Why Do I Like the Chicago Bears This Week?

I.

Always.

Like.

THE.

Chicago.

Bears.

The State of the 49ers…

…is unstable.

The Niners have lost a majority of their elite talent, with more dropping each week. (They lost both their starting tailbacks in the Buffalo game.) Their quarterback is playing with a serious shoulder injury, and their coach looks exasperated on the sideline. They’ve lost three straight games, and their performance Monday night in Orchard Park was the performance of a club ready for a lost season to be over. (With the exception of Deebo Samuel, who might have had multiple kick return touchdowns on a normal playing surface.) Strange thing? They are ONLY two games back of the first place Seahawks. They’re not buried, even if they can taste the dirt.

This is an interesting matchup from a motivational standpoint. The Bears players wanted their coach gone. He’s gone. They wanted Thomas Brown to take over. He’s in charge. Will we see a Bears team with something to prove squaring off against a Niners team eager for a January flight to Mexico?

Thomas Brown Tweet of the Week

“The initial goal is to unify this football team.” — interim Bears coach Thomas Brown

— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) December 2, 2024

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Thomas Brown is a damn good coach.

But this column’s goal is not to argue that Brown must be the next head coach of the Chicago Bears. There should be and will be a process to make that determination. This column’s goal is to position Brown’s candidacy appropriately, to make the argument why Brown should be considered for the gig in 2025 and beyond.

First, the quarterback. For generations, the cry of the Bears fan has been that the organization fails young quarterbacks. Mitch Trubisky didn’t stink. (He did.) Justin Fields didn’t stink. (He also did.) The Bears failed them. (Sure.) Let’s look at the performance of Caleb Williams over the three games with Brown as his offensive coordinator.

Based on Caleb Williams’ pace with Thomas Brown as OC

Over a full season:
4692 passing yards
28 passing TDs
0 INTs
64.1 comp %
805 rushing yards

— Nick Whalen (@_NickWhalen) November 29, 2024

Yes, these are projections, not reality. But they are also a three-game sample size against the Packers, Vikings and Lions, the three teams the Bears need to beat consistently if they want to be a championship threat. Brown and Williams clearly have a rapport that is yielding a massive amount of production. What could be a more impressive line on a candidate’s resume than that? Isn’t Brown exactly the coach fans have yearned for when it comes to quarterback development?

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Why Do I Like the Chicago Bears This Week?

I.

Always.

Like.

THE.

Chicago.

Bears.

Two Months of Thomas Brown

The Bears are 4-6. Their season is effectively over, barring a miraculous run through the most difficult part of their schedule. Their head coach is most likely going to be fired at the end of the season. So, it’s not in the best interest of my time to write expansive game previews of games that carry little material value, and it’s not in your best interest to be subjected to those useless paragraphs. (I’ll use some Lumet in tomorrow’s prediction column.)

What is at stake over these final few months of the 2024 season? I would argue one thing: Thomas Brown’s future with the Chicago Bears. Do I think Brown could potentially be the head coach of the Bears? No, I don’t think so. I would not 100% rule it out, but it seems an unlikely development. Do I think Brown turning this offense around down the stretch could provide Ryan Poles some flexibility when looking for the next head coach? Yea, I do. Think about it. While everybody is pining for the next offensive mind, a successful run here from Brown could allow Poles to sit down with the likes of Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel and Brian Flores, proven entities that will provide the leadership this organization requires. Brown would not be forced on these coaches, by any means, but why would any of those three want to makes an offensive coordinator change if they can walk into continuity on the side of the ball that is not their expertise?

We know the quarterback is the guy. We know the head coach is not the guy. But this offensive coordinator is only 38 years old. He has a lot to prove, and his work for the remainder of the seasons makes these games inherently interesting. If Brown can display a rapport with Caleb Williams, and earn his trust, the Bears could be in a position to upgrade the sideline in 2025 without having to uproot the offensive system in year two for the quarterback.

Tomorrow: Prediction.