On the Weekend Show:
The Detroit Lions are putting up big time offensive numbers right now. You can criticize their opponents – and there’s much to criticize there – but that’s irrelevant for Sunday. Kill the Colts, Titans and Packers all you want but all three teams have better quarterbacks than Brian Hoyer and healthier defenses than the Chicago Bears. The Lions are going to score points at Soldier Field. Breaking that match-up down makes little sense. Here’s the match-up that might swing the game.
Ask yourself two questions when evaluating the current state of the Chicago Bears “rebuild”.
Question #1. Are you confident in John Fox’s ability to oversee the development of young talent and take this team deep into the postseason?
Question #2. Who will the Bears quarterback be in September in 2017?
Adrian Amos can play. Eddie Goldman can too. The Bears have two terrific guards, a developing center and reason for hope when it comes to Howard, White and some other scattered young players. But as much as we spend time discussing the importance of protecting and rushing the quarterback, sustained success in this sport still comes down to three principle elements: player acquisition, coach and quarterback.
How can your answer to Questions #1 be yes? John Fox is 6-13 as Bears head coach and has been significantly out-coached by Bill O’Brien, Doug Pederson and Jason Garrett. Sure the Bears are battling injuries but this team lacks fight. It lacks character. And, crazy for a Fox team, it lacks toughness.
How can your answer to Question #2 be rendered with any certainty? Cutler is still clearly the best option for the Bears but he’s never on the field anymore. And with his resume, the Bears won’t be breaking the bank for his services moving forward if another option presents itself on draft weekend.
There is no need for rapid fire reactions. No need to dissect the individual quarters, drives, plays, moments. The Bears were bad under Jay Cutler. They are unwatchable under Brian Hoyer. This is now solidly and without debate the worst team in the NFL.
The flashes of young talent we saw last night from White, Whitehair, Howard, Kwiatkoski, Amos…etc. are now all this season is about. The Bears must spend the next 13 games answering one question at every single position: do we have a winning player here?
At many positions, including some of the game’s most pivotal, the answer is no. Not even close. And through three weeks, that certainly goes for the head coach and both his coordinators as well.
The Bears aren’t a year away from contending. They’re a year away from being legitimate.
On this week’s show:
There is only one match-up that matters this week.
Objectively speaking, the Bears chances of having a meaningful season took a massive hit with their dismal, injury-laden performance Monday night against the Eagles. But with news breaking that both Jay Cutler and Eddie Goldman will only be missing a few games, might there be room in the hearts of Bears fans for the slightest bit of optimism?
Come on. You know you want to.
If there is such room, John Fox and Dowell Loggains can’t have a third straight howler. What can they do?
How does a night like last night happen? How can a football team have this little preparation, this little vision, this absence of an identity? Rapid fire, in question form:
Sad part is there’s not a lot to dissect. Last night was the most disheartening Bears loss in quite some time. They don’t look like a team with any hope of 8-8. They look like a team destined for the number two pick.
