The Chicago Bears are 3-8, on a four-game losing streak, and have dropped seven of their last eight contests. And yet, the locker room may be as strong as it has been in quite some time. That is saying something for what has been a fairly close-knit group. We can point to the emotional response former Bears linebacker Roquan Smith had to Robert Quinn being traded.
Smith was later traded to the Baltimore Ravens after Quinn’s move to the Philadelphia Eagles. The moves could have left this younger group of players in shambles.
Instead, they have rallied around each other fueled by a new dedication to Justin Fields.
After the game, Fields – while dealing with what we now know is a separated shoulder – addressed his teammates in the wake of another defeat. This time it was a 27-24 on the road against the Atlanta Falcons.
NFL Insider Sends Message About State of Bears’ Locker Room
No Finger Pointing
For the second week in a row, the Bears had blown a 10-point lead. But, also for the second week in a row, Fields and the offense had a chance to come down and either tie the game with a field goal or win it with a touchdown. They have ended both with turnovers from Fields. Last week it was a sack resulting in a turnover on downs.
This time, it was an interception. Fields was trying to hit running back David Montgomery on third down.
Per NFL Network’s Albert Breer, Fields’ moment of accountability turned into much more.
“Justin Fields apologized to his teammates after Chicago’s loss to the Falcons in the locker room postgame,” Breer tweeted Tuesday afternoon. “Told them the defense gave the offense a chance, and the offense didn’t get it done. Went a long way with guys, after he’d played hurt.”
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus has deemed Fields day-to-day with the injury.
Fields completed 66% of his passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. He added 85 yards and another score on a whopping 18 carries.
“My understanding is Fields’ defensive teammates stopped him as he was finishing the apology, told him they had his back,” Breer continued. “Really cool moment for everyone there, and a nice sign of where Matt Eberflus has taken the culture in Chicago.”
Fields’ timeline remains unclear. He won’t speak until Wednesday along with Eberflus. But there might not be any concrete information until the injury report is released afterward. At any rate, Fields was in clear pain after the game taking a cart for his MRI. He seems unlikely to play on the road this week versus the New York Jets.
Culture Counts
In many ways, the Bears did themselves a favor moving Smith and Quinn as they did. And it isn’t simply because of the draft capital they got back. It also lowered expectations which, as low as they were to begin, understandably cratered with the trading of the team’s best defender as the franchise’s single-season sack leader.
But this is something that, perhaps, we should no longer be surprised by.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was highly complimentary of the job Eberflus has done and you can hear from the players that they have bought into his message.
Justin Fields Identifies Next Steps for Chicago Bears’ Offense
This moment was preceded by Eberflus insisting his young quarterback was taking steps forward after a Week 6 loss to the Washington Commanders despite taking a beating.
The results need to come but the Bears are laying a strong foundation right now.
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