After losing to the Green Bay Packers, 28-19, the Chicago Bears are now 3-10 and officially eliminated from the playoffs. With four games left on the season, there’s little to be excited about for fans. The team remains at the bottom of the standings and near the bottom of NFL power rankings.
Unlike the last two weeks, the Bears didn’t face any harsh injuries. They got out of their nine-point loss healthy, for the most part. Chase Claypool did go down with a knee injury early in the game but did return and doesn’t seem to have any long-lasting effects.
Chicago will have the week off to rest and mentally prepare for their Week 15 game against the Eagles, the team with the best record in the NFL. It’s a much-needed rest for a Bears team that hasn’t won a game since October.
Here’s where the Bears stand in the power rankings going into Week 14.
USA Today
Current Ranking: 25th
Last Week’s Ranking: 23rd
Author: Nate Davis
Author’s Take:
Nice they get to literally be home for the Holidays, all of their December games at Soldier Field … and a good preamble to being home for the playoffs – though not at Soldier Field.
Our Take:
The Bears will be at home for the second straight season when it comes to the playoffs, as they’ve been eliminated with four games to go. The good news is they’re trending toward a top draft pick and have a good chance to build a solid roster this offseason. The bad news is no playoffs this year, which is honestly something most fans knew going into the season.
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 28th
Last Week’s Ranking: 29th
Author: Dan Hanzus
Author’s Take:
The Bears got Justin Fields back on Sunday, and with him, another electrifying highlight in the form of the young QB’s 55-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter against the rival Packers. Unfortunately, a talent-deficient Bears defense was again exposed in Aaron Rodgers’ latest conquest in Soldier Field. The bye week finally arrives for the Bears in Week 14, giving Chicago the chance to get healthy in the banged-up secondary while also providing Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy an opportunity to plot out how they want to close the season with Fields, who’s playing with an injured non-throwing shoulder.
Our Take:
Fans and experts alike questioned the Bears’ decision to put Fields back under center after one week’s rest with his non-throwing shoulder injury. It proved to be a non-issue, as Fields played well and had the highest QBR of all quarterbacks in Week 13. He will get a chance to finish out his second season, something he didn’t do last year due to injury.
Bleacher Report
Current Ranking: 28th
Last Week’s Ranking: 30th
Author: BR NFL Staff
Author’s Take:
That Justin Fields has been an electrifying player this year isn’t in question. He’s certainly been a favorite son of the fantasy football community as well.
But the NFL is a results-driven business, and in Chicago the results have seemingly been the same virtually every week.
Close, but no cigar.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Bears held a 19-10 lead over the archrival Packers. But as been the case so many times, the Bears couldn’t hold the lead—in large part because Fields threw two fourth-quarter interceptions.
However, Fields also set season highs in passing yards (254), completion percentage (80.0) and yards per attempt (10.2). He told reporters after the game the effort was actually a step in the right direction where his progression as a passer is concerned.
“I think this was one of my best games passing-wise,” Fields said. “Of course, the stats aren’t going to show that. I felt really comfortable out there in the passing game and just have to keep improving and keep getting better.”
After the bye, Fields will have four more chances to build momentum heading into the offseason. Four chances to ease concerns about his long-term viability.
Because with Chicago all the way up to the second overall pick in 2023, the Bears will have a critical decision to make regarding what to do with that pick.
Our Take:
Fields played very well, but it wasn’t enough to capture the team’s fourth win of the season. The Bears held a 19-10 lead going into the fourth quarter, but couldn’t hold on, losing 28-19. Yet another fourth-quarter meltdown by the Bears – something they’ve had their fair share of.
ESPN
Current Ranking: 30th
Last Week’s Ranking: 29th
Author: Courtney Cronin
Author’s Take:
Justin Fields has 905 rushing yards in 12 games thanks in part to an uptick of designed runs starting in Week 7. He’s gone six straight games with a rushing touchdown, tied for the longest streak by a quarterback since 1950, and is on pace to break the Bears’ franchise quarterback rushing record currently held by Bobby Douglass (968) in 1972. His three rushing TDs of 50-plus yards are the most by any quarterback for his career in the Super Bowl era. With four games remaining, Fields is on pace to rush for over 1,200 yards, which would be the most ever by a quarterback in a season
Our Take:
Bobby Douglas, Fields is coming for your franchise rushing record by a quarterback, 968 rushing yards. If Fields can break it, that will be one of hopefully many records he breaks throughout his Bears career. Outside of what he’s done this year, what’s there to be excited about in Chicago? Sitting at 3-10, it’s almost time for Ryan Poles to work his magic.
Yahoo! Sports
Current Ranking: 30th
Last Week’s Ranking: 30th
Author: Frank Schwab
Author’s Take:
It’s hard to come onto a team midseason and make an impact. Still, the Bears probably want more out of Chase Claypool than 12 catches for 111 yards in five games. There’s still plenty of time for Claypool to emerge as a No. 1 receiver for Chicago, but at the cost of a second-round draft pick, the Bears need him to hit and he hasn’t shown anything yet.
Our Take:
It’s hard to deny that Chase Claypool hasn’t struggled since coming over to Chicago. He played well against Miami but then has been quiet. Claypool and Fields together sounded more exciting at first – and there is still time – but fans are starting to get impatient. Give it an entire offseason of the two working together and him learning the offense before writing him off. Still, a second-round pick? The asking price from the Steelers seems like a lot after five games.
