I’ve tried to calm myself down and think about the loss to the Cowboys logically. But I can’t help but come to the same conclusion I came to while watching the game: this team is suffering from coaching malpractice.

Any team missing their three best defensive players and starting quarterback is going to struggle. Add to the fact that those three defensive players were all playing in the front seven and they were going against the team with the best offensive line in the league and a blowout makes sense.

But I don’t give a shit about any of that.

The Bears should’ve been blown out several times last year, but they weren’t.

They weren’t because they fought.

They weren’t because they either had a sound game plan or adjusted well.

They weren’t because their coaching was a legitimate advantage.

That isn’t the case right now and I’m not sure what the answer is.

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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.

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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:

• Jeff plays a clip from “All That Jazz” and misidentifies it as “Lenny” (those familiar with the clip will understand why). He then discusses stages of death when it comes to the 2016 Bears season.
• Adam Jahns discusses the tone in the Bears locker room Monday night and whether he believes the team has enough left in that locker room to be competitive the next few weeks.
• Reverend Dave blows us off! (So instead we play an oldie but goodie. 2013’s “When the Bears Win”)
• Jeff tries mighty hard to like the Chicago Bears this week.

There is only one match-up that matters this week.

DOWELL LOGGAINS & JOHN FOX

VS.

COMMON SENSE

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?

• Get the ball out of Brian Hoyer’s hand quickly. The Bears have a signature weakness on the offensive side of the ball: pass protection on the edges. So of course the offense has consisted of almost EXCLUSIVELY dropping Jay Cutler into deep pockets and forcing an historically fragile quarterback to scramble around. There are two flat out moronic elements at play here.
  • The Bears spent the entirety of the 2015 season cultivating a short passing attack; utilizing the bubble screen as a de facto run game to keep downs and distances manageable. This attack may not have been the most exciting in league history but it led to their quarterback playing one of his most efficient and consistent seasons.
  • The Bears have three, three, THREE wide receivers who are tailor made to this kind of attack. Alshon Jeffery is monstrous. Eddie Royal displayed Monday night what he’s capable of in the open field. And Kevin White’s speed would make every reception a potential big gain.

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As I rewatched the Bears with my son in my arms, I looked down at him, he looked up at me and I knew he was thinking: “Why should I sign up for this?”

At this point, it’s a legitimate question: Why should anyone be optimistic about the Bears? And at this point, it’s hard to find an answer. I’d like to tell you it wasn’t as bad as it looked on Monday night, but that would be a lie. It was every bit that bad and probably a little worse.

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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:

• What is the offense? Do they have any intention of being able to run the ball effectively? Why would a team with issues on the edge of their offensive line force their quarterback to repeatedly drop deep into the pocket?
• What was wrong with Cutler before the fumble? Why is every third pass being tossed directly into the ground?
• Where’s the pass rush?
• How many players can get hurt in one game? Eddie Goldman?!?!
• A thirty-one yard field goal? And you do that? In your debut at Soldier Field?

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.