Hot Take Tuesday: Even when it’s right, it’s wrong

Thirteen more games. Thirteen more games? THIRTEEN MORE GAMES?!?

I don’t know if I can take thirteen more games of this team. This team continues to baffle the mind and find new and creative ways to lose games.

First it was inexplicably not pressuring or attempting to confuse an inexperienced quarterback. Then it was a pick-six to seal the loss after running the same screen play three consecutive times. Then it was flat embarrassment to an offensive coordinator we once called inept. This time, it’s blow the biggest lead in over a century of Chicago Bears football.

Talk about a roller coaster of emotions. Justin Fields was lit. I mean, how fun was that? Sure, he had guys streaking open, but the throws were nice. Fields was confident. The offense was humming. The Denver Broncos defense is trash, but this felt like the confidence booster Fields needed to turn the corner.

Then what did the Bears do? They Bear’d it up! Eberflus sits back in his passive zones, Russ Wilson picks apart the Bears, and Luke Getsy starts running the ball trying to milk the clock, and next thing you know, a 28-7 lead had evaporated and the Bears lost 31-28.

Thirteen more games.

I’ve had it with Matt Eberflus. I’d like him gone yesterday. But he did such a great job putting together a staff lacking in any level of experience that he made himself bulletproof from a firing. Who could they even elevate to run the team? The other guy everyone wants fired, Luke Getsy? Richard Hightower? I mean, Eberflus is doing two jobs thanks to the disappearance of his defensive coordinator, so you’d have to replace two people. They are stuck with this inept staff.

Thirteen more games.

And Ryan Poles officially lit the 32nd pick on fire. Chase Claypool looks done in Chicago. He’s probably going to be released any minute after Poles officially fails trying to trade him for a dilapidated practice ball with tape over a hole that only the punter can use because it has a bubble near the nose.

Look, if you follow me, you know how ticked I was with what Poles did to Fields going into the 2022 season, so I was happy Poles finally did something to support his quarterback when he traded for Claypool, but Claypool came with questions and the compensation was always too high. Steelers fans rejoiced when that trade went down, and we can all see why.

Thirteen more games.

How can this team even improve? I’m not suggesting they are going 0-17, although if you asked me what’s better odds, 5 or more wins or 0 wins, I’m taking zero at this point. The coaching staff is inept on both sides of the ball. The Bears will be outmatched on the sidelines every game moving forward. The defensive scheme is the softest, most antiquated, least imaginative, passive crap I’ve ever seen. I thought last year it was due to a lack of talent, now I realize it’s due to a lack of common sense.

And hey, Getsy and Fields looked like they were humming together, but then that stupid ass decision to go for it instead of kick the field goal, and to top it off, Getsy decides to take the ball out of his most dangerous player’s hands. I mean, this is 101-level stuff here.

Maybe the Bears can beat the Carolina Panthers, who also can’t find a win. But I look at every other game on the schedule, and with the exception of the Arizona Cardinals game, I don’t expect the Bears to win any of these. It doesn’t mean they’ll lose them all, but if they do, it’ll be an upset.

It’s amazing, the Bears were the worst team in the NFL last year. They had four picks in the top 64, they acquired DJ Moore, they had over $100 million in cap space, and somehow, they’re worse than they were last year. How does that work because the math ain’t mathin’.

Oh and one last thing, the Bears current 14-game losing streak? Good news! They’ve now cracked the top 20 and are tied for the 19th-longest losing streak in NFL history. If they drop their next five (Commanders, Vikings, Raiders, Chargers, Saints), they’ll be going for the big two-zero against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night football. And a 20th straight loss would tie them for 3rd all-time with the Jacksonville Jaguars. What drama!

Thirteen more games.

Quick Hits

• Elijah Hicks passer rating against is 148.3
• Darnell Wright continues to improve and Nate Davis played well, the right side of the line might be okay. Don’t get me started on the other three spots though
• There are currently 48 players in the NFL with more sacks than the entire Chicago Bears team
• Khalil Mack’s 6 sacks were equal to the Chicago Bears team sack total over their last NINE games
• Did Matt Eberflus change his mind again about whether or not they told Chase Claypool to stay home?
• Zacch Pickens still hasn’t won a pass rushing rep on the season, his half sack was credited as a coverage sack
• If I had to guess, the Bears current best offensive line (of those available) would be Larry Borom, Teven Jenkins, Dan Feeney, Nate Davis, Darnell Wright. Braxton Jones obviously whenever he can return. Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick both need to find their way to the bench
• Justin Fields' wild season: He’s on pace for 3700 passing yards and 30 touchdowns, but also on pace for 21 interceptions and 72 sacks
• Of those with 50 or more snaps, the 5 lowest graded defensive players (per PFF) for the Bears are: Zacch Pickens, Justin Jones, Dominique Robinson, Yannick Nagakoue and Rasheem Green, All defensive linemen. Who could have seen that coming?
• Finally, bravo, Equanimous St Brown. He didn’t complain. He was finally activated. He contributed. Take a lesson, Chase Claypool!