago’s pregame comments.
“I didn’t blame Franklin for responding the way that he did at all,” Smith said.
The analyst also questioned the Bears’ belief that previous success guaranteed another victory. Chicago had won its last two games before Sunday’s defeat.
Packers safety Javon Bullard also responded after the game, saying, “Sometimes big bro got to show up, and that’s what we did.”
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For Chicago, the loss exposed problems beyond trash talk. Five turnovers and inconsistent execution proved costly. That’s why Smith didn’t stop critiquing the Bears’ actions before the game, saying, “They deserved it.”
Smith’s verdict was clear: confidence means little without performance. The Bears must respond on the field when they face Atlanta next Sunday.
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