Hot Take Tuesday: No more excuses

I’m not confident in a lot of things about this rivalry, but I am confident about this. Jordan Love is not going to become one of the top 15 QBs in NFL history.

That may sound stupid, but when the Chicago Bears have been facing a top 15 QB in NFL history for the last 32 years, it’s kinda nice that it’s no longer the case. Look, I don’t know if Jordan Love is going to be trash or pretty good, but I don’t see elite traits, and neither do a lot of other people.

That’s not to say Love is guaranteed to suck. He might be a perfectly acceptable game manager. He might even be like a Kirk Cousins. It’ll be interesting to see what type of quarterback he is, and we’ll get our first look on Sunday afternoon.

There is a part of me that is thrilled that Aaron Rodgers took his rotten attitude and his conspiracy theories to the Big Apple (and the stupid talent too), but there was always one nice thing about playing Rodgers: if the Bears lost, you got to shrug your shoulders. Sure, it hurt to lose to the Packers, but you lost to Aaron freakin’ Rodgers. It just sucked that a top 5 all-time NFL QB was facing off against our beloved team twice a year.

Matt Nagy beat the Packers once. John Fox beat the Packers once. Marc Trestman beat the Packers once. That’s it since Lovie. The Bears were so inept against this franchise that the losses were always expected. You always had that excuse.

But those excuses are over.

And because those excuses are over, I’m scared sh**less.

Look I have hope. But I’m a Bears fan. Dread always defeats hope. I had hope week one in 2019 only to have it destroyed. Hell, I had hope in week one in 2018 up until halftime when Aaron Rodgers decided to wreck me again.

Caleb Haine. Chris Conte. Every time I have hope, the Bears Bear it up.

Do I have hope about Sunday? Of course. For the first time in a long time (1991 to be exact), I believe the Bears have the superior quarterback. But there are no excuses. This offensive line (that I don’t trust), needs to protect Justin Fields. Fields needs to prove to the haters out there that he can run an efficient offense. The new look running back room needs to prove that less is more (in terms of salaries). DJ Moore needs to be that damn guy. Tremaine Edmunds needs to terrorize the Packers offense. The secondary needs to prove that they’re for real. That group up front needs to pressure Jordan Love (how, I’m not sure) and stop the run (again, how, I’m not sure). It all needs to happen.

I’ll take a 1-point victory, but it would be damn nice if this team just asserted itself as the superior team and slapped the Packers around for 60 minutes. Is that too much to ask for? I remember when the Bears were the superior team every season compared to the Packers. It was a glorious feeling, but I was too young to appreciate it.

It’s time to flip the script. Please, Chicago Bears for the love of God, end our suffering! Justin, I don’t ask for much, just 150 yards rushing, 300 yards passing and 5 total touchdowns. I just can’t take this any longer. I’m excited for a new era of this rivalry, but with higher expectations, there’s a bigger fall to disappointment.

Chicago Bears, don’t fail me now.

Have I mentioned I’m scared sh**less?

Quick Hits

• The Bears starting OL on the week one 2022 depth chart vs the 2023 depth chart features three of the same starters. Yuck.
• This offensive line is a problem.
• Why isn’t Terrell Lewis on this team? Yannick Ngakoue is literally the only pass rusher they have off the edge.
• Cheering against a totally innocuous team like the Carolina Panthers all season will be weird.
• Every future spread I see for the Bears is basically a 1-point game. I don’t think Vegas has any idea what the Bears are going to be.
• Why should they? I don’t even think local media or fans know what they are going to be.
• I’m sticking with my 8-9 prediction, but I’ll say the odds are greater they go under that total than over it.
• This offensive line is a problem. Yes, it’s worth stating again.
• Football is back, Bear down, baby!
• (Still scared sh**less)