The Chicago Bears dropped yet another game to the Green Bay Packers and were eliminated from playoff contention for the second season in a row. The Bears fell 28-19 after allowing Aaron Rodgers and the Packers back into the game late, unable to secure a win after leading most of the game.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields looked impressive in his return from injury, but two late interceptions halted any hope of a victory. Rodgers and the Packers did enough late to seal the game and for the first time in 100 years, lead the NFL in all-time wins.
Like most of their games this season, the Bears were in it all the way until the end but questionable decision making by the coaching staff and a defense held together by duct tape couldn’t secure the win. Here are our takeaways from Sunday’s loss.
1
Justin Fields showed his true potential behind a good offensive line
At this point in the season, we’ve seen almost everything from Fields when he’s been under center. His running ability is elite, he can extend plays with his legs, and he’s got a cannon for an arm. But Sunday provided another glimpse into how he’s continuing to develop and that was with an offensive line that kept him upright.
According to Windy City Gridiron’s Lester Wiltfong Jr., the Bears didn’t allow a sack for the first time since November of 2020. That resulted in Fields completing 80 percent of his passes and throwing for a season high of 254 yards. He also had a QBR of 90.6. Fields did throw two interceptions, one of which was cause by a bad route from Equanimeous St. Brown and the other came in desperation mode. Even with those picks, Fields showed poise in the pocket and was accurate all day long. Outside of the interceptions, he had just two inaccurate passes. If he can get protection consistently like he got Sunday, he’s going to be deadly as a pocket passer. Combined with his running abilities, that’s exciting to think about.
2
Luke Getsy deserves time to develop
There’s normally a lot of angst amongst Bears fans that goes on following a loss. This week, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was the prime recipient of criticism due to his questionable plays in key situations. Getsy has leaned on the running game this season and that didn’t change this week, even though Fields was on fire from the pocket. In a few key situations in the second half, Getsy took his foot off the gas and called a more conservative game that wound up costing the Bears points in the end. That allowed the Packers to take the lead and steal a win after the Bears were leading by two scores late.
Getsy made mistakes but calling for his firing or saying he’s a bad offensive coordinator is out of bounds. The offense still totaled over 400 yards on the day. He’s also helped get Fields to this point in his development and we have seen significant growth from the offense going back to the beginning of the year. Everyone gave Fields a pass as he was learning, why can’t the same be done for Getsy?
He’s a first-year play caller and offensive coordinator. Coaches need time to develop too, that’s not reserved just for players. It’s hypocritical to preach patience for a young quarterback while wanting to can an offensive coordinator in their first year. Getsy needs to improve in some areas but that will come. He, like Fields, needs time to develop too.
3
Alex Leatherwood should be starting at right tackle
For the first time all season, tackle Alex Leatherwood saw game action with the Bears and he looked pretty solid. Leatherwood, the 2021 first-round pick for the Las Vegas Raiders was claimed off waivers in August, but had yet to appear in a game until Sunday. He rotated at right tackle with Riley Reiff and the results were impressive.
Leatherwood, like the rest of the line, didn’t let up any sacks but he was notably in for Fields’ two biggest pass plays of the day. He locked down his assignment well and showed promise for what may lie ahead. Leatherwood was seen as a project heading into this season and the Bears have played it slow with him. He’s shown there’s still plenty of potential in his 6-foot-5 frame and he deserves the opportunity to be the starter for the final four games. The Bears aren’t going anywhere, Reiff and Larry Borom haven’t exactly impressed, and it’s important to know if the offense has a an asset.
4
The Bears defense can take a big step with a little pass rush help
Believe it or not, the Bears defense actually performed okay on Sunday considering the circumstances. For one, almost their entire starting secondary was out due to injuries, leaving only Jaylon Johnson as the healthy starter. Two, they were able to make key tackles for most of the game and didn’t let the Packers into the end zone until late in the second quarter. But there’s one glaring need that continues to stand out and that’s the pass rush. If the Bears could even be an average team when it comes to putting pressure on the quarterback, this defense would be pretty darn good.
The Bears didn’t notch a sack, QB pressure, or hit against Rodgers all day long. Given how inaccurate he was due to his injuries, a little more pressure could have swung the tide in a big way. General manager Ryan Poles will need to focus on that area this offseason and if they can revamp the line, this defense can go from bad to good pretty quickly. There are other pieces in place.
5
The reserve defensive backs deserve a lot of credit for their performance
Speaking of other pieces on defense, the secondary as a whole played their tails off when they were essentially counted out. Thanks to injuries to Eddie Jackson, Jaquan Brisker, Kyler Gordon, and Kindle Vildor, the Bears relied on their reserves to step in and they did a good job. Backups Josh Blackwell and Jaylon Jones were targeted often and combined for 13 total tackles. Special teams ace DeAndre Houston-Carson once again showed he can step up to the challenge at safety too, notching five tackles, including one for a loss and Elijah Hicks stood out a few times.
They eventually allowed a few big plays, notably from Christian Watson, but with little pressure coming from the front seven, the secondary could only hold out for so long. Outside of Johnson, many of these players won’t be relied upon when the games really matter but you want to see fight from the top to the bottom of the roster. The secondary should be commended for their performance, even if the box score doesn’t reflect it.
6
Fields' first interception shows the glaring need for weapons
It was clear from the get-go that Fields’ interception to St. Brown was more on the receiver than the quarterback. St. Brown failed to come out of his dig route cleanly, which allowed Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander to make a jump on the ball. Compare that with what Chase Claypool did earlier in the game on a somewhat similar route where he stopped on a dime and converted a first down and it shows the disparity between some of the receivers and how much help is really needed.
This isn’t a revelation or anything of that nature. It’s been clear for a long time that the Bears are going to need help at the receiver position. Things look worse now with Darnell Mooney out for the season. But those two plays are a microcosm of what the Bears are dealing with, as well as the hope that Claypool can provide a stable playmaking presence into next year.
7
N'Keal Harry deserves more opportunities
N’Keal Harry doesn’t get targeted often, but when he does, he makes things happen. Harry saw just his fifth reception of the season on Sunday when he made a masterful grab over Alexander for a 49-yard gain. More surprising than five receptions is the fact he has just six targets. Harry is making plays when he gets the ball thrown his way, it’s just not happening much at all.
Given the Bears are severely lacking weapons, Harry deserves more of a chance to make plays downfield. He’s shown he can do it when given the opportunity. The Bears surrendered draft capital for his services this offseason and they might as well maximize their return on investment. He’s a big-bodied receiver who is capable of making highlight plays.
8
Having a bye week in mid December is criminal
The NFL is about to enter Week 14 and the Bears are just now getting their bye week. For any team, that’s not fair. For a team with a new coaching staff, it’s extremely unfair. Aside from a mini bye week in early October, the Bears haven’t had any extended time off yet and the season is about to be over as the team finally gets some time off. That’s great scheduling, NFL.
The Bears were eliminated from playoff contention before their bye week. That’s a joke and not an indictment on the Bears for not winning enough and more on the league for scheduling bye weeks with just a few games left in the season. The good news is we saw what a little time off can do for game planning as the offense became considerably more efficient following the mini bye week. Let’s see Getsy use this time to turn things around with some of his play calling and decision making. At least that will make the final four games more intriguing to watch. But regardless, the NFL needs to revamp their bye week schedule. It’s not fair to the players to go through three straight months of games before an extended break.
