I. No Interest in Rebuilding (And No Need)

It’s very easy to get down on an organization when they fail to meet lofty expectations. And expectations could not have been loftier in 2019. (Believe me, I know.)

But fans, and to a lesser extent the media, have to understand the present circumstances. The Bears are playing zero offense not because they lack talent on their roster but because their quarterback can’t play. He can’t run the system. The Bears have essentially sacrificed 2019 for the sake of “developing” their young QB because what other option did they have? The whole of the offensive structure was built around Trubisky. And he failed to deliver.

Allen Robinson can play. Tarik Cohen can play. David Montgomery can play. This offensive line can block this system. Put a veteran quarterback in this lineup and the offense will at least run. Open receivers will be hit. Correct protections will be called. Combine that with a top ten defense and the 2020 Bears are looking at a ten-win season.

II. 4th in Points Allowed With Limited Mack Production

The Bears are one of the best defenses in the league. And that is happening with opponents essentially neutralizing Khalil Mack, their best defender. (They will certainly be looking to add an edge opposite Mack this off-season, as Leonard Floyd has become far more productive as a cover man than a quarterback harasser.) When the Bears start scoring more points, their opponents will be forced into more must-throw scenarios and that is when a player like Mack thrives.

And while the popular belief is Akiem Hicks may never be at full strength again, I’m hearing the Bears expect a full recovery in 2020. Hicks is the team’s second most-feared defender and pass rusher. His absence has made scheming Mack to death possible.

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As the Chicago Bears once again prepare to dive into the market for a quarterback, the list of players who are going to be available is becoming clear. Which direction the Bears go depends on what, exactly, they are looking to find.

If the Bears are looking for a clear-cut new starter, there should be several options.

If they’re merely looking for competition, there are some good options there too.

If they’re looking for a new franchise-type quarterback, that’s unlikely. But last week may have opened an option there too.

Here is a quick look:

Trade Targets

When Ian Rapoport goes on TV and specifically mentions the Bears as a team Cam Newton would be interested in, there’s a reason for it.

From @NFLGameDay: #Panthers QB Cam Newton is now considering surgery following being placed on IR, with the goal of being healthy by March… when his future will be decided. pic.twitter.com/P3iVbughE9

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 10, 2019

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

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There can be no argument that any element of an offense as bad this Bears’ offense is performing to an acceptable level. Not the play caller. Not the offensive line. Not the skill guys. Nobody. But as this space has reported for the last several weeks, one can not adequately evaluate this offense because what’s being run is not Matt Nagy’s offense. What’s being run is a dialed-back, remedial version of the offense that the overwhelmed quarterback can supposedly “handle”.

And now it’s clear he can’t even handle that.

What took place Sunday night in Los Angeles was the culmination of months and months of frustration from the head coach. Call it a benching or don’t. That’s up to you. But Mitch Trubisky was healthy enough to finish the football game and Matt Nagy did not want him to do so. The reasons are many.

The calls at the line are consistently wrong.

The protections are consistently wrong.

The decisions by the quarterback with the football are consistently wrong.

Said a source within the organization to DBB Monday morning, “They are down to the bare bones. I’d be surprised if they are running 25% of the playbook.”

Think about that for a moment. For years, Matt Nagy has developed the offense he would run in the NFL when he finally had his own team, his own chance. For two years, he’s been installing that plan. And ten games into his second season, he’s been forced to throw three quarters of that plan into the trash because the man they thought was a franchise quarterback can’t run it.

When Matt Nagy met directly with ownership, he made it clear to them he was going to do anything and everything to try and salvage Mitch Trubisky. It’s hard to imagine that will remain his mindset much longer.

#Bears coach Matt Nagy on pulling QB Mitch Trubisky: “It was all based off, he wasn’t feeling right. His hip was hurting him.”

Our story from an interesting night: https://t.co/ghvkuX3YcE

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 18, 2019

Two weeks ago, Matt Nagy pulled the plug on his offense. He realized the quarterback wasn’t capable and went to a simpler, easier-to-execute version. It worked. Kind of. Last night, Nagy broke. He couldn’t watch it anymore. And he pulled the plug on Trubisky. This will now be the story for the next six days. And we all knew it was coming.

We come to November,

we come to the cold.

And still we remember,

predictions too bold.

We all put our trust

in a fella called Mitch

But the QB’s a bust,

And the O’s in a ditch.

Yet Sunday proposes

a chance to get square.

Where Heston played Moses,

And Caan played a Bear.

December’s before us

With games left to play

The league won’t ignore us

if we win in L.A.

L.A. Story (1991) – My favorite L.A. film

Why Do I Like the Chicago Bears This Week?

I always like the Chicago Bears.

And I have nothing else to do on Sunday night. Do you?

Rama Lama Ding Dong (Rams Facts)

• The Rams offense is broken. Literally. Center Brian Allen is out for the year. Right tackle Rob Havenstein is out multiple weeks. Brandin Cooks is still not recovered from brain injury and should really be put on the shelf for the duration of 2019, if not longer. They won’t have time to protect the quarterback. They won’t have a threat deep down the field. This is a run the ball/short passing offense now. (And it’s struggling in those two departments as well.)
• Very few times this season will the Bears not have a significant disadvantage at the quarterback position. This is one of those weeks because statistically (and visually) Jared Goff just isn’t playing very well. But at least Sean McVay will still be utilizing the entirety of his playbook. Matt Nagy will not.
• These two defenses are basically the same. They:
  • Pressure the quarterback at almost identical rates (26-25 Rams in the sack count)
  • Hold opposing QBs to sub-90 rating.
  • Yield roughly identical numbers in yards per game, yards per completion and completion percentage.
  • Defend the run game at clips of (a) Rams – 3.3/90.8 and (b) Bears – 3.7/94.

Tweet of the Week (from last week)

There are good cheese puns and bad cheese puns. Between them, there’s a gruyerea.

— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) November 7, 2019

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Mitch Trubisky’s last four performances are some of the strangest by a Bears quarterback in recent memory. Since hitting what I believe was his rock bottom against the Saints, he has strung together a series of bizarre decisions, errant throws, poor mechanics and occasional, yet all-too-infrequent, thrilling moments. Trubisky is no longer an enigma. He’s no longer difficult to evaluate. He’s a backup quarterback.

Other thoughts, based on observations and conversations…

• The boys at the Tribune did a nice job breaking down this entire Trubisky saga in tireless detail. I’d be very surprised if Dave Ragone is on this coaching staff in 2020. And he shouldn’t be.
• For those wondering why the Bears aren’t turning to Chase Daniel, it’s simple: they are hoping (and praying) something clicks in Trubisky and he turns this thing around. They’re no longer relying on that to occur but they know it’s the best possible outcome for the organization this season as the playoffs drift further and further from reality.
• From a well-placed source within the organization: Matt Nagy has grown increasingly frustrated with Trubisky’s inability to process and execute the game plan. That game plan was significantly dialed back for Detroit and will continue to be down the stretch.
• Is Trubisky playing hurt? He has to be. Otherwise there’s no explanation for his passing up countless first downs on the ground. Both the Eagles and Lions sold out to stop the run/rush the passer, leaving their corners on an island and acres of space in the middle of the field. When Trubisky has had opportunities to exploit that space with his legs, he’s passed. It makes no sense. Unless he’s hurt.
• The same folks blaming the offensive line in Chicago out of the left side of their mouths are praising Deshaun Watson’s improvisational skills out of the right side of their mouths. If you watch Houston play, you’ll realize something: they have no offensive line. Watson, and the MVP front-runner Russell Wilson, extend drives and make plays with their athleticism. Trubisky does not. And that’s why he was drafted. The Bears never expected him to sit in the pocket like Eli Manning or Joe Flacco. They expected him to move and create. They expected football instincts. They expected excitement. They’re getting none.

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The National Football League has a way of toying with our emotions. Just when we thought the Chicago Bears were dead, there is a little light at the end of the tunnel – enough that the 2019 season could still end up being relevant.

Nothing that happened was pretty. And nothing suggests that the Bears are going to suddenly be even a mediocre team, much less the kind of team that can contend for the Super Bowl. But that’s the funny thing about this league. As long as teams can stay alive, they leave a chance that the switch is going to flip and they could become the team they were supposed to be.

Mitch Trubisky wasn’t great on Sunday. (He was barely even adequate.) But over the last three weeks he has made enough good throws that everyone can see the potential. That potential very likely will never be reached. Even at his best, he leaves a touchdown on the field and makes drive-killing mistakes.

But maybe beating a crappy Lions team is turning point?

Maybe the team just needed a boost like the one Nick Kwiatkoski gave them.

Maybe Kwiatkoski is a sleeping superstar hidden behind two studs? In the two games he has seen extensive action he has 20 tackles, two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. He’s far from flawless, but if he keeps making impact plays, that doesn’t matter.

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I drive a 2005 Chevy Cavalier.

It was my grandfather’s car. He’s dead now.

Last year, my first year with the car, I took it to Jiffy Lube for inspection. The horn didn’t work. I knew the horn didn’t work but I honestly didn’t know the horn working was a prerequisite to pass inspection. I brought the car to a local mechanic in Queens, a guy I drink with, and he explained that fixing the horn would cost more than the car was worth. He wanted to try something else.

He then proceeded to beat the shit out of the steering wheel. I mean, he was throwing jabs like Marvin Hagler. Sure enough, the horn let out a whimper. It wasn’t much but it was enough. I drove it back to Jiffy and whimpered into the parking lot. The attendant heard that sad excuse for a honk and that was enough. Passed.

This year’s inspection was going to be more difficult. I brought the car in on October 3rd. The horn hadn’t made a sound since July 4th. I was fully prepared to bribe the Jiffy Lube guys to get me over the line. For a 2005 Chevy Cavalier with 199,600 miles on it, the car is in damn good shape. Except the horn.

Brought the car in – which you can see above – and had $100 in cash in my pocket. Bribery money. Derek, the inspector, opened the driver side door. Sat in my seat. Put his hand on the steering wheel. And…

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMP!

It had not made a noise in months. It has not made a noise since. But for that one moment, the horn sounded as if Gabriel was blowing it himself. I don’t believe in God or angels or souls or the afterlife or really much at all. But in that moment, I believe my dead grandfather wanted that car to stay on the road.

Yesterday, at Soldier Field, the Bears passed inspection. They kept the car on the road.

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