The Chicago Bears head out of Minnesota with a win, snapping a 12-game NFC North losing streak. Despite winning, the Bears also head into the bye week with multiple questions looming.
Despite Win, Major Questions Loom During Chicago Bears Bye Week
Quarterback Dilemma
Quarterback Justin Fields is under immense pressure to perform at a high level during the last stretch of the season. Against the Minnesota Vikings, Fields fumbled the ball twice and now accounts for seven turnovers in the fourth quarter this season, tied for most in the NFL. With the Chicago Bears currently holding the first-overall pick via the Carolina Panthers, there is a high chance they will draft a new quarterback. General Manager Ryan Poles did not draft Fields, and with the likelihood of hiring a new coaching staff, they could look to start fresh at the position.
Still, Fields had moments of brilliance, which makes evaluating him difficult. Fields accounted for all the Bears’ yards in the game’s final drive. Fields had the most critical throw of his NFL career so far to D.J. Moore for 36 yards to put the Bears in field goal range. Heading into the bye week, Fields must mentally prepare himself for the final five games.
Hell of a response by Justin Fields after fumbling twice. He hit DJ Moore for a big gain to setup the GW field goal. #Bears pic.twitter.com/szZai1iqf1
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) November 28, 2023
Lackluster Playcalling On Offense
On Monday night, Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy called an abysmal game against the Vikings. The endless wide receiver screens made Bears fans go insane. As a result, Getsy did not allow Fields to showcase his ability to throw the ball downfield. The average throw from Fields traveled 2.5 yards in turn to Getsy’s play-calling. Thus, the Bears’ offense looks to be in need of a change. Is there a chance the Bears fire Getsy during the bye week?
Stellar Defensive Play
The Chicago Bears defense played lights-out Monday night against the Vikings. The Bears’ defense created four takeaways, all interceptions from four different Bears players. After racking up eight takeaways in its previous two games, the unit has produced three games this season with three or more interceptions. Hence, this Bears defense has shown their tenacity to create turnovers and stop the opponents’ offense from scoring points, which is crucial heading into the season’s final stretch.
What’s Next For The Bears
Heading into the bye week, a lot can happen for the Bears. There is an opportunity to make a coaching change to elevate the offense, and there is time to evaluate Fields and his performance in 2023. The Bears have a legitimate chance of making a late playoff push, having one of the easier remaining schedules in the NFL. The recipe for success relies on allowing Fields to make plays on the offensive side of the ball. Furthermore, the defense must continue to pressure the opposing quarterback and create turnovers. The Bears need to recognize that learning from failures is the best kind of change if they want to keep winning games. Above all, going into the bye week with a win is always nice.
Main Photo: Brad Rempel – USA Today Sports
