The Bears got a taste of reality this past Sunday as they went against the NFL’s top ranked defense; the Indianapolis Colts.
This game seemed like a perfect opportunity for one of two things to happen: The Bears offense would finally break out with their new QB at the helm or it would be the perfect opportunity for a typical “Bears game”. We all know what the typical Bears game is even if we don’t consciously recognize it.
Let me break it down for you: something new happens to the team, be it a new coach, a new scheme, a new player in a key position or just something that takes your minds away from the hopelessness that can sometimes infect your fandom. All of this sets Bears fans up with a wave of excitement that saturates their every thought as they wait for Sunday afternoon. Then, disaster strikes. The “new” object of excitement fails to live up to its potential and the Bears lose the game, sometimes in embarrassing fashion.
Sunday had the makings to be one of these two options. The Bears offense has struggled for well over a decade to find footing. Through four coaches and too many offensive coordinators to count, the chance to finally see a Bears team that has caught up with modern football seemed like it would never come. Insert Matt Nagy. His first year brought excitement and teased what this team could truly become. The team was inconsistent but the signs seemed to be there. Two years later and this team still struggles to find the consistency needed to be respected as a true contender. Yet, with Mitchell Trubisky benched and replaced with Superbowl LII MVP Nick Foles, the Bears appeared to finally have a chance to “let loose” and showcase a NFL worthy offense. Instead, we saw a stagnant offense that scored 3 points for most of the game, only to score a “garbage time” touchdown with 1:35 left in the game.
Questionable decisions plagued the Bears offense on Sunday: A 3rd and 1 play with Cordarelle Patterson in the backfield was met with immediate penetration from the Colts. No one was fooled. Even the play design seemed to be off the mark: two players motion across the line of scrimmage hoping to move some of the interior defenders the Colts had stacked the box with but to no avail.
Later, Nick Foles would start a drive down the field and toss a tough but catchable pass to Anthony Miller only for it to get past his hands and into the hands of the Colts’ Julian Blackmon. Everything seemed to line up for the Bears pre-game but instead we were met with another disappointment and with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers coming to town on a short week for a Thursday night showdown, things are not getting any easier. Was the quarterback position the problem these past three years? Or was there more? The jury is still out on the culprit but with Mitchell Trubisky out of the way, if the Bears can't find a way to get back in the win column this week, there will be no safety net for the GM and head coach fall on to. The honeymoon is officially over.
– Joe.
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