Plenty of blame is going around for the Chicago Bears’ disastrous choke job on Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Justin Fields committed two brutal turnovers in the 4th quarter. The defense couldn’t make anything happen when they had to. However, credit must be given to quarterback Russell Wilson. Despite struggling through the first three quarters, he was money when his team needed it. Fourth quarter magic has been a central part of his career ever since he was drafted over a decade ago.
That long experience also comes with knowing when the opponent is ripe for the kill. Michelle Steele of ESPN learned from Broncos players that Wilson told them the Bears would fold. It happened after they scored a quick touchdown to narrow the lead to 28-14. This came after Chicago had scored to increase their lead.
Hearing a story like this puts many things into perspective. For all the talk about building a resilient team, Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus have failed in that objective. This marks the sixth time since the beginning of last season that the Bears have given up a lead in the 4th quarter.
Russell Wilson had no respect for the Bears.
Nor should he have. Good teams close out games like that. If one touchdown to narrow a lead to 14 is enough to break your confidence, that says everything about your mental fortitude. It’s clear the Bears have gotten into a funk where they expect to lose the moment something doesn’t go their way. That is the cost of losing so many games in a row. They’ve forgotten the taste of winning, and the coaching staff doesn’t know how to instill the expectation of doing so. For all the talk about high standards, Matt Eberflus has failed to enforce them.
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This is the culture Chicago has become. They have one winning season in the past decade. That kind of thing kills the confidence of a franchise. Players want to win, but they subconsciously think they can’t. Something will go wrong because it always does. With help from Russell Wilson, they made it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Until they find the right coach who can change that mindset, this is where the Bears will remain. Eberflus isn’t equipped. If Poles gets another shot, he has to get it right the second time.
