Eberflus, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko have worked with Fields to blend his elite athleticism and big arm with the necessary, high-level skills needed to play quarterback in the NFL.

There’s one thing both Eberflus and Getsy have pointed to that would be a clear sign that all Fields’ hard work is paying off. The Bears have wanted to see the slithery Fields navigate a messy pocket and escape it while keeping his eyes downfield. Last year, Fields would put his head down and run. The Bears don’t want to take that tool out of Fields’ arsenal, but they want him to evade pressure with a passer’s mentality, exhausting all downfield options before bolting.

In the Bears’ 28-13 win over the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on Sunday, one play early on showed Eberflus and his staff that things are starting to click as they hoped.

Facing a third-and-8 from their own 11, Fields dropped back and was pressured from the right and up the middle. Fields dodged both rushers while keeping his eyes downfield as the blocks held. Once it became clear he was out of time, the Bears quarterback took off and punctuated his Houdini act with a 19-yard gain.

“The finish part of that helps him to be able to do that, to avoid the sack,” Eberflus said of the play Monday at Halas Hall. “He’s done a really good job of late of looking down the field to be able to deliver some passes down the field, which is cool. The next dimension is what you’re talking about — the ability to escape. He’s so strong, and he’s got strong lowers, and he’s got great balance, as I say a lot of time with DJ [Moore]. He has that as well. He has the ability to put it on guys for 19 yards or, as you saw last year, even more than that. We’re excited about where he is with that, in terms of the first phase of that, looking downfield to complete the passes, and the second phase — when it’s not there in situational ball, to make it happen.”

CHICAGO BEARS

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Since returning from a dislocated right thumb in Week 11, Fields has been playing arguably his best all-around football as the Bears’ quarterback.

On Sunday, Fields went 19-for-33 for 223 yards and one touchdown while adding 58 yards and a score on the ground. Fields’ day was highlighted by a free-play touchdown pass to DJ Moore, on which Fields used his cadence to draw the defense offsides before throwing a 38-yard strike to Moore to give the Bears a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Fields’ future in Chicago remains up in the air, with four games left in the season.

But the growth the Bears believed would come is starting to show itself. If it continues to do so over the final month of the season, the Bears will have already answered their quarterback question.

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With each passing week, the Bears’ chances of obtaining the No. 1 overall pick via the Carolina Panthers have ticked up. As the percentage has ticked up, the pressure to find the correct answer to the franchise’s most pressing question has ratcheted up.

Is Justin Fields a franchise quarterback, or is a change needed this offseason?

A month ago, all the breadcrumbs pointed to the Bears heading in a different direction under center.

Fields had been inconsistent as a passer and missed four games due to a dislocated right thumb. The flashes were still there. The rare athleticism still evident. The potential tantalizing.

But all that does is get people fired.

Fields returned from his thumb injury in Week 12, needing to string together an impressive final stretch that showed growth and high-level quarterbacking that Poles can build around.

Anything less, and the Bears’ choice would be obvious, with two blue-chip prospects in Caleb Williams and Drake Maye set to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.

Fields is aware of his uncertain future in Chicago. He’s not letting it weigh him down. If anything, it might be elevating his game.

The third-year quarterback was good in his return to action against the Detroit Lions in Week 11. He showed increased pocket presence and escaped the pocket with a passer’s mentality, keeping his eyes downfield to find an open man in space. These are checkpoints head coach Matt Eberflus, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko have been wanting to see.

Fields followed that up with a game-winning drive in Minnesota, during which he fumbled twice in critical moments. Fields erased those mistakes with a third-down strike to DJ Moore to set up a game-winning field goal. It was progress, but warts remained.

Entering the bye week, the feeling in league circles was that the Bears would still move on from Fields. Could five games really negate everything that has come before? It’s also important to remember that decisions are often made with the decision-maker’s own self-interest in mind.

“Do you really want to be the GM that passes on Caleb Williams?” a league source told NBC Sports Chicago. “If you don’t know for sure that Fields is your guy at this point, he’s probably not your guy. Betting on flashes and potential is a good way to get fired. If you pick Williams and he busts, it’s probably not going to cost you your job.

“I understand why it’s still a question. He’s got talent and the tools you want for the today’s game. But is he going to win you a Super Bowl?”

But that opinion isn’t unanimous.

The Bears entered Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions with a 94 percent chance of earning a top-two pick, per ESPN analytics. Following Sunday’s action in which the Panthers lost again, the Bears now have a 95 percent chance to earn the No. 1 overall pick.

With the New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, and New York Giants all slotting behind them in the Williams-Maye sweepstakes, Fields has the opportunity to open the Bears up to a world of opportunity should he remove all doubt over the final month.

“Quarterback evaluation is incredibly difficult,” an AFC scout told NBC Sports Chicago. “Teams miss all the time for all sorts of reasons. Caleb and Drake are already getting dinged. Who knows if they’ll pan out? One guy is undersized and holds the ball too long. The other was inconsistent. You have a guy with special ability. If you can get him to play at a high-level week-in and week-out, then you’ll have teams who don’t have a Justin Fields calling you with the world to move up.”

If Fields makes the questions about his future evaporate with a near-perfect final month, Poles and the Bears will have a lot of different avenues to travel without having to focus on a quarterback.

They can trade down once or twice, pick up more draft capital, and still draft two blue-chip players to give Fields more support. Adding Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and potentially Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt or Georgia tight end Brock Bowers would complete the Bears’ transformation from offensive outhouse to dynamic attack.

That’s the dream scenario. As much as teams, scouts, and pundits have drooled over Williams for three years, the Bears’ preference should be for Fields to put it all together, delivering them quarterback certainty and a draft gift that can be rocket fuel for a rebuild that’s on the right track.

Don’t look now, but Fields is starting to do just that.

After going 19-for-33 for 223 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s win over the Lions, Fields has now completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 609 yards and two touchdowns since returning from injury. It is the first time in his career that he has gone three straight games without throwing an interception.

Fields has rushed 42 times for 221 yards and one touchdown in those three games. He has been sacked eight times and fumbled three times.

Per CBS Sports, Fields now has a higher passer rating than Trevor Lawrence (91.8), a higher touchdown-to-interception ratio than Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen (2.2), and is averaging more rushing yards per game than Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson (50.9).

Fields got off to a rough start Sunday. At halftime, he had just 52 net passing yards and had completed just four passes. But something clicked in the second half, and Fields showed high-level quarterback play when he got the Lions to jump offsides on a fourth-and-13 and used the free play to hit DJ Moore for a 38-yard touchdown that gave the Bears a lead they would not relinquish.

“To me, the poise has looked a lot better of late, especially when things break down. He’s not panicking. He seems to be putting it all together,” an NFC scout told NBC Sports Chicago.

There are still things for Fields to clean up. A hot streak doesn’t make him infallible. He was the first to admit Sunday that he still is holding onto the ball too long and inviting pressure. That also invites disaster for a quarterback who is still working on cleaning up his ball security. He also missed a few open throws, including what would have been a walk-in touchdown in the flat during the second half.

All that is true.

But Fields also threw with anticipation and trusted Moore and tight end Cole Kmet to make plays in tight coverage.

Early on this season, Fields wasn’t pulling the trigger on “NFL open” throws. He was waiting for receivers to be wide open and missed several big-play opportunities in the process.

The talent has never been an issue with Fields. He has a big arm and rare athleticism. The potential of blending those two together is what had him as the No. 2 quarterback in his class for three years until a weird draft slide that was brought on by dings not rooted in reality.

Young quarterbacks often need time and patience. Fields entered into the worst situation imaginable and has, to his credit, survived and started to thrive in spite of it.

It hasn’t been perfect. Quarterback development isn’t linear. Too often, teams give up on young quarterbacks early in the process when all that’s required is time and a plan to get them to harness their potential.

A month ago, it looked like Fields’ NFL career was destined to blossom outside of Chicago. But with the Bears about to lock up the No. 1 pick, Fields has started to become the quarterback who was promised.

He can open up a world of possibilities for Poles if that continues through the end of the season. There’s a sense the tide could be turning in Fields’ favor with the season winding down.

“When it’s right, it’s very right,” another league source told NBC Sports Chicago. “He’s starting to look like the guy many people had on equal footing with [Trevor Lawrence] in the draft. If that’s who he is going to be consistently, then you don’t really have a decision to make. You don’t trade proven for potential. But he has to prove it to pass up [Williams or Maye]. The question is: As good as he’s looked lately, is it too late to remove all doubt? He still has to do a lot to look past the ability to go younger, cheaper, and healthier with an elite talent at the position. But he’s got the talent to make it a more difficult decision than it looked like it was going to be month ago.”

With four games left, the wind has started blowing in a different direction as it pertains to Fields’ future.

It’s a breeze that could deliver Poles and the Bears everything they need heading into a transformational offseason.

What the Bears do with the No. 1 overall pick if the Panthers continue their path to the NFL’s worst record will be the subject of debate for months to come. Should they stand pat with Justin Fields and build around him? Or should they select a new rookie to reset the clock on their rebuild?

We’re going to explore that second route in this mock draft.

As always, this mock draft is not an attempt to predict what the Bears will actually do when they’re back in the War Room next offseason. That’s impossible. Nor is it meant as a recommendation of what the Bears should do. This mock draft is meant as an opportunity to dig into some of the intriguing college prospects this season, and how those players may fit in Chicago.

NO. 1: CALEB WILLIAMS – QUARTERBACK – USC

Last year, Ryan Poles passed on picking a new quarterback and traded away the No. 1 pick for a DJ Moore and a bounty of other draft selections. He can’t resist the opportunity to add a young, talented QB again, though. There are reasons to believe Justin Fields can succeed as an NFL quarterback, but he’ll need to be paid a hefty contract soon, and the Bears aren’t quite ready to contend for Super Bowls yet. So Poles opts to trade Fields, draft Williams and give the Bears more runway to win with a QB on a rookie deal.

Williams has all the same big-play upside that Fields brings to the offense. He’s a threat to score with his legs, has a top notch deep ball and can turn busted plays into explosive gains with his off-script improvisations. Ball security issues cropped up with nine fumbles this season, but over the breadth of his career Williams has taken very good care of the football. He’s also effective working as a rhythm and timing passer. There’s a reason he’s one of the most highly-touted quarterback prospects since Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence came out in 2020 and 2021.

NO. 7: JER’ZHAN NEWTON – DEFENSIVE TACKLE – ILLINOIS

The best defensive lines in the NFL come at you in waves, and the Bears’ success on defense starts with their front four. Whether or not Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens develop as the Bears hope, they’ll want to continue adding young talent to the interior of their defensive line.

Newton is a dynamic three-tech who can help plug up holes in the run game and dent the pocket in the pass rush. His eight sacks rank tied for second in the nation among all interior linemen, his 44 total pressures are third, and his 15.5% pass rush win rate ranks fourth among all interior linemen with at least 200 pass rush snaps. His 25 run stops ranks tied for sixth.

NO. 71: BILLY BOWMAN JR. – SAFETY – OKLAHOMA

If the Bears have concerns about Eddie Jackson’s foot that kept him out of five games in 2022 and five games this year, they could look to replace him as early as next season. In that case they’ll need someone with ballhawking skills to take his place in the back end of the defense. Bowman Jr. has displayed the ranginess, instincts and ball skills required to play free safety and has the production to back it up with nine interceptions over the past two seasons. He also swipes at the ball while tackling in a manner that Bears coaches preach to force fumbles. Beyond the ball production, Bowman Jr. shows a willingness to contribute in the run game when asked to play at the line of scrimmage. He has seven TFLs dating back to 2021.

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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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To cut to the chase, the answer is yes.

The Bears currently sit at 5-8, good for 12th place in the NFC. If the Packers lose to the Giants on Monday, then five teams will be tied for seventh place with a 6-7 record– the Packers, Rams, Seahawks, Falcons and Saints– and the Bears would be just one game behind that pack. That’s important since the seven seed is the final playoff spot. If the Packers win, however, the Bears would be two games behind the Packers and Vikings, who would be tied with a 7-6 record.

If you want to get crazy, the Bears are technically still in contention for an NFC North title. If the Bears win out, they’ll finish with a 9-8 record. If the Lions lose out, they’ll also finish at 9-8. From there, tiebreakers take over. The Bears and Lions split their head-to-head matchups, so next up would be the teams’ respective win percentages against the NFC North. As things stand, the Bears are 2-3 against their division rivals with one game remaining. The Lions are 2-2 against NFC North opponents with two games remaining.

But the fact of the matter is talking playoffs now is a little crazy.

Check this. Per NFL.com, between 1990 and the start of this season, 103 teams started the year with an 0-4 record. Of those 103 teams, only one made the playoffs: the 1992 San Diego Chargers. The Chargers ended up 11-5 that year and lost to the Dolphins 31-0 in the Divisional Round.

Not great odds for the Bears after their disastrous start to the season.

Yes, the Bears have played better football lately, and with such little joy over the past two years for Bears fans it’s worth celebrating. But a two-game win streak is typically not a high bar for NFL franchises. Yes, the Bears have separated themselves from the truly awful teams in the NFL, but they’re still not contenders in the conference.

With a month to go it’s fun to dream, but keep in mind that the Bears have five teams between them and a playoff berth. That’s a lot of ground to make up to earn a postseason bid.

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The weekend ended with the Dallas Cowboys announcing themselves as legitimate Super Bowl contenders by dismantling the Philadelphia Eagles on “Sunday Night Football.” With four weeks to go, the 49ers, Eagles, and Cowboys all sit atop the NFC at 10-3.

Over in the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens survived a scare against the Los Angeles Rams while Jake Browning continued to cook in Cincinnati. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes’ frustration boiled over in Kansas City as a critical offensive offsides call wiped a would-be game-winning touchdown off the board in the Chiefs’ 20-17 loss to the Bengals.

In Chicago, the Bears came off the bye and manhandled the division-leading Detroit Lions. With Justin Fields playing exceptional football and the defense humming, the Bears believe they can run the table and crash the playoff party.

For now, a rise in the power rankings will have to do.

CHICAGO BEARS

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Here’s where each team stands after Week 14:

1. San Francisco 49ers (10-3): Brock Purdy averaged career highs of 10.5 air yards per pass and per completion in Sunday’s win over the Seahawks. Imagine if he could throw the ball downfield. The 49ers have been dismantling teams for over a month, and they still have another level to reach. Your Super Bowl favorite by a mile.
2. Dallas Cowboys (10-3): The Cowboys showed they could beat one of the league’s best by dominating the Eagles on Sunday Night Football. The Eagles are banged up, but this is a game past Cowboys teams would have lost. Dallas is for real.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-3): Philadelphia has been dominated in back-to-back weeks, and the Eagles’ cracks are starting to show at the worst possible time.
4. Baltimore Ravens (10-3): Tylan Wallace’s game-winning 76-yard punt return might wind up being what gets the Ravens the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Baltimore faces the Jaguars, 49ers, and Dolphins in the next three weeks, so they couldn’t afford to drop Sunday’s game against the Rams..
5. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5): The suddenly sliding Chiefs took two Ls on Sunday. The first came on the field to the Buffalo Bills. The second came during the postgame aftermath when head referee Carl Cheffers scorched the Chiefs for their postgame complaints over the offensive offsides call on Kadarius Toney. “Certainly, no warning is required, especially if they are lined up so far offsides where they’re actually blocking our view of the ball,” Cheffers said of Toney. Case closed.
6. Miami Dolphins (9-4): The Titans exposed some cracks in Miami’s armor on Monday night. Tyreek Hill covers up a lot but you’re only as good as your weakest point in the postseason. On Monday, Miami’s offensive line was a problem in pass pro and things got worse once Connor Williams left.
7. Buffalo Bills (7-6): Just like that, the Bills are right back in the thick of the playoff hunt. Buffalo still has a tough road ahead, but Sunday’s win was a must.
8. Cleveland Browns (8-5): On Sunday, Joe Flacco became the first Browns quarterback since Brian Sipe in 1980 to throw three touchdown passes over 30 yards in a game. The elite 38-year-old quarterback can still sling the pill.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5): The Jags sacked Flacco just once Sunday and allowed him to throw for 311 yards. The offense also looked out of sync with Christian Kirk sidelined. Jacksonville dodged a bullet with Trevor Lawrence’s ankle sprain, but there are problems to be solved in Duval.
10.  Detroit Lions (9-4): The Lions’ defense continues to leak all over the place. Detroit allowed Justin Fields to rush for 58 yards and throw for 223 as the Bears physically overpowered the Lions on the lakefront. Four weeks ago, the Lions were seen as a legitimate Super Bowl threat. No longer.
11. Houston Texans (7-6): The Texans’ feel-good story might be nearing its conclusion. Houston was already without rookie receiver Tank Dell, tight end Dalton Schultz, and offensive tackle Tytus Howard before losing Nico Collins to a hamstring injury in the first quarter Sunday. Quarterback C.J. Stroud also left the game with a head injury. Sometimes the injuries are too much to overcome.
12.  Denver Broncos (7-6): Earlier this season, the Broncos’ defense was in complete disarray, and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was on borrowed time. But Denver’s defense has turned it around, allowing just 12 touchdowns in their last eight games while recording 18 takeaways. At 7-6, the once much-maligned defense might carry Russell Wilson and Sean Payton to the playoffs.
13.  Cincinnati Bengals (7-6): The Bengals have scored 30 points with Jake Browning at quarterback in back-to-back games. Maybe Cincy isn’t dead after all.
14.  Los Angeles Rams (6-7): The Rams’ playoff chances took a hit with Sunday’s loss to the Ravens. But with only one game remaining against a team with a winning record, their destiny is still in front of them.
15. Green Bay Packers (6-7): Jordan Love is ascending but he and the Packers still have some kinks to work out after their Monday night loss to Tommy DeVito and the Giants.
16.  Indianapolis Colts (7-6): Indianapolis still has a manageable schedule ahead of it, with games against the Steelers, Falcons, Raiders, and Texans ahead. But the Colts’ alarming lack of pass-rush production against the Bengals on Sunday is reason for concern. It feels like it’s about time for Gardner Minshew and Shane Steichen to do us a favor and exit the playoff picture as soon as possible.
17.  Minnesota Vikings (7-6): So much for the offensive adjustments Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell promised would fit Joshua Dobbs’ strengths. Nick Mullens saved the Vikings on Sunday. That’s not a good sign for their playoff hopes.
18.  Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6): Mitchell Trubisky finally got the Bears a win by rolling over against the New England Patriots on Thursday night. Chicago might have the No. 1 pick locked up by Christmas at this rate.
19.  Seattle Seahawks (6-7): The Seahawks entered this gauntlet four-game stretch hoping to tread water by going 2-2. They have lost the first three, and it’s unclear if Geno Smith will be able to play next week. The clock is about to strike midnight on the Seahawks’ playoff chances.
20. Chicago Bears (5-8): It would have been impossible to imagine the Bears being in this position in early October. Give Matt Eberflus all the credit for keeping the group together and crafting a defense that the Bears feel is near elite. It has certainly been playing like it over the last few games. If the Bears can knock off the Browns next week, the playoff talk will start to carry weight.
21. Tampa Bay Bucs (6-7): We’re going to group the NFC South teams together. I’ve liked the Bucs the best all season. They have the best quarterback of the three and the best playmaker. Give me Baker down the stretch.
22. Atlanta Falcons (6-7): Good news for the Falcons: The Panthers are up next on the schedule. The bad news? Atlanta is capable of losing to anyone.
23. New Orleans Saints (6-7): OK, so maybe Derek Carr isn’t the savior the Saints thought he was. (We tried to tell you.)
24. New York Jets (5-8): Zach Wilson played with an edge Sunday and authored what might be the best game of his career. Wilson played free, especially when the Jets let him throw on early downs. Where the hell was this earlier in the season?
25. Los Angeles Chargers (5-8): There’s nowhere left for the Chargers to go but to write a blank check for Jim Harbaugh.
26. New York Giants (5-8): Tommy DeVito is the quarterback the Giants need in this moment. We have officially lost contain on DeVito-mania.
27. Tennessee Titans (5-8): I think this Will Levis thing might work out for the Titans.
28.  Las Vegas Raiders (5-8): Aidan O’Connell isn’t the long-term answer in Las Vegas. I don’t think Antonio Pierce is, either. Another blank slate coming for the Silver and Black.
29.  Washington Commanders (4-9): Perhaps the Commanders can use their bye week to find a way to get Terry McLaurin involved in the offense. Or the coaching staff can just have their agents leak that other teams are interested in hiring them after the season. It’s a race to get off the sinking rowboat in D.C.
30.  Arizona Cardinals (3-10): The Cardinals got a massive win on their bye week as the Patriots’ victory over the Steelers brought them back into a tie for the No. 2 overall pick.
31.  New England Patriots (3-10): Ezekiel Elliott looked like the Zeke of old on Thursday night in Pittsburgh. A refreshed Zeke should have some value on the free-agent market this offseason.
32. Carolina Panthers (1-12): Bryce Young has little chance to grow under this interim coaching staff. All he can hope to do is survive and not develop bad habits that tank his promising career.

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The Bears outplayed the Lions three weeks ago in Detroit. They had a 12-point lead with four minutes to play and blew it. They entered the fourth quarter of last year’s home game against the Lions up 14. They lost that one as well.

The Bears jumped out to an early 10-0 lead Sunday before a failed fourth-and-1 pitch to DJ Moore swung the momentum back in the Lions’ favor. Detroit scored 13 unanswered to take a 13-10 lead into halftime.

In the past, the Bears would have been unable to regain the momentum, and things would have snowballed.

Sunday was different.

The Bears’ defense put the screws to the Lions’ offense, holding them to 76 yards in the second half while forcing three turnovers.

Quarterback Justin Fields and the Bears’ offense broke a 13-13 tie with a 38-yard, free-play touchdown strike to Moore, giving the Bears a 19-13 lead that they never relinquished. Fields added an 11-yard touchdown run later in the second half to put the Bears up 12. That was all she wrote.

Sunday was the first time the Bears have won back-to-back games in the Eberflus era. It was a win that highlighted continued defensive growth and a quarterback playing his best football since returning from a thumb injury.

CHICAGO BEARS

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That’s where this statement-win report card leads off:

Passing offense

The passing game might as well have been going in reverse in the first half.

At halftime, Fields had 52 net passing yards, four completions, and had been sacked three times on 14 dropbacks.

But Fields found something in the second half. He made several anticipatory throws, including a critical third-down conversion to tight end Cole Kmet. Linebacker Alex Anzalone blanketed Kmet, but Fields threw it before the tight end got out of his break and put it where only Kmet could go up and get it.

Three plays later, Fields got defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to jump offsides on fourth-and-12. Center Lucas Patrick snapped the ball the minute Hutchinson came across, and Fields threw a dart to Moore down the left sideline for a 38-yard touchdown.

Fields finished the day 19-for-33 for 223 yards and one touchdown.

Despite a decent day at the office, Fields and Kmet noted the Bears’ offense could have put 40 on the Lions had they executed properly for the entire game.

Fields was critical of some of his misses after the win.

“The dagger to DJ, I’m still sick about that one late in the game,” Fields said. “I think, the third-and-short to Mooney could have been executed a little better. It was a great play call. Got exactly what we thought we would get.”

Fields also noted after the game that many of the hits and pressures Sunday were the product of him not getting to his checkdown fast enough or not throwing the ball away.

After not targeting Moore in the first half, the Bears targeted the star wide receiver 10 times in the second half. He caught six passes for 68 yards.

The Bears continue to struggle to get Darnell Mooney involved. He had just two catches for 44 yards.

Justin Fields GRADE: B
Team GRADE: B

Rushing offense

Fields entered the game having eclipsed 100 yards on the ground in each of his last three games against the Lions. The third-year quarterback picked up 28 on the ground on the opening drive but finished with just 58 after two kneeldowns to end the game.

A healthy D’Onta Foreman returned and picked up 50 yards on 11 carries. Khalil Herbert gained just 8 yards on three carries.

The Bears’ best running play came when offensive coordinator Luke Getsy split Fields out wide and had Moore take the direct snap. Fields faked as if he was going to take the handoff on a reverse, but Moore kept it and got the corner, sauntering 16 yards for the Bears’ first touchdown.

The Bears’ ground game wasn’t at its best Sunday, but it was effective enough to keep the Lions’ defense guessing, and the Moore wrinkle is enough to earn a decent mark.

GRADE: B-

Passing defense

Three weeks ago, the Bears’ defense picked off Lions quarterback Jared Goff three times and had the Lions in a corner with four minutes to go.

But Goff and the Lions’ potent offense engineered two quick touchdown drives to break the Bears’ hearts in Detroit.

There wasn’t a repeat Sunday.

Goff went 20-for-35 for 161 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions on Sunday. The Bears held wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to three catches for 21 yards and gave up just two catches for 23 yards to tight end Sam LaPorta.

The Bears’ pass rush notched three sacks and nine quarterback hurries as they once again got the better of the Lions’ talented offensive line.

Detroit has one of the best offenses in the NFL, and the Bears’ pass defense completely shut them down outside of two drives.

No notes.

GRADE: A+

Run defense

The only offensive success Detroit found Sunday came on the ground.

The Lions rushed for 140 yards on 24 carries (5.8 yards per carry), with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs picking up six or more yards per tote.

Gibbs’ electric rushing helped the pendulum swing back in Detroit’s favor in the second quarter, but the Bears’ defense was able to hold them to just 37 yards on the ground in the second half.

It didn’t start out pretty, but the Bears made the necessary defensive adjustments to keep the Lions from winning the game on the ground.

The Bears entered the game with the NFL’s top-ranked run defense. This grade will look low, but it’s based on the bar they have set.

GRADE: C+

Coaching

Eberflus and his defensive staff came up with a great defensive game plan, and their halftime tweaks were flawless.

On the offensive side, Getsy gets a ding for the fourth-and-1 pitch to Moore. I liked Eberflus’ aggressiveness in going for it, but the play call left a lot to be desired.

Other than that, there’s little to nitpick from the first signature win of the Eberflus era.

GRADE: B+

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Now, for the first time since Matt Eberflus took over as head coach, the team has won two games in a row. And Eberflus and the players alike took the development as a sign that they’re doing things the right way.

“It’s just like anything. You want to see the proof of it,” Eberflus said. “To have a win like this, it’s proof for (the players), it’s proof for the staff, it’s proof for Chicago Bears fans.”

“It basically just shows us the formula of winning,” said Justin Fields. “Takeaways, explosive plays, third down conversions, stuff like that… As long as we focus on those aspects, those situations, we’re more likely gonna win a game than lose a game.”

The biggest improvement has come on Eberflus’ side of the ball: the defense. The team has gone from fielding one of the worst run defenses in the league to one of the best in just one season. The team still allows some of the most points scored in the league, but it’s improved from 27.2 points per game in 2022 to 23.8 points per game this year. Over their past four games, they’ve been much better, surrendering just 16.8 points on average.

“The last three or four games that we’ve played, the defense has played really freaking well,” said Justin Jones. “Obviously, last time we played Detroit, we just didn’t finish. That’s a helluva team over there. A helluva team over there. We just gotta make sure we play 60 minutes.”

That was the prevailing thought in the locker room after their loss to the Lions in Week 11. The Lions didn’t do anything special to win that game. The Bears let them off the hook with mistakes they made. They were supremely confident in their ability to beat the Lions, they just had to do their jobs well and avoid self-inflicted wounds.

That’s exactly what they did on Sunday, and after the game Jaylon Johnson said the defense’s confidence is at an all-time high.

“We’ve been doing a heckuva job keeping teams out of the endzone, a heckuva job on third downs getting off the field, getting sacks, getting turnovers,” Johnson said. “Overall, we’re confident.”

Ryan Poles deserves his share of the credit for the turnaround with his gutsy trade for Montez Sweat. The new defensive end has made a remarkable impact on the unit with his effective pass rush and high-pressure rates. Sweat’s presence not only allows Eberflus to call a game to his liking with fewer blitzes and more guys dropping back into coverage, it also creates better opportunities for his teammates on the line and in the secondary.

Since teams need to focus on Sweat, others on the DL draw more one-on-ones. His pressure also pushes quarterbacks and ball carriers into other Bears players. Further, he speeds up the clock for opposing quarterbacks, which forces more bad throws and gives the guys playing behind the line more chances for interceptions. Before the Sweat trade, the Bears had six interceptions over eight games. Since the Sweat trade, they have had nine interceptions over five games.

“The players that we brought in, everybody is trusting each other, playing for one another, loving each other,” said Jaquan Brisker. “The coaches have been great. They’ve been locked in. The buy-in has been pretty good.”

“I think it’s a big deal,” said Eberflus. “It’s been a long time coming to win two in a row, and it’s two division opponents, which is big. The guys are super excited, and we could feel this coming. With the improvements that were happening over time, I was telling them, ‘If you keep doing it right, it’s gonna be right, and good things are going to happen.’”

Good things finally did happen after plenty of bad things over the past year and a half. That’s not to say that the Bears have just flipped a switch and are ready to push for the playoffs from here on out. There will still be bumps in the road because growth is never linear. But Eberflus praised the Bears for sticking together through adversity to reach this humble two-game win streak, and there’s no reason to believe the team will fall apart when they hit adversity again. That’s a real testament to players, coaches, and personnel staff alike.

“The guys always stayed together,” said Eberflus. “There was never a point where the morale was bad.”

Moving forward, the win against the Lions is finally a bit of positive reinforcement for a team that has had close to none recently. Again, it’s giving them confidence that they’re building their young team the right way.

“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.

“I expect nothing for us but to keep coming together, keep getting better, and just keep working.”

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That difference was highlighted Sunday on the most critical play of the Bears’ 28-13 win over the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field.

With the game tied at 13 midway through the third quarter, the Bears lined up to go for a fourth-and-13 at the Lions’ 38-yard line.

“I don’t think so,” left tackle Braxton Jones said after the game when asked if the Bears were planning to run a play.

“No, it was supposed to be a freeze play,” wide receiver DJ Moore echoed.

Quarterback Justin Fields walked to the line and called out a protection change. Left guard Teven Jenkins started making protection calls. Tight end Cole Kmet looked over to wide receiver Darnell Mooney and made a check.

All fake. Improv.

“I thought the line did a good job selling the protection adjustment,” Kmet said. “I looked out to Mooney like we were going to switch routes or whatever, and they bought it.”

Sure enough, Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson came across the line, and that’s where the preparation took over. Once Hutchinson crossed the line, center Lucas Patrick snapped the ball, and Moore beelined for the end zone.

“Fourth-and-13, hell of a cadence,” Kmet said. “I thought, no way in hell they are jumping. They jumped. I don’t know how you could jump in that situation, but they did.

“I was shocked.”

Moore beat his man off the line, and the safety that was over the top didn’t come over initially. The line gave Fields good protection, and the quarterback threw a rope to Moore for a 38-yard touchdown to give the Bears a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

“They bit on it,” Jones said. “I mean, it was cool to see. Tev had great communication there, ‘Go to this guy. Go to that guy,’ calling different things. We just got them to jump and then just got DJ to do DJ. You know, ‘Go DJ.’”

“Based off what they do, you either win or you go win,” Moore said.

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Fields’ strike to Moore on the free play allowed the Bears to recapture the momentum they lost early in the game.

Chicago jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead, but a failed fourth-and-1 play in the second quarter swung things back in the Lions’ favor. Detroit ripped off 13 points in a row to take a 13-10 lead into the half.

The game ground to a halt in the third quarter, with neither team able to gain an edge.

Prior to Fields’ free-play dart to Moore, the Bears’ quarterback converted a critical third-and-3 with an anticipatory throw to Kmet on the left sideline. The Bears lost 2 yards on the next three plays and were prepared to take a delay and punt from Lions territory.

But their preparation — and a Lions mistake — presented the Bears with an opportunity they couldn’t waste.

“We practice that all the time. I think it kind of comes second nature now,” Kmet said. “In a walk through and one of our scout team guys accidentally jumps, we’re always going into that. It’s something we’ve practiced a lot that has just kind of become second nature. I thought [Fields] had a hell of a cadence on that play. It sounded really good but I’m still shocked that they jumped.”

“We practice that each and every week. It was great execution by everyone,” Fields added.

The touchdown pass to Moore gave the Bears a 19-13 lead after a blocked PAT, and the defense did the rest, holding the Lions’ offense to 267 total yards while pitching a second-half shutout.

“Us hitting that shot to DJ, that was a big momentum-shifter,” Eberflus said after the win.

Everyone from Jenkins to Patrick and Moore gets credit for the seamless free-play execution.

But it was high-level quarterbacking from Fields to see Hutchinson jump and execute a play that wasn’t supposed to be without flinching.

“DJ is hard to cover,” Eberflus said. “He’s hard to cover when you got a guy over the top of him or when it’s just one guy on him like that. Really good throw. Really good catch. Really good reaction.”

“It was a hell of a cadence and a hell of a throw to DJ,” Kmet said.

Fields said the key to the play was approaching everything, from cadence to protection calls, like a normal play.

Once Hutchinson came across, the rest was easy.

“When he jumped, I was like, ‘Shoot, I’m out,” Moore said. “I’m like, ‘meep meep.’”

Moore cruised into the end zone, delivering a right hook that staggered the Lions — one the NFC North leaders never recovered from.

The win marked the first time the Bears have won back-to-back games in the Eberflus era. At 5-8, the Bears believe they are firmly in the playoff picture.

But they had to win Sunday.

Preparation, execution, and a dime from Fields knocked the Lions out and gave the Bears a statement win they hope can be the springboard for more.

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They’ve just let them off the hook in the fourth quarter.

Three weeks ago, the Bears blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead in Detroit. They were champing at the bit to get another shot at the Lions on Sunday at Soldier Field.

The Bears jumped on the Lions early but let them crawl back to take the lead heading into halftime.

But Sunday’s game was not going to be the latest in a line of Bears’ letdowns against the division-rival Lions.

Chicago’s defense bowed up in the second half, and quarterback Justin Fields struck with his arm and legs in the second half to lead the Bears to a 28-13 win that moved them to 5-8 on the season and was the first time they have won consecutive games under head coach Matt Eberflus.

Fields went 19-for-33 for 223 yards and one touchdown while also adding 58 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, the Bears’ defense suffocated a normally potent Lions offense, holding them to 267 total yards and forcing three turnovers.

The Bears were confident coming into the game. They were adamant not only that they were better than the Lions but that they could go on a late run to the playoffs. A statement win Sunday was the first step in that plan.

Fields and the defense made sure that box got checked. Now, they move on to Step 2.

Here’s what we learned in the Bears’ 28-13 win vs. the Lions:

Clean script

The Bears won the opening toss and elected to take the ball against a Lions defense that has been struggling mightily for over a month.

On third-and-3 from their own 38-yard line, Fields dropped back and felt pressure. The quarterback stepped up in the pocket and took off for a gain of 13.

Fields entered the game having rushed for over 100 yards in each of his last three games against the Lions. He ripped off 28 yards on the ground on the opening series before offensive coordinator Luke Getsy busted out a new wrinkle inside the red zone.

The Bears split Fields out wide and brought wide receiver DJ Moore in to take the snap. Moore took the snap and ran left. He faked a pitch back to Fields, hit the corner, and raced 16 yards untouched for an opening touchdown.

Momentum killer

The Bears dominated the first quarter-plus of Sunday’s game. They led 10-0 and had the chance to add to it after Jaylon Johnson picked off Jared Goff on fourth down.

Fields and the Bears’ offense moved the ball down to the Lions’ 40-yard line, where they faced a critical third-and-3. The Bears opted for a quarterback draw, but Fields was stopped after a gain of 2.

The Bears rolled the dice on fourth-and-1, but the play-call left a lot to be desired. The Bears lined Moore up in the backfield and opted to pitch it to him, but Lions cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu sniffed it out and popped Moore short of the line.

With the momentum pendulum starting to swing back their way, the Lions’ offense marched 61 yards on nine plays, with running back Jahmyr Gibbs capping off the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run. A missed PAT made it 10-6 Bears midway through the second quarter.

The Bears’ offense needed to string a drive together before half to halt the Lions’ momentum. That didn’t happen.

The Bears went three-and-out, and the Lions’ offense closed the half with an 11-play, 53-yard touchdown drive to take a 13-10 lead at halftime.

Chicago flushed a brilliant quarter-plus of play down the drain in the final 7:04 of the half, and it all started with a failed fourth-and-1 pitch to Moore.

Free play magic

The Bears entered the second half down 13-10 but tied up early in the third quarter.

After the two teams exchanged a few punts, Fields and the Bears’ offense retook command.

On third-and-3 from the Lions’ 43, Fields dropped back and fired left toward a covered Cole Kmet. The Bears tight end climbed the ladder and made an impressive catch to move the chains.

The Bears went backward on the following three plays but lined up to go for it on fourth-and-12.

Fields got the Lions to jump offsides and then took advantage of the free play. Fields saw Moore had a step on his man and ripped a dot to the star receiver for a 38-yard touchdown.

The Lions blocked the Bears’ point after attempt, but Chicago’s defense quickly got the ball back when linebacker T.J. Edwards recovered a fumbled snap by Goff.

The Bears took over at the Lions’ 29-yard line, and Fields punched it into the end zone with an 11-yard run five plays later to give the Bears a 25-13 lead.

The ballad of Justin Fields

Sunday was the full Fields experience.

The third-year quarterback tormented the Lions with his legs early but could not get the passing game in a flow in the first half. At halftime, Fields had four completions and had been sacked three times on 13 dropbacks.

In the second half, Fields made several anticipatory throws to move the chains and struck on the free play to give the Bears the lead.

There was no better encapsulation of Fields’ ups and downs than on the Bears’ drive after the Goff fumble. Fields missed a wide-open touchdown throw in the flat, then turned around on the next play and raced 11 yards for a scoring strike.

With these final five games potentially setting the tone of the Bears’ offseason quarterback plan, Fields’ second half was a window into what is possible. If the Bears can get that to be the four-quarter norm — Getsy owns a big role in that — that will open up a multitude of options this offseason with Fields entrenched as the starting quarterback.

If they can’t, then tough decisions loom.

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STUDS

JUSTIN FIELDS

As he has throughout his career, Fields hurt the Lions with both his arm and his legs on Sunday. Luke Getsy set the tone early by dialing up a Fields designed run on the first offensive play of the game. Two snaps later Fields escaped pressure on to convert on a third down with a nifty scramble. In the pass game, Fields was largely accurate and uncorked some throws with the anticipation that’s been missing at times. He also completed several impressive crossfield throws after extending the play behind the line of scrimmage. The fourth-and-12 touchdown to a streaking DJ Moore was the icing on the cake. A perfect throw to his top wide receiver, in stride, for a score. Fields finished the day 19-33 for 223 yards, one TD and no interceptions with 12 carries for 58 rushing yards and another score.

JAYLON JOHNSON

Johnson’s quest for All-Pro recognition continued with another great performance against the Lions. He essentially shut down whoever he covered throughout the game and surrendered no big catches. Further, he reeled in his fourth interception of the season with an athletic, full-extension grab. Johnson was in position to come away with another pick in the third quarter, but Jaquan Brisker got his hands on the ball and knocked it away first.

MONTEZ SWEAT

It feels repetitive to have Sweat listed as a stud practically every week, but seems to continually find ways to make his presence felt. Sweat knocked Jared Goff around often, with five QB hits and one sack. He got his hands on a ball for PBU as well. It won’t show up on the stat sheet, but one of Sweat’s most impressive plays of the game came on the defense’s fourth-and-one stuff in the fourth quarter. Sweat immediately created pressure in the backfield with a strong push, which forced Jahmyr Gibbs to kick the ball outside and into the arms of Jack Sanborn. Another great game for the defensive end.

TRENT TAYLOR / PUNT RETURN TEAM

The Bears brought Taylor in this season to provide reliability in the punt return game, and he’s delivered all year. However, the Bears haven’t been able to put together many explosive returns. On Sunday, Taylor had his best game of the season with some help from the blockers in front of him. His second return of the day went for a season-high 15 yards. One return later, Taylor doubled that with a 31-yarder. Those returns helped to set up the offense in good spots and helped the team with the field position battle overall.

DUDS

INTERIOR LINEMEN

Overall, Fields had time to operate in the passing game– and when he didn’t there were escape routes through the A gaps. But when there was a breakdown, it typically occurred from somewhere in the middle of the line. Early in the game, Nate Davis whiffed on an Aidan Hutchinson handoff that led to a sack. Teven Jenkins was bullied for another sack and other pressures. Finally, Lucas Patrick was flagged for a critical holding when the Bears started building momentum in the third quarter. The penalty erased a 24-yard completion to Cole Kmet and led to an eventual three-and-out.

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KENNETH DAVIS

The Lions snatched a victory away from the Bears several weeks ago. Some would say, the Bears gave that game away. The Bears definitely aided in giving it away, but I think it was more of Detroit having confidence that they can turn it on when needed. Perhaps Lions center Frank Ragnow being out will aid the Bears in pressuring Jared Goff, and slowing down the Lions run game like the Bears did for most of the last game versus Detroit. I think the Bears could win this game, but I’m going to go with the Kitties on this one.

Lions: 27, Bears: 21

JOSH SCHROCK

The Bears have never won back-to-back games under head coach Matt Eberflus. They also have yet to beat a team this season that doesn’t have a coach on the hot seat (Frank Reich and Josh McDaniels have been fired and Ron Rivera will soon join them) or is using a backup quarterback (Joshua Dobbs).

Sunday’s game against the Lions is a chance for the Bears to make a statement that the growth they keep talking about is real. The Bears match up well with the Lions from a scheme and personnel standpoint. Chicago has outplayed the Lions in two of their last three matchups but coughed up big fourth quarter leads in both instances.

I think the Bears get over the hump against Dan Campbell’s Lions this time. Quarterback Justin Fields has rushed for over 100 yards in each of his last three games against the Lions. Detroit’s defense has given up an average of 30.25 points per game over the last month and struggled stopping the Bears three weeks ago.

The Bears win the battle in the trenches, Fields shines with his legs, and the Bears move to 5-8.

I already hate this pick.

Bears: 27, Lions: 23

ALEX SHAPIRO

The Bears probably had their best chance to get a win against the NFC North leaders when they shocked the Lions for three and a half quarters in Week 11. The Lions will not be taken by surprise again. They’ll also be armed with the info that helped them beat the Bears down the stretch last month: throw to David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs as an extension of the run game, and attack the middle of the field with Sam LaPorta.

Justin Fields has enjoyed some of the best performances of his career against the Lions, and Detroit’s defense remains susceptible to big plays. There’s no reason to believe the Bears won’t be able to muster more points this Sunday than they did against the Vikings in Week 12. But the Bears aren’t set up to win a shootout, and that’s what could develop at Soldier Field this Sunday.

Lions: 31, Bears: 24

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With five games left in the season and the Bears in line to get a top-two pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it’s unclear if Fields can do enough to convince general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus that he’s the long-term solution under center in Chicago.

While Fields plans to face the uncertainty with an admirable perspective that’s telling about the way the wind is blowing, wide receiver DJ Moore was clear about his stance on what Fields’ future in Chicago should be.

“I didn’t know that,” Moore said Thursday at Halas Hall when told of Fields’ stance on his future. “If he feels that way, then you really can’t do too much but go out there and be yourself, and he’s a dynamic player, dynamic quarterback. We want him here. I’ve been having a great year with him, so that should speak volumes. Just leave what they do upstairs, upstairs at the end of the day.”

Through 12 games, Moore has caught 70 passes for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns. In the eight games that Fields has started, Moore has caught 50 passes for 792 yards and six touchdowns. If you extrapolate those numbers out for a 17-game season with a healthy Fields, Moore would be in line for 106 catches, 1,683 yards, and 13 touchdowns.

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Moore and Fields have worked tirelessly to build their chemistry since the elite wide receiver arrived in Chicago in March. Those long offseason hours working on grass and getting to know each other off the field have paid off.

“He’s great, top-down as a player,” Fields said of Moore on Wednesday. “Of course, everybody knows he’s a great player, he’s been over 1,000 yards for I don’t even know how long. Great players and even better person, even better teammate. Just the kind of guy he is. He came in, was kind of quiet a little bit – this and that – but he’s always been the same. Of course, the more you get to know him, the more you talk to him, he just opens up more and really just becomes an open book. I love him as a teammate, love his as a person and yeah, he’s just great to have on the team.”

Fields and Moore have been the perfect combo for most of the season. The Bears believed adding an elite wide receiver would help Fields break out as a passer. While the high-level consistency hasn’t been there, Fields has made strides during a critical third season.

“The big thing, from Year 1 and 2, he made big strides is what I’m hearing and what I’m seeing out there with his passes, his decision making,” Moore said of Fields. “Year 3 is probably the most critical year. I know it was for me. I took the jump. I had whatever you want to say, and it was like that. For him, he’s young, so he’s gonna still continue to grow and be better.”

Moore wants that to be with him in Chicago. But that’s out of his hands. With five games left, it might already be out of Fields’ as well.

The 24-year-old has shown flashes during a three-year stretch that would have chewed up most young quarterbacks and spit them out. He has had two head coaches and two offensive systems. He has had his mechanics altered. He’s played behind an offensive line that has been under construction and, until DJ Moore arrived, had limited weapons.

The Bears asked Fields to prove he was a franchise quarterback while swimming uphill during a rebuild.

Fields’ third season has had ups and downs. There was the slow start followed by eight touchdown passes in two games against the Broncos and Commanders. A dislocated thumb and a four-week absence followed. Fields returned in Week 11 and has played well since getting back on the grass.

As Fields’ season speeds toward a crescendo, the Bears quarterback is aware of the chatter surrounding his uncertain future at the helm of the franchise. The Bears currently are in line to own the No. 1 overall pick via the Carolina Panthers. With Caleb Williams and Drake Maye expected to declare for the draft, many expect the Bears to move on from Fields this offseason and reset the quarterback contract clock with a guy of Poles’ choosing.

Fields is facing that uncertainty with humility. It’s a perspective that’s rooted in his faith, shows his maturity, and might point to the end being near.

“I mean, life isn’t fair,” Fields said Wednesday at Halas Hall when asked if it’s fair for people to say his future is riding on the final five games. “So me personally, I’m just focused on what I can control, and the rest is in God’s hands.

“Wherever, if I’m here next year, if I’m not, football doesn’t define who I am as a person. My happiness will still be in the same place, will still be in God. And really, just football wise, life stuff in general, I think my faith in God, my hope in God, is just so much more than anything that can be thrown at me on this earth. Yeah, I mean, that’s why I don’t really stress over stuff like that, over stuff that I can’t control. I know that God’s got me, and I’m going to be good. I’m very blessed in the position I am in, and I think a million people would love to be in the position I am right now. So really just, I’m not taking that for granted and just taking each and every moment I have every day up here to the fullest.”

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This isn’t the first time Fields has signaled that his success in Chicago, or the NFL in general, won’t dictate his happiness.

After the Bears’ Week 3 loss in Kansas City, Fields said that falling into a 31-point hole wasn’t a death blow to what many assumed might be dwindling confidence in a critical season—zooming out allowed Fields to shield himself from the pressure of a potential make-or-break season.

“I’m looking at it like the big picture, life in general, to be honest with you,” Fields said after the loss in Kansas City. “I think this past week has had me kind of look at it like what are the important things in life? Because you know when things are going good, you feel me, not say whatever. I think these past couple of weeks have made me appreciate the little things in life, like being able to play this game. Every opportunity I get to go out there and play, I’m going to have fun. I’m going to play my hardest and, you know, just thank God for giving me the ability to play. So, no matter what the scoreboard is, I’m going to keep having the same mindset and just pushing to keep moving forward.”

Perhaps it’s unfair to judge Fields based on these final five games. If you take everything into account — from a lame-duck Matt Nagy season to a rebuild with no line and no weapons and the issues with the current offensive structure — what he has done in 35 career games is impressive.

We’ve seen Mac Jones devolve, Zach Wilson crumble, Trey Lance get shipped out of San Francisco, and Kenny Pickett flop.

Fields has had bad moments. There’s no doubt. He’s also risen above the dysfunction and relative organizational incompetence that has suffocated many quarterbacks.

Fields understands the business. He understands he might not do enough to be the starter next year. He might not be in Chicago at all.

That doesn’t have to mean the end of the world. That doesn’t have to be the end of his story. There will be another chapter. Chances are it’ll come in a better situation than he found himself trying to survive for the past three.

“Shoot, since I got to Chicago, y’all don’t hold back,” Fields said with a smile Wednesday. “Shoot, I hear it from y’all, I hear it from fans and stuff like that. I don’t take any of it personal because I know everybody’s entitled to their opinion on certain things and stuff like that. That’s one thing I try to do is not take anything personal, and just go about it that way.

“I’ve had moments in my life to where I’ve wanted things to happen that didn’t go that way and it ended up going another way and it worked out better than I ever could have imagined. That’s really why I just don’t stress about stuff that happens and just controlling what I control and like I said earlier just being the best person I can be and striving to be the best player I can be.”

Franchises swap out quarterbacks like shoes in the NFL. They bounce from signal-caller to signal-caller without second thought — searching, hoping, and praying that they find a difference-maker to deliver stability, respect, and wins for a decade plus.

Fields had everything needed to be that for the Bears. A blue-chip recruit who was billed as a generational prospect since the age of 17, Fields fell right into the Bears’ lap in the 2021 draft. Armed with a big arm, rare athleticism, a winning pedigree, and an unmatched work ethic, Fields was what the Bears had been searching for.

He still might be.

The Bears undoubtedly already have a good idea of who Fields is and what he might become. Or, better put, what they have allowed him to be and whether or not he can still reach a sky-high ceiling as their franchise quarterback.

Five games is unlikely to dwarf the Bears’ evaluation of the totality of Fields’ early tenure. They likely already have a preference, and how the draft chips fall will determine their course of action.

Fields is a talented quarterback with room to grow. He also has some bad habits he and the Bears’ staff are working to eliminate.

It’s easy to look at the potential of Williams or Maye and think of what might be. But patience and continuity are often the elixirs that deliver quarterback-needy franchises the signal-callers they crave. It served the Buffalo Bills well with Josh Allen. It has done wonders for the Green Bay Packers and Jordan Love.

Perhaps that’s what Fields needs. That’s undoubtedly what he deserved coming out of Ohio State.

What comes next might not be up to Fields. He’ll do what he can for the final five games and head into the offseason unsure of what the future holds.

Fields seems to understand the situation with five games left in the season. The inertia of organizational ineptitude is hard for one man to overcome.

The NFL pressure cooker has crumpled countless quarterbacks who have come before Fields. Whether real or perceived, Fields seems at peace with the path ahead, even if the destination is unknown.

He should be commended for his perspective. It’s healthy and will serve him well in Chicago or at his next stop.

It also might signal which way the wind is blowing as it pertains to the Bears’ quarterback future — one that might not involve Justin Fields.

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In a results-oriented business that often demands immediate success, it would be easy to let frustration creep in, especially when outsized expectations aren’t met and questions about job security arise.

But Eberflus has continually stayed where his feet are and looked at the bigger picture of what he and general manager Ryan Poles are trying to accomplish. Daily progress can sometimes be infinitesimal, but eventually, the larger results materialize if you stay the course.

“You have to have extreme patience during this time, and you got to see growth,” Eberflus said Wednesday at Halas Hall. “You have to see that in small increments at times. You have to learn from every performance, and I think that’s part of growing. We’ve continued to do that as we’ve put this football team together.”

Eberflus can say that, but he also understands that his 7-22 record isn’t good enough, especially given the Bears’ dreadful start to his second season. But that incremental growth Eberflus has seen daily at Halas Hall has started to show on the field, and the Bears enter Week 14 with the arrow pointing in the right direction.

“You want the wins, right? The wins, that’s the biggest frustration,” Eberflus said. “When are you going to get the wins? You keep doing things right, you keep doing things right, then all of a sudden, the wins will come. That’s what all of my mentors would tell me when I visited during this process. Just keep doing it right and really focus on the fundamentals and details of doing the job right. Hold guys to standards, don’t let that slip. That’s what we’ve tried to do. Again, I know it’s been slow, and I know the Chicago Bears fans– as we do– want more wins. You can certainly see that momentum starting to change, and we’re certainly optimistic for that.”

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While Eberflus’ defense has strung together eight weeks of mostly solid performances — Los Angeles and the fourth quarter in Detroit notwithstanding — the offense has continued to be clunky and inconsistent.

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s game plans have been hit and miss, and that’s the most generous interpretation. Quarterback Justin Fields has flashed, but the passing game has lacked the consistent explosiveness needed to win in today’s NFL.

This is the first time Eberflus has had responsibility for a team’s offense. That patience Eberflus preached in pushing through the stagnant times also extends to Getsy, Fields, and the offense.

But there’s a line that has to be walked. Patience is essential, but things must be fixed immediately when they aren’t working.

“I think that’s always there, the sense of urgency is always there,” Eberflus said when asked about exercising patience with the offense. “When the execution is there, you want to keep doing it. When it’s not, you want to have a sense of urgency. I said it the other day, it’s about being optimistic, being positive, but also being real. That’s not just with the players. That’s with the coaches too. What do we need to improve on? You have to make that improvement. That’s part of being a coordinator, that’s part of being a head coach, and that’s exactly what you do.”

Getsy took some heat for his screen-heavy game plan during the Bears’ 12-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 12. Getsy believed the best way to combat Minnesota’s high-pressure defense was with quick passes to the perimeter. That worked initially, but the Vikings caught on, and the Bears’ offense sputtered in the second half.

On the Monday after the Minnesota win, Eberflus noted explosive plays to be had down the field against the Vikings. The Bears have to take advantage of those opportunities schematically, and Fields has to hit them when they are called.

“It’s about how do we generate explosive plays,” Eberflus said. “You score touchdowns by getting the explosives, right? We all know that.  

“But how do we do that in the running game? How do we create advantageous positions for the offense through motions, formationally, to create those advantages, those angles that we want to have so we can pop those runs? And in the passing game — we’re going to have to take more shots downfield to create those explosive plays. Those things are there. We just have to take advantage of it.”

Eberflus understands the pressure he and his staff face over the final five weeks. The progress has started to show, but a strong finish would go a long way toward ensuring they get another season.

But the potentially warming seat hasn’t forced his reservoir of patience to empty with Getsy, Fields, and the offense. There’s a belief that a breakout is coming. The adjustments will be made, and the explosive plays will start to arrive Sunday when the Bears open their critical finishing stretch against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field.

“I think they’re coming. I really do,” Eberflus said when asked about his patience with the offense. “I know Justin throws a really good deep ball, and he’s proven that we’re excited about our opportunity this week.”

If Getsy, Fields, and the offense continue to be erratic and struggle to create explosive plays, Eberflus’ patience will be put to the test, and the sense of urgency, with jobs potentially on the line, will be ratcheted up.

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While the 2023 Bears focus on being where their feet are, the outside focus has shifted to the 2024 NFL Draft and the potential ahead. Thanks to general manager Ryan Poles’ trade heist of the Carolina Panthers last March, the Bears can focus both on an unlikely postseason push and an offseason that could see them own the No. 1 pick again.

After Sunday’s Week 13 action, the Bears have a 72 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick via Carolina. Currently, the Bears would own the No. 1 and No. 5 picks in the 2024 draft, giving them two top-tier assets to reshape the franchise.

The question from now until they go on the clock in April is: How will/should Poles utilize those picks? Should he draft a new quarterback in Caleb Williams or Drake Maye? Should he use the picks to add blue-chip talent around Justin Fields? Or should he trade one of the picks for more draft capital?

Poles will have plenty of paths to choose from this offseason, but what happens in the final five games will impact the route he travels.

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Four figures, three of whom reside in Halas Hall, will play a key role in determining how Poles attacks what is setting up to be a potentially “transformational” offseason:

Justin Fields

Fields and how he plays during the final five games will undoubtedly play a massive role in how Poles chooses to use the draft capital he finds in his war chest this offseason.

Last offseason, the Bears’ GM said he’d have to “be blown away” to move on from Fields and draft a different quarterback. The Bears eventually dealt the pick to Carolina, passing on the opportunity to draft C.J. Stroud, who is having an impressive rookie season in Houston.

Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus wanted to build around Fields, remove the excuses, and see if he could take a big step forward as a passer in 2023.

The season didn’t start as planned. The third-year quarterback struggled early on and admitted to playing “robotic.” Fields appeared to get back on track in Weeks 4 and 5 before dislocating his right thumb in Week 6.

Since returning in Week 11, Fields has played well in the two games since his return. He has shown some improvement with pocket presence and escaping with a passer’s mentality by keeping his eyes downfield after being flushed from the pocket.

Fields has been inconsistent as a passer this season. Some of that can be attributed to questionable play-calling and a constantly changing offensive line picture.

But a lot of the issues fall at Fields’ feet.

The Bears will look at the entirety of the Fields’ three seasons when evaluating him as a franchise quarterback option going forward.

The feeling in league circles is that the Bears will move on from Fields after the season if they have a top-two pick. Fields has shown flashes and has exceptional athleticism, but that’s just enough to get people fired for sticking with him too long and not enough to pass on either Williams or Maye, both of whom are viewed as elite NFL quarterback prospects.

Fields has five games to change the Bears’ mind.

Five games of consistent, high-level passing and playmaking could change the course of the Bears’ offseason plans.

It’s easy to be enticed by Williams or Maye. But quarterback evaluation is an inexact science. Having Fields remove doubt that he’s the long-term answer behind center would provide the Bears with a world of options when it comes to the draft. If the Bears don’t have to use their first pick on a quarterback, that should allow them to travel the safe road with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

But if Fields can’t silence the doubts, then the Bears have to go with either Williams or Maye.

Braxton Jones

After Fields, Jones might be the player with the most riding on the final five games of the season.

Two blue-chip left tackles are slated to be in the 2024 NFL Draft class in Notre Dame’s Joe Alt and Penn State’s Olu Fashanu.

The Bears locked down the right tackle position in the last draft with the selection of Darnell Wright. They entered the season hoping Jones would solidify himself as their franchise left tackle, allowing them to check off an import box in their rebuilding project.

Jones worked all offseason on getting stronger against the bull rush, which was his biggest weakness during his rookie season.

That work showed up early in the season, but Jones struggled with mental mistakes and hand placement. Then came a neck injury that cost him six games.

Since returning to action in Week 9, Jones has allowed just 10 pressures in 140 pass-blocking snaps.

On the season, Jones has allowed just 14 pressures and one sack while being penalized seven times.

Jones will be part of the Bears’ plan going forward. He’s a talented tackle that the Bears believe has left-right versatility.

But if he can cement himself as the franchise left tackle, that could allow the Bears to focus elsewhere in the first round, be it edge rusher, wide receiver, or defensive tackle. If doubt remains about Jones after the season finale, the Bears will have a tough time passing on Alt or Fashanu in Round 1.

Matt Eberflus

The Bears’ head coach might be the biggest pivot point in the road ahead.

From the outside, Eberflus’ seat appeared to be warming early in the season. But I don’t think it was ever as hot as everyone believed, and it’s likely cooled, given the Bears’ improved play over the past eight weeks.

The Bears are 4-4 in their last eight games, and the defense has continued to improve under his direction as play-caller. The Bears’ defense now leads the NFL in run defense and ranks ninth in yards allowed per game. The Bears are two blown leads away from being 6-6 and right in the thick of the playoff race.

As dysfunctional as things have appeared at times, I don’t get the sense that those inside Halas Hall view things the same way the general public does. The Bears have already won more games than last year and should be in line to win at least two more games down the stretch.

If the Bears move on from Eberflus after the season, it likely means Fields is gone as well, and Poles is looking for a full reset with a new staff picking their own quarterback. (This is how functioning organizations do things, which might be foreign to the Bears.)

If that’s the case, the Bears’ draft path becomes clear.

But if the Bears continue to play well and Eberflus earns Year 3, there’s a good chance that Fields was a big reason why and might have done enough to allow the Bears to utilize their first-round draft picks by adding talent around him (Harrison, Alt, Fashanu, Brock Bowers, etc.)

The coaching situation at the season’s end will play a big role in how the Bears attack the draft.

Bryce Young

The final domino in the Bears’ draft puzzle is the guy they elected to pass on in 2023.

Young landed in the worst situation possible for a young quarterback. His weapons don’t separate, his line is beyond leaky, and his head coach was fired after 11 games.

The Panthers are an abject disaster and are hurtling toward a doomsday scenario where they hand the Bears the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Carolina is horrible. No doubt.

But you should never underestimate the mediocrity of the NFL.

The Panthers were close to knocking off the Tampa Bay Bucs on Sunday. They have games against the Saints, Falcons, and Buce remaining. All of those teams are capable of laying a stinker.

Can Young drag the Panthers to one or two more wins down the stretch to push Carolina out of the No. 1 spot? The New England Patriots have completely cratered and are projected to likely finish with a lower strength of schedule than Carolina. If the two teams finish with the same record, the Patriots would receive the better selection.

Getting the No. 2 pick would still be a massive win for Poles and the Bears, but it could also drastically alter how they approach the selection and their quarterback future.

While many might see Williams and Maye as worth a top-two pick, the Bears’ pre-draft evaluation could lead them to believe only one is worth the selection. If that signal-caller were to go No. 1, the Bears would have to go to Plan B.

The Panthers are dreadful, but Young has already beaten a good Texans team. Anything can happen in the NFL. If anything happens one more time for the Panthers, the Bears’ plans could be irrevocably altered.

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Week 13 of the NFL season was all about the showdown in Philadelphia.

Turns out, it wasn’t much of a showdown.

After being stuck in neutral in the first quarter, the 49ers hit the gas and dump trucked the Eagles 42-19. When fully healthy, the Niners are in a tier by themselves.

In Green Bay, Jordan Love continues to deal. Love completed 25-of-36 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns as the Packers knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs on “Sunday Night Football” to elevate their playoff chances to 65 percent.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions continue to have issues closing games, the Dolphins keep dismantling bad teams, the Texans’ other star rookie shined, and the Patriots are bringing losing to an art form.

Here’s where each team stands after Week 13:

1. San Francisco 49ers (9-3): The 49ers talked a lot of trash after their NFC title game loss to the Eagles, and then they rolled into Philadelphia on Sunday and delivered a back-alley beatdown to the defending conference champions. The rematch was no contest. The title favorites made a Super Bowl statement in the City of Brotherly Love.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2): The Eagles were due for a smacking, given how they’ve played over the last month. The 49ers are a bad matchup for them with their current crop of safeties and linebackers. They’ll likely see the Niners again, but I’m not sure the result will be any different.
3. Baltimore Ravens (9-3): The AFC is wide-open for Lamar Jackson to finally deliver come playoff time. The Ravens have what it takes to win the Super Bowl, but they’ll have to banish their postseason demons to do so.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (8-4): The Chiefs have flaws that even Patrick Mahomes and Taylor Swift can’t wipe away. Kansas City still belongs in the “legitimate contender” tier, but the Chiefs are more vulnerable than they have been in years past.
5. Dallas Cowboys (9-3): In his last seven games, Dak Prescott has thrown for 2,173 yards, 21 touchdowns, and just two interceptions while completing 70.5 percent of his passes. With games against the Eagles, Bills, Dolphins, and Lions on deck, the Cowboys quarterback has the opportunity to vault himself to the top of the MVP conversation over the next four weeks.
6. Miami Dolphins (9-3): Brock Purdy tops my MVP ballot as of Dec. 3, but Tyreek Hill has a great case to be the first wide receiver in NFL history to win the award.
7. Detroit Lions (9-3): Detroit continues to be unable to put teams away. The Lions roared out to a 21-0 lead against the Saints on Sunday but allowed New Orleans to claw back to within one score in the second half. Aaron Glenn’s defense has some issues that need to be solved yesterday if they want to be a realistic threat in the playoffs.
8. Houston Texans (7-5): The Texans’ defense saved the day against the Broncos on Sunday. Rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr. had two sacks and two tackles for loss, while second-year cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. picked off Russell Wilson twice. If DeMeco Ryans’ defense continues to ascend, the Texans are going to give someone hell on Wild Card Weekend.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4): It’s a good thing the NFL doesn’t have a playoff committee like college football or else Trevor Lawrence’s ankle injury would have removed them from postseason consideration. In all seriousness, if Lawrence’s injury is as severe as it looked, the season is over in Duval and these rankings will reflect a C.J. Beathard-led Jags team moving forward.
10. Buffalo Bills (6-6): Buffalo will exit its bye in 10^th place in the AFC but just one game out of the No. 7 seed in the loss column. The Bills face a tough schedule down the stretch with the Chiefs, Cowboys, Dolphins, and Chargers on top. Josh Allen will have to put on his Super-Man cape and not take it off to get Buffalo back to the dance.
11. Los Angeles Rams (6-6): The Rams’ win over the Browns got them to 6-6 and raised their chances of making the playoffs to 47 percent, according to ESPN. LA owns the tie-breaker over the Seahawks and will only face one team with a winning record the rest of the way. That comes next week against the Ravens. If Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Kyren Williams can stay healthy, the Rams should be right there at the end of the month.
12. Cleveland Browns (7-5): Joe Flacco played pretty well in his Cleveland debut. Whether Cleveland rolls with Flacco or turns back to rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the Browns should be able to punch their postseason ticket thanks to games against the Bears, Jets, and Bengals to end the season.
13. Green Bay Packers (6-6): The Packers’ demise lasted all of six weeks. Jordan Love has been dealing for a month, looking like the franchise quarterback the Packers drafted to replace Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay stays blessed.
14. Indianapolis Colts (7-5): In their first game since Jonathan Taylor’s thumb injury, the Colts rushed for just 55 yards on Sunday against the Titans. Indianapolis needs to find a way to get the ground game going while Taylor is out to help make life easier on the erratic gunslinger Gardner Minshew.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5): The Steelers were pushed around by the Arizona Cardinals at home Sunday and lost quarterback Kenny Pickett and guard Isaac Seumalo in the process. Pickett was wearing a boot on the sideline, which likely signals Mitchell Trubisky will get the nod Thursday against the Patriots. Gross.
16. Denver Broncos (6-6): The Broncos’ five-game winning streak was buoyed by a plus-13 turnover differential. That went the other way Sunday as Russell Wilson threw three interceptions in a critical loss for Denver’s playoff hopes. The Broncos’ chances aren’t dead, but they’ll likely need some help down the stretch to make the postseason.
17. Seattle Seahawks (6-6): Seattle dropped out of the NFC playoff picture on Sunday and will face an uphill climb to get back in it. The Seahawks face the 49ers and Eagles in the next two weeks. Barring an upset, Seattle will be 6-8 with three games left and lose the tie-breaker to the Rams. Uphill, Pete Carroll trudges.
18. Minnesota Vikings (6-6): The Joshua Dobbs pixie dust ran out last week against the Bears, and now Kevin O’Connell faces a big decision at quarterback as the Vikings exit the bye week. Rookie Jaren Hall was the first name O’Connell mentioned after the loss to the Bears. Will Minnesota put its playoff hopes in the fifth-round pick’s hands?
19. Cincinnati Bengals (6-6): The Jets would go 12/5 if they had Jake Browning.
20. Atlanta Falcons (6-6): The Falcons are alone atop the NFC South after a win over the Tim Boyle/Trevor Siemian Frankenstein Jets. Atlanta put up fewer than 200 yards of offense on Sunday. Desmond Ridder and Co. have to find a way to be more consistent if they want to win the NFL’s worst division.
21. Los Angeles Chargers (5-7): Lost in the tornado of Brandon Staley discourse this season is that Kellen Moore turned into a pumpkin at offensive coordinator. The Bolts need to clean house this offseason after wasting Justin Herbert’s rookie contract.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7): Death, taxes, and Mike Evans record 1,000-yard seasons. The Bucs star made it 10 straight Sunday, tying him with Randy Moss for the second-most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in NFL history. Jerry Rice, of course, stands alone above them.
23. New Orleans Saints (5-7): Derek Carr once again left the game with a shoulder injury and to get checked for a concussion. Carr was booed by Saints fans early in the game. It’s time, Saints. Put the keys in Jameis Winston’s hands.
24. Las Vegas Raiders (5-7): Give Antonio Pierce credit for stabilizing the ship in Sin City. I don’t think it’s going to be enough to get him the full-time job, though. Mark Davis will go big fish hunting again.
25. Chicago Bears (4-8): The Bucs’ win over the Panthers and the Cardinals’ win over the Steelers bumped the Bears’ chances of getting the No. 1 overall pick via Carolina, over 70 percent. Bears stay hot on the bye week.
26. New York Jets (4-8): Aaron Rodgers’ “comeback” is all but over after the Jets’ loss to the Falcons. At least we can bury that storyline.
27. Arizona Cardinals (3-10): The Cardinals head into the bye week after a convincing win over the Steelers at The Big Mustard Bottle. At 3-10 and with the Panthers and Patriots in full tank mode, the Cardinals’ win Sunday might be what takes them out of the Caleb Williams-Drake Maye sweepstakes and keeps Kyler Murray in the desert for at least one more season.
28. New York Giants (4-8): After a so-so start to his NFL career, Tommy DeVito authored back-to-back good outings in wins over the Commanders and Patriots. His agent also told NFL Media that the undrafted rookie turned down significantly more money from Washington in order to play for the hometown Giants. Cult hero status is rising.
29. Tennessee Titans (4-8): The Titans lost four key players Sunday against the Colts and missed an extra point that would have given them the lead with 5:25 to play. They lost in overtime. Woof.  
30. Washington Commanders (4-9): Paddleboard Ron Rivera took over as defensive play-caller this week, and it didn’t change a thing. The Dolphins scored 24 points in the first half en route to a 45-15 win. The Commanders have now lost nine of their last 11 games. That’s about all she wrote for Rivera in D.C.
31. New England Patriots (2-10): The Patriots have now lost three straight games in which the opponent has scored 10 points or fewer. No team has done that since 1938. Drake Maye, come on down!
32. Carolina Panthers (1-11): The Panthers were officially eliminated from playoff contention Sunday. Carolina’s biggest problem is that it can’t fire or cut bait with the organization’s biggest issue: owner David Tepper.

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They are playing the best ball of the Matt Eberflus era, and there’s no way of knowing if head coach Matt Eberflus or quarterback Justin Fields will be in Chicago in 2024.

That could put some added pressure on a 4-8 team exiting a late-season bye. The Bears feel that their final five games are winnable and that an unlikely playoff berth could be in the cards if they run the table.

Whether or not that becomes reality, it’s no secret that how these final five weeks play out will play a significant role in determining the future of Fields, Eberflus, and the franchise’s direction. The veterans on the team are cognizant of that as they prepare for a home stretch that starts with Sunday’s visit from the Detroit Lions.

“That is the business we’re in,” linebacker T.J. Edwards said Monday at Halas Hall. “I think no matter what, it’s kind of always there. But at the end of the day, we’re here to win games and we’re here to be the best football players we can be. That’s something we have to do. That is our job. That is what we’re here for. I think our team is understanding that these are important games and we know that if we want to do what we’ve gotta do, we’ve gotta win ‘em. And we’re excited about that. We have the right people in here, the right leaders who understand that and to keep the main thing the main thing.”

Tight end Cole Kmet signed a four-year, $50 million contract extension this offseason. The Illinois native is one of the foundational pieces of general manager Ryan Poles’ rebuild. Kmet has offered both honest critiques and strong support for the direction the franchise is headed.

To Kmet, there’s optimism in the Bears’ recent play and how the staff and players overcame the early-season adversity and came through the other side. That has shown up over an eight-game stretch where the Bears went 4-4 but let games against the Lions and New Orleans Saints slip away.

“I think we have been making progress, and I think that’s been showing on tape,” Kmet said Monday. “When you kinda take the results aside — it’s a mix of both because it’s a results league — but if you’re being critical about your play, you just kinda look at the tape and look at the silence of the tape, and that’s kinda what you have to look at and go off of. You can see the progression that’s been going on, whether it’s been in our run scheme or pass pro, guys on routes. You’ve seen the steps there on tape.

“The results haven’t been always what we’ve wanted them to be. We’re optimistic that if we keep grinding away at this thing and keep going at it the way we have been, then the results will start to show up.”

Kmet has already been through a coaching change and a quarterback swap during his Bears tenure. He understands and has heard the noise that change could be coming this offseason if progress isn’t made, maintained, and built on in the right areas.

The best way to make that chatter dissipate is to win.

“I think it’s just taking it one game at a time. You take this thing one game at a time,” Kmet said. “If you focus on the things that matter, and I think that’s winning each and every week and making a push here for playoffs, that’s my mindset with it because there’s still an opportunity to do that, you just focus on the main thing. And then at the end of the season, you let the cards fall where they may. But we’re not worried about that stuff right now, and we’re just taking this thing one game at a time.”

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Eberflus offered a similar answer when asked about his job security Monday, saying he’ll just “put his best foot forward” and believes that will deliver the desired results and keep the arrow pointing up entering a critical offseason.

With two top-five picks potentially waiting for them when the season ends, the Bears need to use these final five games as a fact-finding mission as it pertains to Eberlfus, Fields, and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

Should any return? Is it best if the slate is wiped clean? Or are continuity and patience the recipe for success that the Bears should follow?

After facing the Lions on Sunday, the Bears will travel to Cleveland to meet a Browns team leaking oil before returning home to face the lowly Arizona Cardinals and inconsistent Atlanta Falcons. Eberflus, Fields, and Co. will then finish the season on the road at Green Bay in a game that could have playoff implications for the Packers, and, perhaps, the Bears if they can author an unlikely run.

“Obviously I’m treating it like we’re in playoff mode now,” Kmet said. “I think five very winnable games here to end the season. Who knows what can happen at 9-8? I’m not looking too big picture — you take it one week at a time. Look, there’s a lot of flux at the bottom of the NFC here, especially for that seven, six spot. You never know what can happen. You gotta take it one week at a time and we’ll see where it goes.”

Where it goes over the final five games will likely determine where it heads in 2024 and beyond.

Teams that are 4-8 aren’t often playing consequential games in December. That’s not the case for the 2023 Bears.

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If you don’t deliver the desired results, they’ll find someone who will.

Eberflus’ second season as Bears’ head coach got off to the most disastrous start imaginable. The Bears lost their first four games, their defense was the worst in the NFL, and third-year quarterback Justin Fields appeared to be regressing. Throw in the mysterious resignation of defensive coordinator Alan Williams and the Chase Claypool failure, and Eberflus’ seat, at least from the outside looking in, was scalding hot early in October.

But things have taken a positive turn over the past two months. The Bears are 4-4 in their last eight games, the defense has made great strides under Eberflus’ direction, and Fields has shown signs of progress since returning from a dislocated thumb.

The Bears are trending in the right direction as the season hits the home stretch. But there are still whispers about a pending change at head coach. Jim Harbaugh has been mentioned as a potential replacement. Detriot Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is a popular name.

Eberflus isn’t oblivious to the importance of the Bears’ final five games to his future but isn’t outwardly buckling under the pressure. This is the life of a coach in the NFL.

“You know the season didn’t start the way everybody wanted, for sure,” Eberflus said Monday at Halas Hall. “But over the last eight weeks, we’ve put some good things out there. We’re certainly excited about doing that this week. Our focus is — as any time in the NFL — is where your feet are. We’ve got to be focused on this game and this game only to put your best foot forward out there, and that’s what we’re doing this week.”

On November 1, general manager Ryan Poles gave a strong statement in support of Eberflus as the then-2-6 Bears navigated a wave of adversity after the dismissal of running backs coach David Walker.

“What I see every day, where I see him address the team and I see his approach through adversity, it is stable, man,” Poles said. “And I know in the outside world, it doesn’t look like that. And I know it looks like we’re far away. But this dude comes in every day and just keeps chipping away. He has high integrity. The people that he brings in here, he’s done the work to make sure that they’re the people they’re supposed to be. Again, we hold that standard. If it doesn’t follow that and people aren’t acting that way, they’re not here.

“But the way he holds everything down here is incredible for how loud it is, how tough it is. I mean, this team, you watch them, they fight. I know this past weekend wasn’t great, but you can’t watch that team and be like, oh, they’re going to fold. Most teams fold, and they’re not folding. It’s been hard. It’s been really hard, especially from where we started last year, trying to build this and do it the right way. What I see from him on a daily basis and how he gets this team ready on a weekly basis, to me, I see a grown man that has leadership skills to get this thing out of the hole and into where it needs to be.”

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Bears Rookie Report Card: Grading Darnell Wright, Tyson Bagent, others after 12 games

On Monday, Eberflus was asked if he felt that his job was safe, given Poles’ public backing. The head coach reverted to his previous answer, understanding that if the arrow keeps pointing up for the final five games, he’ll likely avoid the axe.

“What you can focus on is leadership, and the first rule of leadership is leading yourself,” Eberflus said. “Come to work every day, put the plans together — offense, defense, special teams — lead the football team, help the leadership council, lead the football team as well, because true leadership comes from within. I think that’s really what you focus on, and that’s put your best foot forward every single day.”

Those in league circles are split on whether or not Eberflus will get a third season in Chicago. Many factors, including the Bears’ draft position and available replacement candidates, could play a role.

I don’t get the sense that Poles wants to fire Eberflus. I don’t think the 2022 record factors into the equation at all. If we’re being honest, the way a 2022 team, relatively devoid of talent, fought until the end is probably a feather in his cap.

The defensive improvement over the last two months also buoys Eberflus’ case to stay. The Bears now have the NFL’s best run defense and rank ninth in yards allowed.

If the Bears finish strong, there’s a good chance Eberflus returns for 2024.

For now, all he and the Bears can do is put their best foot forward.

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That’s exactly the situation that has played out for the Bears, yet many fans have already written off head coach Matt Eberflus moving forward. They’re happier daydreaming about Jim Harbaugh ditching the Wolverines to come back to the NFL than watching the rest of the season. Understandable considering the Bears have lost more games in excruciating fashion this year, but maybe a bit premature considering the team could still see a 100% improvement from last year to this year.

This year has always been about evaluation for the Bears. Of course winning games is the ultimate goal, and competing for the postseason is always the standard. But first the Bears need to figure out if they are on the right path. Preseason questions really weren’t about what seed the Bears could lock up in the NFC. We were asking if Justin Fields could take the next step in his personal development. Would GM Ryan Poles’ bold moves, like passing on Jalen Carter for Darnell Wright or trading for DJ Moore and Chase Claypool pay off? Would we see signs that Eberflus’ program was contributing to better ball and more wins?

We have some answers already, but in most cases the jury is still out. With five games to go a lot remains unseen and unexpected trends could still develop. We don’t know if the Bears will head into the offseason with a bit of momentum, or if they’ll flounder near the bottom of the standings. The last month of the season could determine the future for this team. However the team has moved in the right direction in a couple of key areas that indicate Eberflus has done well and should get the opportunity to lead the team for at least another season.

From a big picture standpoint, the Bears have simply won more games over the past couple of months, and they’ve done it at a much higher rate. Since their 0-4 start to the season, the Bears have gone 4-4 to dig themselves out of the NFL basement. Normally playing .500 ball isn’t worth celebrating, but it’s notable given last year’s disastrous campaign and the awful start to this season. Going from worst to first does happen in the NFL. However it’s far more common for a team to gradually improve over two or three seasons before seriously contending. Wins against the Panthers, Raiders, Commanders and Vikings might not seem all too impressive, but before the Bears can be the best they have to be not the worst. They’ve already proven to be better than the true bottom of the league and could very well climb higher out of the basement with games against the lowly Cardinals, middling Browns and Falcons, and the hot-and-cold Packers left.

Part of the reason the Bears have managed to win more games recently is because key players still buy into Eberflus’ vision and methodology. Eberflus has not lost the locker room, even after gut-wrenching losses. In particular, the Bears could have completely collapsed after their losses to the Broncos and the Lions. In each case the Bears let what seemed like a sure win through their fingers in the late stages of the game. Those moments can send teams into tailspins, but the Bears followed up each of those awful losses with wins. That speaks to Eberflus’ ability to keep the team together.

Getting into the nitty gritty, Eberflus has also done well to improve a key facet on his side of the ball. In just one year, he’s helped to transform the run defense from one of the worst units in the league to one of the best. Big personnel additions like Andrew Billings, T.J. Edwards and Montez Sweat have helped. So has the development of young players like Kyler Gordon. But Eberflus deserves credit for putting those players in a position to succeed. When Eberflus took over defensive coordinator duties in Week 2, he called a more aggressive game. Eberflus dialed up more blitzes and exotic personnel packages. It helped. In 2022 the Bears ranked dead last in rushing touchdowns (31) and first downs allowed (151), 31st in rushing yards allowed (2,674) and tied for 26th in yards per carry allowed (5.0). This year they rank tied for first in rushing yards allowed (948) and first downs allowed (58), second in yards per carry allowed (3.4), and tied for third in rushing touchdowns allowed (6). That kind of turnaround deserves praise.

Again, there is still plenty of football left to be played. If the Bears slide back again it’s fair to question whether Eberflus should be the guy to lead the team in 2024. Problem areas like the large number of penalties the team commits week after week deserve scrutiny. But if the Bears win a couple of more games and if the defense continues to play well, then Eberflus should probably stick around for at least another year.

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While the Bears are technically still “in the hunt” for the playoffs, their chances of making a run for the postseason are really a pipedream. So why not take a look at the upcoming crop of rookie talent to see who may help the team moving forward?

We’ve done several mock drafts already, including scenarios where the Bears select Caleb Williams or Drake Maye to take over at quarterback. We’ve also explored what it may look like if the Bears decide to stick with Justin Fields and trade away the No. 1 overall pick for a second year in a row. We’re gonna go down that last route again in this mock draft.

As always, this mock draft is not an attempt to predict what the Bears will actually do when they’re back in the War Room next offseason. That’s impossible. This mock draft is meant as an opportunity to dig into some of the intriguing college prospects this season, and how those players may fit in Chicago.

TRADE!

BEARS SEND NO. 1 OVERALL PICK TO NEW ENGLAND FOR NOS. 2, 66 AND 2025 FOURTH-ROUND PICKS

Rather than moving up for a quarterback in 2021, the Patriots let Mac Jones fall to them. This time they act aggressively to get their guy. Bears GM Ryan Poles had better offers for the No. 1 pick, but he takes a smaller haul to ensure he doesn’t miss on a dynamite player at No. 2.

NO. 2: MARVIN HARRISON JR. – WIDE RECEIVER – OHIO STATE

The Bears opt to build around Fields by drafting the best wide receiver in this year’s class. Harrison Jr. can do it all and beats defenses in a variety of ways. He’s great off the line, he’s a wonderful route runner and boasts phenomenal hands when catching the ball. Beyond the raw talent and technique, Harrison Jr. has also been lauded for his top-notch work ethic and supreme competitive drive. He’s as blue-chip as blue-chip gets. Harrison Jr. and DJ Moore give the Bears a serious one-two punch at wide receiver.

NO. 5: DALLAS TURNER – EDGE – ALABAMA

Turner hasn’t generated the same hype that Will Anderson did last season, but he’s a productive pass rusher in his own right. Turner has the speed to make tackles in pursuit, the side-to-side agility to keep ball carriers in front of him and the strength to shed blocks. Even though he’s listed as an outside linebacker, Turner has plenty of experience rushing with a hand in the dirt, which is important to play defensive end in Matt Eberflus’ scheme. He should be able to make the transition to defensive end without any trouble. Turner leads the Crimson Tide with 10 sacks and 14.5 TFL. Turner is a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which recognizes the best defensive player in the nation.

NO. 66: ROD MOORE – SAFETY – MICHIGAN

Eddie Jackson only has one year left on his current deal, and hasn’t been able to stay on the field due to a nagging foot injury, so the Bears need to start thinking about a replacement safety. Right now, Elijah Hicks has been the man to fill in when Jackson is out, but the team will likely want to bring in more young talent to compete for the starting free safety job. Moore has shown the ball-hawking skills that the Bears covet on defense with six interceptions over the past two seasons. His solid 6.8% missed tackle rate will please the defensive coaches too.

NO. 69: JOHNNY WILSON – WIDE RECEIVER – FLORIDA STATE

If the Bears decide to move on from Darnell Mooney this offseason, they’ll need to add a couple of wide receivers, not just Harrison Jr. Wilson entered the season as a potential first-round prospect, but his stock has fallen over the year due to a propensity for drops and some lackluster production. But Poles loves prospects with traits you can’t teach, and Wilson comes in with a monster 6’7”, 237 lbs frame. He uses that body well for contested catches and jump balls. With DJ Moore and Harrison Jr. in the mix, Wilson also has a better chance to thrive as a No. 3 or 4 option.

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Spearheaded by right tackle Darnell Wright, the Bears entered the season believing they would get meaningful contributions from most of their rookies.

Wright, along with second-round cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, were penciled in as Day 1 starters, with defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and running back Roschon Johnson expected to contribute heavily in rotational roles.

With two-thirds of the season gone, the Bears have gotten impressive returns from some members of the class while others haven’t popped as expected.

CHICAGO BEARS

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Schrock: Jim Harbaugh would make sense for Bears if key questions get right answers

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Here’s the rookie report card as the 4-8 Bears enter December: (Editor’s note: These grades factor in preseason expectations, draft slot, etc., so players that more was expected of will be graded harsher. Linebacker Noah Sewell did not meet the snap requirements for the grading rubric.)

DARNELL WRIGHT, OT

Wright has been through a trial by fire during his rookie season.

The Tennessee right tackle has faced several of the best pass rushers in the NFL, including Maxx Crosby, Khalil Mack, Aidan Hutchinson, Danielle Hunter, Rashan Gary, Shaq Barrett, Chris Jones, Chase Young, and now teammate Montez Sweat.

Wright has held his own in those battles but also taken some lumps that will serve him well down the line.

“He’s going to take off, man. He’s going to keep getting better,” offensive line coach Chris Morgan said. “It’s because of the kind of kid he is. He likes to play and compete. He wants to win every rep.

“The more he plays, the better he’ll get.”

Per Pro Football Focus, Wright has given up 38 pressures and six sacks in 454 pass-blocking opportunities this season. That’s the most pressures allowed by any rookie tackle with at least 250 pass-blocking snaps. The six sacks are tied with Arizona Cardinals rookie Paris Johnson Jr. for the most among rookies.

Those 38 pressures allowed are tied for the fifth most among all tackles with at least 300 pass-blocking snaps. The six sacks allowed are tied for fourth most among all tackles.

But Wright has performed well given the quality of rusher he has faced on a weekly basis this season and has improved after a rocky start.

Wright allowed 20 pressures and three sacks in the first five games of the season. He has only allowed 12 pressures and three sacks in the last five.

He has also been a pretty good run-blocker, especially during a midseason stretch when Teven Jenkins was on his immediate left at right guard.

Wright hasn’t been perfect, but he has shown consistent improvement and held his own against several of the top rushers in the league. He’ll only get better.

GRADE: B+

TYRIQUE STEVENSON, CB

Stevenson is another talented rookie who has taken his lumps so far this season.

Rookie cornerbacks almost always face a steep learning curve when they enter the league. They have to adjust to the speed of the game and the way it’s officiated. They are also constantly targeted, especially when playing opposite a proven cover corner as Stevenson is with Jaylon Johnson.

Per PFF, the Miami product has been targeted 73 times in 11 games. That’s the fifth most among all cornerbacks. Stevenson has allowed 52 catches for 513 yards and seven touchdowns. Those rank third, 14th, and tied for first among corners with at least 275 coverage snaps.

The Bears expected Stevenson to have a lot of learning moments. But he has played his best ball of late, including a stellar game in Week 11 against the Detroit Lions in which he was only targeted once while notching an interception and forcing a fumble on special teams.

The Bears believe the light bulb is on.

“It’s been really good. It’s been solid,” head coach Matt Eberflus said of Stevenson’s growth. “You play corner in the NFL as a rookie, first of all, they’re going to highlight you and they’re going to come at you the first half of the season. They’re going to test your water and see what it’s like. And I think he’s responded. He’s had some battles. He’s lost some of those battles. He’s won a good portion of those. The biggest thing with him is you have to learn. You have to keep learning and put it in your file so you become a better pro.

“What’s really good about him is he plays one play at a time. He flushes the play and goes to the next one, good, bad, or indifferent. That’s what you have to be as a corner — you have to have a short memory and keep moving. Every single week, it’s a different set. Every single down, it’s a different set of people you’re covering. Everybody puts a different set of circumstances in front of you in terms of their skill level. He’s learned how to adapt his skill to the people he’s covering and what’s effective against that particular receiver.”

Stevenson’s grade takes a ding for the expected rookie corner moments, but there’s reason for optimism for his long-term prospects.

GRADE C+

GERVON DEXTER, DT

Dexter was always going to be a project for the Bears.

Chicago drafted the Florida defensive tackle in the second round with an eye toward the future. The Bears knew they needed to rework his stance and improve his get-off. The tools are there with Dexter but the Bears were careful to preach patience.

Dexter has shown some flashes during his rookie season, but he hasn’t been able to make a consistent impact as a pass rusher or run-stopper.

On the season, Dexter has just 17 pressures and has not recorded a sack, per PFF. Ten of those 17 pressures came in two games, with Dexter finding “his fastball” against the Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions.

The Florida product does have the second-best pass-rush win percentage among qualified rookie defensive tackles at 11.7 percent, per PFF. That number trails only Philadelphia Eagles rookie Jalen Carter.

Dexter is only averaging 24 snaps per game while rotating in behind Justin Jones and nose tackle Andrew Billings so there’s reason to believe more production will come with more snaps next season.

The Bears “graded the flashes” when they drafted Dexter. The flashes have been impressive, but they need to become the norm.

GRADE: C

ZACCH PICKENS, DT

The other half of the Bears’ defensive tackle draft haul, Pickens has played sparingly this season.

Through 12 games, he is averaging just under 15 snaps per game. He has notched just four pressures and one sack this season, per PFF.

Pickens has also been a subpar run defender.

The belief was that Pickens’ quick get-off would allow him to make a more immediate impact than Dexter.

That hasn’t happened, and it appears there’s a lot more work to be done.

GRADE: D

Roschon Johnson, RB

The Bears set the bar high for Johnson right out of the gate, with talk of him being a foundational pillar taking place minutes after they selected the Texas running back.

Johnson quickly overtook D’Onta Foreman in the running back pecking order but has yet to have a breakout performance.

Johnson has rushed 54 times for 232 yards and one touchdown on the season. He is averaging 4.30 yards per attempt on just over five carries per game. Johnson has also caught 24 passes for 131 yards and done a solid job in pass protection.

Johnson is a tough runner who will be a staple of the Bears backfield. The production will come with more opportunities.

GRADE: B+

Tyler Scott, WR

Scott’s role increased when the Bears jettisoned Chase Claypool in Week 5.

The speedy receiver has 10 catches for 81 yards on just 19 targets this season. Scott has only one drop but quarterback have a passer rating of just 41.8 when targeting him, per PFF. That probably says more about the Bears’ disjointed passing offense than it does Scott’s ability.

A former running back, Scott still is very early in his wide receiver education.

As such, there have been good moments and bad.

One week after making a critical catch on fourth down against the Carolina Panthers, Scott “misjudged” a deep pass from quarterback Justin Fields that would have sealed a win over the Lions. Detroit came back to win the game in the final minute.

Scott will get better with more reps. He’s a hard worker who wants to be great and has the full confidence of the locker room.

GRADE: C

Terell Smith, CB

The Bears and specifically head coach Matt Eberflus have gushed about Smith since he arrived for rookie minicamp.

Despite missing most of the offseason program with an injury, Smith entered training camp in a battle with Stevenson to be the No. 2 outside corner. Another injury allowed Stevenson to claim the spot, but Smith has gotten a decent amount of time this season both before and after a bout with mono.

In six games this season, Smith has played 228 snaps (157 coverage), per PFF.

On the season, Smith has given up 16 catches on 25 targets for 160 yards. Opposing quarterbacks have a rating of 82.1 when targeting him.

Smith has been sticky in coverage and a sure tackler in the run game.

He could very well wind up being a draft steal.

GRADE: B+

Tyson Bagent, QB

Bagent stole the show in the preseason and proved he belonged during a four-week stretch where he stepped in for an injured Fields.

The undrafted rookie out of Division II Shepherd completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 862 yards, three touchdowns, and six interceptions in those four-plus games.

Bagent operated the offense efficiently and went 2-2 as a starter. He played his best ball during the first three quarters in New Orleans before turning the ball over three times in the final stanza.

The turnovers obviously need to be cleaned up. That goes without saying.

But Bagent made quick decisions, was accurate, and showed tremendous poise.

At the very least, the Bears found a competent backup who they can trust to handle things should his number be called.

“We never put ceiling on players, but we certainly like where his floor is because the sky’s the limit for everybody,” Eberflus said of Bagent. “You never want to do that. Guys can grow into certain spaces that they didn’t even think they could. So, you have to give them that opportunity, but we certainly like where he is right now.”

GRADE: B+

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The Bears are understandably a team often mentioned as a possible landing spot for Harbaugh. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini said Wednesday on FOX Sports that the Bears have had “conversations” about Harbaugh should they decide to fire head coach Matt Eberflus.

If the Bears move on from Eberflus, Harbaugh would make a lot of sense.

He is an elite coach and program builder. He went 44-19-1 during his four seasons as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Harbaugh led the 49ers to two NFC West titles, three NFC Championship Game appearances, and one Super Bowl berth. The 49ers didn’t have a winning season in the eight years before Harbaugh arrived and went 7-25 in the two seasons after before starting a rebuild spearheaded by John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan.

Harbaugh knows what he is doing. He knows how to build a team and a culture. He wins everywhere he goes. His demeanor and personality should make him immune to the poison inside Halas Hall that seems to just about everyone who enters into the worst version of themselves.

I don’t think there’s a good argument to be made against the Bears hiring Harbaugh if they decide two years of Eberflus is enough.

But the Bears would need the answers to a few key questions to line up before anyone starts thinking about an introductory press conference at Halas Hall for Harbaugh.

First, they have to decide if Eberflus deserves a third season.

I’ve said for the past month that I don’t think Eberflus’ seat is as hot as the outside world wants it to be. General manager Ryan Poles’ statement of support last month didn’t sound like a typical word salad from a GM about to drop the axe. Poles’ backing of Eberflus sounded genuine and at least gave the impression that he believes he has the right guy in the building.

Eberflus has also done great work with the Bears’ defense this season.

After holding the Minnesota Vikings to 10 points and 242 total yards on Monday night, the Bears’ defense now ranks ninth in yards allowed per game and first in rushing yards allowed per game at 79.0. The Bears’ defense has forced seven turnovers in the past two games. Now fully healthy and with an elite edge rusher in Montez Sweat, Eberflus’ defense is showing that it works when all the right pieces are in place, and the right guy is pulling the strings.

I would also assume the Bears don’t judge Eberflus’ record the same way the outside world does. The 2022 season was always going to be a lost cause record-wise, but Eberflus got a young locker room to play hard throughout and buy into his culture and system.

Despite having a bad run of injury luck, the Bears are 3-3 in their last six games and are two fourth-quarter meltdowns away from being 6-6 on the season. The meltdowns should be attributed to coaching. At the end of the day, it falls on Eberflus’ ledger.

It has been far from perfect, but the Bears are showing progress under Eberflus this season.

At the moment, I feel like that will be enough to get him Year 3.

CHICAGO BEARS

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If the Bears choose to look for a new head coach, the next test to pass is the Kevin Warren exam.

The Bears’ new president and CEO will make the hire. While Harbaugh is a great coach, there’s a feeling in league circles that Warren and Harbaugh don’t exactly see eye-to-eye after the former’s time as Big Ten commissioner.

Only Warren and Harbaugh know if the headbutting between the two during the COVID-19 pandemic caused bad blood or if it’s just a case of Harbaugh grating people the wrong way, as he seems to do at every stop.

There’s obviously no chance Warren’s first head coach hire will be someone he doesn’t get along with and won’t want to work with on a daily basis.

That brings us to what I would say is the potential big hurdle in this hypothetical Harbaugh-to-the-Bears scenario.

Who has personnel control?

Harbaugh’s time in San Francisco ended after he continuously butted heads with general manager Trent Baalke over personnel decisions the coach disagreed with. Baalke eventually won the power struggle, and Harbaugh left after the 2014 season.

When Harbaugh’s brother-in-law Tom Crean was removed as head basketball coach at Indiana in 2017, Harbaugh peeled back the onion a bit on his time in San Francisco.

“Much like my situation in San Francisco, the people that are doing the micromanaging…when it comes to building a ball team, what they know could not blow up a small balloon,” Harbaugh said via Sports Illustrated’s Michael Rosenberg. “In my case, an owner and a general manager. In his case, an administration. They are so similar in that way. And he still wins two Big Ten championships outright.”

Given how his time in San Francisco ended, the feeling around the league is that Harbaugh likely will ask for personnel control when he returns to the NFL.

So where would that leave Poles, who owner George McCaskey gave the keys to less than two years ago? Are the Bears going to fire Poles? Will they try to arrange a marriage similar to the one the Las Vegas Raiders had with Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock, where Mayock was the general manager and oversaw the scouting and personnel departments, but Gruden had the final say on the moves?

Neither is an ideal situation for a franchise that is still very early in a rebuild.

The Bears agreed to give Poles time to see his vision through. The team has added talent, and the arrow appears to be pointing up. He’s a young GM and has made mistakes. None fatal to this point. Pulling the plug this early would only set the franchise back. Asking Poles to stay but be under Harbaugh when it comes to personnel decisions probably isn’t going to fly.

That’s a quandary. A solution exists, but it will be the hardest of these questions to answer in a way that sets the Bears up for long-term success.

I don’t think quarterback Justin Fields factors into the Harbaugh equation much, if at all. If Fields continues to play well enough down the stretch to earn another season as the starter, it likely means he saved Eberflus’ job in the process. If the Bears decide to move on from Fields, they should also clean house and bring in a staff to choose its quarterback and put everyone on the same timeline.

It’s hard to see a world in which Harbaugh is coaching a Bears team led by Fields in 2024. Maybe Harbaugh gets hired and thinks he can get Fields to turn the flashes into consistency. It’s possible but logical puzzle pieces just don’t fit seamlessly together.

Doesn’t mean it can’t happen. The Bears don’t exactly do things by the book, but it’s just the least likely of the scenarios, in my opinion.

The Harbaugh-Bears rumors will undoubtedly continue until one side squashes them. In all likelihood, it will be just noise in the end.

Harbaugh would be a great fit. But timing is everything, and the Bears would have to make multiple things align for the move to make sense this offseason. It’s doable if the Bears want to make it happen.

But with other franchises with bigger upside potentially willing to give him what he wants, Harbaugh’s NFL return likely will be somewhere other than Chicago.

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Expectations varied for the team this year, with some believing they could push for a playoff spot and others believing they would repeat as the worst team in the NFL. As it turned out, things trended closer to the latter than the former, but it’s clear they’re an improved football team. The run defense has gone from one of the worst units in the league to one of the best. The addition of Montez Sweat has improved the pass rush immensely. Jaylon Johnson is playing some of the best ball of his career.

Scroll on to see who’s taking home our bye week hardware:

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Winner: Kyler Gordon
Runner up: Jaylon Johnson

Gordon went through his fair share of struggles as a rookie last year, when he bounced between outside corner and slot corner. This year he’s just focused on playing inside and has noticeably improved. Gordon has said his game right now is nowhere near where it was last season. He’s thinking less and playing faster, and the result has been performing more instinctively. Gordon’s been a key contributor on run defense and has made several tackles near the line of scrimmage. His violent approach in the middle of the field has caused several incompletions, as well. Gordon has started to come into his own this season and appears to have a bright future defending the slot.

It seems a bit silly to have Johnson listed for this category since he’s been such a great coverage corner throughout his career, but his improvements as a ballhawk warrant praise. The only knock on Johnson had been his lack of interceptions and forced fumbles and he’s made great strides in the takeaway department this year.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Winner: Tyrique Stevenson
Runner up: Gervon Dexter

The Bears rookie defenders haven’t made an enormously positive impact this year, but Stevenson has made the biggest mark of the bunch. He earned a Week 1 starting job opposite Jaylon Johnson, and unsurprisingly has been picked on a ton by opposing quarterbacks. That’s life for a rookie CB– especially one who shares the field with a lockdown defender like Johnson. Stevenson has had his fair share of struggles, which is understandable given the situation. He’s also noticeably improved as the year has progressed. Stevenson has given up fewer explosive plays recently and has also displayed some of the ball skills that enticed the Bears enough to trade up in the draft to select him.

Dexter has also improved as the season has gone on and has quietly risen up the team’s pressure leaderboard. He’s still looking for his first sack, but his 17 pressures rank sixth among Bears defensive linemen and his 11.7% pass rush win rate trails only Sweat. But his small 38% snap share kept him from winning our ROY award.

MOST IMPACTFUL NEWCOMER

Winner: Montez Sweat
Runners up: Andrew Billings, T.J. Edwards

Sweat hasn’t even been with the Bears for a full month, yet he’s given the pass rush a noticeable boost already. In just four games, Sweat ranks second on the team in sacks (2.5), tied for fourth in QB hits (6) and tied for fifth in total pressures (18). His ability has also allowed Matt Eberflus to get more creative with personnel groupings and simulated pressure looks, which have helped others get free. In the four games since Sweat joined the team, the Bears have averaged 0.5 sacks more per game. They’ve also averaged one extra interception per game as opposing quarterbacks have had their clocks sped up.

Two players are equally deserving of honorable mentions in this category in Billings and Edwards. When the Bears signed Billings to a one-year deal this offseason, the expectation was he would be a run-stuffer to eat up snaps while rookie Zacch Pickens developed. However, Billings worked on his body and his technique and ended up being the team’s most reliable pass rusher at nose tackle, a position not typically known for big pressure numbers. Meanwhile, Edwards has shaken off a slow start to emerge as a wonderful weakside linebacker in Eberflus’ defense. He’s already racked up 127 tackles, which lead the defense by a whopping 50 stops.

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR (BEST NON-STARTER)

Winner: Terell Smith
Runner up: Jack Sanborn

Playing cornerback in the NFL as a rookie is tough. Coming in to do it off the bench, after taking far fewer practice snaps than starters receive, is even harder. And yet, Smith has performed admirably when pressed into duty. Over seven games and three starts Smith has surrendered a 63% completion rate and 89.9 QB rating when targeted. He’s also made impressive tackles in the open field to prevent first downs and explosive gains. The Bears are bullish on Smith’s ceiling and it’s easy to see why.

Jack Sanborn made a splash last season when he rose from UDFA rookie to starting middle linebacker after the Roquan Smith trade. The Bears opted to sign Tremaine Edmunds to a monster deal and move Sanborn to strongside over the offseason, but when Edmunds went down with a knee injury Sanborn slid right back into his old spot and played reliably. A great depth piece for the defense.

MVP

Winner: Jaylon Johnson
Runner up: Montez Sweat

Without a doubt, Johnson has been the best player on the Bears defense. He’s continued his stellar play at cornerback by posting career bests in yards/completion allowed (9.1), yards allowed/target (5.2) and quarterback rating allowed (59.4). His 57.4% completion rate allowed is the second-best of his career. Add in the improved playmaking ability with three interceptions, one fumble recovery and one touchdown, and you’ve got a cornerback developing into a truly elite defender.

Sweat has made a major impact on the Bears defensive line and helped to transform it into a much more effective unit. But he’s only been with the team for a month compared to Johnson who’s been helping the squad all year.

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Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy relied on a screen-heavy approach to combat the Vikings’ constant defensive pressure. It had some success early on, but the Vikings adjusted, and the Bears’ offense stalled in the second half.

Two fourth-quarter fumbles by quarterback Justin Fields put the Bears in danger of dropping another game they controlled throughout. But the third-year quarterback engineered a game-winning drive to ensure the Bears left U.S. Bank Stadium with a 12-10 win in which they didn’t find the end zone.

Fields’ game-winning drive was a welcome sight for a Bears team that is steadily improving, but many questions remain about the franchise’s future direction as they enter the off-week.

Those questions start with the 2024 NFL Draft. The Bears are currently slated to own the No. 1 and No. 5 selections come April. But how the final five weeks unfold will play a significant role in how they attack another critical offseason.

That’s where we start this week’s mailbag:

We’ll begin without an overreaction and just try to game this out.

First, we’re assuming that the Bears stick with Fields and pass on Caleb Willams and Drake Maye.

I’d say that’s about 50/50 with five games to play.

But let’s say the Bears once again survey the QB class and decide Fields is better. If that’s the case, I agree Marvin Harrison Jr. is the obvious pick with one of the two first-rounders.

If the Bears own the No. 1 pick and aren’t taking a quarterback, they could trade down with a team looking for a QB and add future draft capital. But I wouldn’t move down past three if they want to make sure they get Harrison, who might be a top-10 receiver in the NFL the second he gets drafted.

The second first-round selection is where things get interesting.

That conversation will start at left tackle and the Bears’ evaluation of Braxton Jones.

Per Pro Football Focus, Jones has allowed just 14 pressures and one sack this season in 229 pass-blocking snaps. He has been whistled for seven penalties and missed six games with a neck injury.

Jones is improving and seems to be on track to securing his role as this rebuild’s starting left tackle.

If the Bears don’t feel that way and would rather Jones be their swing tackle, then Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt or Penn State left tackle Olu Fashanu should be the selection. If the Bears are good with Jones and Darnell Wright as their bookends, then that second first-round pick can be used in a number of ways. The Bears could double down on offense and draft Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, who would be a terrific compliment to Cole Kmet. They could go edge rusher with UCLA’s Laiatu Latu or Florida State’s Jared Verse. Or, they could trade down here as well, add more capital, and then either get a lesser edge prospect (Chop Robinson, Jared Verse, Dallas Turner), a defensive tackle (Jer’Zhan Newton), or a versatile offensive lineman (Graham Barton, Troy Fautanu). That will depend on how far they move down and how they address the other holes on their roster in free agency.

Overreaction? Yes.

I understand the thought process of moving down a bit and getting a guy in Malik Nabers, who is an insane talent in his own right.

But I’m not passing on Marvin Harrison Jr. He’s that special of a wide receiver prospect. Right now, the Bucs are projected to have the No. 7 pick. Nabers’ stock is rising around the league, so I don’t even know that it’s a safe bet he’ll be available at that selection.

Adding draft capital looks good on paper. Vea is a terrific defensive tackle. But sometimes teams get too cute. Just take Harrison. It’s a pick the Bears won’t regret, no matter who the quarterback is in 2024 and beyond.

Overreaction? Not at all.

Fields is incredibly polarizing, and I see both sides of the argument.

He’s arguably the best runner in the NFL with the ball in his hands. The athleticism is exceptional. He throws a great deep ball, and there are flashes when everything clicks, and it’s easy to see him as the guy for the next 10 years if he can harness it. I loved Fields coming out of Ohio State and thought the 49ers should have drafted him at No. 3 when they moved up in the 2021 draft. (They whiffed on Trey Lance but found Brock Purdy. Kyle Shanahan lives a blessed life.)

Fields landed in arguably the worst situation for a young quarterback that needed some time to develop. He fought through the lame-duck Matt Nagy year and showed promise last season with zero talent around him.

But the consistent, high-level passing that the Bears want to see hasn’t been there to this point. Part of that falls on the scheme, sure. But Fields has to own his inconsistencies this season. I don’t blame you if you’re watching Fields and think he’s fine but doesn’t have it. The flashes have been incredible, but there have been too many moments in three seasons where he either doesn’t see an open receiver, doesn’t throw a guy open, holds onto the ball too long, or turns it over in the fourth quarter.

However, I think Fields — outside of three fourth-quarter fumbles — has looked pretty good since he returned from the thumb injury. He is escaping the pocket with a passer’s mentality, keeping his eyes downfield, and hitting open guys in space. The internal clock and pocket presence still need to improve, but he has shown progress in the past two games.

Does it continue in the final month of the season? It might determine how the Bears approach the 2024 draft if it does.

Overreaction? No.

I think two things can be true: The Bears seeing Fields deliver in the clutch was important, and it probably means little in the big picture.

I wrote as much after the game.

Fields was 1-for-17 since the start of 2022 in converting game-winning drive opportunities before that drive started. He also just fumbled on his first attempt minutes early. The Bears also wouldn’t have been in that position had Fields not fumbled the first time and let them go up 12-3.

That game-winning drive was probably overstated because of how many times Fields and the offense have failed in that scenario in the past two seasons.

The Vikings didn’t blitz for the first time all game and left DJ Moore wide-open on a deep in. Fields made the throw, so he deserves credit for that.

But it doesn’t need to be made into something bigger than it was.

Overreaction? No.

I’ve written a few times about the Bears’ inability to unlock Mooney, as Nagy’s offense did in 2021.

I think there are several reasons for that. They’ve asked too much of him, the passing game has titled toward DJ Moore, and the aerial attack has been inconsistent at best.

It’s possible that the 1,000-yard season Mooney had in 2021 winds up being just an outlier, and he turns out to be just a good No. 3 receiver.

Right now, Mooney is tied with Brandon Powell and Khalil Shakur in catches with 25 and is tied with Christian Watson with 351 yards. Watson has played four fewer games than Mooney.

Mooney is going to look for the best deal in the offseason. That’s his right, and he should do what’s best for him and his family long-term.

I think Mooney would be open to re-signing with the Bears, but it will come down to numbers. I don’t think the four-year, $40 million projected deal from this past offseason is still out there. Would Mooney and the Bears be open to a Kendrick Bourne-type three for $15 million deal? I think something like that could make sense for both sides.

We’re going to end here on what is a nine-step offseason plan with two opinions sprinkled in. Shoutout to @K3N7AR01 for going deeeeeeep.

Let’s breeze through each step.

1. New coaches: I don’t think Matt Eberflus’ seat is as hot as the outside world wants to believe it is. The Bears’ defense has been playing much better since he took over, and they have been banged up until about two weeks ago. I do think that if the Bears plan to draft a quarterback, they should wipe the staff, bring in a new one, and let them choose the quarterback so all parties are on the same timeline. All signs point to Jim Harbaugh wanting to return to the NFL, and I think that would be a home-run hire for the Bears, even if it wouldn’t be entirely seamless.
2. Keep Poles: I think it’s probably the right call. I don’t think Poles is in any danger of losing his job. The Bears agreed to let him have the keys and maintain patience in the process. I haven’t agreed with a lot of his moves, but he should get one more year before the seat warms.
3. The locker room does believe in Fields. Its most vocal veteran leaders are staunch Fields supporters. I don’t know if moving on from him would take morale. Players generally understand the business. But if they trade Fields and bring in a rookie who struggles, things could get tense. I believe it’s 50/50 on whether or not Fields is the starting QB in 2024. It’ll depend on the final five games and where the Bears’ draft picks land.
4. Yes, they should pay Jaylon Johnson.
5. I think it’s the end of the road for Cody Whitehair. I personally would keep Eddie Jackson. He’s respected in the locker room and has bought into this staff’s vision from Day 1, which has allowed him to re-elevate his game.
6. Agreed. Marvin Harrison Jr. has to be one of the picks.
7. Trading down looks good on paper. It’ll depend on if they take a QB with the first pick, what they do in free agency, and what players are on the board when the trade calls come in.
8. The Bears’ center position has been an abject disaster this season. I don’t expect Lucas Patrick to be back as the starter. Poles has to find a long-term solution in the middle of the line.
9. The Bears are going to take an L on Velus Jones. It’s just a matter of when they admit defeat. St. Brown is a good run blocker, but the Bears are going to have money to spend, and there are better depth receiver options out there.

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Who have been the best performers? Who have been breakout players? Who’s done the most with limited opportunities? Scroll on to see our offensive midseason (ok really two-thirds through, but who cares) award winners.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Winner: Cole Kmet
Runner up: Lucas Patrick

The Bears signed Cole Kmet to a reported four-year, $50 million contract extension over the offseason and they’ve immediately seen a return on their investment. Kmet has continued to earn praise from coaches for his improved blocking, but more importantly he’s developed into a clear No. 2 pass-catching option for Fields. Kmet ranks second on the team in catches (56), receiving yards (482) and touchdowns (5). He trails only Moore in each of those categories. Further, Kmet’s catch per game (4.7) and yards per game (40.2) averages currently rank as career highs.

Lucas Patrick earns an honorable mention for sliding in to play reliably at center after his injuries last year led to a disastrous campaign at guard.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Winner: Darnell Wright
Runner up: Tyson Bagent

Playing offensive tackle as a rookie is extremely hard to do, and unsurprisingly Wright has struggled at times when defending some of the league’s premier pass rushers. However, Wright had several extremely impressive showings and has been downright dominant as a run blocker at times. There are plenty of instances where Wright has shown why the Bears drafted him with the No. 10 overall pick this year. If he continues to develop at the position, it’s reasonable to believe he could be a Pro Bowl-caliber tackle for years to come.

Bagent earns a nod here for his remarkable journey from undrafted free agent rookie out of a D-II school to game winner as a starting quarterback. More on that later.

MOST IMPACTFUL NEWCOMER

Winner: DJ Moore
Runner up: Darnell Wright

Moore has single-handedly given the Bears a new dimension to their offense that they’ve been lacking. He can beat defenders in a variety of ways, whether it’s with a shifty move off the line, precise route running, a difficult contested catch or by running through defenders for yards after the catch. Moore is versatile enough that the Bears can line him up in different spots, use him in the screen game or as a deep threat. He’s also incredibly clutch and can be counted upon to make a big play when it’s needed most. Moore was the centerpiece of the blockbuster trade that sent the No. 1 overall pick to the Panthers back in March and he has absolutely lived up to the billing.

Wright deserves a mention in this category as well for solidifying the right tackle position. It was a big hole with several players moving in and out last year and now there’s no question of who will man the position for at least the duration of Wright’s rookie contract.

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR (BEST NON-STARTER)

Winner: Tyson Bagent
Runner up: D’Onta Foreman

Backup quarterback is one of the most difficult positions to man on a football team. They don’t get many team reps– if any at all– during the regular season, yet they’re expected to put the team in a position to win when needed. That’s exactly what Bagent did when he filled in for Fields for a month earlier this year. Bagent showed great command of the offense, made some impressive throws and most importantly won a couple of games. The Bears went 2-2 with Bagent under center, and in the process he proved he absolutely belongs in the league. Not bad for a UDFA rookie from Shepherd University.

Similarly, Foreman stepped up and led the Bears rushing attack for a month when Khalil Herbert was on IR– and he did it after the Bears made him a healthy scratch for a month. The run offense didn’t miss a beat with Foreman leading the way.

MVP

Winner: DJ Moore
Runner up: Justin Fields

It’s hard to overstate how important Moore has been to the Bears this season. He’s a guy who can make any play call work and who makes everyone around him better. Moore has been on the receiving end of most of Fields’ best plays simply because he’s been such a reliable target. It’s been years since the Bears have had a receiver who can be trusted to beat one-on-one coverage consistently, or who can be trusted to come down with 50-50 balls more often than not. He’s on pace to have one of the best receiving seasons in franchise history while demanding the most attention from opposing defenses. That attention has helped others like Kmet and Darnell Mooney get open, too.

Other than a couple of late-game fumbles on Monday Night Football, Fields has played remarkably well over his last five games. Well enough to warrant sticking around in Chicago if he keeps it up. But his slow start to the season kept him from winning the midseason MVP award.

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To better combat the onslaught of defenders brought by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the Bears went to the screen game early, often, and over and over again.

Per ESPN Stats and Info, Bear quarterback Justin Fields was pressured on 52 percent of his dropbacks in Chicago’s 12-10 comeback win at U.S. Bank Stadium on Monday night. The Bears ran 13 screens, and Fields finished with the lowest average air yards per attempt (2.4) and air yards per completion (1.9) in his career. Fields threw 21 passes at or behind the line of scrimmage and was averaging just 0.8 air yards per attempt at halftime.

While the screens were initially somewhat effective, the Vikings quickly caught on and adjusted the Bears’ game plan. But offensive coordinator Luke Getsy didn’t stray from his plan, and the Bears’ offense sputtered in the second half because of it.

On Tuesday, head coach Matt Eberflus addressed why the Bears felt they couldn’t attack the Vikings with slants and short passes over the middle.

“They pack the paint, so to speak,” Eberflus said Tuesday at Halas Hall. “Some of their coverages are three deep, and they’ve got two guys in the middle. So really, the open spots on a lot of those are the perimeter. And you certainly can hit some high-side pockets on those, which we did with DJ a couple times. Certainly, they give those things away. You’ve just got to do a real good job of spitting the ball out there and blocking well on the perimeter, which we did at times. You saw DJ get a couple nice runs there towards our bench. There were a couple times. But that’s really where you can take advantage of it.”

When asked if he was satisfied with an offensive game plan that produced minimal vertical attacks until the game-winning drive when the Vikings didn’t blitz, Eberflus admitted improvements are needed.

“You’re always wanting more chunks,” Eberflus said. “Explosive plays are where it’s at. I think we had eight explosives where we’re at in terms of goal-wise. We certainly, when you’re playing a team that pressures that way, and they’re vulnerable in the coverage, I believe that we should have more, and we’re always looking to get that. Certainly, we had some opportunities to hit some more of those, and we want to take advantage of those.”

CHICAGO BEARS

Montez Sweat Nov 28

Bears snap count: Montez Sweat's workload, impact rise in win vs. Vikings

Justin Fields Nov 28

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Fields did have a few opportunities to attack downfield that he missed Monday night, with the most notable one coming early in the second quarter.

With the Bears facing a third-and-14 from their own 44-yard line, Fields dropped back and was immediately pressured and flushed out to the left. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney was wide open, coming across the field and working right to left. Fields kept his eyes downfield and had an easy chunk play if he ripped it to Mooney immediately. But instead, Fields waited and threw late and high, which allowed Vikings safety Josh Metellus to tag Mooney as he went up for the pass.

Eberflus’ explanation/critique of the offensive output Monday night in Minnesota appeared to be directed at both Getsy for his screen-heavy plan and Fields for not connecting on some of the deep shots that were available.

Fields did, however, connect on the two deep throws that mattered.

With the Bears trailing 10-9 with under three minutes to play, Fields finally came through with the game-winning drive his young resume had been lacking.

Fields opened the drive with a 16-yard pass to DJ Moore and finished it with a 36-yard strike to Moore on third-and-10 to get the Bears into field-goal range.

The Vikings didn’t blitz once on Fields’ five dropbacks on the Bears’ final drive. Fields went 2-for-2 on throws of 10 or more air yards and averaged 17.5 air yards per completion, per ESPN Stats and Info. Prior to that drive, Fields was 1-for-3 on throws of 10 or more air yards and was averaging 0.9 air yards per completion.

As is usually the case, there’s plenty of blame to go around for the Bears’ offensive struggles.

Getsy’s plan lacked creativity and ingenuity, and his inability to adapt in the second half almost sunk the Bears. But Fields must also continue to be more consistent in seeing and hitting those chunk plays the second they come open. That pass to Mooney was at least 26 yards the Bears left on the table, and it could have been more.

It’s all part of the growing process for a young quarterback and first-time NFL play-caller.

It’s clear Eberflus knows his offense still has a lot of kinks to work out, and he sent a message to both his quarterback and OC that things have to get better coming out of the bye.

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Sweat played 39 snaps in the thrilling win, which was good for 71 percent of the Bears’ defensive snaps.

General manager Ryan Poles told ESPN 1000 during the pregame that he and head coach Matt Eberflus had a conversation about playing their best players more in critical moments.

While Sweat’s snap count didn’t rise to the percentage normally seen by elite edge rushers, the star defensive end made his impact felt on those 39 snaps.

According to Pro Football Focus, Sweat notched seven pressures, 1.5 sacks, and had a win rate of 25.0 percent in the win over the Vikings.

Sweat’s solo sack came on a nicely designed pick stunt on which the Bears lined Yannick Ngakoue outside Sweat and had Ngakoue loop around.

Adding an elite edge rusher of Sweat’s caliber has allowed Eberflus and defensive line coach Travis Smith to implement some rush games they didn’t feel they could implement without a top-tier pass-rusher to impact the gravity of the opponent’s pass-blocking scheme.

“Travis Smith, that was his idea to put those guys on the same side and run that little pick stunt that we had,” Eberflus said Tuesday. “We ran it a couple times. We lined up in that same alignment, did a couple other things out of that, had a nice third or fourth down stop out of that same alignment with a different pressure. But yeah, you definitely need to do that. Any time you can get a mismatch and put him (Sweat) on a particular side, you’re doing that for a particular mismatch, or you’re creating an advantage for somebody else somewhere else. That’s the benefit of having a player like that.”

CHICAGO BEARS

Justin Fields Nov 28

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Justin Fields Nov 28

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DeMarcus Walker clocked in with the second most snaps among Bears edge rushers with 32. Ngakoue battled cramps during the game and only played 29 snaps.

On the offensive side, rookie running back Roschon Johnson out-snapped Khalil Herbert 52-15 in the win. Eberflus pointed to Johnson’s stellar week of practice as the reason why he got the lion’s share of the work over Herbert. The Bears will continue to prioritize the practice work and production when determining how the backfield rotation looks each week.

“Roschon did a nice job, for the most part,” Eberflus said. “There was a couple hiccups in there. The one sack that we did take with the edge pressure, he’s just got to be more inside and firm. He’ll learn that as he goes. He’s still a rookie, and he’s got a lot of situations that he hasn’t seen yet in real time and game situations. But he’s a heck of a worker, super smart, he’s a tough guy and he’s one of our better protectors, so he’ll continue to work on that.

“We’re always going to look at the practice, we’re always going to look at production, and it’s always going to be based upon that.”

Here’s the snap count from the win over the Vikings:

Quarterback: Justin Fields 70

Running backs: Roschon Johnson 52, Khalil Herbert 15, Khari Blasingame 6

Wide receivers: DJ Moore 65, Darnell Mooney 57, Equanimeous St. Brown 34, Tyler Scott 12, Trent Taylor 4, Velus Jones Jr. 1

Tight ends: Cole Kmet 62, Marcedes Lewis 24, Robert Tonyan 19

Offenisve line: Lucas Patrick 70, Braxton Jones 70, Darnell Wright 70, Nate Davis 70, Teven Jenkins 63, Cody Whitehair 7

Defensive line: Justin Jones 39, Montez Sweat 39, DeMarcus Walker 32, Yannick Ngakoue 29, Andrew Billings 28, Gervon Dexter 20, Rasheem Green 18, Zacch Pickens 11

Linerbackers: T.J. Edwards 55, Tremaine Edmunds 55, Jack Sanborn 13

Defensive backs: Eddie Jackson 55, Jaylon Johnson 55, Jaquan Brisker 54, Terell Smith 52, Kyler Gordon 42, Jaylon Jones 4, Josh Blackwell 2, Elijah Hicks 2

Special teams: Sanborn 15, Ja. Jones 14, Blackwell 14, DeMarquis Gates 14, Dylan Cole 14, Travis Homer 12, Hicks 11, Cairo Santos 10, Tonyan 10, V. Jones 9, Patrick Scales 8, Trenton Gill 8, Blasingame 7, Christian Matthew 7, Wright 5, Patrick 5, Kmet 5, Whitehair 5, Gordon 5, Dan Feeney 5, Ja’Tyre Carter 5, Edwards 4, Taylor 3, Davis 3, Brisker 3, Walker 3, Dexter 2, Green 2, Ju. Jones 2, Jenkins 2, Ro. Johnson 2, Ja. Johnson 1, Edmunds 1, Smith 1, Sweat 1, Billings 1, Pickens 1

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But former NFL superstar Cam Newton believes there’s more potential to be unlocked in Fields’ game.

Newton joined NBC Sports Chicago’s “Football Night In Chicago” before Monday’s game and shared how he thinks the Bears can help Fields take the next step in his development.

“It’s troubling sometimes to talk about something that you went through yourself,” Newton said on the show. “I think a lot of how he’s playing, he’s thinking too much. I think when you have a dynamic quarterback like this, K.I.S.S. approach. Keep It Super Simple, and let him do the rest.”

There are several parallels between Newton and Fields. Like Fields, Newton challenged defenses as a dynamic dual-threat QB. Like Fields, Newton had an incredible deep ball when healthy. Like Fields, Newton wanted to throw the ball and succeed as a pocket passer before scrambling for yards on the ground.

Newton has also known Fields since the Bears QB was 16 years old. Fields played on Newton’s seven-on-seven All-Star team, a football initiative Newton launched back when he was still playing for the Panthers.

So when Newton says he believes he knows how to help Fields, there are plenty of reasons to listen.

“When I had my best years in football, that was the premise,” Newton said. “It wasn’t the complex checks and Mike (middle linebacker) IDs, and ‘hold on the safety’s rolling and this is the shade technique, a potential nickel off the side’… nah, keep it simple and allow that quarterback to make your life easy as a playcaller.”

Newton made it clear that his comments weren’t intended to throw anyone under the bus, or to call anyone incompetent. He’s just suggesting ways for the Bears to help Fields succeed.

“I’m not taking shots at anyone calling the plays, or the coaches. I think at times Justin seems to be thinking way too much, and with the talent and skillset that he has he is an elite talent. It’s up to the coaches to get that out of him.”

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That wasn’t needed after the third-year quarterback delivered the first real game-winning drive of his young career. After he ripped a 36-yard dart to DJ Moore to set up a game-winning field goal and deliver tangible proof of what his teammates have long believed and voiced publicly throughout the ups and downs.

“It’s who he is,” safety Jaquan Brisker told NBC Sports Chicago after the win. “I’ve been telling y’all.”

“It was just awesome,” linebacker T.J. Edwards said. “Everyone on our sideline knew that when the time came that he was going to make a play.”

A postgame address of gratitude from Fields isn’t new. The young signal-caller has done this before, but the postgame address to the defense has come after a game the Bears lost. On most occasions, like last year’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons, it comes after a game in which the defense didn’t exactly hold up its end of the bargain.

But on Monday, the Bears’ defense carried a heavy load. They picked off Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs four times, giving Fields and the offense a myriad of chances to put the game away.

They didn’t take advantage of those opportunities, turning those four turnovers into just three points.

In a game in which he was pressured on 52 percent of his dropbacks, Fields and the Bears’ offense attempted to rely on a screen-heavy approach to offset Minnesota’s constant pressure. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores adjusted early, and an ugly slog of a game broke out in the Twin Cities.

Fields had a chance to put the Bears up by two scores early in the fourth quarter but was stripped by Vikings linebacker Danielle Hunter. The Vikings recovered as the Bears’ offense watched another opportunity to put the game away slip through their fingers.

“First off, can’t fumble,” Fields said after the win. “Need better ball security on that. It’s crazy because Roschon [Johnson], he fumbled a play or two earlier. So, I’m telling him, ball security is the most important thing right now. Two plays later, I fumble.”

CHICAGO BEARS

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As is often the case in the NFL, if you leave the door cracked long enough, the other team will kick it down.

Dobbs promptly engineered a touchdown drive to put Minnesota up 10-9 with under six minutes to play.

That touchdown drive gave Fields an opportunity to show the Bears’ staff and front office something that is high atop their evaluation list over the final month of the season – that he can deliver in the clutch.

But disaster struck on third-and-10 as Fields bolted from the pocket and tried to pick up the first down with his legs. He was hit just as he was reaching the marker, and the ball once again squirted out. The Vikings jumped on it, and Fields walked to the sideline after another attempted game-winning drive went up in flames.

“The second one was a back-breaker,” Fields said.

But the Bears’ defense stood tall and forced a quick three-and-out to give Fields one final chance to deliver the goods.

Fields took over having converted just one of 17 attempted game-winning drives since the start of 2022. That lone one came in Week 3 of last season when linebacker Roquan Smith picked off Texans quarterback Davis Mills in Houston territory. Fields and the offense took a knee to set up a game-winning field goal.

“The Drive” it was not.

Despite his track record, faith in Fields never wavered on the Bears’ sideline. His teammates have remained steadfast in their trust in him. In who he is as a quarterback, who he can become, and what he’s made of.

“I’ve always believed in him,” left guard Teven Jenkins said. “You see him day in and day out being a hard worker.

“I trusted him on that drive to win the game for us.”

Fields opened the drive with a 16-yard completion to Moore and then used his legs to get the Bears into Vikings territory.

Then, after two incompletions, including one that could have been called intentional grounding, Fields faced a critical third-and-10 with 1:06 left.

One throw, one drive, one moment likely won’t be the wind that decides what direction Fields’ future in Chicago heads. But it’s not hyperbole to say that what happened next could be the catalyst for a franchise-changing, and perhaps career-altering, final five weeks.

Fields dropped back and saw the Vikings defenders drop out and get depth. The play call was one he and Moore have been repping since the receiver arrived in Chicago.

As the Vikings defenders bailed out, Moore saw wide-open turf in the middle of the field with no one around.

“Everybody bailed out there and left me wide open,” Moore said after the win. “I didn’t think that was very smart.

“Maybe like 10 yards into the route, I was like, ‘something ain’t right about this.'” Moore said. “Then I was like, ‘shoot, there’s nobody in the middle. This deep in is going to be in the middle.’ We connected on it, and the rest is history.”

It might end up being a pivotal moment in said history.

Fields stepped up in the pocket and threw a strike to Moore for 36 yards down to the Vikings’ 13-yard line.

After three kneels, Cairo Santos trotted onto the field and calmly drilled a game-winning 30-yard field goal.

Game-winning throw. Game-winning drive. Redemption. Check, check, check.

“He’s relentless, honestly,” cornerback Jaylon Johnson, one of the most vocal supporters of Fields, said after the win. “I feel like it feels a little better considering what he did after the two turnovers. That’s disheartening, especially for him being at the level he can play at. Coming back, honestly, and making that big throw, I think it was bigger than just the game-winning drive. His resilience. Being able to stick to it and deliver the ball where he needed to.”

“He’s a super determined person,” cornerback Kyler Gordon added. “He’s a hard-worker, good leader, and he keeps his head down. He’s grinding. Good for him.”

Since his return, Fields has been adamant he’s not trying to make anything more out of these final games. He’s not looking at them as the potential performances on which his Chicago future hinges.

But it was clear that being able to wipe away those two fumbles, to atone for those football sins, and play hero in a way he hasn’t so far in his career carried extra importance for the 24-year-old quarterback, especially after he failed to do so last week in the meltdown loss to the Lions.

“I really just wanted to prove to my teammates that I had their back,” Fields said of the game-winning drive. “The way the defense was playing all game, I had to come back and at least give us a chance at the end. Those two fumbles, adversity is hitting. I was sick to my stomach; I’m not going to lie to you. … At the end of the day, when you do have that opportunity at the end of the game, everything before that is out the window. That’s all you have. All I know is that we needed a field goal, and those two fumbles that I had, it was over with.

“I got better from last week. Learned from last week and was able to finish it.”

It might end up meaning nothing in the long term. It might end up meaning everything. The answer probably lies somewhere in the gray.

The Bears have the bye week and five more games to determine if Fields’ throw to Moore in Minnesota will cause a ripple effect that alters their rebuild plans or is a meaningless blip in general manager Ryan Poles’ big-picture assessment of the team’s quarterback future.

But when Fields unleashed a 36-yard dot to a wide-open Moore on Monday in Minnesota, he finally offered concrete proof that he could do what his teammates have long trumpeted.

He delivered when all the chips were on the line and might have started to change the course of the Bears’ rebuild plans in the process.

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Former Bears defensive end Alex Brown was not impressed, though.

“That throw, every quarterback in the NFL could make,” Brown said on NBC Sports Chicago’s “Football Aftershow.” “Every backup quarterback in the NFL could make (it). He was wide open. Let’s be honest, DJ Moore was wide open.

“There are 32 teams in the NFL, 64 quarterbacks can make that throw.”

Fields’ throw to set up the game-winner may have been routine for many QBs, but it was still a big moment in his development. Fields has made plenty of jaw-dropping plays with his legs and his arms over the past three years, and he’s put the Bears in position to win more often than the team has managed to win. One of the big knocks on his game is that he hasn’t been able to come through in clutch moments, however.

Before Monday night, Justin Fields had only led the Bears offense to two game-winning drives in the fourth quarter. On one of those drives– in the team’s win over the lowly Texans in Week 3 of the 2022 season– Fields didn’t really do anything at all. He handed the ball off once and kneeled twice before Cairo Santos trotted out for a field goal to seal the victory.

Brown recognized that Fields has played better over his last four games. He said the best scenario for the team’s future is for Fields to continue to play well and for the team to build around him moving forward. But he doesn’t believe in throwing parades for moments that should be routine.

“Don’t overreact to simple stuff. There are certain things that come with being a quarterback in the NFL, and that I expect you to do. That throw is one of them.”

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But in the end, quarterback Justin Fields did just enough to back up a dominant performance from the Bears’ defense and deliver a 12-10 win.

Fields and the Bears tried to combat the Vikings’ blitz-heavy attack with a giant dose of screens and horizontal passes. That game plan led to three hours of offensive football that wasn’t aesthetically pleasing.

But there are no style points in the NFL.

A win is a win, and this was a victory that head coach Matt Eberflus and the Bears desperately needed as they head into their bye week.

The report card reflects one unit that aced its primetime test and one that did just enough to pass with some last-minute extra credit:

Passing offense

Fields was blitzed on 52 percent of his dropbacks Monday night, per ESPN Stats and Info. The Bears countered that with 13 screen passes, which caused Fields to finish with 2.4 air yards per attempt and 1.9 air yards per completion. Both marks are the lowest of his career.

Fields threw 21 passes at or behind the line of scrimmage on Monday night. That’s the most in the NFL since 2020, according to ESPN.

But on the Bears’ final drive, the Vikings didn’t blitz Fields, and he completed two passes of 10 or more air yards on the drive, including a 36-yard strike to DJ Moore that set up the game-winning field goal.

“Everybody bailed out there and left me wide open,” Moore said after the Bears’ win. “I don’t think that was very smart.

“Maybe like 10 yards into the route, I was like, ‘something ain’t right about this.'” Moore said. “Then I was like, ‘shoot, there’s nobody in the middle. This deep in is going to be in the middle.’ We connected on it, and the rest is history.”

The Bears’ pass attack was an eyesore for much of the night, but Fields and Moore delivered when everything was on the line.

Fields entered that drive having gone 1-for-17 on potential game-winning drives since the start of 2022. That lone one came in Week 3 last season when Roquan Smith picked off Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills in Texans territory, and the Bears kneeled down before kicking a field goal.

This was a bonafide game-winning drive from Fields, which earned the aerial attack passing marks after a relatively putrid performance.

Fields GRADE: C+ (game-winning drive boost)
Team GRADE: D

Rushing offense

The Bears’ ground attack found little success in Minnesota.

With D’Onta Foreman out with an ankle injury, it felt like a game in which Khalil Herbert would get the bulk of the carries. Instead, the Bears turned to rookie Roschon Johnson, who rushed 10 times for 35 yards. Herbert rushed just six times for 24 yards.

Fields was the team’s leading rusher with 59 yards on 12 carries.

As a team, the Bears averaged 4.2 yards per carry. That number was just good enough to keep the Vikings’ defense honest.

The Bears’ offensive line was mauled most of the night by the Vikings’ front. It was a little better in the run game than in pass protection, but it was a subpar night overall by the front five.

Chicago could have tried to lean on its run game to beat the Vikings’ pressure, but instead, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy went to the horizontal passing game for most of the night.

Johnson ground out tough yards, and Herbert did well in limited time.

But overall, it was a lackluster night for the ground attack.

GRADE: C

Pass defense

The Bears’ nearly fully healthy defense made life hell for Dobbs and the Vikings’ offense on Monday.

The Bears picked off Dobbs four times and sacked him twice while notching nine hurries.

“We getting the chemistry going,” safety Eddie Jackson said of the Bears’ dominant defensive performance.

“This is what it was [in training camp]. We just had to get everybody healthy, get everybody out here, and I feel like we knocking the dust off a little bit. The finish part is the most important part. We just got to continue to close guys out.”

The Bears’ defense came up big time and time again Monday night.

After Fields fumbled with 3:36 remaining, the Bears’ defense needed to force a quick three-and-out to give Fields one more chance to lead a game-winning drive.

The Vikings ran it twice and then threw a quick pass to Brandon Powell behind the line of scrimmage. Linebacker T.J. Edwards quickly identified the play and rallied to make the tackle to force a punt, giving Fields the opportunity to win the game.

“I think it’s belief, man,” Edwards said of the Bears’ defensive resurgence. “We understand that we have to go out there, and we have to get turnovers, we have to spark the game early.

“Guys are just resilient. There was no panic on any of those sudden changes or anything like that. We got to find a way to go out there and get a stop and we got the guys to do it.”

CHICAGO BEARS

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The Bears held Dobbs to 185 yards passing and one touchdown while picking him off four times.

Montez Sweat recorded 1.5 sacks, while DeMarcus Walker notched three hurries. Justin Jones forced one of the interceptions when he quickly collapsed the pocket and forced Dobbs to get rid of it over the middle. The pass was deflected and ultimately picked off by Kyler Gordon.

It was a dominating performance from a unit that has been telling us it had this in them from Day 1.

GRADE: A

Run defense

The Vikings are a pretty one-dimensional offense, so they didn’t attack the Bears on the ground often Monday.

Alexander Mattison rushed 10 times for 52 yards and got loose for a couple of solid runs in the second half. The important thing was that the Bears kept Dobbs from breaking contain and beating them with his legs. The Bears held Dobbs to just 11 yards on two rushes on the night.

The Bears got good interior push from Gervon Dexter, Jones, and Andrew Billings on the night. Edwards and fellow linebacker Tremaine Edmunds did a great job flowing downhill and being sure tacklers. The linebacking duo combined for 11 solo tackles.

It was another stout performance from a run defense that has been the Bears’ best unit in 2022.

GRADE: A

Coaching

The offensive game plan was a complete disaster for much of Monday night.

I understand the thought process of trying to beat the blitz with screens, but 13 was way too many for offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to call. The Vikings quickly caught onto the short passing game and stymied the Bears’ offense for much of the final three quarters.

The offense lacked creativity and ingenuity. Had the Vikings blitzed Fields on the final drive, this could have quickly turned into a “walk the plank” postmortem for Getsy.

On the defensive side, head coach Matt Eberflus did a great job mixing up his simulated pressures. On Montez Sweat’s first sack, the Bears lined up Yannick Ngakoue outside of Sweat and had Edmunds up close like he was coming on the blitz. The Bears dropped Edmunds out and had Ngakoue loop around Sweat, which helped allow the star edge rusher to get home for his first sack.

It was another good defensive game plan from Eberflus, who has shown that, for all his faults, he does know defense.

EBERFLUS GRADE: A-
GETSY GRADE: D

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After Jaylon Johnson picked off Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs early in the second quarter, Gordon took off trying to block for his fellow cornerback on the return. Gordon drove receiver Brandon Powell out of bounds, and Powell ripped the facemask off his helmet in return.

Gordon was initially flagged for taking off his helmet, but officials reversed the call to taunting as Gordon was showing them that his helmet was in two pieces.

“Jaylon got a pick, and I was just trying to block for my guy,” Gordon said after the win. “I drove him to the benches and just kind of got into it, you know. Obviously, it’s not cool getting drove back. He didn’t want to fall backward, so he pulled on my facemask because he didn’t want to fall on his ass. It is what it is, it’s football.

“It’s hard to taunt when you’re pulling someone’s face down. It is what it is. I’m not even tripping, to be honest. They are going to see it.”

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said he didn’t get an explanation for the call.

Gordon’s teammates were baffled by their teammate getting flagged when his helmet was ripped apart.

“How is that a flag?” safety Eddie Jackson said. “Wow. I mean, ya’ll know referees is untouchable around here. They untouchable man.”

“Man …. I don’t know,” safety Jaquan Brisker added. “He can’t control that. They always look at things. They could have looked at that and took it back. They called two calls. They said he took his helmet off. Then, second, they said taunting. It’s like, ‘what is that?'”

CHICAGO BEARS

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Gordon and the Bears’ defense got the last laugh Monday in Minnesota.

The Bears’ defense picked off Dobbs four times, including interceptions by Gordon and Brisker.

The second-year safety made sure to do a little light taunting of his own after the interception, hitting the Vikings crowd with its patented “SKOL” clap after the turnover.

“I had to show something for the fans, you know,” Brisker said, laughing. “Vikings fans. Had to.

“That was my plan coming into the game. I was going to do that. I like to make people mad so let me SKOL clap for them.”

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STUDS

JAYLON JOHNSON

Johnson is on a quest to earn All-Pro honors this year, and Monday night was a big step towards that goal. The big highlight was an athletic interception in the second quarter where Johnson fully extended to make a catch while backpedaling in zone defense. Johnson had another opportunity for an interception– and probably a touchdown too– when he perfectly undercut a pass with nothing but green grass in front of him. But he couldn’t reel in the ball to finish the play. Johnson was strong outside of his pass coverage, too. He made a couple of good open field tackles, which is a must for corners in Matt Eberflus’ offense.

TERELL SMITH

With Tyrique Stevenson sidelined Smith drew the third start of his career, and he made the most of it. The big charge for Bears rookie DBs has been to limit big plays down the field, and Smith succeeded. He gave up some catches, but no explosives. More importantly, Smith did a great job of keeping receivers and ball carriers in front of him and made many open field tackles. The cornerback left the game in the fourth quarter but still ended up leading the team with eight tackles. Easy to see why the coaching staff is so high on his future.

CAIRO SANTOS

Santos missed his first field goal attempt of the game, and for most of the night that moment felt like a harbinger of missed opportunities to come. But Santos, who has been one of the most reliable kickers in the NFL this year, shook off the rare miss and hit on his next four attempts. He scored all 12 of the Bears’ points, including the game-winner in the waning seconds of the game. In the process he tied a career-long with a 55-yard make.

DUDS

OFFENSIVE LINE

The Bears felt like they’d finally shored up their protection for Justin Fields when Nate Davis returned from his ankle injury to take over at right guard and when Teven Jenkins moved back to left guard. But almost everyone on the Bears line struggled at some point against the Vikings defensive linemen.

Lucas Patrick let Sheldon Day through the backfield quickly. Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright each got pushed backwards easily. Everyone struggled to generate consistent push in the run game. The result was lots of pressure on Justin Fields and a pedestrian day on the ground for the running backs.

LUKE GETSY

Getsy has generally been solid when creating scripted plays to start a game– although some decisions like a throw to the fullback or a tight end screen have been headscratchers. Once the Bears run out of scripted plays however, the offense seems to run out of juice. Part of that is due to Getsy’s curious play calling.

On Monday it was clear the Bears wanted to get the ball out of Fields’ hands quickly to mitigate the damage from Brian Flores’ exotic blitzes, but it seemed they only had one solution: screens, screens and more screens. It didn’t take long for the Vikings to catch up and they started jumping the routes. On one occasion it looked like the Vikings were destined for a pick-six, but they let the ball fall harmlessly to the ground, so the most damage the Bears sustained was a couple of PBUs and TFLs.

This isn’t the first time this has happened either. In Week 2 Getsy dialed up screens on three snaps in a row near the end of the game. On the third, the Buccaneers knew what was coming, undercut the throw, and returned it for a back-breaking touchdown.

KHALIL HERBERT

The stage was set for Herbert to make a splash on Monday Night Football. He was two weeks removed from his IR stint, and D’Onta Foreman was on the shelf with an ankle injury of his own. But Herbert was largely outsnapped by rookie Roschon Johnson and didn’t do much with the few opportunities he did receive. Other than a couple of fourth-quarter carries, he didn’t show the elusiveness or burst that we’ve become accustomed to seeing and finished with below-average numbers.

Herbert carried the ball just six times for 24 yards and added two catches for 14 receiving yards.

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The Bears’ defense dominated Joshua Dobbs and the Vikings’ offense, notching four interceptions and two sacks.

But Justin Fields and the Bears’ offense turned those four interceptions into just three points and clung to a slim 9-3 lead in the fourth quarter.

A frantic fourth quarter saw the Vikings take a 10-9 lead, giving Fields two opportunities to play hero.

Fields fumbled on the first game-winning drive attempt, but the defense forced a quick three-and-out to give him one more chance.

Fields started the drive 1-for-17 on game-winning drives since the start of 2022. But he delivered in the Twin Cities, marching the Bears on a 10-play, 66-yard drive to set up Cairo Santos’ game-winning field goal.

That drive came complete with a 36-yard dot to DJ Moore on third-and-10 that serves as Fields’ first signature game-winning moment.

Here’s what we learned in the Bears’ 12-10 win over the Vikings.

What they want to see

Fields owned the first quarter in Minnesota. The third-year quarterback made a handful of plays that should show the Bears the type of progress as a passer they want to see over these final six games.

On the Bears’ opening drive, Fields was pressured on third-and-2 but somehow wiggled away from Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter. Fields rolled out of the pocket but kept his eyes downfield and hit running back Roschon Johnson for 6. On the next play. The Vikings once again pressured Fields, but the quarterback escaped to the right and found Khalil Herbert for a gain of 13.

The Bears have been wanting to see Fields keep a passer’s mentality when he escapes instead of just tucking and running. He did that early in Minnesota. However, as good as he was in this area, he wasn’t perfect. On a third-and-14 in the second quarter, Fields escaped to the left and had Darnell Mooney open down the field. But Fields’ pulled the trigger late, and Mooney was unable to haul it in.

Fields also showed impressive pocket patience on a key fourth down in the first quarter. Facing a fourth-and-10, Fields hung in the pocket against heavy pressure from Minnesota. Instead of looking to escape, Fields hung in just long enough to have tight end Cole Kmet come open over the middle. Fields delivered a strike with the pressure bearing down, and Kmet raced for 24 yards for a first down.

These are the plays the Bears want to see Fields consistently make to show them he’s making the necessary strides as a passer.

Missed opportunities

The Bears dominated the first half in Minnesota but were unable to get out of their own.

After taking a 3-0 lead, cornerback Jaylon Johnson picked off Joshua Dobbs and returned it to the Minnesota 37-yard line. However, Kyler Gordon’s helmet broke during the play and the refs elected to penalize him for “taunting” while celebrating the interception.

That moved the ball back to the Chicago 48-yard line. The Bears promptly went three-and-out on a drive that included two penalties,

The Bears’ defense responded by getting the ball back, courtesy of a Jaquan Brisker interception at the Chicago 36. But after an 11-yard completion to DJ Moore on first down, the Bears went three-and-out on the next set of downs and punted again.

Following their two first-half interceptions, the Bears notched just one first down and punted twice.

With two minutes left in the half, the Bears had outgained the Vikings 158-24 but only led 3-0.

The Vikings closed the first half with a seven-play, 64-yard drive that resulted in a field goal to tie the game at three at halftime.

Screen happy

The Bears struggled with the Vikings’ pressure the first time the two teams met in Week 6. In an effort to combat Minnesota’s constant pressure, Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy turned to the screen game … over and over and over again.

At halftime, Fields had an average air yards per attempt of just 0.8. In the Bears’ first four drives, Fields completed eight passes behind the line of scrimmage.

The Vikings quickly caught on to the Bears’ screen-happy attack and snuffed it out in the second and third quarter.

On their first drive of the third quarter, Fields marched the Bears down to the Vikings’ 21-yard line. But Getsy dialed up back-to-back screens on second and third down, and the Bears were forced to settle for a field goal to take a 6-3 lead.

Getsy showed little innovation as a play-caller. The Bears threw too many screens and didn’t combat the VIkings’ pressure with their power run game. It wasn’t just that the Bears tried to lean heavily on screens, but there were often no options for Fields to go down the field if the screen wasn’t viable. It was a broken game plan that caused the Bears’ offense to stall throughout the night.

The Dam Breaks

The Bears played with fire all night by not turning the Vikings’ turnovers into points.

Eventually, it burned them.

After Kyler Gordon picked off Dobbs for the Bears’ fourth turnover, it looked like Fields and the offense would put an early nail in the Vikings’ coffin.

The opposite happened.

On second-and-10 from the Vikings’ 22, Hunter sacked Fields and poked the ball loose. Defensive tackle Sheldon Day jumped on the loose ball to give the Vikings life.

The Bears’ defense held all night, but it was going to be too much to ask them to pitch a near-perfect game.

Dobbs promptly marched the Vikings on an eight-play, 77-yard drive that he punctuated with a 17-yard touchdown strike to T.J. Hockenson, giving the Vikings a 10-9 lead.

Fields delivers

With the Vikings leading 10-9, Fields took the field with 5:54 left and a chance to engineer a game-winning drive.

As has been the case over the past two seasons, when the Bears’ offense had a chance to mount a game-winning drive — disaster struck.

On third-and-10 from their own 36, Fields scanned the field, but no one was open. The quarterback tried to take off and get the first down himself but was hit by Josh Metellus and coughed the ball up. It was Fields’ 35th fumble in 35 games.

But just when it looked like a re-run of past game-winning drive attempts, Fields flipped the script.

After the Bears’ defense got him the ball back with 2:29 remaining, Fields delivered in a way he hasn’t early in his NFL career.

Fields opened the drive with a 16-yard strike to Moore and then used his legs to get into Vikings territory.

Then, on third-and-10 from the Vikings’ 49 with 1:06 remaining, Fields hung in the pocket and threw a 36-yard strike to Moore down to the Vikings’ 13-yard line.

That strike set the Bears up for a game-winning 30-yard field goal from Cairo Santos.

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The Bears planned to go with a relatively even split between Herbert and D’Onta Foreman, with rookie Roschon Johnson getting a handful of carries to spell the two veterans. But Foreman re-injured his ankle early in Detroit, leading to Herbert getting the bulk of the carries.

That should again be the case Monday in Minnesota after the Bears ruled Foreman OUT for the primetime tilt with the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.

With Herbert having a week to get his feet back under him, the Bears expect the third-year back to have a little more juice Monday against the Vikings.

“I think it’s always fair to say, especially for a runner,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said of Herbert. “Same thing as we talked about with Justin, when you’re out for so long, just getting your feet back underneath you – you can kind of saw that in that he got better as the game went on. We anticipate him coming out and having a great day.”

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The Bears will also be without backup offensive tackle Larry Borom and rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Stevenson, who is coming off the best game of his young career, tweaked his ankle during Friday’s practice and was ruled OUT on Saturday.

Fellow rookie Terell Smith is expected to start opposite Jaylon Johnson in Stevenson’s place.

After two games of being a healthy scratch, wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. is active for Monday night’s game.

The Vikings, meanwhile, will be without star wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Jefferson has been on injured reserve since Week 6 with a hamstring injury. The Vikings initially ruled Jefferson as questionable but decided to hold him out past their Week 13 bye to make sure his hamstring is fully healed.

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The Philadelphia Eagles showed the heart of a (future?) champion in a gutty overtime win against the Buffalo Bills. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys both put together resounding wins over inferior opponents on Thanksgiving.

In Las Vegas, the Kansas City Chiefs bounced back from their Week 11 loss by continuing their ownership of the Raiders. In Los Angeles, the Baltimore Ravens put together an impressive performance against Justin Herbert and a Chargers team that is out of answers.

On the other end of the spectrum, the New England Patriots put together a “give us a top-two pick” masterpiece with an inexplicable loss to the New York Giants. In Tennessee, the Bears got a much-needed win as the Panthers once again looked inept in a loss to the Tennessee Titans.

On Monday night, the Bears’ defense dominated the Minnesota Vikings and Justin Fields delivered a game-winning drive to give Matt Eberflus his first NFC North win as Bears head coach.

Here’s where each team stands after Week 12:

1. Philadelphia Eagles (10-1): The Birds just know how to win. But their top-ranked run defense gave up over 150 yards on the ground to the Bills. That has to get cleaned up before next week’s tilt with the No. 2 ranked team in these rankings.
2.  San Francisco 49ers (8-3): The Niners’ pass rush has found its teeth over the past three games, notching 15 sacks, including six against the Seahawks on Thanksgiving. It’s a matter of when, not if, the Niners once again wear the NFC West crown.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (8-3): Rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice broke out Sunday, catching eight passes for 107 yards and a touchdown against the Raiders. That kind of production needs to continue for the Chiefs to have a chance of defending their crown.
4.  Baltimore Ravens (9-3): Baltimore’s defense gave Justin Herbert fits, and Lamar Jackson and Co. continue to show they have an explosive side that makes them perhaps the only real threat to the Chiefs in the AFC.
5.  Dallas Cowboys (8-3): The Cowboys’ next five games will tell us if this Dallas team is different than the ones in years past. The Cowboys have lost their two games against teams with winning records and hammered everyone else. Their next five games are against the Seahawks, Eagles, Dolphins, Bills, and Lions.
6. Miami Dolphins (8-3): The Dolphins’ defense will have to find a way to survive without their co-leader in sacks, Jaelan Phillips, who suffered an Achilles injury on Friday in New York. The Phillips-Bradley Chubb combo had found its groove over the past month, and now Andrew van Ginkel and Emmanuel Ogbah will have to fill the void left by Phillips.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3): Trevor Lawrence got his groove back. The Jags QB has had a quarterback rating of 90 or better in seven of his last eight games and gave Jacksonville a two-game lead in the AFC South with Sunday’s win over the Texans. The run game needs to pick up the slack, but Lawrence is playing his best ball as the calendar turns to December.
8.  Detroit Lions (8-3): The Lions might be in trouble. One week after throwing three interceptions against the Bears, Jared Goff turned it over three times Thursday in a loss to the Packers. The Lions QB was pressured on 45% of his dropbacks in the first half as Green Bay jumped out to a massive lead. Two weeks after being dubbed legitimate Super Bowl contenders, the Lions are now staring at the fraud tag if they can’t find a quick remedy for their issues.
9.  Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4): In their first game since firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada, the Steelers put up their first 400-yard game in almost three years. Sometimes the answer is staring you right in the face.
10. Buffalo Bills (6-6): It was a loss, but the Bills’ performance against the Eagles was a sign that the real Josh Allen might be back. In two games since the Bills fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, Allen has looked more comfortable than during his early-season woes. But at 6-6, is it too late for the Bills?
11.  Houston Texans (6-5): The Texans lost ground in the AFC South on Sunday but can still make a wild-card push in the crowded AFC. Rookie cornerback Derek Stingley notched an interception in his second straight game. The young Texans have all the pieces in place to be a tough out come January, but they have to get there first.
12.  Cleveland Browns (7-4): Dorian Thompson-Robinson was playing well against the Broncos until he was forced to exit with a head injury. Myles Garrett also sustained a shoulder injury and left the stadium wearing a sling. It might be too much for the Browns to overcome at this point.
13. Denver Broncos (6-5): After giving up 70 points to the Dolphins, the Broncos’ defense has given up just 80 points total during its current five-game winning streak. Denver has gone from riding to the dump to legitimate playoff contention in a month. Tip your cap to Sean Payton.
14.  Indianapolis Colts (6-5): The Colts have bounced back from a three-game losing streak and now have a real shot at making the playoffs in the log-jammed AFC. Indianapolis has the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL, but the third-down offense has to be better than it was Sunday (2-for-11) to capitalize on that opportunity.
15.  Los Angeles Rams (5-6): Running back Kyren Williams returned and rushed for 143 yards on 16 carries while also catching six passes for 61 yards and two touchdowns. LA’s offense looked different with Williams back, and the Rams are now just one game out of the playoff race after dismantling the Cardinals.
16.  Seattle Seahawks (6-5): The Seahawks are 6-5, but they might be cooked. Seattle’s next three games are against the Cowboys, 49ers, and Eagles. After just getting bulldozed by the Niners, it’s not unrealistic to think the Seahawks will be 6-8 entering the final week of December.
17. Minnesota Vikings (6-6): I think the Josh Dobbs magic has officially run out.
18.  Atlanta Falcons (5-6): If you get the ball to Bijan Robinson, good things happen. It’s not rocket science.
19.  Green Bay Packers (5-6): The Packers have been patient with Jordan Love, and it’s paying off. Green Bay is still a game under .500, but the Packers only have two games left against teams with a winning record, and Love has looked the part over the past three games. They might have done it again.
20.  New Orleans Saints (5-6): Just play Jameis.
21.  Las Vegas Raiders (5-7): Antonio Pierce, Josh McDaniels, Rich Bisaccia, Jon Gruden, Jack Del Rio – it doesn’t matter who the Raiders’ coach is, the Chiefs own the Silver and Black. Have for more than a decade now.
22.  Los Angeles Chargers (4-7): It’s over for Brandon Staley in L.A. We’re just playing out the string at this point.
23.  Cincinnati Bengals (5-6): This will always be a “what could have been?” season for Cincy.
24. Chicago Bears (4-8): Justin Fields finally delivered a game-winning drive, and Chicago’s defense is playing like the best unit in the NFL over the past two weeks. Can a suddenly dominant defense lead the Bears on a late playoff push in a down NFC?
25.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7): The Bucs aren’t dead but their NFC South chances are on life support after another dispiriting loss to a team they had a realistic chance to beat.
26.  New York Jets (4-7): If the Jets let Aaron Rodgers come back and he gets hurt again, everyone should be fired on the spot. This season is over. Focus on 2024 and what might be Rodgers’ last ride.
27. Tennessee Titans (4-7): The Titans are now 4-0 at home after beating the Panthers. With four of their final six games in Nashville, Mike Vrabel’s club might be able to scrap together a respectable season.
28. New York Giants (4-8): Tommy DeVito has officially cost the Giants a shot at a top-two pick. So, this season could, in fact, get worse for Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen.
29. Washington Commanders (4-8): Jack Del Rio was ejected from the Commanders’ coaching staff after Washington was torched by Dak Prescott on Thanksgiving. It’s an understandable move, but it’s too little, too late for paddle boat Ron and the Commanders.
30. Arizona Cardinals (2-10): The Cardinals just have to avoid accidentally winning a game down the stretch to ensure themselves a top-three pick and potential franchise-changing player.
31. New England Patriots (2-9): Are we sure Bill Belichick isn’t tanking?
32. Carolina Panthers (1-10): Frank Reich’s seat is scolding hot. Owner David Tepper would write a blank check to make it hotter if he could.

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Stevenson popped up on the injury report on Saturday with an ankle issue that forced him to practice in a limited fashion. He’s coming off the best game of his career, when he notched an interception and a forced fumble. Fellow rookie Terell Smith figures to take Stevenson’s spot playing opposite Jaylon Johnson. If the Bears decide to use a rotation, Jaylon Jones could see some time at outside corner too.

Foreman is also working through an ankle injury, but he’s been bothered by it for several weeks now. The Bears made Foreman a healthy scratch for four games earlier in the season, but when Khalil Herbert went on injured reserve, Foreman slid into the starting job and played excellently. Foreman has carried the ball 92 times for 381 yards and four touchdowns, and has nine catches for 55 receiving yards and another touchdown this season. With Foreman sidelined, Herbert and Roschon Johnson will shoulder the load out of the Bears backfield.

Both Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright are healthy, so Borom was not expected to play on Monday Night. But the Bears will likely elevate a player like Aviante Collins from the practice squad to act as a backup tackle in case either player gets hurt over the course of the game.

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We’ve done several mock drafts already, including scenarios where the Bears select Caleb Williams or Drake Maye to take over at quarterback. But there’s a decent chance that Justin Fields plays great over the final weeks of the season and the team moves forward with him under center. In that case, the Bears stand to trade away the No. 1 overall pick in the draft for a second year in a row (if the Panthers stick at the bottom of the standings).

That’s exactly what we mocked this week.

As always, this mock draft is not an attempt to predict what the Bears will actually do when they’re back in the War Room next offseason. That’s impossible. This mock draft is meant as an to explore some of the intriguing college prospects this season, and how those players may fit in Chicago.

TRADE!

BEARS SEND NO. 1 OVERALL PICK TO ARIZONA CARDINALS FOR NOS. 2, 34 AND 2025 THIRD-ROUND PICK

GM Ryan Poles needs to thread the needle when he trades away the No. 1 overall pick this year. He wants to get something from a QB-needy team, but doesn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to select a top-five talent. So he moves back just one spot, picks up an early second-rounder and a third-rounder in 2025. The second-round pick in particular is important, since Poles sent his second-rounder to the Commanders in the Montez Sweat trade.

NO. 2: MARVIN HARRISON JR. – WIDE RECEIVER – OHIO STATE

The Bears opt to build around Fields by drafting the best wide receiver in this year’s class. Harrison Jr. can do it all and beats defenses in a variety of ways. He’s great off the line, he’s a wonderful route runner and boasts phenomenal hands when catching the ball. Beyond the raw talent and technique, Harrison Jr. has also been lauded for his top-notch work ethic and supreme competitive drive. He’s as blue-chip as blue-chip gets. Harrison Jr. and DJ Moore give the Bears a serious one-two punch at wide receiver.

NO. 4: OLU FASHANU – LEFT TACKLE – PENN STATE

The Bears continue to add on offense by drafting the consensus top tackle in the class. The team likes what current left tackle Braxton Jones has done defending Fields’ blindside over the past year and a half, but Poles can’t pass on the opportunity to add a player of Fashanu’s caliber. He’s often praised for his anchor in pass protection– which is something that experts critique in Jones’ game– and is known for being a technician. Pair that with his enormous frame and you’ve got a slam dunk offensive line prospect. Moving Jones to swing tackle improves the depth of the unit as a whole, too.

NO. 34: JONAH ELLISS – EDGE – UTAH

Poles continues building out the trenches by adding one of the most productive pass rushers in the country this season. Elliss can rush from a two-point or three-point stance and has a variety of moves to beat opposing linemen. His spin move and swim move in particular can be devastating. Elliss has 12 sacks, 16 TFL and one forced fumble this year. He has a good chance to replace Yannick Ngakoue as the team’s top pass rusher opposite Montez Sweat, or at least split reps with DeMarcus Walker.

NO. 68: T’VONDRE SWEAT – DEFENSIVE TACKLE – TEXAS

The Bears get extra Sweaty by adding another young three-tech to the mix. There’s no indication that T’Vondre and Montez are related, but they could be best buddies rushing the QB next to each other. T’Vondre is huge and uses his size to stop opposing ball carriers. The Longhorns list him at a whopping 6’4”, 362 pounds, but he’s not just a beefy run stuffer. His 15.9% pass rush win rate ranks fourth among all interior linemen with at least 200 pass rush snaps. His six batted balls are tied for second in the nation.

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It’s impossible.

The Bears outplayed the NFC North-leading Lions for 54 minutes. They pushed them around and were on the verge of the first signature win of the Matt Eberlfus era. That everything unraveled in six minutes showed the warts of this rebuild and should lead to some difficult conversations about its direction.

The Bears are past the point of moral victories. They need to win games in which they outplay their opponent. There are no more excuses for a lack of execution in critical moments.

But as demoralizing as the Motown Meltdown was, it can be a force for good as the Bears project forward.

The loss in Detroit was a breakout game for rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. It provided critical learning moments for two other building block rookies that the Bears believe are foundational pieces of this rebuild.

It has been a trial-by-fire season for Stevenson. That’s often the case with rookie corners. Kyler Gordon went through it last season in Chicago. Jaylon Johnson remembers taking his lumps in 2020.

Stevenson entered Sunday’s game having given up 52 catches on 72 targets. But the Miami product didn’t allow a catch in 35 coverage snaps against the Lions and picked off the only pass sent his way.

While the stats might not show it, the Bears have seen Stevenson take the hard lessons of the NFL cauldron and quickly apply them to his game to become a better pro. It’s a big part of why they believe the rookie has the potential to be an elite shutdown corner.

“It’s been really good. It’s been solid,” head coach Matt Eberflus said of Stevenson’s growth. “You play corner in the NFL as a rookie, first of all, they’re going to highlight you and they’re going to come at you the first half of the season. They’re going to test your water and see what it’s like. And I think he’s responded. He’s had some battles. He’s lost some of those battles. He’s won a good portion of those. The biggest thing with him is you have to learn. You have to keep learning and put it in your file so you become a better pro.

“What’s really good about him is he plays one play at a time. He flushes the play and goes to the next one, good, bad, or indifferent. That’s what you have to be as a corner — you have to have a short memory and keep moving. Every single week, it’s a different set. Every single down, it’s a different set of people you’re covering. Everybody puts a different set of circumstances in front of you in terms of their skill level. He’s learned how to adapt his skill to the people he’s covering and what’s effective against that particular receiver.”

CHICAGO BEARS

Justin Fields Nov 23

C.J. Stroud, Justin Fields, and the under-the-radar question about Bears' QB future

Luke Getsy Nov 24

Luke Getsy's defense of calls vs. Lions says a lot about Justin Fields, Bears' offense

Justin Fields Nov 22

Justin Fields still waiting to get same calls as other NFL QBs

While Stevenson had a marquee day for his growth in Detroit, two other rookies were given critical lessons in crunch time.

First-round right tackle Darnell Wright played an excellent 58 minutes against Lions star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. But on the first play of the Bears’ attempted game-winning drive, Hutchinson beat Wright off the ball and stripped quarterback Justin Fields. Wright kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone for a safety.

“It’s frustrating,” offensive line coach Chris Morgan said of Wright’s day ending on that play. “There’s 70 plays, 100 plays, 60 plays, and they all count. He did a really good job, but they all count. He’s excited. He’s going to learn from it. He’s such a competitor. It’s been a really cool rookie season for him because he’s played some of the best pass rushers in the league over and over and over.

“He’s going to take off, man. He’s going to keep getting better. It’s because of the kind of kid he is. He likes to play and compete. He wants to win every rep. Like everything else, he has to learn from it.”

Minutes before Wright got beat by Hutchinson, rookie wide receiver Tyler Scott had a chance to ice the game but “misjudged” a beautifully thrown deep ball from Fields, and the pass fell incomplete.

Scott is still very early in his wide receiver development. A former high school running back, Scott has a lot to learn and fine-tune to reach his astronomically high ceiling in the NFL. He has elite speed, plus the work ethic and desire to be great.

An error like the one Scott made in Detroit can either break him or harden his resolve. It can be a teaching moment that serves as a launching pad to success.

That’s the hope and belief inside Halas Hall. Scott has spent the week staying later after practice to work on his deep-ball tracking with wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert.

“The more he plays, the better he gets,” Tolbert said. “Tyler, the same guy that misjudged that ball, is the same guy who, in the last game we won, caught a crucial fourth down between two defenders. He just got racked and caught the ball, made the fourth down conversion. It’s the same guy.

“I’ve always said, you can learn by mistake at somebody else’s expense,” Tolbert said later. “You don’t have to go through that to learn. I hope he doesn’t have to go through it again to learn. But because he did go through it, yes, he will learn from it.”

The Bears won’t be able to judge the resolve of Wright and Scott until they take the field Monday night in Minnesota against the Vikings. But there’s unshakable confidence that both rookies will respond to their trials and tribulations in the same way Stevenson has all season.

By elevating their games and proving they have the unbreakable resolve the Bears need in two key building blocks.

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Center Lucas Patrick left the loss to the Lions with a back injury but was a full participant on Friday and Saturday. He will start Monday in Minnesota against the Vikings.

The Bears might be without running back D’Onta Foreman. The veteran running back left the loss to the Lions with an ankle injury. He was limited all week and is doubtful to play against the Vikings.

If Foreman can’t go, expect the Bears to split the backfield reps between Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson. Herbert looked rusty in his return to action last Sunday. The third-year back rushed for just 35 yards on 16 carries (2.2 yards per attempt) in the loss. The Bears handed the ball off to Herbert on back-to-back plays to open a critical drive late, but he gained just one yard, and the Bears wound up punting.

“I just have to find a way to make a play,” Herbert said after the loss.

The Bears expect to see a more explosive Herbert in his second game back from an ankle injury that cost him five games.

“I think it’s always fair to say, especially for a runner,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said when asked if Herbert was a little rusty. “Same thing as we talked about with Justin, when you’re out for so long, just getting your feet back underneath you – you can kind of saw that in that he got better as the game went on. We anticipate him coming out and having a great day.”

CHICAGO BEARS

Luke Getsy Nov 24

Luke Getsy's defense of calls vs. Lions says a lot about Justin Fields, Bears' offense

Justin Fields Nov 23

C.J. Stroud, Justin Fields, and the under-the-radar question about Bears' QB future

Justin Fields Nov 22

Justin Fields' belief in Tyler Scott more proof that key franchise QB box is checked

The Bears did have a late injury pop-up Saturday as rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson tweaked his ankle on the turf during practice. Head coach Matt Eberlfus said Saturday that Stevenson was getting evaluated to see how severe the tweak is and if he’ll be able to play Monday. He is listed as questionable for the game.

If Stevenson can’t go, that opens the door for fellow rookie Terell Smith to get the start. Smith returned from mono last Sunday, and the Bears worked him in every third series to get his feet wet.

Despite the in-and-out nature of Smith’s rookie season, the Bears have been impressed with his physicality and ability to quickly digest everything that’s thrown at him and put it into practice.

“Terell has looked good all the way back to training camp,” Eberflus said Saturday of Smith. “He’s mature beyond his years. He takes things in stride. He takes coaching really well. So coach Hoke’s a really good corners coach for a long time, and he’s done that for a while. He really soaks everything in. He’s technique-sound, fundamentally sound, and he’s got really good speed. We like his size, being able to play against bigger receivers. That’s kinda a trend in the league, those big-type receivers. He does a good job against those guys.”

So far this season, Smith has allowed nine catches on 17 targets for 115 yards, per Pro Football Focus. Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 74.4 when throwing at him.

For the Vikings, star wide receiver Justin Jefferson is listed as questionable. Jefferson has been on injured reserve since Week 5 with a hamstring injury. The Vikings have until 3 p.m. Monday to activate him off IR.

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However, during the fourth quarter, the plan of attack got conservative and kept the door open for the Lions to make a 12-point comeback with under five minutes to play.

The first eyebrow-raising decision came midway through the fourth quarter after a 29-yard run from Fields got the Bears inside the Lions’ 30. Already up by nine, the Bears had a chance to go for the kill shot against the NFC North-leading Lions.

Instead, the Bears called three runs and settled for a short field goal. On third-and-7, Fields handed off to Roschon Johnson, who was stopped after a gain of 2 yards. Head coach Matt Eberflus defended the decision to take the ball out of Fields’ hands, pointing to Johnson’s run on third-and-medium earlier that the Bears converted.

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said that many factors played into the decision to run the ball on that critical third-and-7 that saw the Bears stretch their lead to 12 but gave the Lions a chance to come back.

“We’re always going to be in the best play mindset,” Getsy said Friday at Halas Hall. “When you’re in an advantageous position, like we felt like we were in those positions, we’re going to go with it. Run, pass, doesn’t necessarily always say we have to throw it or we have to run it, whichever makes you feel like you’re more aggressive. We called a run on third-and-6 or whatever and got the first down with Roschon earlier in that game. We executed right. We executed at a high level on that one.

“Sometimes you’re making those decisions based upon the situation, too. Do you want the clock to run? Are you already in field goal range? Are you worried about a pressure that might be coming? Or whatever it might be, you’re playing that chess game with the other side of the field, too. We felt good about all those calls. Do I want to take one or two of them back? Sure I do. I’d love to because now I know how they did, and I know how they defended us for sure.”

Eberflus said on Monday that Fields might have had a chance to “disconnect” from the mesh point on that play and keep it. Further film review of that third-and-7 call showed the receivers to the right were either preparing to block for a run to that side or a screen to DJ Moore, signaling it was a designed run-pass-option.

Johnson told NBC Sports Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times that he believes the play call was an RPO, with Fields having the choice to pull it and run or toss it out to Moore.

The rookie running back said that the look they got pre-snap pointed to a handoff and that he got tripped up by a body on the ground as he was squeezing through the hole or else he would have converted.

Getsy’s play-calling on the Bears’ subsequent drive has also been heavily scrutinized.

Up 26-21 with 2:59 remaining, the Bears needed to get two first downs to ice the biggest win of the Eberflus era.

On first down, Fields handed it off to Khalil Herbert for no gain. Getsy called a read-option on second down, and Fields gave it to Herbert for a gain of 1. After the loss, Fields said the Lions’ defense was playing them wide that drive to negate his running ability, so he gave it to Herbert.

Getsy agreed with that assessment while acknowledging that with Fields’ elite athleticism, the rules for when to give and when to keep might be a little different.

“That’s not an exact science,” Getsy said of the give. “There’s no exact science to exactly how you tell that quarterback to make the decision on it. I think there’s plenty of times throughout that game that you would say that if you’re coaching it, you’d say, ‘Why did you keep that?’ But sometimes it is who’s that person and who are you? And you have to feel what you feel, right? And I think from Justin’s standpoint, he made the right decision. We’ve got to execute the rest of the play a lot better the next time, and we will.”

CHICAGO BEARS

Justin Fields Nov 23

C.J. Stroud, Justin Fields, and the under-the-radar question about Bears' QB future

Justin Fields Nov 22

Justin Fields' belief in Tyler Scott more proof that key franchise QB box is checked

Justin Fields Nov 22

Justin Fields still waiting to get same calls as other NFL QBs

On the next play, Fields identified robber coverage at the snap, which took him away from Moore coming across the middle, and threw a deep shot to rookie Tyler Scott. The ball was thrown perfectly, but Scott “misjudged” it, and the pass fell incomplete.

Despite the safety coming down, Fields might have had an opportunity to hit Moore on the crossing route if he had waited a beat.

To Getsy, it’s all part of the NFL quarterback development process. It’s not just if not one, then two. It can be if not one, it’s two, but it can also still be one, depending on what kind of player you have out there and the matchup he is facing.

“I think that’s all part of your growth, and when you’re going through those types of situations, you always want to factor in who people are, that’s always matchups are always kind of a starting point of our week, when you’re putting your plan together,” Getsy said of the fateful third-and-9 call. “But the cool part about it was just the way that he processed it, the way he communicated, the way that he talked about why he did what he did and what he saw — that’s all real growth and stuff like that.”

The Bears’ collapse against the Lions and the subsequent autopsy shows the amount of growth still needed from every part of the offensive operation from Eberflus to Getsy, quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, Fields, the backs, receivers, and line. The offensive issues at the end of the game in Detroit are a symptom of a larger disease. It’s one that has infected everyone and one the Bears are still trying to purge.

Whether or not the Bears want to pull back the curtain on the decisive calls in Detroit, it’s clear that errors were made in multiple areas, and it helped fuel a historic collapse.

On Wednesday, Fields said the Bears “showed” who they were during the first 54 minutes in Detroit. That might be who they hope to become. But for now, they are what they showed in the critical moments — an operation that still can’t get out of its own way in the winning moments.

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The choice always seemed obvious. Fields flashed during a teardown season where he had no protection or weapons. The belief was that if the Bears could surround him with better weapons and a better line, he would take off. That theory, coupled with the underwhelming 2023 quarterback class, made Poles’ decision to trade the pick to the Carolina Panthers an easy decision.

But eight months after the Bears’ blockbuster trade with the Panthers, that decision looks murkier in hindsight.

The package the Bears got from the Panthers remains a haul. DJ Moore is a star, Darnell Wright is starting to blossom at right tackle, and Chicago is in the driver’s seat to once again have the No. 1 pick via the 1-9 Panthers.

But it’s the meteoric rise of Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who went No. 2 overall, and the up-and-down season from Fields that creates the haze.

In 10 games, Stroud has thrown for 2,962 yards, 17 touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 62.8 percent of his passes. Stroud has the Texans at 6-4 and in position to make the playoffs in a crowded AFC. Those 2,962 passing yards are more than Fields threw for in 15 games last season.

“Stroud always had this kind of upside,” an AFC scout for a team that wasn’t in the running to draft the QB told NBC Sports Chicago. “I know some teams got scared off him because of the offense [Ohio State runs], but I think the Georgia game kind of showed you what he could be. That’s a defense with what, 10 first-rounders on it? He threw it all over them. If you can do that, there’s a pretty good chance you can succeed in the NFL.”

As Stroud makes a darkhorse MVP run, the Bears enter the final six games of the season needing to see consistent, high-level quarterback play from Fields to continue building around him. He needs their trust to do that, something they didn’t show toward the end of their 31-26 loss to the Detroit Lions.

With the Bears likely to have two picks in the top six or seven in the first round next April, the decision made last March and how it was made must be examined.

“Organizationally, the question you’d have to ask yourself is: was our evaluation process sound?” a player personnel staffer told NBC Sports Chicago. “It’s not a second guess of the package, right? You get an elite wide receiver. Need that. I like Wright, and the corner [Tyrique Stevenson] might pan out. You can’t put a price on the first-round pick this year [2024], given the quarterbacks coming out.

“But if you think Stroud is going to be a star or even if he’s better than your initial evaluation, you have to ask why you missed that. Or did you give yourself a chance to see it? They seemed pretty set on Fields. When you trade the pick that early, it seems like there’s an error in the evaluation process on some level. It was a good trade, don’t get me wrong, but you’d still rather have a set franchise quarterback.”

CHICAGO BEARS

Justin Fields Nov 22

Justin Fields' belief in Tyler Scott more proof that key franchise QB box is checked

Justin Fields Nov 22

Justin Fields still waiting to get same calls as other NFL QBs

Bears Insider Nov 21

Schrock: Bears failing Justin Fields in key evaluation spot says a lot about QB future

Poles said last year that he would need to be “blown away” to draft a quarterback and move on from Fields. As the Bears look toward an uncertain quarterback future, how they came to the decision last March will have to be inspected thoroughly as they potentially evaluate Caleb Williams and Drake Maye this offseason.

Did Poles even give himself a chance to be blown away? If their evaluation of Stroud was off by this much, what are the chances they evaluate the next crop successfully if they move on from Fields?

Speaking of Fields, where does this conversation leave him with six games to go?

“There’s still a lot to like,” the AFC scout said. “The playmaking, the upside. I think when they let him play how he feels comfortable, you see how good it can be. If they can get him to play like he did [against Detroit] consistently, then you have what you’re looking for. If you trade a guy with that talent, you better be right.”

That brings us back to Stroud, Williams, and Maye.

The easiest way to derail a rebuild is to spend top capital on a mis-evaluated quarterback. That can set you back years and normally ends with people losing their jobs.

With the draft capital the Bears have this offseason, a massive decision looms. They can keep Fields and add blue-chip talent around him. Marvin Harrison Jr. is as can’t-miss as they come.

Or they can reset the QB contract timeline with Williams or Maye and see what teams are willing to offer for Fields.

But they have to be sure the quarterback whose name they call in April is the guy and isn’t destined for the dustbin of history.

“What’s the bust rate of quarterbacks taken in the first round? Forty percent,” the player personnel staffer said. “So it’s already a gamble, and now you look back on the decision they made last offseason, and it makes you think: What’s the confidence level that we can get this right when we either missed last year or saw it and passed anyways?”

The best-case scenario for the Bears is Fields lights it up over the next six games, and they enter the offseason comfortable about their future at quarterback. It’s easy to be enticed by Williams or Maye, but having certainty in Fields is the more favorable door.

It’s like the “Family Guy” boat or a box bit.

In this case, Fields proving he’s a franchise quarterback to build around is the boat while the draft mystery box. Williams or Maye could be anything. The potential outcomes for their careers could run the gamut. Would you rather have a surefire franchise quarterback or draft someone with the potential to be what Fields is, better or worse?

If the Bears enter the offseason without a complete evaluation of Fields, it will be hard for them to turn down the chance to draft Williams or Maye. Having a quarterback on a rookie contract is the best asset in the NFL. That, coupled with the astronomical upside of the top two quarterbacks, creates a gravitational pull that might be hard for the Bears to escape.

But if they go that route, can they be trusted to evaluate them properly and make the right decision after they missed and/or passed on Stroud?

The biggest question about last offseason’s decision is not the trade haul returned for the No. 1 pick but the evaluation process that led them to that choice. Perhaps Fields will thrive over the next month and render this conversation moot. Maybe Stroud’s rise will be a mirage.

But Poles and this front office’s biggest decision informs the expectations for the next decision and creates an important and probably unanswerable question about how they’ll solve another monumental QB riddle this offseason.

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The passing numbers have to continue to improve. He has to be more efficient and productive during the fourth quarter. The Bears must see him consistently operate the offense in four-minute and two-minute situations. The flash plays are important. Fields’ legs are a rare weapon that most quarterbacks don’t have. If he can fine-tune his passing ability, the Bears can feel comfortable continuing to build around him as their franchise quarterback.

For all the things Fields has to prove before getting the franchise QB stamp of approval, there’s one vital aspect of being an NFL signal-caller that he has that you can’t teach: leadership.

While questions about Fields’ long-term staying power in Chicago have swirled outside Halas Hall, faith has never wavered inside the Bears’ locker room. Veteran leaders respect the 24-year-old quarterback for his work ethic and accountability and believe in his unique abilities. Younger teammates trust Fields and will follow his lead.

There are different ways to lead in the NFL.

Over the past two seasons, Fields has repeatedly shown that he has the leadership box on the franchise QB checklist marked in ink.

He did so again Wednesday at Halas Hall when he was asked about continuing to believe in Tyler Scott after the rookie wide receiver “misjudged” a critical pass on third-and-9 late in the Bears’ 31-26 meltdown loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

“One game is not going to define if I go back to him,” Fields said. “To be honest, with you, I don’t care if you keep dropping the ball because everybody — we have our own individual responsibility to help this team be successful. If the receiver’s open, I’m going to throw him the ball, and if he drops it, it’s his responsibility to catch the ball. That’s his job. He gets paid to do that.

“I’m not losing faith in him one game, two games, however many games, I’m going to keep going back to him. He’s going to be a great receiver, he has a lot of room to grow and he’s talented even now. He’s made a lot of plays for us this year on offense, special teams. He’s a speedster. Not many DBs can keep up with him. That one game, whatever it was. He had a tough game, but we’ve all had tough games. As a football player, you have tough games. I’ve had a lot of tough games. It does nothing but make me better, make him better. At the end of the day, he’s a hard worker. He’s not going to let one, two, three games define who he is as a player. I have full faith in Tyler. Everybody else does, too.”

CHICAGO BEARS

Justin Fields Nov 22

Justin Fields still waiting to get same calls as other NFL QBs

Bears Insider Nov 22

Bears overreactions: Is Lions debacle final straw for Matt Eberflus?

Bears Insider Nov 21

Schrock: Bears failing Justin Fields in key evaluation spot says a lot about QB future

Last season, after a 27-24 loss to the Falcons in Atlanta, Fields walked into the locker room and apologized to the defense for throwing a game-ending pick after suffering a separated left shoulder. Safety Eddie Jackson immediately stopped the apology.

It was a small moment. One that can cynically be viewed as a sports cliche. But it showed why, even when his play is inconsistent, the players in the locker room trust that Fields is their guy.

“It showed us what we already knew,” safety Eddie Jackson told NBC Sports Chicago of the apology at the time. “The type of player he is. Leader he is. He’s a winner, fighter. He’ll go out there and leave everything on the line. Things we already knew. The things everyone sees man, it’s true. Justin’s a fighter, a winner, a leader. He really takes this thing serious in how he prepares, how he works, and how he plays the game. He takes it serious. That’s just things we already knew about him though.”

Star cornerback Jaylon Johnson echoed Jackson’s sentiment.

“He takes a lot of accountability for this team’s success,” Johnson told NBC Sports Chicago then. “We know who he is. What he’s about it. It’s really no surprise to us. He’s always been that guy, that leader, somebody to take accountability, been somebody to lead this team and to take everything on.

“He never backs down. He hasn’t batted an eye at anything. He’s always first in line for whatever it is. Really he’s our leader. It just speaks to who he is as our leader. He just keeps showing up.”

That apology wasn’t the only time during a turbulent 3-14 season that Fields’ leadership was a bright spot.

During the Bears’ 41-10 blowout loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 17, wide receiver Chase Claypool blew up on the sideline. Claypool came off the field, tossed his helmet and started having words with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

That’s when Fields went over to calm the receiver down and get everyone on the same page.

“I talked to him like, ‘That’s not going to do anything. That’s not helping anybody,” Fields said that day in Detroit. “That’s just spreading everybody apart. We need to be here for each other, stick with each other, and fight,'” Fields said. “Not many teams in this league are going to fight the way we did. I just, I don’t know, I’m getting really passionate. It’s like every drive we’re going out and I’m like, ‘Yo, I don’t care what the score is. We’re going to play our hardest.’ They know that I’m doing that. Of course, going back on Chase, he’s passionate but just has to learn how to control those emotions and keep it inside and just know what’s going to be best for the team.”

Fields’ leadership that day was the lone bright spot in a dismal day in Detroit.

Almost a calendar year later, the Bears suffered a different kind of heartbreak in Detroit. But again, Fields was relied on to display leadership to lift up a vital member of his arsenal.

Fields plans to be in Chicago long term. He understands the stakes of the next six games, but he wants to be the face of the franchise.

Finding a franchise quarterback is an inexact science. Teams can and will overthink every piece of the equation.

The leadership portion is an abstract part of the puzzle. Several teams thought Justin Herbert wouldn’t make it because he’s quiet and has interests outside of football. Jay Cutler had all the ability in the world but didn’t have the galvanizing aurora that elevates quarterbacks from good to great or great to elite.

There’s no question that Fields has a lot to prove before the Bears can etch his name in stone under the quarterback portion of their rebuild.

But when you’re looking for a franchise quarterback, you’re also looking for a leader. Someone whose presence creates belief and draws teammates to line up behind him — a gravitational pull that’s hard to describe and even harder to discover in the pre-draft process.

Fields has that vital franchise quarterback box checked. If he can check the others in the final six games, a season that looks lost might wind up being a success after all.

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The Bears third-year quarterback has been asking officials to watch for late hits for the better part of two-plus seasons, but the flags just don’t get thrown in his favor.

Fields took several questionable hits during the Bears’ 31-26 meltdown loss to the Lions in Detroit. Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone was the culprit on a few of the shots on Fields. During the second half at Ford Field, Fields took off to the right side and was tackled by Lions rookie linebacker Jack Campbell. As Campell tackled Fields, Anzalone came flying in and made contact with Fields’ head after he was down.

Fields popped up and had words for both Anzalone and the officials.

That type of play was something Fields expected against the NFC North-leading Lions.

“That’s just what the Lions do — they play hard,” Fields said. “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.”

CHICAGO BEARS

Bears Insider Nov 22

Bears overreactions: Is Lions debacle final straw for Matt Eberflus?

Bears Insider Nov 21

Schrock: Bears failing Justin Fields in key evaluation spot says a lot about QB future

Matt Eberflus Nov 19

Bears' search for answers after Lions meltdown must lead to hard rebuild truths

Last season, Fields got hit a lot and rarely got the benefit of a flag.

After a loss against the Atlanta Falcons, safety Jaquan Brisker came to his quarterback’s defense and demanded the NFL officiate him like other signal-callers.

“If that was a different quarterback, they would be throwing hella flags,” Brisker said last season. “A lot of flags. I feel like the league has to look at that. It’s crazy how many times he gets hit in the head every single game, but he still gets up. Gets hit out of bounds, late, or near the white.

“If that was Tom Brady, Jared Goff, or anybody like that, they throwing flags immediately. … I feel like they got to respect Justin some more and look at him as a quarterback because, obviously, there you should be more flags. He’s getting targeted every single game and none of them are being thrown.”

In the last two seasons, Fields has gotten those calls five times. All of them came last season, with two coming in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers.

For comparison, Josh Allen has been the beneficiary of four roughing-the-passer calls this season, which leads the NFL. Last year, Jared Goff led the league with six. Fields has received zero roughing the passer or unnecessary roughness calls in six-plus starts this season after receiving five (one roughing, four unnecessary roughness) last season.

Fields does not get the benefit of the doubt when in the pocket and receives little to no protection when he takes off and runs. It has been a pattern for almost three seasons.

Toward the end of last season, Fields did acknowledge he must start asking for more calls to get the same treatment other quarterbacks receive.

“It’s been like too many times this year where I felt like I’ve gotten hit late or something like that, and there’s been no flag, so I mean, I’m going to be on the refs looking for a call, but when I think it’s a flag I’m going to ask the ref, and on Sunday he said he didn’t think it was a foul,” Fields said. “Yeah, I’m going to be begging for those calls and just hope I get one, one in the near future.”

Fields and the Bears are still waiting for those calls to come.

Former Bears head coach Dave Wannstedt joined NBC Sports Chicago’s “Under Center” podcast this week and said he’s a fan of Fields and hopes things work out so that he sticks around in Chicago. But Wannstedt wants to see one change in how the Bears use Fields, or else he believes things will turn out poorly.

“I don’t like him running 18 times,” Wannstedt said on the show. “That’s way too much. I think you’re asking for trouble there. I think you can run the RPOs and he can make plays on designed runs, but I’m in at eight to 10 at the most. So I thought he ran the ball too much.”

Wannstedt is known for leading some of the most run-heavy teams in NFL history. His Dolphins ran the ball an incredible 530 times in 2002. Ricky Williams alone carried the ball a whopping 775 times between the 2002 and 2003 seasons. So it says a lot that he of all people believes the Bears are running Fields too much.

“You’re talking to a guy who never wanted to throw it if I didn’t have to,” Wannstedt said.

One of the biggest challenges for offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and the Bears this year has been to find the right balance of using Fields as a runner, and using Fields as a passer. Early in the year it was clear they weren’t taking advantage of his legs enough. Last week’s game against the Lions felt like an overcorrection.

Finding just the right amount of designed runs for Fields is more of a challenge than, say, finding the right amount of targets for DJ Moore. Fields has excellent scrambling ability and often extends plays. Accordingly, many of his runs are unscripted and his carry count can climb in a hurry.

“Some of that’s his own fault,” Wannstedt said.

Coaches will have to find the right number to help protect Fields from himself, otherwise he can run into the same dead leg problem that bothered him last year, or he could hurt himself once again.

Fields has carried the ball 65 times for 341 yards and one touchdown this year.

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Then everything unraveled in the blink of an eye as the Bears blew a 12-point lead in the final 4:15. It was a historic loss on several levels.

It was a meltdown of epic proportions that should lead to some difficult conversations about the direction of the rebuild and who the foundational pieces — both player and coach — should be.

That’s where we start this week’s mailbag. With Matt Eberflus’ future and how much the Detroit debacle might impact it:

Overreaction? It can’t be at this point

I’ve been pretty convinced that Matt Eberflus’ job is safe. I think there are a number of reasons to believe he gets Year 3.

General manager Ryan Poles genuinely seems to think he’s the right man for the job. The defensive improvement since Eberflus has taken over the reins can’t be ignored. I also don’t think the Bears hold last year’s 3-14 season against him. How could they?

But if there’s one thing that can turn the tide, it might be what happened in Detroit. That was inexcusable on a multitude of levels.

The Bears played not to lose once they entered the fourth quarter.

The Bears opened the final frame by not converting a third-and-1 on a quarterback sneak. Eberflus went for it on two fourth downs earlier in the game but elected to take the field goal and go up nine. That defensible.

On the Bears’ next drive, quarterback Justin Fields got them inside the Lions’ 30-yard line on a 29-yard run. Up nine, the Bears had a chance to go for the kill shot with Fields in a groove. Instead, they turtled up, electing to run it three times and kick a short field goal.

You can also critique the timeout Eberflus called when the Lions got down to the 1-yard line with 31 seconds to go. Eberflus called the timeout to preserve time for the Bears offense, but the Bears might have been better served forcing the Lions, who were out of timeouts, to rush to the line and try to execute in a hurry.

We can also nitpick the defensive end “rotation” that saw Montez Sweat play just 63 percent of the snaps and only half of the Lions’ third-down and red zone plays.

The Bears also played linebacker Dylan Cole one snap on defense. That snap happened to be on a second-and-goal from the 2-yard line that ended with Jahmyr Gibbs blistering Cole in a foot race to score the Lions’ first touchdown.

If I were a gambling man (I dabble), I’d say Eberflus avoids the axe after the season. The Bears have winnable games on their schedule. A 5-12 finish is an improvement from last season, and Poles understands it’s early in the process.

But the Lions meltdown causes a snowball effect, and the Bears start to fold, that could be all she wrote.

Overreaction? No

The NFL is all about self-preservation, and the ladder of power shows you who the shields are when it comes time to make changes.

General managers normally get two head coaches and at least one quarterback that’s of their choosing. So, as far as Poles is concerned, Eberflus and Fields will likely be swapped out before he gets ejector-seated.

CHICAGO BEARS

Bears Insider Nov 21

Schrock: Bears failing Justin Fields in key evaluation spot says a lot about QB future

Montez Sweat Nov 20

Bears snap count: Montez Sweat's play time shows troubling issue in Lions debacle

Matt Eberflus Nov 19

Bears' search for answers after Lions meltdown must lead to hard rebuild truths

Eberflus’ seat, should he keep his job, will be hot this offseason. That, coupled with the very plausible scenario of drafting a new quarterback, could likely lead to a change at offensive coordinator.

Getsy has his warts as a play-caller. There’s no doubt. But he’s an easy scapegoat for issues that go far beyond his control.

But that’s how the NFL works.

I don’t think there’s a world where Eberflus and Getsy are both back. If the Bears plan to draft a different quarterback and move on from Fields, they should scrap the entire operation and ensure the new quarterback is on the same timeline as his coach and play-caller.

But that’s how functioning organizations work. The Bears aren’t there yet.

Overreaction? A little

Poles should shoulder a bunch of the blame for this season.

His offseason moves have been hit-and-miss at best.

Linebacker T.J. Edwards has played well after a slow start, defensive tackle Andrew Billings has bolstered the run defense, and Darnell Wright looks like a franchise right tackle.

Edmunds has been underwhelming, Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens have been slow developing, and the Chase Claypool trade blew up in his face after three weeks.

You can point to several routes the Bears could have gone that might (likely would’ve had) a more significant impact on the team than the investments Poles made. Jalen Carter and Orlando Brown Jr. are the two that come to mind, but Wright has been good, and Braxton Jones has not been the weak link on the offensive line.

Poles could have tried to draft a center in the second round instead of cornerback Tyrique Stevenson or Dexter. There’s an argument to be made that going Jalen Carter and John Michael Schmitz with the first two picks would have been a better use of the draft capital.

There’s reason to critique Poles’ roster-building approach, but an almost fully healthy Bears team just drubbed the Lions for 54 minutes before melting down, so perhaps patience is required with the GM.

Overreaction? Yes and no

The easy way to answer this is: if Fields ends up staying, he likely played well enough to win games, and therefore, Eberflus is safe like Dave Roberts in the 2004 ALCS.

If Eberflus is gone, it’s almost a near certainty Fields is also out, and the Bears will move on with a new coach-QB combo.

Hard to imagine a world where Fields plays well enough to earn their full long-term confidence, but Eberflus is launched out of Halas Hall.

I don’t think it has anything to do with the amount of coaches/coordinators Fields has had. It’s more about the logical scenario that Fields being good will likely equal better play from the Bears, which reflects positively on Eberflus, and we’re all vibing together into the offseason, right? Right?!

As an aside, while Fields’ stock is up after one game, the Bears are looking at the totality of his tenure, and it’s going to take a lot more than 54 good minutes for them to pick him over Caleb Williams/Drake Maye and the opportunity to reset the QB contract timeline.

There are a lot of moving pieces and long-term ramifications to consider. Three good quarters in Detroit is a minuscule piece of the puzzle.

Overreaction? No

I’m just going to focus on the final bullet point here since we’ve touched on Eberflus and Fields ad nauseam.

Drafting Marvin Harrison Jr. is a no-brainer.

If the Bears have the chance to draft him, and it doesn’t interfere with their long-term quarterback plans, they shouldn’t waste a second.

If Fields cements himself as the guy in the final six games, giving him Harrison to pair with DJ Moore would be NOS in his development fuel lines.

If Fields doesn’t, and the Bears somehow end up with two of the top five picks and can draft Williams or Maye and Harrison, they should do that. The Bengals pairing Joe Burrow with JaMarr Chase was a brilliant blueprint that should be copied.

You need an elite wide receiver to win in today’s NFL. Having two makes your offense almost impossible to stop.

Overreaction? I’d like to say yes.

The Jim Harbaugh piece of the equation, for the Bears and all NFL teams, will be interesting to monitor this offseason.

It feels like Harbaugh’s time at Michigan is coming to an end, especially if the Wolverines finish the deal and win the College Football Playoff National Championship.

If Harbaugh chooses to return to the NFL, the Bears seem like an obvious fit.

But you bring up two good points.

He will carry a hefty price tag, and the Bears might not be interested in writing a big check while also paying the current staff to exit the building. The second part of the Harbaugh scenario is that he could very well ask for personnel control, which would either mean Poles goes or the Bears construct a Mike Mayock/Jon Gruden structure where Poles is the GM, but Harbaugh gets the final say on personnel decisions.

That’s a sticky scenario.

The Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers (assuming Brandon Staley is gone) seem like great fits for Harbaugh.

He’d be an excellent hire for the Bears. He wins. He wears out his welcome, but he wins.

I’m not sure that’s the route they’d take if they move on from Eberflus, though.

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The third-year quarterback needs to string two months of high-level play together to prove to general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus that they should continue to build around him as their franchise quarterback and not jump ship to Caleb Williams Island or Drake Maye Key.

The Bears said they need to see Fields consistently improve. They want to see him take care of the ball while making game-changing plays with both his arm and legs. They need to see him operate the offense cleanly in four-minute, two-minute, and end-of-game situations. Can he prove he can play quarterback at a high level and be the reason the Bears win games? Can he make Luke Getsy’s sometimes clunky offense look better than it is? Can he elevate those around him as other franchise quarterbacks do?

Fields played 53 minutes of damn good football Sunday in Detroit. He played free, hung in the pocket, made good and quick decisions, kept his eyes downfield when he was forced to escape, tormented the Lions with his legs, and his 39-yard touchdown strike to DJ Moore was quintessential Fields when he’s on.

The quarterback dropped back and was pressured from his left. Fields dodged the rusher, stepped up in the pocket, and ripped a rope to Moore for a score.

For 53 minutes, Fields gave the Lions fits. He finished the day 16-for-23 for 169 yards and a touchdown while adding 104 on the ground.

When Fields bolted out of the pocket and picked up 29 yards on third-and-14 with just under seven minutes to play, it looked like the third-year quarterback would begin the critical seven-game stretch with a signature win — by beating a measuring-stick opponent with plays that reminded how special he can be.

It was all right there. Then, the Bears’ coaching staff — the same one that needs to see Fields execute in do-or-die situations and prove he can win them games when everything is on the line — took it out of his hands.

Up nine and facing a first-and-10 at the Lions’ 26-yard line, the Bears had the kill shot in their sights. All they had to do was keep the game plan the same as it had been for the first 53 minutes, let Fields continue to make smart decisions and roll out of Detroit with a marquee win.

Instead, the Bears coached not to lose.

The Bears handed the ball off to Khalil Herbert for a gain of 1 on first down. Fields kept it on a zone read for 2 on second down to set up a critical third-and-7.

It should have been another opportunity to evaluate Fields. To put the ball in his hands and see if they are the hands you want controlling your fate for the next 10 years.

Instead, the Bears handed it off to Roschon Johnson for 2 yards and kicked a field goal to go up 12.

Fields’ grade on that drive went from an A to an incomplete with three confounding play calls.

“Yeah, we love those plays we had there, even the one on third down,” Eberflus said Monday at Halas Hall. “We thought we could pop that for the third down. I think it was third and 7 there potentially, yep. We like that. He could have had a disconnect on that one but decided to hand it off. I think 34 was there waiting for him. We thought we could pop that one, so that’s where it was.”

Not only did the Bears waste an evaluation opportunity with those three calls, but they also cost themselves the win.

The Lions went right down and scored in 1:16 to cut the lead to five.

That meant Fields got one more chance to make the winning plays to put in the pro column on his evaluation ledger. With less than three minutes left, the Bears were going to be conservative. That’s fine. But there’s a difference between not wanting to turn the ball over and turtling.

The Bears did the latter.

The first-down call was a vanilla shotgun handoff to Herbert. No creativity, no motion, no keeper option. Just run it up the middle for no gain. On second-and-10, the Bears called a read option that the Lions played perfectly, forcing Fields to hand it to Herbert for a gain of 1.

On third-and-9 and needing a first down to almost ice it, the Bears finally put the ball in Fields’ hands. DJ Moore was the primary read, but when the safety came down in robber coverage, Fields knew he had Tyler Scott singled up on the outside and took his shot. Fields’ ball was perfectly thrown, but Scott “misjudged” it, and it fell incomplete past his outstretched fingers.

The Bears punted and the rest is history as the Lions completed a historic comeback to win 31-26.

Six plays (or more) in the perfect NFL cauldron for the Bears to evaluate Fields — to get the information they claim they want — and they completely punted on an opportunity they needed to plot a course forward.

“The last play we talked about with the cross to DJ, and he threw it over top, I mean that would have been a spectacular play if we connected on that,” Eberflus said Monday when asked if the Bears could get a full evaluation fo Fields if they don’t put the ball in his hands in critical moments. “We were right there. We just got to do a good job of executing in that moment, and that’s what we’re talking about as a group. Taking accountability is offense, defense and kicking, about finishing the right way. We have to do that.”

The lack of execution by Scott, a talented but raw rookie receiver, isn’t the issue.

The issue is everything that came before it in the fourth quarter.

With a chance to plunge a dagger into the Lions’ heart, the Bears asked little of Fields. Out of the 19 offensive plays the Bears ran in the fourth quarter, only six were passing plays. Four were quarterback runs, one was a sneak, and the other eight were handoffs.

The Bears called passing plays on these downs in the final quarter:

–Third-and-4 (defensive holding)
— Second-and-6 (scramble)
— Second-and-6 (sack)
–Third-and-14 (scramble)
–Third-and-9 (incomplete)
— First-and-10 (strip-sacked with 29 seconds left, trailing by two)

CHICAGO BEARS

Bears Insider Nov 20

Braxton Jones explains bizarre moment he was pulled from game in Bears' loss vs. Lions

Montez Sweat Nov 20

Bears snap count: Montez Sweat's play time shows troubling issue in Lions debacle

Matt Eberflus Nov 19

Bears' search for answers after Lions meltdown must lead to hard rebuild truths

Perhaps the Bears don’t truly want Fields to prove it to them. Maybe the die was cast long ago, and they are ready to move on to a rookie quarterback of their choosing.

But what would serve this rebuild the best is for Fields to go out and prove to be the guy. At the very least, the Bears have to be sure he’s not a franchise quarterback before moving on from him if they want to avoid a crippling mistake.

The unknown of a draft pick can be intoxicatingly enticing for front offices. But quarterback evaluation is an inexact science. Even the best prospects bust at a high rate.

Look at the 2021 draft class and where they are today:

— Trevor Lawrence (starter)
— Zach Wilson (third string behind Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian)
— Trey Lance (third string behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush)
— Justin Fields
— Mac Jones (TBD based on the week of practice vs. Bailey Zappe)

Having Fields remove doubt is a much better option than rolling the dice on Williams or Maye. It’s not a question of talent but rather an acknowledgment that finding a franchise QB in the draft is much easier done on Madden than in real life.

But the Bears coached Sunday like they didn’t want to see if Fields could prove them wrong. Maybe their minds are made up, or perhaps it’s just an archaic way of coaching that says playing conservatively is the surest way to win.

Either way, what the Bears did Sunday in the fourth quarter didn’t move them any closer to clarity on Fields. On the contrary, letting him play free for three quarters only to handcuff him in the fourth makes the picture even murkier with six games left.

Unless they’ve already made up their mind. If they have, Fields faces an almost insurmountable uphill climb to change their minds.

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The Bears bludgeoned the Detroit Lions for 55 minutes before collapsing in historic fashion in the Motor City. Tommy DeVito led the should-be tanking Giants to a shocking win over the Washington Commanders, Dorian Thompson-Robinson outplayed Kenny Pickett as the Browns beat the Steelers, and the Green Bay Packers are somehow back in the playoff hunt (kind of) after getting the best of the Chargers.

OK, maybe some of that I should have seen coming.

Meanwhile, Brock Purdy and the 49ers detonated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levi’s Stadium, and the NFL waved goodbye to the 2023 Bengals, whose Super Bowl hopes evaporated with Joe Burrow’s season-ending injury on Thursday night.

BEARS INSIDER

Matt Eberflus Nov 19

Bears' search for answers after Lions meltdown must lead to hard rebuild truths

Justin Fields Nov 19

Schrock's Bears Report Card: Grading Justin Fields, offense, defense in Lions loss

Justin Fields Nov 19

Tyler Scott ‘misjudged' Justin Fields' ‘great' pass on do-or-die play in loss vs. Lions

Here’s where each team sits after Week 11:

1. Philadelphia Eagles (9-1): The Eagles are head and shoulders above the rest of the NFL as we hit Thanksgiving, and they haven’t even played their best football yet. Birds looking to peak at the right time after notching a statement win over the Chiefs.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (7-3): Patrick Mahomes can only do so much. The Chiefs’ lack of reliable receivers cost them Monday night against the Eagles and might be what costs Mahomes a third ring.
3. San Francisco 49ers (7-3): Mr. Relevant was perfect Sunday against the Bucs. With Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel back and healthy, the 49ers have returned to their unstoppable wrecking ball form.
4. Baltimore Ravens (8-3): The Ravens have all the pieces in place to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, but Lamar Jackson will have to shake a troubling playoff reputation to get there.
5. Detroit Lions (8-2): The Lions messed around with the lowly Bears on Sunday, but made the plays needed to erase a 12-point deficit in the final five minutes to stay on track. The Lions’ offense is elite, but the defense has to take a leap for them to be considered a realistic threat to the top two in the NFC.
6. Miami Dolphins (7-3): The Dolphins’ win over the Raiders means little, but it was another game in which their defense allowed fewer than 20 points since Jalen Ramsey’s return. That bodes well for their playoff prospects.
7. Dallas Cowboys (7-3): The Cowboys bludgeoned another bad team Sunday. If they handed out rings for beating the dregs of the NFL, the Cowboys’ drought would have ended long ago.
8. Houston Texans (6-4): C.J. Stroud continues to rise in the MVP race, and DeMeco Ryans is your runaway Coach of the Year. Don’t sleep on the Texans’ chances of making some noise come January. With Stroud under center, they’ll have a chance in any game.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3): The Jags were embarrassed by the 49ers last week and took their frustrations out on a sinking Titans team. Trevor Lawrence was surgical, and Calvin Ridley had his best game in over a month. As it turns out, the Jags are still pretty good.
10.  Cleveland Browns (7-3): The Browns losing Deshaun Watson for the season makes their franchise-altering trade look worse, but the on-field impact might not be felt until we get to the playoffs. Dorian Thompson-Robinson was serviceable against a good Steelers defense Sunday. With the Browns’ elite defense on the other side, all DTR has to do is not screw it up.
11.  Buffalo Bills (6-5): Are the Bills back? Putting up 32 points on a Jets defense that has given elite quarterbacks fits all season is certainly a good sign. Maybe Ken Dorsey was the problem. (He wasn’t.)
12.  Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4): The Steelers have been winning with smoke and mirrors all season, and it finally bit them Sunday against the Browns. Kenny Pickett continues to play abysmal football, but the Steelers’ only other option is Mitch Trubisky. Is it time for Pittsburgh to make a change to see if it can spark a dormant offense?
13. Denver Broncos (5-5): Tip your cap to Sean Payton. The Broncos didn’t flinch after their putrid start and found their way back to .500 and are just one game back of the seventh-seeded Steelers.
14. Minnesota Vikings (6-5): The Josh Dobbs Magic came to an end Sunday in Denver. Turnovers will do that. Expect him to rekindle that magic against a Bears team that’s allergic to winning next Monday.
15. Indianapolis Colts (5-5): That the Colts are in the hunt for a playoff spot in mid-November is a credit to Shane Steichen. The cupboard wasn’t as full in Indy as many would have you believe.
16. Seattle Seahawks (6-4): Geno Smith’s elbow injury bears watching as the Seahawks enter a critical four-game stretch that sees them face the 49ers twice and the Eagles and Cowboys once. Smith was having a good game before he left in the third quarter. Things could go off the rails quickly if the Seahawks have to turn to Drew Lock.
17. New Orleans Saints (5-5): We all just need to get comfortable with the fact that Derek Carr or Jameis Winston will be quarterbacking the NFC South champion Saints on Wild Card Weekend. It’s happening. Doesn’t mean you have to watch, though.
18. Los Angeles Rams (4-6): The Rams took a step toward the playoffs with a win over the Seahawks on Sunday. They still face an uphill climb, especially if Cooper Kupp has to miss time with an ankle injury, but the path is there for Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford to get back to the dance.
19. Las Vegas Raiders (5-6): The Raiders suffered their first loss under interim head coach Antonio Piece on Sunday in a game they played not to lose in Miami. Their defense played well, but the offense looked like a unit led by a first-time play-caller and rookie quarterback. The honeymoon couldn’t last forever.
20. Green Bay Packers (4-6): The Packers’ rookie wide receivers finally made a splash Sunday against a Chargers defense that has only been able to stop Tyson Bagent and Zach Wilson. Aaron Jones’ injury puts a damper on this one, but the Packers are somehow “in the hunt” as we head toward December. That says more about the state of the NFC than their actual playoff prospects, though.
21. Los Angeles Chargers (4-6): Justin Herbert’s frustration finally started to show in Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. Head coach Brandon Staley refuses to give up defensive play-calling and the decision to draft Quentin Johnston instead of Zay Flowers in Round 1 looks worse every week. I wonder how Jim Harbaugh feels about Southern California.
22.  New York Jets (4-6): The Jets could have made a move for a quarterback and been a legitimate AFC East threat. Instead, they stuck with Zach Wilson and their season is now on life support.
23. Cincinnati Bengals (5-5): This ranking only reflects the Bengals’ present and future. That’s the one without quarterback Joe Burrow. Season is over in The Jungle.
24. Atlanta Falcons (4-6): Arthur Smith is going back to Desmond Ridder at quarterback when the Falcons exit the bye week. I give it a week until he gets frustrated and goes back to Taylor Heinicke. It feels like the coaching seat is about to get warm in Atlanta.
25.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6): On paper, the Bucs should have enough to make a run at an NFC South title. They are only one game back of the first-place Saints. But the Bucs had four starters leave Sunday’s game with injuries, and the defense gave up 413 total yards to the 49ers. Red flags are everywhere.
26.  Chicago Bears (3-8): The Bears had a statement win slip through their fingers with a historic late-game collapse against the Lions. Chicago outplayed the first-place Lions for 55 minutes but fell apart in winning time. Don’t blame this one on Justin Fields, though. It belongs on Matt Eberflus’ ledger.
27.  Washington Commanders (4-7): It’s about time for Riverboat Ron to set sail after losing to Tommy DeVito.
28.  New York Giants (3-8): Just like that, Tommy DeVito has cost the Giants the inside track at Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.
29. Tennessee Titans (3-7): The Titans have been outscored 140-70 on the road this season. Tennessee has two road games left – Miami and Houston – so it’s possible the Titans will finish the season 0-8 away from home.
30.  New England Patriots (2-8): The Patriots were Sunday’s big winner. They didn’t have to watch Mac Jones play quarterback, and the Giants inexplicably won a game to bump the Patriots up in the race for Williams or Maye.
31. Arizona Cardinals (2-9): Kyler Murray’s return at least makes the Cardinals watchable, but this is a 4-13 team that should finish at 2-15 if it knows what’s good for it.
32. Carolina Panthers (1-9): The Panthers still don’t have an offensive identity or their first-round pick. If the Panthers can’t find someone to get the best out of Bryce Young, this could be the start of a downward spiral that will take years for the franchise to recover from.

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One strange sequence that might have gotten lost in the initial wreckage of another Bears collapse was left tackle Braxton Jones getting pulled from the game in the middle of a Bears drive in the third quarter.

With the Bears trailing 14-13 with just under six minutes to play in the third quarter, quarterback Justin Fields handed the ball off to running back Khalil Herbert for no gain on first-and-10 at the Lions’ 28-yard line. After the play, Jones was pulled from the game, and Larry Borom entered. Jones went to the sideline and was clearly upset with the Bears’ training staff. He removed his helmet and slammed it into the bench before sitting down.

T.V. microphones caught Jones saying, “I can’t f—ing see,” while walking off the field. The Bears’ drive stalled, but Jones returned for the next series.

On Monday, the second-year left tackle explained the bizarre moment.

“In the play, I had rolled and tumbled, and I just got up way too quick,” Jones told Chicago media at Halas Hall. “Just got a little dizzy. I just needed a second. The refs took me off. I was evaluated. I was completely fine, honestly. I just think I was tired, needed 10 seconds to re-gather myself, but we didn’t have 10 seconds, obviously, the play clock was going down. Just needed to get off and get evaluated. I was completely fine. I knew I was fine. That’s kinda why I was frustrated, but no need to react like that, and I apologize for reacting like that. Just in the moment, I want to be out there for my teammates and everything like that. Nothing was wrong with me. I got evaluated and was right back out there playing.”

Jones said that “everything rushed to his head” when he popped back up and was “stuck” for a second. The Southern Utah product feels that he didn’t need to come out but understands his teammates and the officials were trying to do what was best for him.

“My teammates also were just trying to help me, telling me to get down and just make sure that I was all right,” Jones said. “In the mix of emotion and a lot going on and a close game there, just was frustrated. Honestly, i probably didn’t even need to come out, but they just wanted to check on me and make sure I was OK. The frustration just came from, I want to be there for my teammates. I’m a team player. I don’t like taking plays off. I don’t like coming out.”

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Jones played 73 of 75 snaps in the Bears’ loss in Detroit. Per Pro Football Focus, Jones gave up four pressures in the loss.

This season was meant to be an important one for Jones’ growth as a franchise left tackle. The six-game absence due to a neck injury cost him valuable snaps, but Jones believes he can already see the difference in his play from a year ago. That doesn’t mean he’s satisfied, though. He has a lot of work to do to get where he and the Bears need him to be.

“Just based off of self-reflection, last year, I didn’t necessarily know how to gauge my play, and this year, I do,” Jones said. “I’m still not where I want to be. There’s just things I’ve gotta clean up, and I know how to clean them up.

“But I’m getting there. I’ve gotta be more strict on myself in some technique things, but other than that, I feel 100% and way better than I have in the last eight weeks, so based off last year, it’s not a true—like, I can’t compare just because I was a rookie. I was just playing, playing ball. This year, I know a little bit more. Based off my second year, I could be doing a little bit better.”

But where Jones’ most significant issue last year (anchoring against the bull rush) couldn’t be addressed until the offseason, the Year 2 improvements can be made in-season.

“To me, it’s discouraging that you don’t go out there and do it immediately, but obviously, some of this stuff takes time, especially when you have time out, but it’s super fixable,” Jones said. “I see the things glaring. Most of it’s pad level. Right now, when I put myself in the right position, I’m sitting on the bull rush, but I’m not even putting myself in the right position to sit on the bull rush and to help myself out, so I think that’s the biggest deal is putting myself in better situations.

“I just feel like I’m kinda shooting out of there, just trying to do too much, and it’s just putting me in bad situations, but when I put myself in the best situation, it looks the best, and I’m sitting on the bull rush just a little bit better than I was last year, but right now I just feel like I’m not putting myself in those good situations, and I’m gonna continue to work, and I’m doing the extra work before and after practice to try and get that done. I just think it’s gotta click on the field in the heat of the moment while I’m tired and stuff like that.”

Jones and the Bears must quickly put Sunday’s events in MoTown behind them. There’s no time to sulk in the NFL. Another opponent awaits Monday when the Bears visit Josh Dobbs and the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.

That’s another opportunity for Jones to get better and another chance for this Bears team — players and coaches — to show they are building something worth continuing.

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