The Chicago Bears returned to observe Monday nonetheless feeding off the constructive power from final week’s 16-13 win over the Carolina Panthers.
The Bears have seven video games remaining with rather a lot to show and a handful of big-picture inquiries to reply. The subsequent three video games are in opposition to NFC North opponents — with a Week 13 bye blended in.
So what’s the most recent with the quarterback scenario at Halas Hall? Which elements of the Bears’ latest enhancements are significant?
Tribune writers Dan Wiederer and Colleen Kane work via 4 Bears subjects in “true or false” type.
True or false? The Bears’ newest win was a step in the proper course.
Wiederer: False. At finest, it qualifies as a sideways step, an averted catastrophe greater than a significant victory. The Panthers stay the worst workforce within the NFL and got here to city on a brief week with out their finest defensive participant (Brian Burns), their No. 2 receiver (DJ Chark) and a beginning cornerback (C.J. Henderson). And nonetheless they hung round till the top and had a possible tying or go-ahead closing possession. That’s vital context to mix into an evening that left the Bears with their third win plus the feel-good vibes that include a victory.
Look, don’t get me incorrect. The Bears had some legitimately strong play to acknowledge, most notably from the protection, which was on the sphere for 9 possessions and didn’t surrender a landing whereas permitting a season-best 213 whole yards. The Bears additionally had three sacks — matching their whole from the earlier 4 video games mixed — and held Carolina to a 3-for-15 effort on third down.
A win is at all times higher than a loss, clearly. But on this case, the diploma of issue issues. Reason tells us the Bears need to step up in opposition to higher-quality competitors earlier than we begin verifying steps in the proper course.
Kane: It was an unpleasant recreation in opposition to a very dangerous workforce. When it involves the Bears offense, the perfect factor that may be stated is Tyson Bagent didn’t commit any turnovers after the Bears had 5 in opposition to the New Orleans Saints. There in any other case wasn’t a ton to spotlight. And within the grand scheme as we glance to the long run, what we actually have to see is that if Justin Fields can take a step ahead. (More on that subsequent.)
But I’d give the protection the “step in the right direction” tag for the entire causes you talked about. Holding an opponent with out an offensive landing is nothing to sneeze at, and whereas three sacks may be a mean recreation for many defenses, we all know how laborious they’ve been to come back by for these Bears.
Now they only have to get some takeaways — and, you already know, cease a Detroit Lions offense that ranks second within the NFL with 406.4 yards per recreation. Now that may register as an actual step ahead.
True or false? Justin Fields can set up himself because the Bears quarterback of the long run over the ultimate seven video games.
Kane: True. That is that if Fields returns in opposition to the Lions this week. But the window is getting smaller and smaller for Fields to show he can construct on the progress he confirmed in a few video games earlier than he dislocated his thumb Oct. 15. Against the Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders, Fields threw for 617 yards and eight touchdowns. If he desires to state his case to the Bears, he wants to show in such performances persistently whereas avoiding the fourth-quarter errors that resulted in an enormous collapse in opposition to the Broncos.
It’s honest to anticipate Fields would possibly want a recreation or two to get again in a groove after lacking 4 video games. So whereas there are winnable video games left on the schedule, Fields doesn’t have a simple activity to show to basic supervisor Ryan Poles the Bears ought to maintain constructing round him reasonably than going after a quarterback within the 2024 draft. But that’s the place issues are as Fields heads into his thirty second NFL begin.
Wiederer: I anticipate Fields to be cleared to play this week. And when that occurs, the pen will likely be again in his palms to writer the following chapter of his soccer journey. His window of alternative to earn confidence from the group could also be rising smaller, as you identified. But it’s nonetheless open. And seven video games stay for Fields to steer his story onto a constructive path.
The Bears needs to be near entire on the offensive line. Their protection is taking part in about in addition to it has throughout Fields’ time as a Bear. And the offense has a top-five dashing assault to lean into as he works again right into a rhythm.
So now what? How will Fields reply to this subsequent set of challenges with a lot at stake for his future? Can he keep wholesome for the ultimate two months? Can he exhibit heightened pocket consciousness whereas decreasing the sacks he takes? Can he restrict turnovers and game-changing errors? Can he information the Bears to victory within the fourth quarter of shut video games? Can he present a constant means to be a productive NFL passer?
The clean pages in Fields’ 2023 story are able to be written.
True or false? This subsequent three-game stretch for the Bears will likely be a measuring stick of their big-picture progress.
Wiederer: True. Absolutely. Over the following 4 weeks, the Bears will play the NFC-North main Lions twice with a Monday evening check in opposition to the resilient and resurgent Minnesota Vikings sandwiched in.
Welcome to “Measuring Stick City.”
The Lions hung 41 factors on the Los Angeles Chargers of their newest win and have one of the vital harmful offenses within the NFL, rating second in whole yards (406.4 per recreation) and sixth in scoring (26.8 ppg). Their protection is feisty and has an opportunity to pressure the Bears offense out of its consolation zone.
The Vikings, in the meantime, got here to Soldier Field in Week 6 at 1-4 however haven’t misplaced since, immediately on a five-game tear with out their finest participant (Justin Jefferson) and with lately acquired quarterback Joshua Dobbs steadying the offense.
The Bears proceed to speak about division video games as an indicator of their total progress, but they haven’t received an NFC North recreation since Thanksgiving 2021. That has to vary within the subsequent 4 weeks. And even in dropping efforts, the Bears need to play a extra aggressive and spirited model of soccer.
Kane: Yeah, what an attention-grabbing NFC North image proper now, with the Lions lastly the division’s “measuring stick” workforce, the Vikings profitable behind Dobbs and with out Jefferson — and the Bears nonetheless on the backside. I don’t know that I’m anticipating the Bears to emerge from any of those three video games with Matt Eberflus’ first NFC North win. But you’re proper in saying they should present they’re a minimum of aggressive. And, sure, I understand what a low bar that’s.
I keep in mind speaking earlier than the Chargers recreation about the way it was an opportunity for the Bears protection to point out it was reputable in opposition to a good offense. And then the Chargers scored 24 factors within the first half behind three Justin Herbert landing passes.
Well, right here we’re once more, with the Bears protection coming off beating a nasty workforce and now going through an actual check in opposition to the Lions’ top-10 offense. Eberflus and his crew need to present they’ve made progress? This is the place they do it.
True or false? The Bears’ midseason MVP is large receiver DJ Moore.
Kane: True. Moore is amongst just a few gamers who might get this distinction, however I feel Moore has made as large an affect as anyone. He has 52 catches for 793 yards and 5 touchdowns and had some spectacular performances earlier than Fields was injured, together with eight catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns within the win in opposition to the Commanders.
While his manufacturing has dipped a bit with Tyson Bagent at quarterback, Moore has been what was marketed when the Bears acquired him from the Panthers within the commerce of the No. 1 decide.
Other gamers need to be on this dialog. Can you give MVP to a kicker? Because Cairo Santos has been nice, even with that missed discipline purpose in opposition to the Saints in Week 9. Santos has made 15 of 16 discipline targets, together with 4 from 50 yards or past, and 19 of 20 additional factors.
And who could be the consultant from a protection that has had some good performances over the past six weeks? It’s laborious as a result of gamers have been out and in of the lineup with accidents, however I’d go together with dependable cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who’s stating his case for being paid.
Wiederer: It’s at all times a bit unnerving to have to spotlight the kicker in a workforce MVP dialog. But that’s the place the 3-7 Bears are proper now, with out many established candidates for postseason honors. I, too, would vote for Moore, who entered Monday within the high 10 leaguewide in receiving yards (ninth, 793) and receiving touchdowns (tenth, 5) and will profit from Fields’ return.
Moore is the offensive participant to whom defenses pay essentially the most consideration. And when you’d wish to see him be a extra common game-changer even when coverages are directed to take him away, he could wind up handing over a profession yr in his first season in Chicago.
Scroll down the remainder of the roster and the one gamers who even have an invite to be a part of the dialog are most likely Santos, Johnson, Cole Kmet and T.J. Edwards. But, yeah, Moore stays the highest canine with an opportunity to proceed his strong season over the ultimate seven video games.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com