The time was ticking away Sunday at Lambeau Field. On the third quarter. On the Chicago Bears season. On the chance to punctuate a late-season run of success with an announcement upset of the rival Green Bay Packers.
This was it, a seemingly momentous sport for the Bears. And right here, within the season’s penultimate quarter, was one other second inside that second, a possible Bears response drive that had moved towards midfield.
On second-and-4 from their 44-yard line, Justin Fields and the offense had a gap to be daring, an opportunity to reclaim momentum. A possible shot play was dialed up, with large receiver Velus Jones in single protection in opposition to rookie cornerback Carrington Valentine and streaking up the correct sideline on a go route.
But the ball was by no means thrown. Perhaps feeling stress from linebacker De’Vondre Campbell or maybe skittish about letting one fly to Jones or maybe worrying a couple of drive-killing turnover, Fields hitched, hesitated after which scrambled to his left for a 5-yard achieve.
Maybe the deep shot to Jones wouldn’t have linked. Maybe Valentine would have damaged it up or intercepted it. But the apprehension on that play appeared notable and acquainted — maybe even symbolic for a Bears staff whose pursuit of excellence quickly would possibly require everybody inside the group to turn out to be just a bit bolder, slightly extra daring.
That possession didn’t derail with Fields’ scramble, which produced a primary down. But three performs later, after Fields was sacked on third-and-7 by spying linebacker Quay Walker, the Bears punted, nonetheless trailing by eight factors and going through a steep climb in what ended as a dispiriting 17-9 loss.
So right here all of us at the moment are, on the bridge away from one other unfulfilling season — the Bears’ seventh within the final 10 years with no less than 10 losses — and ready for readability and clarification from the highest of the group on what’s subsequent. Monumental choices are wanted, just a few probably coming very quickly to push this staff onto its desired path towards sustainable success.
Perhaps, for Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren and basic supervisor Ryan Poles, that is their shot play, their opening to be daring, their probability to reclaim momentum for the franchise.
The ready sport
As of Tuesday afternoon, there had been no phrase in some way on the job safety of coach Matt Eberflus, who appears to be in good standing with Poles however hasn’t obtained assurance he shall be again for his third season.
As a lot as Poles has lauded Eberflus for his regular management, his means to construct staff chemistry and his character in dealing with excessive turbulence this season with tone-setting composure, maybe the Bears higher-ups have been desirous to no less than scrutinize what the staff really achieved the final two years.
Eberflus, it must be famous, hasn’t led his staff on a successful streak longer than two video games and has a .294 successful proportion. The Bears are 2-10 within the NFC North underneath his steering and 2-12 in opposition to groups that made the playoffs.
Progress from a resurgent protection counts as a plus for Eberflus. So do the energized late-season vibes contained in the locker room — although these additionally took a dip Sunday in Green Bay. There’s a justifiable case for retaining continuity, for believing Eberflus can proceed to get his staff to climb. Maybe that’s the daring conclusion the Bears will come to and announce publicly this week.
But the group, with Warren employed final winter as the primary overseer of soccer operations, additionally owes it to itself to redefine what qualifies as accomplishment whereas starting the heavy elevate to lift the bar at Halas Hall.
At some level, issues which have registered as “good enough” need to be considered as insufficient, significantly at a landmark second in staff historical past wherein the Bears have a uncommon alternative to do nearly no matter they need within the identify of enchancment this offseason.
Over the final 20 seasons, the Bears are tied for twenty sixth within the 32-team NFL with 5 playoff appearances, forward of solely the Browns, Raiders, Dolphins, Jets and Lions. (Three of these groups, for what it’s price, shall be enjoying playoff soccer this weekend.)
The Bears’ final run of no less than three consecutive successful seasons, in the meantime, ended when Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” topped the Billboard singles chart in 1988.
The Bears haven’t gained a playoff sport in 13 seasons and counting. They stay the league’s solely franchise — and a constitution franchise at that — by no means to have had a 4,000-yard passer. And that’s on the finish of Season 104, one wherein 10 NFL quarterbacks achieved that feat, together with Houston Texans rookie C.J. Stroud and first-year Packers starter Jordan Love, who each excelled in season-on-the-line video games final weekend and propelled their groups into the postseason.
Level up
Perhaps nothing triggers the “Are the Bears OK with settling?” debate greater than the continued analysis of their quarterback scenario. The courtroom of public opinion stays polarized in assessing how good Fields is now and in the end will be.
Fields’ most passionate supporters are drawn to his highlight-reel playmaking means and mature management, with each seen as causes to remain the course and hold constructing across the present QB1. That temptation is actual.
Critics, in the meantime, see a quarterback who has been irrefutably inconsistent in among the most crucial elements of the place. They acknowledge a large threat within the Bears betting on “eventually” with a participant who has averaged 174 passing yards over 38 begins and has missed extra video games (11) in three seasons than he has gained (10).
The debates round Fields and the Bears’ future will solely multiply and amplify over the subsequent few months. For these with hypertension, Amazon has a deal on earplugs.
But inside Halas Hall, the chief determination makers should chase greatness with each inside dialogue and each transfer they take into account.
Which swings us again to Eberflus’ standing and whether or not he can promote Warren and Poles on a imaginative and prescient to take no matter quarterback the Bears select to roll with and launch your complete group to new heights.
Will Eberflus go into his third season rebooting at each coordinator positions? And if that’s the case, who’re his targets for that function on offense?
Will that encourage hope? Or ought to Poles and Warren embrace the thought of larger change and discover the absolute best leaders to create a better degree of quarterback play — and, by extension, unlock the prolonged run of championship rivalry the Bears are taking pictures for?
Sure, that might imply dwelling within the center tier of NFL mediocrity for an additional season or maybe even taking a small step again subsequent fall. But if anybody watched all 17 Bears video games this season by means of a important lens and advocates making choices with a “Must strike in 2024″ mindset, their focus is far too slender.
For the Bears, this shouldn’t be about making an attempt to squeeze by means of one other quickly closing window. They tried that earlier than. Many, many, many instances. And most of the time, they wound up like Wile E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner.
This essential second in staff historical past, crammed with alternative, must be about discovering the correct mixture of standouts at an important spots — coach and quarterback, before everything — with the energy to carry that window open for a decade or longer.
Sounds interesting, proper? That’s the aim. That’s the mission. It might require vital daring and boldness. And it most positively requires the form of deep, detailed dialogue that’s ongoing inside Halas Hall.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com