The Chicago Bears coaching staff has to be feeling a good deal of pressure. Their jobs are very much on the line with eight games left to go.
That shouldn’t be a surprise. In 40 games across two and a half seasons, they’ve managed to win 12 of them. Yes this team is in the middle of a rebuild but normal procedure says significant progress should show for a team by the third year. At this point the Bears are poised to repeat the record of 6-10 they posted back in 2015. That’s not what one might call significant progress.
That’s why John Fox is no doubt grateful that the second half of this season appears to be considerably less daunting than the first. Their slate of opponents from the first half boast a combined record of 36-24. Three of those teams currently lead their respective divisions and four others have a record of .500 or better. Such is not the case looking through the rest of November and December.
- vs. Packers (4-3)
- vs. Lions (3-4)
- at Eagles (7-1)
- vs. 49ers (0-8)
- at Bengals (3-4)
- at Lions (3-4)
- vs. Browns (0-8)
- at Vikings (6-2)
Only three of those eight games will be against teams that currently have a winning record. One of those teams, Green Bay, will be playing without star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It’s unlikely the Bears run the table but it’s not crazy to think they can posting a winning record over that stretch. Perhaps 5-3. This would mark their first season of .500 or better since 2013. Would that be a significant enough improvement for the coaches to keep their jobs?
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5 Players to Watch in 2nd Half of Season
QB Mitch Trubisky
The one key to answering that question rests on the shoulders of the #2 overall pick. It’s clear that GM Ryan Pace has hitched his wagon to the young quarterback. Ensuring his success is vital. To this point Trubisky has played decent under difficult circumstances. At the same time if he doesn’t show improvement over this next stretch? Fingers will be pointed at the coaches for not helping him. The defense is great and all but he is the key to Pace’s plan of playoff contention every year.
WR Dontrelle Inman
Chicago traded for the veteran receiver in expectation he could help their give anemic passing game some life. Inman had over 800 yards in 2016 but was relegated to the bench as healed starters and a new draft pick arrived on the Chargers roster. It’s hoped his experience and size will give Trubisky a badly needed target on the outside he can rely on. With an expiring contract on top of it, this is definitely someone to monitor.
TE Adam Shaheen
The injury to Zach Miller has put pressure on the Bears 2nd round pick to step up his game. To this point the team has brought him along slowly behind Miller and fellow veteran Dion Sims. Shaheen has improved his blocking but only has one catch through eight games. Fans are already saying he’s a wasted pick, which isn’t really fair. He had to make a larger jump in competition than any other pick this year. Time and more opportunities should help him improve.
ILB Christian Jones
One man who seems to be making himself more and more money each week is Jones. The former undrafted free agent looked like little more than a special teams ace with reasonable value as a reserve linebacker. Suddenly it appears the light has gone on and he’s played easily the best defense of his career with 48 tackles and a forced fumble in eight games. If he keeps it up the Bears have to consider a long-term extension with Jerrell Freeman’s future in doubt.
.@ChicagoBears have been getting solid performances from unheralded players like #ChristianJones. #BaldyBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/34Qg5CVY2O
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 25, 2017
S Adrian Amos
It looked like the end of the road for Amos when the Bears signed veteran Quintin Demps in free agency. He was relegated to backup and special teams duty after a difficult 2016. Then fate intervened. Demps went down with injury and Amos got a second chance. He has not wasted it. One could argue he’s been one of the 3-4 best safeties in the league over the past month. He’s running, hitting and making more plays than he did during his first two years. Can he keep it up?
A Future Free Agent and Draft Pick to Eye
WR Paul Richardson (Seattle Seahawks)
Pace has a reputation for seeking out free agents who are ascending in their career but can still be had for a cheaper price. It was true of Pernell McPhee, Akiem Hicks, and Danny Trevathan. There’s no reason to think he’ll abandon that methodology. Seahawks receiver Paul Richardson appears to be gaining confidence with each week. He’s at 374 yards in seven games and three touchdowns over the past two weeks. His mix of speed and strong hands could make for a big play threat this Bears offense is still trying to find.
OLB Marquis Haynes (Ole Miss)
Leonard Floyd is blossoming into the edge rusher the Bears hoped he’d be when they moved up to draft him last year. At the same time there is a concern about who will rush across from him moving forward. McPhee has a history of knee issues and Willie Young will be 33. Marquis Haynes is one of the better kept secrets in the SEC. He’s a freak athlete with speed and tremendous burst coming off the snap. He also is stronger than he appears. Like Floyd he’ll have to add weight if he wants to thrive at the NFL level but his potential is huge.
