A thread explaining why the rest of this season is going to be a tough watch and why you should emotionally detach yourself from the remaining 11 games for the sake of yourself and those you love.

The Bears didn’t try to win this year. From the moment Poles and Eberflus were brought in, they made it clear with their moves that winning games in 2022 was not a priority.

They didn’t spend on OL or at WR. They traded Khalil Mack to clear money in 2023.

You can criticize that strategy all you like but that’s clearly the strategy: lose in 2022 and then use the full slate of (high) picks and copious cash of 2023 to dramatically remake the complexion of the roster.

The Bears look like they’re “close” to winning because (a) they won a game in a monsoon against a terrible QB and (b) they have played 2 of the 4 worst teams in the league through 6 weeks. Their performances have shown they’re in same class with Hou, DC, Pitt, etc.

Bears next three are at Belichick, at Parsons, home Dolphins.

This team is going to be 2-7 when the Lions come to town and are favored at Soldier Field.

By then, apathy will have settled in across the whole of the fan base.

Read More …

2022 Bears six weeks into the campaign.

I thought they could win 7-8 games if the QB did those things that make you believe he’s the guy. He’s not there yet. Not close. Great runner, great deep ball.

Right now, this feels like 4-13/5-12 first pick in the draft territory.

— DaBearsBlog (@dabearsblog) October 14, 2022

It is Thursday night,

…and up comes the Riverboat!

Let the Fields wind blow!

We’ve reached the “moral victory” part of the season. So that begs the question…

Why Do I Like the Chicago Bears This Week?

I.

Always.

Like.

THE.

Chicago. 

Bears.

Thoughts: Commanders vs. Titans

This was a tough watch, but it provided something of a preview for Thursday night. Here are some things that stood out.

• Washington’s center Nick Barton had a nightmare, rolling several shotgun snaps to the feet of Carson Wentz. He also hit the motion man once. How are those mistakes still happening in the fifth week of the season?
• Both Washington and Tennessee consistently buried themselves beyond the chains with penalties and that allowed both pass rushes to essentially control the action. If the Bears find themselves in obvious passing situations, the Commanders will find themselves in the backfield quite a bit.
• While I have been as critical of Wentz as anyone, he threw a gorgeous deep ball in this game. He still makes 3-5 throws a game that make no logical sense but his touch down the field was there Sunday.
• Derrick Henry earned every yard against the Washington defense. It takes hard running to find success against this group. (Generally came away impressed with the unit from the TV broadcast tape.)
• Curtis Samuel is hell to deal with right now, and it’ll be surprising if the Bears don’t struggle containing him on third down.

Three Stats with Potential Value

• This is the first matchup for the Bears where the two teams have a significant gap in turnover differential. The Bears are at 0. The Commanders are at -7. If the Bears win the turnover battle, they’ll win this game.
• The Commanders allow opposing QBs a passer rating of 103.7. Justin Fields is going to have another opportunity for success in that category because Washington will gladly allow him the underneath completions to protect against the deep shot. Fields needs to take them.
• The most boring stat you’ll ever read: both the Bears and Commanders have a season-long punt return of 19 yards.

Read More …

Justin Fields was the major positive to come from Sunday’s loss to the Vikings. But that ground has been well covered. Today’s column looks elsewhere.

Second Half Defensive Dominance

The Bears have now allowed 26 points total in the second half this season, and one touchdown. They’ve also shown a knack for making the big play in the final two quarters, with Kindle Vildor continuing his solid season, adding his first career interception.

Jaylon Johnson isn’t playing. Roquan Smith whiffs on a big tackle every week. The middle of the defensive line is terrible. The pass rush is often nonexistent. But the Bears are emerging from halftime each week an inspired defense. It is a testament to the coaching staff.

Cole Kmet’s Season Begins?

Kmet had two catches against the Texans, three against the Giants, and now four against the Vikings. But if Fields is going to start attacking defenses underneath, like he did Sunday, Kmet is going to be the biggest beneficiary. He is also the only Bears receiving weapon that seems to work the middle of the field.

Rookies Making Plays

Kyler Gordon was a sure tackler and was inches from a game-changing pick six. (His coverage is still an issue.)

Dominique Robinson blocked a field goal.

Velus Jones Jr. scored a touchdown and looked to have a burst in the kickoff return game. (Why was he only on the field for 6% of snaps?)

You don’t win in the NFL playing a bunch of rookies, but their performances suggest a promising future for the franchise.

This is an essay written as a midterm assignment for Sidney Gottlieb’s course, The Films of Alfred Hitchcock.

Framing the Fall_Hitchcock’s Camera and the Journey Downhill

Justin Fields wasn’t brilliant on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.  But, for the first time this season, Fields looked like a fully capable professional quarterback, pitching to a rating of 118.8, and displaying discernible signs of progress at the position. That progress must continue Thursday night at Soldier Field, when a bad Washington Commanders team comes to town.

The leap Fields took from weeks one through four to week five was somewhat seismic. He was calm and confident in the pocket. He felt pressure. He surveyed the entirety of the field and consistently took the underneath options, completing more than 70% of his passes. When the play wasn’t there to be made with his arm, he used his legs to extend drives.

Was his running game there for support? No. Was his pass protection good? No. Did his receivers play well? Outside of one remarkable Darnell Mooney catch, no. But that makes the performance from Fields even more promising. Fans on social media never blame Fields for anything. If it’s not the receivers, it’s the blockers. If it’s not the blockers, it’s the play calls. Fields was indisputable awful over the first month of this season. But the young QB showed in week five what many of us have been preaching: progress is possible despite the lack of talent in his supporting cast. Fields’ teammates delivered their worst performance of the year. Fields delivered his best.

Now he needs to back it up. There is no talent gap between the Bears and Commanders; these are both bad football teams. Regression cannot happen. Bad habits can’t resurface. The Bears are not going to win many games this season, but this campaign will be a winning one should Fields build upon his performance in Minneapolis and establish real hope at the position.

The concrete was poured Sunday. The building begins Thursday night.

This Justin Fields TD run was nullified by a penalty but it was AWESOME.

(: @TrainIsland) pic.twitter.com/SdmL9iwz34

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 9, 2022

Love what we're seeing from Fields today. He's much calmer, more decisive, feels in control of the offense in a way that he hasn't really yet this year.

— Johnathan Wood (@Johnathan_Wood1) October 9, 2022

Darnell Mooney, WOWpic.twitter.com/xNtWx1NBRO

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 9, 2022