The Bears’ second-year safety has been a vocal critic of how NFL officials allow opposing defenses to hit quarterback Justin Fields late without penalty. The Bears have sent numerous examples to the league office, but Fields continues to get popped after the whistle.

It happened again on the first play of Sunday’s 28-13 win over the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. Fields took off on a quarterback run and slid before being hit late by Lions linebacker Jack Campbell. There was no flag despite Fields and head coach Matt Eberflus’ protest.

Brisker has seen enough.

“If it was us, they would be throwing it. It wouldn’t even be a reaction,” Brisker said Monday at Halas Hall. “They would just throw it. I think they should just treat him fair. He’s a quarterback. I know he’s 230, and he’s running a 4.3. But it doesn’t really matter. He’s still a quarterback, and we have to protect him. It’s disappointing.

“Obviously, the other team is being told to do dirty stuff after the play — hit him like this, a certain way. It’s obviously being told just by the way they have been treating him these last couple weeks. A lot of shots to the head. It’s very disappointing seeing a guy like that take hits like that. One of those hits, god forbid, could be something very bad. I think the league needs to get on that and notice that it’s bad.”

Brisker noted that the Bears see teams on film trying to do little things to knock Fields out, and the league needs to take action.

“You can just tell, just from the other team,” Brisker said. “Coach Flus, he doesn’t tell us to do anything like that. You can just tell just the way they hit him after the play. They just try — you can just tell how they are trying to tug and how they are trying to do whatever they can to get him out the game. It’s obvious. It’s obvious. All them head shots. All of them late hits. Trying to mess with his hands and things like that. It’s obvious. The league just has to protect the quarterback and we’re going to protect ours at all times.”

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Eberflus noted Monday that he let the official Sunday hear it after Campbell wasn’t flagged for hitting Fields late on the opening offensive play. Eberflus said the Bears have a couple plays they are turning into the league as they hope to get Fields the same treatment that other star quarterbacks receive.

Fields has said he will keep asking the officials for the calls. Three weeks ago in Detroit, Fields was repeatedly hit either late or in the head, but no flags were thrown. Fields went to the officials to alert them to the late hits and other antics the Lions’ defenders were engaging in, but his pleas were disregarded.

“That’s just what the Lions do — they play hard,” Fields said after the loss to the Lions in Week 11. “We knew that coming in that week, the kind of effort and toughness and grit they play with. Their head coach preaches that. We kinda knew it was gonna be that type of game. I was talking to the ref and just asked, like telling him like, ‘Yo, just watch out. Heads up for a late hit’ or something like that. I guess I didn’t get any. Keep playing ball and control what I can control.”

Fields has only received five roughing the passer or unnecessary roughness calls in the past two seasons. All of them came last year, with two coming in the season-opener against the San Francisco 49ers.

For comparison, Josh Allen has gotten four roughing-the-passer calls this season to lead the NFL. Lions quarterback Jared Goff received six last season.

Fields has received just one roughing the passer call and four unnecessary roughness penalties in his last 24 starts. Once again, all of them came last year.

The Bears will keep pleading their case to the league, hoping Fields gets the same respect that other quarterbacks do around the league one day.

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But while the Bears celebrated the win in their locker room after the game, they were sure not to put the performance on a pedestal.

“We ain’t do nothing yet,” said Jaquan Brisker. “It’s a great divisional win, but we ain’t do nothing yet. Defense has to get better. We’re 5-8 right now, so we gotta keep stacking ‘em one day at a time, one game at a time. We still ain’t do nothing yet.”

“We’re just keeping a little bit of momentum,” said Justin Jones.

To a man, the Bears said this was not a statement win even though everything else pointed to the contrary. They’re not satisfied with one win in December over a playoff-caliber team. They believe they have more work to do before they make a real statement.

“We’re just trying to get to the playoffs,” said Jaylon Johnson. “We know what we need to do to get to the playoffs. We’re just trying to do what we can and keep fighting, like we’ve been doing all season.”

Brisker, Jones and Johnson were key figures in the team’s second-half defensive surge. Brisker led the way with an incredible 17 tackles over the game. Jones notched one and a half sacks late in the fourth quarter to help the team seal the win. Johnson continued his campaign for his first All-Pro honors by snatching his fourth interception of the year.

Of course, Justin Fields’ dynamic game both through the air and on the ground played a huge role in the win. If the Bears have any hope of making a bigger statement later in the season, they’ll need him to be at his best for the rest of the year. But Fields also kept a level head after the win.

“Keep everything the same,” Fields said. “Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. There’s still a lot of spots to improve upon. We probably could’ve put up 40 if we executed better.”

Head coach Matt Eberflus has been steadfast in his 30 games leading the team, so it’s no surprise that he too cautioned against making too much of the win. Eberflus did say that the two-game win streak was proof positive that the team was on the right track, but emphasized that they need to stick on course.

“It’s not all rose-colored glasses just because you won the game,” Eberflus said. “That’s not it. You’ve got to learn from this game and get better.”

It’s hard to believe that the Bears have put themselves in a position to talk playoffs at all after last year’s league-worst 3-14 season and this year’s disastrous 0-4 start, but the Bears have played better. If the Packers lose on Monday night, then the Bears would be just one game back of five teams in line for the seven seed in the NFC with 6-7 records. A playoff berth is still unrealistic for the team, but they’ve legitimately played themselves onto the “In The Hunt” graphic that we see so often.

Whether or not a bigger statement comes this season, the Bears have already sent a memo to the football world that they’re far from being the worst team in the league again.

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Jaquan Brisker remains in the concussion protocol after his bizarre inclusion into the protocol on Monday. Brisker took a big shot on a two-point try against the Raiders, initially cleared the protocol, was listed on the injury report with an illness that included running a fever, then continued to feel off so was checked again for a concussion and ultimately entered the protocol.

Fellow safety Eddie Jackson practiced in full for the second practice in a row as he works back from a foot injury. Jackson was able to practice without limitation last Friday, but still didn’t play against the Chargers. With both Brisker and Jackson out in Week 8 the Bears started Elijah Hicks and Duron Harmon at safety.

Right guard Nate Davis (ankle) and middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (knee) each projected to be DNPs on Wednesday. Davis missed the last two games with his injury, while Edmunds sustained his last week. Edmunds briefly returned to the game after working out his knee on the sideline, but needed to come out again.

Left tackle Braxton Jones managed to practice in a limited fashion as he works his way back from a neck injury. Jones is still in the middle of his 21-day window to return from injured reserve. The team still has two weeks to move him back to the active roster. If they don’t, they’ll have to shut him down for the rest of the year. Larry Borom has played left tackle while Jones has been sidelined

Lucas Patrick practiced in full after he popped up on the injury report with a back injury ahead of the Chargers game. Patrick managed to play in the game. Finally, Terell Smith remains out with mononucleosis.

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It’s a strange situation of illness and concussion intertwining, so head coach Matt Eberflus carefully explained the timeline on Monday.

“So, (last) Sunday and Monday he checked out fine with the evaluation and with the independent neurologist being cleared from concussion, so he was all set,” Eberflus said. “Then Tuesday, we reported that he was ill and had a fever. That persisted through Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, then into Friday we brought him in the building, so he was in here then. Then he was still not feeling well, so we ruled him out on Saturday. Then, again, he wasn’t feeling well, then his illness cleared Saturday, then Sunday felt he was cleared, in terms of his illness. Then, still felt a little bit off in terms of having different symptoms and those types of things, so we had him re-evaluated and now he is back into concussion protocol. That was on Sunday, not feeling well, then on Monday, this morning, got him tested again and he’s back in concussion protocol.

“I understand that’s unique. I’ve never had that happen before.”

The Bears were without both Brisker and fellow safety Eddie Jackson against the Chargers. Elijah Hicks and Duron Harmon played in their places. If each guy misses more time, the Bears will likely go back to that same combination. 

“The most important thing is our players’ safety and health and Jaquan did a very good job of communicating with us and the training staff did a really good job too, of seeing this thing all the way through,” Eberflus said.

The Bears selected Brisker in the second round of the 2022 draft and he cracked the starting lineup immediately. Brisker appeared to be an ascending star on defense, but his young career has been broken up by frequent injuries already. Brisker only missed two games last season, and one game up to this point this year, but he’s shuffled on and off the field due to various injuries, including a broken thumb, multiple soft tissue issues and now multiple concussions.

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Jackson tried to return in Week 6, but he wasn’t 100 percent and left the game after a handful of snaps. On Friday, Jackson said he is moving and cutting better and feels good.

Even though Jackson is active, head coach Matt Eberflus told ESPN 1000 that Elijah Hicks and Duron Harmon would be the starting safeties and Jackson would be an “insurance” player.

Second-year safety Jaquan Brisker is inactive due to an illness.

Starting center Lucas Patrick had a back injury pop up Sunday, but he is active and will play against the Chargers.

Meanwhile, second-year defensive end Dominique Robinson is a healthy scratch, with Khalil Kareem taking his spot on the gameday roster.

Running back Roschon Johnson cleared concussion protocol on Thursday and will likely split carries with D’Onta Foreman and Darrynton Evans on Sunday.

Quarterback Justin Fields is inactive for the second straight Sunday due to the dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. Head coach Matt Eberflus said Fields is improving, and the Bears will have a better update on his status going forward on Monday.

Offensive guard Nate Davis (ankle) and cornerback Terell Smith (illness) are also inactive for the game against the Chargers. Davis suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Bears’ Week 6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Smith has mono and will be out for a few more weeks.

The Chargers will be without starting tight end Gerald Everett on Sunday night.

Undrafted rookie quarterback will make his second career start Sunday and his first on the road. He will face a Chargers’ defense that is fully healthy, with Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, and Derwin James all good to go.

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Brisker didn’t practice all week due to the illness. He was designated as a game-time decision on Friday before being ruled out for Sunday’s game on Saturday.

Elijah Hicks will likely carry Brisker’s workload on the last line of defense.

This season, Brisker’s played seven games. He’s three defended passes, one forced fumble, 0.5 sacks and 45 combined tackles.

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The offensive line should have an easier time protecting Bagent since starting right tackle Darnell Wright managed to practice in full on Friday and has no game designation, meaning he’s good to go against the Chargers. Wright did not participate in practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday with a shoulder and toe injury. Further, Braxton Jones managed to practice in a limited capacity all three days this week as he works back from a neck injury. The Bears opened Jones’ 21-day window to return from injured reserve on Wednesday, but head coach Matt Eberflus said Jones won’t play on Sunday. That means Larry Borom will continue to fill in at left tackle.

Elsewhere on the line, starting right guard Nate Davis was ruled out with an ankle injury, as expected. Eberflus said earlier this week that Davis would be unavailable. Last week, the Bears used Teven Jenkins in his place, inserted Cody Whitehair at left guard and left Lucas Patrick in the middle at center. The combo was successful, so the Bears probably rerack that same lineup.

On defense, the Bears could be without both of their starting safeties. Strong safety Jaquan Brisker (illness) and free safety Eddie Jackson (foot) are each questionable to play. Brisker was a DNP throughout the entire week, which typically portends someone sitting out on gameday, but Eberflus said that if Brisker is feeling better by Sunday he could play. Meanwhile Jackson upgraded from limited on Wednesday and Thursday to full on Friday, so he’s trending in the right direction. The Bears have used second-year player Elijah Hicks as the backup safety throughout the year. If the Bears need two replacements, Duron Harmon, Quindell Johnson or practice squad player A.J. Thomas could mix into the lineup. 

Roschon Johnson is ready to make his return this Sunday. The running back cleared the concussion protocol this week, was a full participant in practice Wednesday through Friday, and has no game designation. However, D’Onta Foreman should hold onto the starting running back role due to his great play over the past two games.

Finally, reserve interior offensive lineman Dan Feeney is questionable to play with a knee injury, backup cornerback Terell Smith remains out with mononucleosis and defensive end Khalid Kareem managed three full practices in a row. Kareem is still on IR due to a hip injury he suffered earlier this season.

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Beyond that, Eberflus shared a heap of other important injury updates.

Let’s start up front, with the offensive line that’s charged with protecting whoever plays quarterback. Starting right guard Nate Davis will not practice this week as he works through an ankle injury. Davis is considered week-to-week. The Bears moved Teven Jenkins back to right guard against the Raiders with Davis on the shelf, put Cody Whitehair back at left guard where he started the first four games of the season and promoted Lucas Patrick to starting center. The group played well on Sunday, so the team will likely run that combo back against the Chargers.

The team has been without starting left tackle Braxton Jones for the past five games due to a neck injury, but Eberflus hinted he could be designated to return this Wednesday. That means Jones will be able to begin practicing again, and the Bears will then have 21 days to either put him back on the active roster or shut him down for the rest of the year. Larry Borom has taken over at left tackle in the meantime and has been the least efficient pass blocker on the team working in relief, per PFF. According to their metrics, Borom has given up 19 pressures in 167 opportunities. He’s the only Bears offensive lineman with a pressure-allowed rate over 10%.

Roschon Johnson could also return to practice soon. The rookie running back missed the last two games with a concussion.

“He’s got another hurdle that he has to clear but it looks real positive and that looks good for Wednesday,” Eberflus said.

Johnson entered the season as the No. 3 running back, but quickly worked up to the primary change-of-pace rusher working behind Khalil Herbert. The Bears have had to rely on D’Onta Foreman and Darrynton Evans as the top two rushers over their past two games with Johnson in the concussion protocol and Herbert on IR with an ankle injury. Both Foreman and Evans have played well in relief, and Foreman exploded for three touchdowns in Week 7. If Johnson can re-enter the mix it will make a team strength even stronger and bolster the special teams units.

Finally, Jaquan Brisker avoided a serious head injury when he hurt himself defending a two-point conversion against the Raiders. Brisker had to leave the game and was evaluated for a concussion, but he cleared that check. 

“We’re all set with him going from the game,” Eberflus said.

The Bears will release their first full injury report of the week on Wednesday.

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A clunky offensive scheme, poor execution, and robotic play through the first three weeks saw Fields post numbers that would easily have him listed as one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Some suggested he might be “broken.” Others wondered if he might need to be benched for a mental reset.

In three weeks, Fields went from franchise savior to the latest in a long line of quarterbacks the Bears franchise has wrecked.

But while outside doubts about Fields’ future as the Bears’ franchise quarterback started to swirl, the Bears never seemed to waver. They know the player and the person. They understood the work ethic and the focus. They listened to Fields’ suggestions about how to get things going in the right direction. They believed the Fields they saw all offseason — the one who made significant strides with his command of the offense — would arrive.

They just had to unlock him.

Then, the pendulum swung back.

Fields started the Bears’ Week 4 game against the Denver Broncos 23-for-25 for 285 yards and four touchdowns. The decisions were quick, the accuracy pinpoint, and the confidence grew.

Fields was outstanding against the Broncos until the fourth quarter when a strip sack fumble and game-ending interception sealed the Bears’ fate in a 31-28 loss.

The signs of progress were evident. Week 4 was a reminder of Fields’ potential, but reminders aren’t enough. Sometimes, you have to see things over and over again for them to transform from hopeful mirage into concrete proof.

Four days after for 335 yards and four touchdowns against the Broncos, Fields, and star wide receiver DJ Moore lit up the Washington Commanders in a 40-20 win at FedEx Field. Fields finished Thursday’s game 15-for-29 for 282 and four touchdowns, while Moore caught eight passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns.

With Moore’s help, Fields has gone 43-for-64 for 617 yards (699 total), eight touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 131.1 in the last two games.

The Justin Fields the Bears put their chips behind this offseason, the guy whom Moore was supposed to help elevate from hopeful prospect to bonafide star, is reappearing.

“You can see him on the sideline. He’s always cool. Try not to get too hype,” wide receiver Darnell Mooney said of Fields after the win over the Commanders. “I’ve been telling him since the first game, ‘Hey, just stay locked in. Keep playing how you are playing.’ Every drive I see him, I just say, ‘Hey, stay locked in. Don’t let anybody distract you, and get out of your zone.’ He’s been doing that. He’s been playing really good.

“This is Justin Fields.”

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There were moments in 2022 when you could see what Fields might become if the Bears quit fiddling around and fully supported his development. There was the second half against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5, the barrage against the Patriots in Week 7, the rushing bonanza against the Dolphins, and his efficient game against the Packers.

But while the flickers were there, the light never stayed on long enough to give us a complete view of what might be. The protection was too poor, the weapons too few, the play-calling too questionable.

The addition of Moore, a revamped offensive, and the second year strengthening the bond with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was supposed to change all of that.

Through the first three weeks, it looked like a near certainty that Fields was destined for the bust bin—a victim of cruel NFL fate and circumstance that spoiled a rare talent.

But there’s always time to be what you might have been.

“You can just see the confidence,” head coach Matt Eberflus said Monday of Fields’ growth. “When you have growth in your profession or my profession or him being a pro quarterback, you can just feel it. And you can feel the guys around him, the comfort level and the confidence that they’re having, the chemistry that they’re having. You can see it in practice, you can see it in the games. To me, it’s just about the growth, it’s about the execution and then the consistency of that execution. In the games and practice, we’ve seen it.

“He’s 43 of 64 for almost 700 yards the last two games. Eight TDs, one interception. That’s growth. That’s really where it is. And then the consistency of that, just stacking games like he had the last two. Just keep stacking them up. That’s what he wants to see and what we want to see.”

First, Fields and Getsy had to stop the bleeding. They needed to work together to discover the offense’s identity, find a rhythm, and get the ‘effing ball to DJ Moore.

Mission accomplished.

Over the past two games, Moore has caught 16 passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns. On the season, Fields is 27-for-34 for 531 yards, five touchdowns, and a perfect 158.3 rating when targeting Moore.

So it was only natural that Fields and Moore hooked up on a 56-yard touchdown pass late in Thursday’s game to ice the win and snap the Bears’ 14-game losing streak.

“For Justin, that’s a close out for him,” safety Jaquan Brisker said. “That’s huge. That’s big momentum.”

“He has played so well and free,” linebacker T.J. Edwards said. “It’s something I’ve seen all too well playing against him last year. It’s exciting.”

With Thursday’s performance, Fields became just the fourth quarterback since 1970 to throw for 5,000 yards and rush for 1,500 in his first 30 starts.

“He’s been that,” Brisker tweeted after the game about Fields. “Stop playing.”

Things change fast in the NFL. Six days ago, Bears fans were planning a Caleb Williams draft party while mourning what might have been with Fields.

Six days later, the third-year quarterback has reminded them of how good he can be. In life and football, progress and growth aren’t linear. It’s the patient ones, the diligent ones, who find their way through storms that wash away the ordinary.

Two stellar games don’t make Fields the Bears’ long-term answer, just as three stinkers don’t mean he should be ejected from the franchise.

In eight quarters, Fields has sent a sharp reminder of why hope and possibility are such powerful tools—a sign that the potential for greatness that has always lived within him still resides.

To quote Darnell Mooney, perhaps “this is Justin Fields.”

If it is, the Bears have to hope he’s here to stay. This time, for good.

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Brisker popped up on Wednesday’s injury report with a hamstring tweak. Head coach Matt Eberflus said Brisker hurt it during practice. 

The Bears are already down several key cogs in the secondary. Eddie Jackson will miss his third game in a row with a foot injury and Jaylon Johnson will miss his second game in a row with a hamstring injury. Further, the Bears have been without their top two slot corners since Kyler Gordon is on the mend after hand surgery and Josh Blackwell is on IR with a hamstring injury of his own. If Brisker had been unable to play, that would’ve meant the Bears would be down to one starting defensive back left on the field: rookie Tyrique Stevenson.

Other inactives for Thursdays’ game include Chase Claypool who was asked to stay away from the team dating back to Sunday. Claypool has likely played his last snap for the Bears.

New free agent signee Duron Harmon is inactive as he acclimates to the team, and running back D’Onta Foreman is inactive since Roschon Johnson has assumed a bigger role in the offense and plays more on special teams.

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All the pundits and outsiders are trying to answer the same question — who’s to blame for this monstrosity of a Bears season? The tape doesn’t lie.

Check out this interesting film breakdown of Jaquan Brisker on TikTok, which should help shed some light on the sophomore safety and his valuable contributions to the Bears’ secondary.

Brisker’s been a diamond in the rough this season injected in the second-worst defense in the NFL.

All the skills he showcased last year are still there. His ball hawk ability, his speed and tenacity, and his rare ability — as a safety — to effectively rush the passer. Remember, he led the Bears in sacks last season, recording four on the season.

Against the Broncos, Brisker displayed all the aforementioned attributes. He has a knack for finding the ball and getting to the ball carrier. Seems his missed tackle on one of Denver’s rushing touchdowns was a drawback, however.

Though, I’d be remiss not to mention his bull rush through a tight end, then jumping over a running back to force Russell Wilson out of the pocket to throw the ball away. Incredible.

With the defensive backs depleted due to injury (Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, Eddie Jackson), Brisker’s held down the fort in some capacity. Unfortunately, he’s questionable for Thursday’s game against the Washington Commanders with a hamstring injury.

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The team ruled out cornerback Jaylon Johnson (hamstring) and free safety Eddie Jackson (foot) as they continue to recover from their injuries. Johnson hurt himself in Week 3 against the Chiefs and missed last week’s game against the Broncos. Jackson hurt himself in Week 2 against the Buccaneers and missed the last two games. Further, strong safety Jaquan Brisker popped up on the injury report after Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring injury. He’s officially questionable for Thursday’s game.

With Johnson down, the Bears leaned on rookies Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith at cornerback against the Broncos. Each player performed well for the majority of the game and will look to build on their solid games. Second-year safety Elijah Hicks has filled in for Jackson. If Brisker can’t play, the Bears have several options they can turn to, including new free agent signee Duron Harmon or elevating a practice squad player like A.J. Thomas.

Chase Claypool is officially out with a unique “OTHER” designation. That’s because the team asked him to stay away from Halas Hall after he was made inactive for Week 4. Claypool has likely played his last snap for the Bears, which opens up more opportunities for rookie Tyler Scott and veteran Equanimeous St. Brown.

Finally, Teven Jenkins is officially questionable to play as he returns from a calf injury. The Bears designated Jenkins to return from IR on Monday and he got in a full practice on Wednesday– albeit a non-padded practice.

“We’ll work him out (before the game), see where he is and go from there,” head coach Matt Eberflus said. “He’s a heck of an athlete and he healed really well, which is really good and fast.”

Typically the Bears like to ramp their players up to football shape if they’ve missed an extended amount of time, so the short week before Thursday Night Football could preclude Jenkins from playing. If the team opts to wait until next week, expect Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick to stay at left guard and center, respectively. If Jenkins does play, the Bears figure to move Cody Whitehair back to center where he practiced throughout training camp.

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Brisker was fined $9,287 and Stevenson was docked $6,515.

Both defensive backs went out during the game due to separate injuries, too. Yet, they both later returned to the game and are active for their upcoming game against the Broncos.

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The Bears’ safety, Jaquan Brisker, brought his experience on the subject to the table. He commented on Gardner’s Tweet, resurfacing his experience with Jones hitting him below the belt last season.

Last season, Brisker was victim to Jones’ foul play, by way of the Patriots quarterback kicking him in the groin.

Gardner told reporters after the game he had to “ice up” because of Jones’ hit.

“He’s trying to prevent me from having kids in the future,” Gardner said, according to Connor Hughes.

The league is allowed to review incidents like this as long as there is video evidence. Gardner not only has video proof but there are several angles of the incident.

Ironically, that game between the Bears and Patriots during Week 9 of the 2022 NFL season was the last game the Bears won. They’re currently on a 13-game losing streak, extending the Bears’ franchise record.

Brisker left Sunday’s game against the Chiefs but returned. He recorded seven total tackles on Sunday, four of which were solo tackles.

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On the second play of the game, Jaquan Brisker put himself in perfect position for an interception– and possibly a pick-six– but he let the ball pass harmlessly through his hands. The Buccaneers eventually scored a field goal on that drive.

Early in the second quarter, the Bucs lined up for a 40-yard field goal and Rasheem Green managed to block the kick. That set up Justin Fields and the offense at the 50-yard line. It was incredible field position that had a chance to jump start their sputtering offense. But the Bears couldn’t muster a single positive play and punted after a three-and-out.

Late in the third quarter, Jaylon Johnson punched a ball out of David Wells’ hands when the Bucs were in the red zone. But Baker Mayfield managed to pounce on the fumble and threw a 3rd-and-14 touchdown pass to Mike Evans one play later.

Two of those three plays would’ve kept 10 Bucs points off the board if the Bears could’ve capitalized. Two of the plays could’ve led to prime scoring chances for the Bears. Considering the Bears lost 27-17, it’s easy to see how those moments made all the difference, and the Bears know it.

When the Bears regrouped at Halas Hall on Monday, head coach Matt Eberflus showed the entire team each of those plays to highlight their importance in the result. 

“Everyone is held accountable to make those opportunities count,” Eberflus said. “We got to do a better job as a group of seizing those opportunities because those could sway the game for sure. No question about that.”

The Bears have hammered home Eberflus’ H.I.T.S. principles ever since he was hired, and the “S” in the acronym stands for “smart, situational football.” And yet the Bears have seemed to let most opportunities slip away in their first two games.

On paper the Bears are improved, but we’ve yet to see it on the field. Regardless of any perceived improvement they’re still not good enough to let those opportunities go by and rally to win anyways. They need to capitalize more often than not to give themselves a better chance to win, no matter who they’re playing, no matter what week it is.

“We can’t really mess up on our own,” said Darnell Mooney. “We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot and just take advantage of what they give us… When you have a short field, field position, we kind of have to take advantage of that — not kind of, we have to take advantage of that.”

Those three moments stand out, because everyone can see the potential for a big momentum shift. But the Bears are also missing out on small wins within the game that could help them succeed. For instance, on Sunday they managed decent pressure on Baker Mayfield, but never managed to sack him. On Monday, Eberflus chalked it up to technique issues.

“We had hands on him,” said Jack Sanborn. “We had him wrapped up almost a few times this week. Just got to get him to the ground. We can’t let him get out and be able to get the ball away. Let him kind of throw it away and get out of those negative yardage plays. That came up a few times. It’s something we keep saying, we got to finish it. That’s exactly what we got to do. We got to get him to the ground.”

Once again, the Bears defense struggled to get off the field on third down. Over the first two games of the year, the Bears have allowed opponents to convert on 54.8% of their third downs. That’s the second-highest rate in the league. It’s not just third-and-short opportunities either. On Bucs 3rd-and-8 or longer plays, the Bears gave up a first down or touchdown 38% of the time. That’s close to the NFL average for all third-down chances.

On Monday, Sanborn said he couldn’t find a common thread among all the missed chances for the defense to get a third-down stop.

“Every play is so different. Every play either the call is different or offensive scheme is different. So I wouldn’t say there is a common theme that just constantly shows up.”

The Bears linebacker might not have an answer for their third-down defense now, but Eberflus has an answer for all the opportunities the Bears have missed so far.

“It’s about guys knowing what to do and how to do it. That’s the coach and the player, and playing fast because you could make up a lot of things with speed and aggression. You can do that. You can cover each other up, I’m talking on defense. And then on offense, same thing. Know what to do, how to do it and do it fast. And to me, that’s what good sound execution is.”

Numerous injuries in training camp prevented many Bears starters from playing together on offense and defense. Tremaine Edmunds, Brisker, Eddie Jackson, Yannick Ngakoue, DeMarcus Walker, Chase Claypool, Nate Davis and Lucas Patrick all missed significant time. The decision to keep the healthy starters from playing a lot of snaps in the preseason didn’t help. So the Bears will have to fast track that comfortability and consistency in the regular season.

“I do see opportunity there for us to improve,” said Eberflus. “I do see opportunity in the game for us to be able to sway that game one way or the other, all the way up to the very end. That’s where I see it.”

If the Bears miss out on the opportunities to improve and improve quickly– just like they missed out on opportunities in-game against the Bucs– then this season might get away from them sooner rather than later.

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They wanted to eliminate the negative plays on offense, be more aggressive in the passing game, and get off the field on third down on defense.

None of that happened Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

The Bears showed more fight against the Buccaneers than they did in Week 1, but the result was the same as the Bears fell 27-17 in Tampa.

The Bears’ defense was torched on third down by the Bucs and a banged-up secondary made Baker Mayfield look like Dan Marino.

On offense, quarterback Justin Fields and the offense came out hot before reverting to their old habits. Fields held the ball too long, didn’t see wide-open receivers, and his game-winning drive attempt ended when he was picked off by Bucs linebacker Shaq Barrett on a middle screen to Khalil Herbert.

Fields finished the day 16-for-29 for 211 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

Here’s what we learned in the Bears’ 27-17 loss in Tampa:

Tough losses and a day to forget

The Bears ‘secondary entered the game without starting nickelback Kyler Gordon and quickly lost two more key members of their backend.

Second-year safety Jaquan Brisker left the game in the first quarter with an illness, and veteran safety Eddie Jackson exited on the same drive with a left foot injury.

Jackson went into the medical tent and was carted to the locker room with his left foot covered. The left foot is the same one that Jackson had the lisfranc injury on last season.

The Bears ruled Jackson out for the rest of the game, but Brisker eventually returned early in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, rookie cornerback Tyrqiue Stevenson had a brutal day at the office.

The Bucs went at Stevenson repeatedly on Sunday, and the rookie cornerback was no match for Evans, who racked up 171 yards on six catches, most of which came against Stevenson.

We have issues

The Bears’ offense opened the game with a six-play, 75-yard drive that featured completions to DJ Moore of 33 and 31 yards.

Fields capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Bears an early 7-3 lead. The playcalling on the opening drive looked a lot like the offense the Bears tapped into last season starting in Week 7 and not the ineffective attack they trotted out in Week 1.

But they quickly reverted back as they gained just 39 total yards in the rest of the first half. Fields was sacked four times in the first half. The third-year quarterback held the ball too long and once again either didn’t see or turned down open throws.

The Bears’ offense was stuck in the mud for most of the second half, but Fields finally got something going midway through the fourth quarter when he led an eight-play, 90-yard touchdown drive that he capped off with a 20-yard scoring strike to Chase Claypool to cut the deficit to 20-17.

Fields went a perfect 6-for-6 on the drive, including a 22-yard completion to DJ Moore on third-and-10.

After the Bears’ defense forced a punt, Fields and the offense had a chance to erase a bad day at the office with a game-winning drive.

That wasn’t in the cards.

An offensive pass interference call on Claypool backed the Bears’ up to their own 6-yard line and Fields’ screen pass to Herbert was picked off by Barrett and the linebacker plunged into the end zone to send the Bears to an 0-2 start.

Outside of two drives, Fields and the offense were downright abysmal. They were unable to run the football, didn’t execute the quick blitz-beaters to combat the Bucs’ aggressive defense, were too predictable, lacked attention to detail, gave up six sacks, and Fields showed many of the same bad habits that were prevalent last season.

The Bears’ offense is in complete disarray, and I don’t think there’s an easy fix.

Can’t get off the field

The Bears’ defense talked all week about the need to get better on third down after the Packers went 9-for-16 in Week 1.

Well, that didn’t happen.

The Bucs went 5-for-8 on third down in the first half, including a 4-yard touchdown run from Rachaad White on third-and-goal. Luke Goedeke cleared out Justin Jones, and White barrelled his way into the end zone to give the Bucs a 10-7 lead.

But the back-breaker came on the Bucs’ opening possession of the third quarter.

Trailing by three, the Bears’ defense could have easily swung momentum back in their favor with a stop. Instead, the Bears’ defense allowed a 12-play, 89-yard drive that saw the Bucs convert a third-and-1, a fourth-and-2, and a third-and-14, with Mayfield hitting Evans for a 32-yard touchdown on the latter to give Tampa a 10-point lead.

The Bucs finished the day 8-for-15 on third down and 1-for-1 on fourth down.

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And when the fans’ hopes were met with a dumpster fire performance against their biggest adversary, fans let the Bears know how they felt. Early. Fans at the game, including myself, booed the Bears for myriad reasons.

Bad playcalling, bad blocking, bad defense, bad quarterback play, and — in some cases — bad effort.

Bears safety Jaquan Brisker advises fans to be patient with the team, and only boo when it’s appropriate.

“Don’t get me wrong when I say this or don’t take it the wrong way,” Brisker started on Bernstein & Holmes on 670 The Score. “The booing early, maybe like the first, second, third quarter, you know, that’s tough. Bears fans should have our back a lot more and be patient. They came out to see us win … the game’s never over until it hits zero.”

Let’s look back.

On their first offensive drive, the Bears couldn’t convert on 3rd & 1 and 4th & 1. On their third down attempt, they tried Cole Kmet for a sneak play. If you watch the tape, the Packers picked up the play with ease, crowding the inside gap.

The Packers, on the ensuing possession, marched down the field for an easy touchdown connection between Jordan Love and Romeo Doubs.

Two field goals and two punts later, the Bears were down 10-6 at halftime to the Packers. To Brisker’s point, the Bears were not out of that game. Not even close. A four-point difference at home isn’t much to overcome. It’s what unfolded after halftime that caused the warranted boos.

The Packers scored three touchdowns in the third quarter. Are fans allowed to boo then? Following their third touchdown of the half, Justin Fields threw an interception touchdown, giving the Packers a 24-point lead. How about now?

Bears fans are a feisty bunch, certainly. You have to win their respect. It won’t be easy, but it can be done.

But know this: Bears fans, while an animated bunch, aren’t oblivious to the happenings on the field. They see the litany of screen passes. They see Chase Claypool’s lackadaisical effort. They see Fields missing DJ Moore on wide-open routes.

So while the timing of said boos may not be appropriate, the reason behind them usually is just that.

Alas, the Bears see it differently. That’s all fine and well. But you need to show Bears fans why they should be cheering.

“We got booed very early when the game wasn’t over, we were still in it. If they just be a little more patient with us and just have our back,” Brisker said.

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Sunday’s game was supposed to be the start of a new era in the Bears-Packers rivalry. With Aaron Rodgers gone, there was hope that the Bears could finally gain the upperhand in the rivalry.

Instead, it looked like the old one.

New Packers quarterback Jordan Love executed the game plan to perfection, going 15-for-27 for 245 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.

The loss stung a Bears defense that talked a big game all offseason, but they left Sunday’s game largely unimpressed with Love.

“I don’t even know how to answer that,” Brisker said after the game about Love. “He’s just Jordan Love. Number 10. Packers quarterback. He’s nothing special.”

Sunday’s loss makes Brisker 0-3 in his young Bears career against the Packers and 0-2 in games he has played. Brisker missed the second game last season due to a concussion.

The Bears won’t see the Packers again until the final game of the season.

Brisker is focused on getting things right for what now is a critical Week 2 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but make no mistake, he’s got one eye on the next date with the Packers.

“We’re going to stay the course,” Brisker said. “We’re going to focus on Tampa. We see them again. They’ll get theirs.”

BEARS ANALYSIS

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Here’s the snap count from the Bears’ season-opening flop vs. the Packers:

Quarterback: Justin Fields, 74

Running back: Roschon Johnson 29, Khalil Herbert 27, D’Onta Foreman 21, Khari Blasingame 7

Wide receiver: DJ Moore 68, Darnell Mooney 62, Chase Claypool 58, Tyler Scott 13, Trent Taylor 4

Tight end: Cole Kmet 72, Marcedes Lewis 5, Robert Tonyan 4

Offensive line: Braxton Jones 74, Cody Whitehair 74, Darnell Wright 74, Lucas Patrick 74, Nate Davis 74

Defensive line: DeMarcus Walker 47, Yannick Ngakoue 41, Justin Jones 39. Andrew Billings 33, Rasheem Green 25, Dominique Robinson 23, Gervon Dexter 23, Zacch Pickens 12

Linebacker: Tremaine Edmunds 60, T.J. Edwards 59, Jack Sanborn 19

Defensive backs: Jaylon Johnson 60, Tyrique Stevenson 60, Eddie Jackson 60, Jaquan Brisker 57, Kyler Gordon 27, Josh Blackwell 10, Elijah Hicks 3, Jaylon Jones 2

Special Teams: Sanborn 25, Noah Sewell 25, Blackwell 24, Hicks 21, J. Jones 20, Travis Homer 19, DeMarquis Gates 19, Blasingame 16, R. Johnson 13, Robinson 13, Stevenson 12, Edwards 11, Billings 7, Cairo Santos 7, Brisker 6, Green 6, Trenton GIll 6, Patrick Scales 6, Taylor 5, Tonyan 4, Gordon 3, Terell Smith 3, Dan Feeney 2, Larry Borom 2, Dexter 2, Kmet 2, B. Jones 2, Whitehair 2, Wright 2, Patrick 2, Lewis 2, Edmunds 1, Ngakoue 1, J. Johnson 1

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The word dominant was passed around like a bowl of mashed potatoes at the Thanksgiving table. Multiple players looked to a Week 1 matchup with the Green Bay Packers and asked for Aaron Rodgers to return to face a “real” Bears defense.

All that talking led to Sunday, their first real chance to back up a month’s worth of talking and posturing.

That “dominant” defense the Bears said we’d see? Someone needs to put out an APB for it after the Packers rolled into Soldier Field and delivered a 38-20 ass-kicking that wasn’t as close as the score would indicate.

“It doesn’t sit well,” cornerback Jaylon Johnson said after the game. “For me, it’s bulls–t. We wanted to come out here and we wanted to play at a high level. Not doing that isn’t OK.”

The Bears’ defensive issues started early Sunday on the lakefront.

After the Bears’ offenses handed the Packers a short field after a turnover on downs, the defense had a chance to bow up and send a message.

It must have been lost in the mail.

Packers quarterback Jordan Love marched Green Bay right down the field. On third-and-goal from the 8, Love had all day to throw, patted the ball, and delivered a strike to Romeo Doubs in the end zone for a quick 7-0 lead.

The Bears’ defense held the Packers to three points for the rest of the half, but things quickly snowballed in the second half.

There was a 51-yard screen to Aaron Jones. Later, Jones beat Kyler Gordon on a slant on fourth-and-3 and took it 35 yards to the house. A 37-yard pass to tight end Luke Musgrave off a broken play was the topper on a putrid performance from a unit that had no bite after an offseason’s worth of bark.

“It kind of hit different for me,” safety Eddie Jackson said. “For me to go out there and give up a touchdown the first drive, it’s eating. We just got to continue to come in and build. I feel like it’s a long season ahead of us. Not to say it’s good this happened now, but it’s good we got this out the way now. We got punched in our face. Sixteen more games. How we going to respond? What we going to do to get better? Each man got to look at himself in the mirror individually and figure out what he has to do.

“It wasn’t good. Nothing was good at all. … Nobody is pointing the finger unless it’s at yourself.”

There was a ton of excitement and optimism around the Bears heading into this game.

Yes, a lot of that had to do with quarterback Justin Fields and his expected growth. But an improved defense with playmakers at every level promised to give the Bears a fighting chance in 2023.

The ref called the fight early Sunday.

The Packers went 9-for-16 on third down. Love finished the game 15-for-27 for 245 yards and three touchdowns. The Bears did not force a turnover and allowed the Packers to go three-for-three in the red zone.

“Disappointed,” Johnson said. “We all compete to win. Not winning and losing in that fashion – it was a competitive loss – but it felt like they whooped our ass in the second half. That’s not what we want to do. We want to be able to finish in the second half and put teams away. We got to do a better job.”

Rodgers was 1,000 miles away Sunday, preparing for the New York Jets’ Monday night tilt with the Buffalo Bills. His exodus created the belief that the NFC North was wide open in 2023. It very well might be for the Packers, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings. But the 2023 Bears’ defense looked a lot like the 2022 Bears’ defense — just with more notable faces and some higher price tags. If that doesn’t change, those division title dreams will disintegrate quickly.

Second-year safety Jaquan Brisker stood at his locker long after everyone else had cleared out, an ice wrap on his arm. Brisker is the emotional heartbeat of the Bears’ defense. He runs hot on the field and doesn’t pull punches after losses, especially ones in which his unit flops.

If Love, Jones, and Doubs spent three hours delivering body blows to the Bears’ defense, Brisker delivered the biggest blow.

“I feel like we needed this,” Brisker told NBC Sports Chicago and Bear Report. “I feel like we might have been too high, and we just needed to get slapped in the face one good time. We needed this, especially in the first game, early. The type of team we are, the type of players we have, what we built, we needed this—got to be more disciplined.

“We needed this. I felt like we were riding too high.”

CHICAGO BEARS

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Overconfident. Undisciplined. Unfocused. Inability to execute.

The Bears’ defense was flat-out embarrassed Sunday by their rival. The offseason chest-thumping turned into dejected postgame whispers after Love, and the Packers tossed them around the field Sunday like a chew toy and sent them back to the drawing board for answers.

Answers they must find before they take the field in Tampa Bay next week.

“Got to let this one soak in,” Jackson said. “As much as it hurt, bad as it feels, we got to come out, you know, there’s still 16 more games left. Can’t dwell on it. Got 24 hours. Come in tomorrow, look at the film, get the corrections in, and just have that in our mindset that we can’t never let this happen again. Type of team we are, the type of players we have, things we want to accomplish, we got to get it corrected fast.”

Nothing was good about the product the Bears put on the field Sunday. Now, they face an early gut-check moment. Either they have the talent and focus to make Sunday’s errors a one-off, or things will snowball quickly for a team with division-title aspirations.

Based on how the Bears dealt with being punched in the mouth Sunday, that task might be easier said than done.

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Most notable was that starting right guard Nate Davis participated in full after sitting out on Thursday due to personal reasons. Davis was present at Halas Hall on Thursday, but stood on the sidelines during practice. GM Ryan Poles signed him to a reported three-year, $30 million contract this offseason to take over at right guard and help the offensive line better protect Justin Fields. However, Davis missed most of training camp with an undisclosed injury.

It’s unclear what that personal reason is, and if it will affect his availability on Sunday at all. If Davis can’t play, either second-year guard Ja’Tyre Carter or newcomer Dan Feeney figure to take his place. Carter only played 31 snaps on offense as a rookie last year and struggled in pass protection over those limited snaps. The Bears just traded for Feeney last week, so he’s still new to the offensive scheme compared to the rest of the group.

Jaquan Brisker, Eddie Jackson and DeMarcus Walker all practiced in full for the second day in a row, paving the way for them to play without restriction on Sunday. Each man missed significant time throughout training camp. The team was confident that Jackson and Walker would be able to play in Week 1 throughout the season, but Brisker’s availability to play in particular was in jeopardy.

Cole was expected to contribute as a core special teams player this year. He’s in real risk of missing Week 1 now, so other Bears will have the opportunity to step up in his absence.

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A 3-14 season that ended with the No. 1 overall pick turned into an offseason of moves that theoretically set up the 2023 Bears for success.

The additions of wide receiver DJ Moore, linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue, and right tackle Darnell Wright fueled an offseason of hope and excitement that created a tidal wave of expectations both for quarterback Justin Fields and the team as a whole.

There’s no doubt the Bears are more talented than they were 365 days ago. They have a dynamic young signal-caller in Fields, a top-tier receiver in Moore, and a back seven that should be stout.

But a lot of questions remain.

With the critical season-opener against the Green Bay Packers just days away, here are the five pressing questions surrounding the 2023 Bears. Ones whose answers will determine the direction their season travels.

Will the line hold?

General manager Ryan Poles’ main offseason focus was to surround Fields with the support needed to show that he is more than just an electric highlight reel. That the elite athleticism is a tool in a much larger quarterback bag, one that has many believing he’s the franchise signal-caller Chicago has long sought.

After acquiring Moore in early March, Poles turned his attention to rebuilding an offensive line that had Fields running for his life in 2022.

The Bears signed right guard Nate Davis, kicked Teven Jenkins to left guard, and bumped Cody Whitehair to center. After selecting Wright with the No. 10 overall pick, the Bears’ “best five” was set.

But Poles never adequately addressed the depth issue on his offensive line, leaving the Bears one or two injuries away from complete catastrophe.

The first injury has already happened as Jenkins suffered a leg injury midway through August and opens the season on short-term injured reserve. That injury has pushed Whitehair back to left guard and placed Lucas Patrick at center.

The Bears’ presumed starting five Sunday now will be Braxton Jones, Whitehair, Patrick, Davis, and Wright. Not including the rookie right tackle, that starting five combined to give up 84 pressures and 16 sacks last season. Keep in mind that Patrick suffered a season-ending injury in Week 7.

In order for Fields to take a step forward as a passer and for the offense to run at maximum efficiency, the Bears need this group to stay healthy and be much better in pass protection than they individually showed last season.

Can they do it, or will the Jenga tower in front of Fields crumble as it did last season?

Second-year surge?

One of the lone non-Fields bright spots of the dismal 2022 season was the encouraging play of rookies Jaquan Brisker, Kyler Gordon, and Braxton Jones.

Each took their first-year lumps, but responded well and took those lessons into the offseason to develop ahead of a critical second campaign.

The Bears need all three players to elevate their games in 2023.

Prior to his training camp injury, Brisker was the best player on the back fields at Halas Hall. The Penn State product promised to be a “new No. 9” this season as he aims for All-Pro honors. He seemed to sniff out almost every offensive play the Bears ran. He constantly blew up the Bears’ bread-and-butter wide-zone run game and notched several intercpetions of Fields and then-backup P.J. Walker.

Gordon had a tough rookie season. The Bears asked him to do a lot and the mental strain of having to master two positions showed. Now focused solely on the nickel, Gordon has been playing with a quickness and freedom that signals a Year 2 improvement should be coming.

Jones was graded on a curve as a fifth-round rookie left tackle out of Southern Utah. There can be no curve in 2023. The Bears need Jones to show he is better equipped to handle the bull rush, can keep the heat off Fields’ blindside, and is a franchise left tackle. If he can’t do that, the Bears will have to prioritize that position in the 2024 draft. Jones had a detailed plan to get better entering the offseason. He checked every box and returned to Halas Hall a stronger, smarter, and more confident left tackle. That must translate to the field on Sundays.

There’s one other member of the Bears who has to get better in Year 2: Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

Getsy got a lot of flowers for the mini-bye week reevaluation of the offense. Scraping the initial plan and installing a comprehensive quarterback run game for Fields was the spark the Bears’ lifeless offense needed. But defenses caught on after a few weeks and the next evolution never arrived. Part of that blame should fall on a limited offensive roster that likely tied Getsy’s hands.

But with more weapons and a supposedly improved line, Getsy has to show he too will be better in Year 2.

DJ and …?

Last season, Darnell Mooney and tight end Cole Kmet were Fields’ only reliable pass-catching weapons. But even those two weren’t consistent, and Mooney, in particular, didn’t produce at the level he wanted as the No. 1 target.

Enter: DJ Moore.

The addition of an elite No. 1 receiver will make life easier on Fields. But the Bears will need someone to be the Robin to Moore’s Batman in order for the passing game to take off.

The best bet is on that being Kmet. The fourth-year tight end strung together some nice games during the second half of last season and could be on the cusp of a true breakout campaign. Mooney should find his level now in a slot role that better suits his skill set. The Bears also have big hopes for what a healthy Chase Claypool can provide as a big-body, contested catch receiver on the outside.

Perhaps the Bears’ No. 2 option is a mix-and-match adventure, with a different player taking up the mantle each week.

Moore is dynamic. He gives the Bears an “easy button” on offense they didn’t have last season outside of Fields’ legs. Throw him the ball on a quick slant and he can turn it into a 60-yard gain.

But in order for the passing game to reach its ceiling, a reliable No. 2 option must arise.

Will it?

BEARS ANALYSIS

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Does the defensive line surprise?

The Little Giants would have run over, around, and through the Bears’ 2022 defense. The Bears’ defense ranked 31st in rushing yards allowed per game at 157.3. They allowed an average of 220 yards per game over their final three contests when the writing hand long been on the wall.

The Bears also needed a minor miracle to effect the quarterback. They ranked dead last in pressures with 162 and sacks with just 23. Safety Jaquan Brisker led the team in sacks with four.

The only members of that defensive line that remain are defensive tackle Justin Jones and second-year defensive end Dominique Robinson.

The Bears brought in run-stuffing nose tackle Andrew Billings, and drafted two interior defensive linemen in Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens. The addition of Yannick Ngakoue and DeMarcus Walker should at least give them some bite off the edge.

The Bears’ defensive front is the area that Poles was unable to fully address this offseason. It takes more than one offseason to rebuild a roster from the ground up.

This defense has talked of being dominant in 2023. The back seven has a chance to be one of the best in the NFL, especially if Brisker and Gordon take the aforementioned leap. But none of that matters if the front four can’t stop the run and get after the quarterback on third-and-medium/long.

If the front four once again has no juice, this Bears’ defense will once again struggle to get off the field.

MVP rise fuels playoff run?

Justin Fields was sensational at times during the 2022 season. He made entire stadiums hold their breath every time he tucked the ball and took off.

But he also averaged just 12 completions and 149 yards per game through the air. He had flashes as a passer — think Week 13 against the Green Bay Packers — but also put up several duds (see: Lions, Week 17).

Fields has the arm talent to win from the pocket. He can make all the throws. His deep ball is among the best in the league and his rare athleticism gives him a get-out-of-jail card most quarterbacks don’t possess.

The 24-year-old quarterback was put in a no-win situation in 2022. He had no protection and no weapons. Despite all that, he thrived as a playmaker and showed people that the ceiling might be in the stratosphere if all the pieces come together.

The Bears and Fields should hope for progress in 2023. Fields needs to go from a questionable passer to a solid one before he leaps into the MVP conversation. Progress is often slow and not linear. If Fields takes one to two steps forward as a passer this fall, the Bears will be in great shape heading into 2024.

But what if it all clicks?

There’s a world out there where Moore is spectacular, Claypool is the best version of himself, Mooney rebounds, and the offensive line holds strong, allowing Fields to be comfortable in the pocket and let it rip.

If everything aligns, a 3,000-1,000 season is not impossible. It’s the rarest of possible outcomes, but if everything clicks, Fields could Lamar Jackson as the only quarterback to accomplish that feat.

That would put Fields squarely in the MVP conversation and likely have the Bears in the playoff hunt.

But there’s a lot of ifs in that scenario.

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And he wants everyone on the team to know it, and show it.

He pounded one simple message into the Bears during a players-only team meeting a few days ago, according to rookie wide receiver Tyler Scott on “The Sick Podcast with Adam Rank.”

“Literally, he kept saying that same statement you just made,” Scott said. “‘Why not us? Why not us? Why can’t it be us?’ He kept saying that same statement over, and over, and over again.”

Brisker was not named a captain by the Bears this season. Though, maybe he should be considered down the road.

On the defensive side, Tremaine Edmunds and Eddie Jackson, Brisker’s on-field counterpart, were named captains of the Bears. Justin Fields and DJ Moore are the offensive captains this season.

All voices are appreciated. And, at the very least, Scott was ecstatic about Brisker’s hype-up speech.

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The team announced that safeties Eddie Jackson (ankle) and Jaquan Brisker (groin) were limited, along with defensive end DeMarcus Walker (calf). The only player who did not participate during Wednesday’s practice was Dylan Cole (hamstring).

Even though a few important players were listed as limited participants in the initial injury report, it’s an encouraging development for a team that dealt with many injury-related absences throughout training camp, including injuries to high profile players like Tremaine Edmunds, Chase Claypool and Brisker.

Throughout the summer, Eberflus maintained that he is confident most players will be good to go for the regular season– even as initial “day-to-day” absences turned to “week-to-week” absences. However, there was some doubt about Brisker’s ability to play beside Eddie Jackson for the season opener.

“Two weeks ago couldn’t really do too much,” Brisker said on Monday. “Really wasn’t looking promising.”

Brisker got much better over the past couple of weeks, and now the Bears expect he’ll be ready to play in Week 1 as long as he ticks a few boxes over the course of the team’s padded practice on Wednesday.

“Just execution and I want to see the speed,” said Eberflus. “I want to see the speed that he’s able to play at, which he’s exhibited that over the last workouts and the last practice that we had. So just excited to see that and his communication with Eddie and Kyler (Gordon) and the rest of the defense. That’s been good, so just excited to see him going full speed.”

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“I would say whoever was playing quarterback there, that was going to be the mindset,” said GM Ryan Poles.

There’s a bit of a balancing act players need to do leading up to Sunday. On one hand, Week 1 is just one week in a long season. Just last season, the Bears upset the 49ers in crazy monsoon conditions in Week 1, only to go 2-14 the rest of the year. At the same time, it’s a real measuring stick to see if they’ve gained any ground against the Pack, who have dominated the rivalry over the last decade. The Bears haven’t beaten the Packers since Week 15 in 2018. They’ve gone 3-17 against the Green and Gold over the last 10 seasons.

“I haven’t beaten them yet, which is not good,” said Cole Kmet. “Definitely want to amend that. I’m looking forward to this week. I’ve had it circled since the end of last year. These games, these divisional games are big but this one in particular, anytime you get to play Green Bay it’s a big deal. Big rivalry and stuff, so looking forward to it.”

Players also realize this is more than a game for the organization, and for the fans. It’s about civic pride and bragging rights. It’s football tribalism at its core.

“That’s always in the back of our minds,” said Cody Whitehair. “We know how big this game is and the Bears-Packers history and everything it brings.”

The Bears have made it a point to sign players who grew up around Chicago, in part because they understand what games like this mean. They believe putting on a Bears jersey for moments like Week 1 will give those players a little extra fire in their bellies. From what we’ve heard, there may be some truth to that thinking.

“I put it on, looked in the mirror a little bit and was like, ‘Wow, that’s pretty sick,’” said new center/guard Dan Feeney. “Having that ‘C’ on ya, it’s cool. Definitely feel a little bit of juice playing for your hometown team. It’s a cool feeling. It really is.”

As for what Feeney thinks about the Packers heading into this Sunday’s season opener:

“I grew up hating them,” said new center/guard Dan Feeney. “So I think I am right at home.”

Guys like Jaquan Brisker who didn’t grow up around Chicago, or Green Bay, hear about the rivalry, but find out what it’s all about when they take the field. In Brisker’s case, he only experienced it at Lambeau Field in Week 2. He was sidelined when the Packers visited Soldier Field, so he’s anxious to take part in the game in front of the home crowd.

“I can’t wait,” Brisker said. “I’m itching. It’s Packers week. I know it’s going to be loud in the stadium, fans everywhere… People hate Green Bay. I hate Green Bay. So I can’t wait.”

The word “hate” has come up several times when people mention the Packers. Justin Jones got his first taste of the rivalry last season and did not hold back when sharing his takeaways earlier this summer.

“Their fans are really shitty,” Jones said. “Just the way that they’re just freaking obnoxious, just yelling and all that other stuff about things that don’t even matter. LIke we are not even running a play and you guys are talking about, ‘Boo, on yeah, Go Green.’ What are you even talking about? The game hasn’t even started yet. What are we even talking about here? Whatever bro. Half of them don’t even know football. It’s so weird to me, but I’m just ready to go back out there and play, and I want to go out there and I want to beat the hell out of them.”

Week 1– and potentially the next decade– could come down to the play of Justin Fields and Jordan Love. And a lot is still unknown between those two. Fields has proven himself as one of the most electric playmakers under pressure and can truly score from anywhere on the field. But can he take the next step in his development as a passer to become a more well-rounded quarterback? Love has sat on the sideline for three seasons waiting for his turn to lead the Packers. Will he pick up where Brett Favre and Rodgers left off before him, or will 2023 mark the end of the Packers’ reign of QB excellence?

It’s only a matter of days until we get our first glimpse of the future of this rivalry, but the Bears are confident.

“I’m ready to take it over,” said Jones. “It’s a good time to be a Bears fan.”

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While most of the Bears took the three-day break to visit family, Brisker stayed behind to go through important rehab. He stretched and had a helmet during the brief media-viewing period for Monday’s short, light practice at Halas Hall.

“Like I said last week, he is right there,” Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said Monday of Brisker. “He’s progressing. Wednesday’s going to be a big day for him, but it looks on the positive side right now. We’re looking at that. He had really good workouts this weekend, as did [safety Eddie Jackson]. We’re looking at both those guys in a positive way and Wednesday will tell us more.”

Brisker knows Wednesday will be an important checkpoint for his Week 1 availability but is confident he’ll get the green light to take the field Sunday.

“I feel good,” Brisker said Monday. “I feel like I’m just taking it one day at a time. I’m just being where my feet is, so today it went great. Tomorrow also keep going forward, and then Wednesday, we’ll see what Wednesday looks like.”

Brisker wouldn’t divulge his injury but said physically, he is night and day compared to where he was a few weeks ago.

“Way better,” Brisker said. “A lot better. Two weeks ago, I couldn’t really do too much. It really wasn’t looking promising. But now I’m looking forward to Wednesday. It’s going to be a big day for me.”

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Prior to his injury, Brisker was arguably the best player during the early stages of Bears training camp.

The Penn State product promised a “new” version of himself in Year 2. Through a week-and-a-half of camp, that proclamation appeared prescient. Brisker could feel the difference in his early camp performance and is ready to get back to that level and build off it.

“All-Pro camp,” Brisker said when asked how he felt he was playing before the injury. “I’m telling you. Never seen it before, but I’m still going to stay on that path. I’m still going to work my way in, but I’m still aiming for that All-Pro.

“I got a lot stronger. Before camp, I wasn’t as strong as I am now, as fast as I am now. I feel great. I’m not going to lie.”

If there was a confidence arrow on Brisker’s Week 1 status, it would be in the green, with the safety trending toward playing.

That the Bears open against the Packers only adds fuel to his desire to get back and start the season on the field and not the sidelines.

“It definitely does,” Brisker said when asked if the Packers being the opener is an even greater incentive to get back. “I didn’t even get to play last year, the second game here in Chicago, so I didn’t really get the vibes. I wasn’t even at the stadium.

“But now, I’m itching. I’m waiting. It’s Packers week, so I know it’s going to be live in the stadium. Fans everywhere. It’s going to be loud. People hate Green Bay. I hate Green Bay. I can’t wait. They didn’t get to see me last year. They are going to get to see me this year.”

That’s the hope. Wednesday will tell us if that hope can become a reality.

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It looked like Brisker was on track to deliver on his June promise that a “new No. 9” would take the field this season.

But like so many key Bears, Brisker suffered a soft-tissue injury in training camp and missed the final three weeks, including all three preseason games. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus promised the team was in a good spot healthwise, and that showed Wednesday when all expected key contributors were on the field and practicing at Halas Hall.

All except two.

Starting left guard Teven Jenkins was one of the missing men. The Bears placed Jenkins on injured reserve designated to return Thursday. Jenkins will miss at least the first four games of the season with a leg injury.

The other missing man was Brisker, who worked on the bikes off to the side as the Bears went through individual and team drills. On Thursday, Brisker stretched but didn’t participate in drills.

With the season opener just nine days away, Brisker’s inability to practice is becoming a concern. Eberflus noted his starting safety is facing a critical few days of rehab while the rest of the team breaks for Labor Day.

“He’s doing things this weekend,” Eberflus said Thursday at Halas Hall. “He’s been in there in practice this week, which has been good, and he’s been working off to the side also during practice, so he’s starting to get himself in there, and we feel good where he is. Wednesday will be a big day for him when we get back into the pads. So it’ll be a big day for us.”

The Bears don’t have to divulge injury information until Sept. 6, when NFL-mandated injury reports for Week 1 are due. That’s the same day the Bears hope Brisker puts the pads on and returns to practice in full.

The only thing that’s clear about Brisker’s injury and availability for Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers is that everything remains up in the air.

“It’s just the wait and see,” Eberflus said. “How does the rehab go this weekend? Because he’s doing something every day. He’s doing something Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and then into Tuesday, and we’ll see where it goes. And then when you get the pads on and start cracking and doing full-speed movements, then we’ll see where it is.”

Brisker is the fuel for the Bears’ defense. He’s a high-intensity, hard-hitting safety whose energy is the lifeblood of a unit with massive expectations.

The Bears’ defense was an unpluggable sieve last season. Brisker was one of the lone bright spots, along with a revitalized Eddie Jackson.

General manager Ryan Poles added talent to that unit at all three levels in the offseason, fueling the belief that a noticeable defensive improvement is on the horizon. An expected big Year 2 jump from Brisker was a massive part of that calculus.

“He’s one of our guys that is definitely an elite competitor,” Eberflus said in early August of Brisker. “He loves to compete, he loves football. We love Jaquan’s emotion, his passion, and with a guy like that, his motor runs that hot where he has to harness it into a controlled situation where it works for him all the time. He’s done a great job of that. We’re excited to see him play this year.”

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Last season, Brisker led the Bears in sacks and was second in tackles and stops, per Pro Football Focus. He made some rookie mistakes, but his physicality and tenacity, especially in run support, were the only positives for the NFL’s worst run defense.

The Bears have better top-level talent than a year ago. The addition of Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Ewards, and Yannick Ngakoue should help them go from dreadful to mediocre. Better linebackers and an improved defensive line should help the Bears be respectable against the run.

But Brisker’s importance, especially against a Packers team that averaged 189 yards on the ground in two games against the Bears last season, can’t be understated. Brisker’s ability to clean up the mess when Jones or Dillon get into open space and blow plays up at the line are vital, irreplaceable assets.

Backup safety Elijah Hicks is a solid player who has improved, but the Bears can’t fully replace Brisker’s energy, toughness, edge, and playmaking ability if he is unable to play.

The Bears are close to full health as Packers prep begins. Only one question mark remains. We’ll have to wait and see if it disappears before Love, Jones, and Dillon arrive on Sept. 10.

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Heading into an exciting sophomore season, ESPN projects Brisker could be a Pro Bowl candidate. Bill Barnwell placed Brisker in the “Starters to Pro Bowlers” section in his story predicting break-out players.

“In what amounted to a teaching season for coach Matt Eberflus with the Bears, Brisker was the new coach’s most promising pupil,” Barnwell wrote. “The rookie second-rounder did a little bit of everything in his 15 starts, as he intercepted a pass, produced a team-high four sacks, racked up five tackles for loss and knocked away a couple of throws. Playing down toward the line of scrimmage most often, he also missed only 6.3% of his tackles all season, according to Pro Football Reference.

“Some of Brisker’s misses were conspicuous — and injuries slowed him as the season wore on — but there’s an undeniably exciting skill set here. The hope is that he ends up looking something like Chicago’s version of Jamal Adams as a player who can use his instincts, timing and toughness to make game-changing plays. Brisker can be a cornerstone piece for Chicago as early as this season if he stays healthy.”

Brisker, as Barnwell explained, shined last season. Across Eddie Jackson, the Bears opted to use the fast and physical Brisker in a multitude of ways. He played in the box, deep in coverage and blitzing the quarterback.

His ball hawk abilities stood out. There never seemed to be a play where Brisker wasn’t in the camera shot. He has exceptional instincts and physicality. His 104 tackles and team-leading four sacks are a testament to those qualities.

Ryan Poles took a shot on Brisker high in the 2022 NFL draft, instead of using the selection to address more pressing needs on the roster. Though, Poles’ decision is paying off for the Bears and the once-Penn State safety.

In 15 games last season, Brisker recorded one interception, two passes defended, one forced fumble and recovery, 104 tackles and four sacks, which led the team.

The question of Brisker’s health is somewhat puzzling. He endured bumps and bruises but missed just two games with a concussion late in the season. He played in 100 percent of the snaps possible for his starts on the field.

The last time a Bears safety notched a Pro Bowl bid was Jackson in 2019, the second of his career.

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All eyes are understandably on quarterback Justin Fields as he looks to take a big step forward as a passer in Year 3. Fields and the offense have had an uneven camp so far. The Bears’ defense has dominated most of the padded practices, including a complete drubbing last Wednesday. But Fields and the offense found their groove Sunday, authoring arguably their sharpest practice to date.

With 10 training camp practices, including four padded days, in the books, today’s off day is a good time to look at some of the camp standouts so far.

You won’t find Fields or wide receiver DJ Moore on this list. They have been solid, but the bar is high for them, and a handful of other players have strung several strong practices together in a row.

Jaquan Brisker

I’d argue that Brisker has been the Bears’ best player in camp so far.

The second-year safety has missed the last two days with a minor injury, but that won’t keep him from headlining this list. Brisker has been flying around the field early in camp, setting the tone with his play and energy.

The Penn State product has recorded several interceptions early in camp, including a leaping pick of backup quarterback P.J. Walker. Brisker has also picked off Fields a few times in team drills and 7-on-7.

Brisker’s motor is always running high, but he ramped it up when the pads came on. He delivered several tone-setting pops to backs and receivers and was one of the biggest trash talkers in the defense’s domination last Wednesday.

“He’s one of our guys that is definitely an elite competitor,” head coach Matt Eberflus said. “He loves to compete, he loves football. We love Jaquan’s emotion, his passion, and with a guy like that, his motor runs that hot where he has to harness it into a controlled situation where it works for him all the time. He’s done a great job of that. We’re excited to see him play this year.”

Brisker had a solid rookie season but made several Year 1 mistakes that he must clean up this fall.

“I feel like last year I came in just I feel like I was just moving too fast,” Brisker said during mandatory minicamp in June. “I caught up to the game, but I messed up my thumb and things like that. I feel like when I came back, I was trying to move too fast instead of being under control, being myself, making plays, and not giving up certain things or not being consistent. Usually, I’m a consistent leader and things like that. You see it during the OTAs this year, a lot different energy. I’m flying around playing both safeties and things like that.

“So definitely going to get a different nine this year.”

So far, Brisker has held true to his pledge, but the Bears need him to get healthy and back on the field as soon as possible.

Chase Claypool

Things looked bleak when the Bears put Claypool on the Physically Unable To Perform List one day before report day. Twenty-four hours later, the Bears removed him and gave him the all-go to participate in camp.

The results so far have been exactly what the Bears wanted to see from the fourth-year receiver.

Claypool has participated in all 10 practices. That’s important for a guy who missed most of the offseason program with soft-tissue injuries.

He has run good, crisp routes and used his big frame and physicality to make contested catches in red-zone drills and third-down situations. His chemistry with Fields is clearly at another level, and the trust between the two seems to grow with each practice.

“Chase has been doing his thing lately,” Fields said Wednesday. “I’m proud of him. He’s one of those guys on offense that he’s going to bring that energy pretty much every day. He’s an emotional player. He’s been doing good. Making contested catches. He’s such a big body where he’s a big presence out there. When he gets going on every route, it’s hard to stop him. Even in the running game, he’s crushing linebackers. It’s definitely great to have Chase.”

Claypool also has shown himself to be a vital emotional leader for the Bears’ offense.

During that brutal Wednesday practice for the offense, Claypool was the lone member of the first team to show an edge and go back at a chippy defense. Fields called for more juice after that practice, and on Saturday, Claypool got into a scuffle with Eddie Jackson after the safety delivered a nice pop to the receiver along the sideline.

That energy is important for a Bears’ offense filled with more “silent assassins,” according to Jackson. However, Claypool does need to find a way to toe the line, which is where Darnell Mooney comes in.

“You’ve gotta watch him. He’s a hothead, for sure,” Mooney said, chuckling on Wednesday. “You’ve got to calm him. That’s why I’m jumping in there like, “Yeah, OK, calm down.’ But I’m really like, ‘Hey, c’mon.’ No, yeah, Chase is a hothead for sure. He’ll run through you guys and don’t know how to calm down. He just needs somebody to pull you back and be like, ‘Hey, chill out.’ I’ll be that guy for him, for sure.”

Claypool entered camp with question marks about his future with the organization. While his production in games will ultimately determine his fate, the Bears are pleased with everything they have seen from the big receiver so far.

Kyler Gordon

Brisker isn’t the only second-year defensive back who looks different entering Year 2.

Gordon has been open about how his mind was moving too fast during his rookie season. He spent the offseason studying film to see the mistakes he made and the receivers he will face in 2023.

That work seems to have paid off early in camp. Like Brisker, Gordon has been flying around and seems to always be around the ball.

During the defense’s domination last Wednesday, Gordon blanketed Velus Jones Jr. and easily picked off a throw from Fields on a quick out to the right sideline. Later in that practice, Gordon blew up an outside zone run to the right and then snuffed out a play-action bootleg to the right. The nickelback came on a blitz and blew past tight end Robert Tonyan to “sack” Fields.

Gordon missed Sunday’s practice with a minor undisclosed injury.

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D’Onta Foreman

The Bears entered training camp with an expected three-way battle for the running back spot between Foreman, Khalil Herbert, and Roschon Johnson.

But through 10 practices, Foreman and Herbert have received the majority of the reps with the first-team offense.

While Herbert has been solid, Foreman has been the Bears’ best back so far in camp. Since the pads have come on, Foreman has shown great physicality and excellent vision running the football, allowing him to pick up yards after “first contact.” Foreman has also been a reliable pass-catcher in the screen game and as a quick release when Fields has faced pressure.

The Bears will go with a running-back-by-committee approach all season, but Foreman has separated himself a bit through 10 practices.

Andrew Billings

In case you didn’t know, the Bears’ run defense was an outright abomination last season.

The Bears ranked 31st in rushing yards allowed, 32nd in rushing touchdowns allowed, and tied for 27th in yards per carry allowed.

Enter Andrew Billings.

The Bears brought the veteran nose tackles to Chicago to solidify a run defense that was ripped apart last season.

So far, the Billings impact has been quite noticeable.

The Bears asked the 28-year-old to reshape his body during the offseason, and he arrived at camp in pristine condition. Billings has bullied just about everyone who has lined up across from him, and he has had his way in team periods against starting left guard Teven Jenkins and center Cody Whitehair. When the first-team defense faces the second-team offense, Billings has been an absolute game-wrecker.

On Sunday, Billings blew up several run plays and generated pressure on backup quarterback P.J. Walker.

“I always knew he was strong at the point,” Eberflus said of Billings on Sunday. “I saw that on tape when I watched him with opponents. But he’s really got some good quickness. His initial quickness. He’s got a quick set of hands. When you play that nose tackle position, your hands have to move from the ground to the man super fast. It’s gotta be elite, and he does a really good job with that. And he’s got the foot quickness to be able to stay where he needs to stay.”

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The defense had a day. Quarterback Justin Fields did not. It’s not something to hem and haw about. It was a bad day. It happens.

Fields and the Bears’ first-team offense were stymied all day by both the first- and second-team units. The tough offensive day culminated in a brutal 7-on-7 drill and a “move the ball” period in which the offense did not pick up a first down.

Let’s start with the 7-on-7 stretch:

On the first rep, Fields looked short left for tight end Robert Tonyan. The pass hit the tight end in the hands but bounced up in the air and was intercepted by rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Fields’ next pass was intended for Chase Claypool over the middle of the field, but it sailed high, grazed off the tip of the receiver’s fingers, and was picked off by safety Jaquan Brisker.

Fields tried to bounce back with a deep corner throw to DJ Moore, but the throw was late, allowing cornerback Jaylon Johnson to close on the receiver and bat the ball away. The fourth rep was also not one to remember. Moore broke open down the right sideline, but Fields tried to hit Darnell Mooney on an intermediate crosser instead. Mooney had a step but Fields’ throw was wide of the mark and fell incomplete.

That 7-on-7 period was just the appetizer for the Bears’ offensive struggles.

In a later 11-on-11 period, the Bears’ first-team offense had three sets of downs to pick up a first down. They went 0-for-3.

Attempt 1

Fields faked to the back on first down and tried to boot out to the right, but Terrell Lewis read the play perfectly and notched a “sack.” A second down handoff to Khalil Herbert picked up a few yards, but the running back dropped a third-down screen pass to give the defense the win.

Attempt 2

Fields opened the drill with a quick pass to Moore, but cornerback Michael Ojemudia quickly downed the receiver after a gain of 1. Herbert got the ball on second down and picked up 5 before being knocked over by center Cody Whitehair which drew a reaction from offensive line coach Chris Morgan.

Fields threw a swing pass to Herbert out of the backfield on third down, but the defense quickly snuffed it out.

Another win for the defense.

Attempt 3

Fields took a shot for Mooney on first down, but the throw drifted inside, and the receiver could not work back to the ball to haul it in.

On second down, Trevis Gipson blew up a run play which caused offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to implore his unit to pick it up. Fields hit Tonyan in the flat on third down, but the defense stopped the tight end short of the marker.

Fields and the offense ended the day on a positive note with a successful two-minute, end-of-half drill.

The Bears’ offense started near their own 30 with 1:50 left, two timeouts, and the game tied at 10 in the second quarter.

After a checkdown to Trestan Ebner went nowhere, Fields hit Mooney over the middle for a first down. Two plays later, Fields hit Claypool for a big gain down to the opposing 35, leading the Bears to use one of their timeouts.

After a 7-yard completion to Cole Kmet on first down, Fields avoided pressure on second-and-3, stepped up in the pocket, and hit his tight end for a 17-yard gain down to the 11.

Another 5-yard completion to Kmet had the offense knocking on the doorstep with 16.4 seconds left. But safety A.J. Thomas broke up a second down pass for Kmet, and the defensive line got immediate pressure on Fields on third down to force a throwaway and a field goal attempt.

Fields was the first to admit the offense had a rough day, but the third-year quarterback found some silver linings in Wednesday’s struggle.

“Of course, we had a bumpy practice but in two-minute we came back and bounced back and I was proud of the guys for that,” Fields said after practice. “Every practice isn’t going to be perfect … It’s really good to actually have days like this, just to see how guys respond to a little bit of adversity. I think the guys definitely had more juice toward the end of practice. I just wanted them to have that the whole time; start off with that same juice. We’ve got to learn from our mistakes and continue to get better.”

Getsy echoed that he likes where the unit is, but it’s far from where it needs to be.

“We keep having a mistake here and there, pretty much every play, we probably have a mistake right now that are easily cleaned up,” Getsy said Wednesday.

Regarding Wednesday’s struggle, Getsy isn’t concerned because he knows the offense will be a different beast when it can unleash its physicality.

“We don’t play touch football, so I’m OK. I’m not going to overreact,” Getsy said. “Shoot, I probably got more emotional than anybody else today. It was touch football. That wasn’t real football. We’re a physical football team. We run through tackles and all that stuff. I’m not going to get too worked up about that.”

Here are more notes from Wednesday’s practice:

— As the defense racked up wins Wednesday, they were quick to let the offense hear about it. And hear about it. And hear about it.

On one 11-on-11 rep, Velus Jones Jr. went across the field but slowed up on his route, causing Brisker to nearly intercept P.J. Walker’s pass. The Bears’ first-team defense, mainly Brisker and Jaylon Johnson, let Jones know that he let up. The second-year receiver jawed with the defensive backs, leading to some minor pushing and shoving.

Once the two sides were separated, veteran safety Eddie Jackson yelled, “Ya’ll soft!” as the two sides retreated.

And the Bears’ defense just kept coming.

After an incomplete pass during the second-team offense’s failed two-minute drill, Brisker let Getsy know he had his number.

“Stop playing with me. Call something different,” Brisker said.

One side had the juice Wednesday, and it was the defense.

— Second-year cornerback Kyler Gordon had a fantastic practice. He picked off Fields in the first team session on a pass intended for Velus Jones Jr. It was a poor decision by Fields but an excellent play by Gordon.

Gordon also notched a “sack” and blew up a run play when he easily got past Tonyan’s attempted block.

— Claypool continues to show growth in the Bears’ offense. He opened the day with a big catch-and-run on a drag route in team drills and hauled in the biggest play of the successful two-minute drill.

— Terrell Lewis had his way with Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones on Wednesday. On one rep, Lewis used a swift swim move to go right past Jones and “sack” Fields.

— Dominique Robinson also notched a “sack” when he got past Jones during a team period.

— Left guard Teven Jenkins left practice early with an athletic trainer. Alex Leatherwood replaced him since Lucas Patrick was in at right guard for the injured Nate Davis. The Bears’ thin offensive line is already in a rough spot just one week into camp.

— DeMarcus Walker, Justin Jones, Jack Sanborn, and Roschon Johnson also did not participate Wednesday.

— Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens had another good day in pads, as did Andrew Billings. Those three interior linemen gave the offense fits Wednesday.

— Rookie wide receiver Tyler Scott broke Jaylon Johnson’s ankles in individual drills with a smooth route.

— Herbert and D’Onta Foreman continue to split reps with the first-team offense.

— Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith continue to split reps with the first-team defense as they battle for the starting cornerback position.

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One day after struggling against the second-team defense in the two-minute drill, Fields opened the 7-on-7 period with a pass to the right side that was ticketed for DJ Moore. The pass missed the mark, and safety Jaquan Brisker picked it off and took it back for a score. Brisker ran almost all the way to the weight room as the defense celebrated a takeaway they hope is a sign of things to come for the second-year safety.

Fields and Moore spent the next couple minutes talking about the route and what might have been a miscommunication.

Then, Fields returned to the drill and ripped off arguably his best stretch of the offseason phase.

After a quick pass to D’Onta Foreman in the flat, Fields threaded found tight end Robert Tonyan up the right seam, dropping the ball just over the outstretched hand of linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and just in front of Brisker.

On the next throw, Fields dropped back and fired a deep shot to Moore down the left sideline. Jaylon Johnson had perfect coverage with safety Elijah Hicks closing fast, but Fields dropped the ball in a spot where only Moore could catch it. The Bears’ new No. 1 receiver plucked the ball out of the air and got both feet down before stepping out of bounds.

Johnson responded by almost notching an interception on the next throw when he jumped a quick hitch by rookie Tyler Scott and batted the ball away.

Fields finished the period with another deep completion to Moore against Johnson and back-to-back completions to Velus Jones Jr. By my unofficial count, Fields went 9-for-13 during the 7-on-7 period with an interception and a dropped pass by Tonyan.

The 11-on-11 started with a nice completion from Fields to Pettis on a deep corner route but fizzled as Brisker and Kyler Gordon broke up passes, and Terrell Lewis batted one down at the line.

The Bears finished the day with the same two-minute drill that the offense failed at Tuesday. Trailing by one with 1:40 left and one timeout, the Bears’ offense got the ball at their own 20-yard line.

The results were better this time around.

Fields opened the drive with a quick completion to running back Trestan Ebner for 5 yards before hitting tight end Cole Kmet over the middle of the field for a chunk gain.

On the next play, Fields had Kmet open on a deep shot but overthrew his tight end. A 5-yard scramble by Fields set up third-and-5 the offense easily converted when Fields threw a quick pass to Ebner to the left side.

With 22 seconds remaining, Fields lofted a ball toward the end zone for Moore. Fields’ throw was slightly late and behind Moore, which caused Johnson to make contact early and get flagged for pass interference.

Fields took a knee on the next play, and the Bears kicked a game-winning field goal.

It was far from perfect, but it was progress.

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Here are more notes from Day 2 of minicamp:

— The Bears’ attendance was the same as Tuesday, with Chase Claypool, Jack Sanborn, Darnell Mooney, and Terell Smith among those not participating for injury-related reasons.

— Eberflus and the Bears’ staff have emphasized the passing game during the offseason program. The Bears’ head coach is pleased with where the aerial attack is, but there is still work to be done.

“I think we’re on track. I really do. I really feel good where we are. We have spent a lot of time and attention on that as well, and we’re going to continue doing that during training camp. To me that’s great to have those 7 on 7s, where you can work on the rhythm, the timing of it, work on your pass coverage as well, and we’re going to continue to do that. Like you guys said yesterday, we have guys that weren’t in there, Claypool, Mooney, different guys that weren’t in there that we’re going to have to catch up on that. So we’re going to continue to do that.”

The issues Fields has faced so far this offseason should be ironed out with more work come training camp.

“It’s just repetition. Coaching repetition, execution. Just go back and reset and say, ‘Hey, what was the situation that caused that?’ Work on it, refine and keep going forward. That’s what you do,” Eberflus said.

— The Bears still have yet to add to their pass-rushing unit. Free agents like Yannick Ngakoue, Justin Houston, and Dawuane Smoot still are available. Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles will huddle after minicamp concludes to assess the needs of the roster.

“Yeah, I think they’re always looking for all positions,” Eberflus said Wednesday when asked about adding an edge rusher before training camp. “You know I think that is one position we are looking at and potentially we could get that done.”

— Velus Jones Jr., Tyler Scott, and Dante Pettis got work with the punt return unit today. Jones struggled with punt returns during his rocky rookie season. His ability to handle that role will be critical to his sophomore season.

“Yeah, just the experience. Him knowing what to do and how to do it. He’s more consistent that way,” Eberflus said of Jones. “And his work ethic has always been good. He’s continued to do that. And he’s been working on catching the punts, which is really good. Gonna be a big part for us if he can work that and be consistent going through camp and show he can do that on a full-time basis. So we’re excited about where that is.”

— New tight end Robert Tonyan knows the NFC North landscape has shifted with the departure of his former teammate Aaron Rodgers. With the division wide-open, Tonyan feels good about the Bears’ prospects to make noise this fall.

“I love where we’re at.,” Tonyan said. “Overlooked, underrated, whatever you want to call it. But they still gotta step on the field because they’ve got to see us. I’m excited.”

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“Brisker shined for Chicago in a lost season,” Verderame wrote. “The rookie played in 15 games and totaled 104 tackles, including five for loss, along with four sacks and an interception. Perhaps most impressively, Brisker didn’t miss a single snap when active.”

Interestingly, Brisker said last year was a disappointment based on his standards, largely because of a thumb injury that set him back early in the year.

“I felt like last year I should have, I felt like I could have been more involved in the defense and things like that,” Brisker said earlier this month. “This year I feel a lot more comfortable with the coaches, with the defense, with the players. I feel like myself. I feel like it’s going to be a way different year than it was last year.”

Brisker was unhappy with some of his footwork from last season and added his eyes were sometimes in the wrong place. He’s confident he can clean that up this year. Further, Brisker believes he can help the defense in different ways. Brisker played almost exclusively if not entirely at strong safety, but has already taken some snaps at free safety this summer as Eddie Jackson ramps up from his Lisfranc injury.

“Just being moved around, being involved, playing low, playing high, getting more blitzes, getting my name called more, things like that,” Brisker said.

“Let me help my teammates, let me help us win. That’s why I’m here. To win games, to go to the playoffs and win a Super Bowl.”

Verderame doesn’t see a Super Bowl in the Bears’ future this year, but he does see Brisker helping the team moving forward.

“The Bears have a long way to go before fielding a title-contending defense, but Brisker has the look of a cornerstone,” Verderame wrote. “He can do it all from the back end, giving coach Matt Eberflus a potential star in the making.”

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He quickly became one of the team’s standout players, displaying his outstanding ball-hawk ability through the air and on the ground. But he isn’t satisfied, saying he believes there is more in store for him this season now that he’s more comfortable within himself and in the defense.

“I felt like I could have been more involved in the defense and things like that,” Brisker said, referring to last season. “This year I feel a lot more comfortable with the coaches, with the defense with the players. I feel like myself. I feel like it’s going to be a way different year than it was last year.”

Another reason Brisker is confident about the upcoming season is his improved health. He endured two injuries last season. He broke his right thumb during preseason, playing with protection and limiting his efficiency. During Week 11, he underwent a concussion that forced him out of two games.

“I feel like last year, in the beginning, I felt like I was ahead of the game until I messed up my thumb,” Brisker said. “I had to come back and get all that back and I started kicking it up again. And then when I got a concussion, that kind of was a little setback there.”

Make no mistake, despite the health setbacks, Brisker still recorded an exceptional season on the last line.

Through the air, he allowed just 56 percent of his opposition’s targets to be caught. He earned one interception and allowed a sub-100 quarterback rating to his opponents.

What’s more, Brisker — uncannily — led the team in sacks with four sacks. Not only does he have tremendous sideline-to-sideline abilities, but he can stack the box and rush the passer, too. He’s an oversized, robust, explosive safety the Bears covet.

This offseason, Brisker is focused on cleaning up his footwork. He claims he was “moving too fast” at the beginning of last season, anxiously. He also critiqued his eyes, calling them “dirty.”

“I feel like when I came back (from injury) I was trying to move too fast instead of being under control, being myself, making plays and not giving up certain things or not being consistent,” Brisker said. “You see it during the OTAs this year, a lot of different energy. I’m flying around playing both safeties and things like that.

“Definitely going to get a different No. 9 this year.”

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