Keys for a strong finish to the 2020 season for the Bears

EDITOR: This started out as a bye week roundtable question posed to our staff, asking them to give us their keys for the Chicago Bears to finish the 2020 season, but with some of our team really elaborating on their answers we decided to give each “plan” to finish the year a spotlight of its own.

1) Go back to Mitchell Trubisky, especially if the offensive line can’t get healthier. He gives you the best overall playmaking ability even with all of his shortcomings. The offense won’t get better, but it also won’t get worse, which is what it’s doing under Nick Foles.

2) Go back to the weeks 1 and 2 game plan. Let’s see more I-formation, more plays from under center with a fullback, just line right up and run the damn ball to set up play action. I’m not saying that it will look good, but clearly they moved the ball better than they are now.

3) Play the rookies. Let’s get Cole Kmet more snaps, yes even over Jimmy Graham (use the $9 million man only inside the 20, if you ever get there), let Darnell Mooney get more looks (I know he’s second in snaps at WR but give him more deliberate targets on “him” plays), and play Riley Ridley over Javon Wims because you might as well see what he can offer so you can get clarity at your depth moving forward.

4) I’d almost be inclined to let Sam Mustipher or Alex Bars start at center and move Whitehair out to guard. Although I’m not sure Bars is actually a center despite his spot start not being a total disaster. This would mean sending Rashaad Coward or Germain Ifedi to the bench, but let’s see what the ex-Golden Domers can do.

I will stand down on this if my colleagues that know and understand line play more than I tell me I’m talking out of my butt on this point.

5) Keep Bill Lazor as the play caller. It probably won’t make a difference but it will give Matt Nagy a continued chance to take a big picture approach to overseeing the entire team.