Dhruv Koul shares his in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the Commanders-Bears “Thursday Night Football” game at Soldier Field. Follow him on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.
CHICAGO — Though the Chicago Bears lost a tough divisional game in Minnesota last Sunday, fans felt better about the team than possibly at any point this season. The reason? Justin Fields finally looked like an NFL quarterback for a sustained period of time.
Just watched.
Truly legitimate progress in 2H:
– Hung in the pocket when he could
– Made decisive reads and good throwsThe first real signs of growth this year (and of his career?) that seem sustainable / can translate to future success.
Let's see it again Thursday night. https://t.co/J3MKTRA8M1
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 9, 2022
After falling behind 21-3 in the first half, the Bears rallied to take the lead, thanks in large part to Fields’ excellent performance. Unfortunately, a barrage of mistakes in the final few minutes led to a Vikings win. The Bears fell to 2-3.
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Good news that this game came just four days later. With a chance to keep momentum going, the Bears welcomed a rough Washington Commanders team to Soldier Field on Thursday night. At 1-4 and buried underneath myriad issues, Washington seemed like the perfect “get right” opponent for Chicago.
Win, and get to 3-3 after six games. Lose, and effectively crush any real playoff chances in a mediocre NFC.
In the end, the Bears lost a game they simply should not have. A horrific loss for the HITS-minded Matt Eberflus.
I shared my in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the game below. Follow me on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.
Thoughts and Observations
1. (PRE-GAME THOUGHT) — The orange helmets suck, I’m sorry. I had to say it.
2. Justin Fields has started out this game resembling more of the Houston-game Fields rather than the Minnesota-game Fields. He took two very bad sacks on the first drive and even on completed passes, looked slow to pull the trigger. He simply NEEDS to speed up his clock as this game goes along.
Btw, while Fields did a great job escaping on the first play, both actual sacks were on him.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2022
Unfortunate that the second drive, which went 12 plays and drove down to five-yard line, ended in a deflection for a pick. Brutal.
Very nice drive for the Bears ends in a stupid deflected INT.
Wanna bet Eberflus asks Getsy to run the ball forever in the red zone again?
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2022
3. Really nice use of the blitz early by the Bears’ defense. On both third downs, they’ve blitzed Wentz and sacked him — one by Jaquan Brisker and one by Roquan Smith. After giving up 80% conversion last week, the Bears have held on the first two third downs.
4. Justin Fields with one of the worst misses in the end zone you’ll ever see. Inexcusable. Cost the Bears a touchdown and they didn’t score at all. This team, and this quarterback, just cannot miss those chances.
Missed a sitter for a touchdown. Absolutely inexcusable.
3rd and goal and he's stopped on a scramble inside the 1-yard line.
4th and goal for the Bears and they're stopped again.
Fields better see nightmares of that miss.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2022
5. This is all I really got for the first half, folks:
Washington is in the red zone as the first half comes to a close.
The Bears dominated the first two quarters and will likely be losing at halftime.
This team is something.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2022
Not much more to be said. Commanders kicked a field goal with 46 seconds remaining to take a 3-0 lead. And they get the ball back after halftime.
6. Finally, some life. After the Bears stopped Washington on their first drive, the Bears drove 94 yards for a touchdown. A nice dose of Velus Jones Jr. and David Montgomery on that drive to get the Bears past midfield. And then a nice boot to Darnell Mooney and a bomb to Dante Pettis got Chicago in the end zone. Finally!
The WAY the Bears got the touchdown, though, was most encouraging:
Great job by Fields there — recognized a free play and launched it. Finally, some recognition that we saw last week.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2022
7. This game is getting into uneasy mode again for Chicago. Washington had a wonderful drive down the field to respond — mixing play action with confusing motion to take advantage of an “upfield” defense. The Bears held inside the 10, but Washington got whatever it wanted to make it a 7-6 game.
The Bears picked up one first down on their ensuing drive before having to punt. You’d have liked to see them respond and take control; alas, it was not meant to be.
Washington’s defensive front, especially Montez Sweat, has wreaked havoc all night.
8. Velus Jones Jr. muffed another punt. It’s just inexcusable. I think the Bears need to consider a different returner at this point. That is yet another game-losing mistake by the rookie. Put in Trestan Ebner at this point, and keep Jones on offense.
Lost his footing… but that is inexcusable.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2022
Death, taxes, and the Bears fumbling the game away in the fourth quarter.
— Dhruv Koul (@DhruvKoul) October 14, 2022
9. Bears shoot themselves in the foot and turn it over on downs at midfield.
This was just brutal. A delay of game on 4th and 11? Going for it? A drop by ISM, short of the first down?
It’s just unbelievable, truly.
10. I have no words for that final drive. Absolutely heartbreaking. A spectacular 39-yard run to set up the Bears on the Commanders’ five-yard line from Fields — and then what the hell? A tipped pass on a walk-in touchdown, and the non-called PI on Dante Pettis?
The Bears are going to have nightmares of that last sequence. And I did not like the play-calling from Getsy there. Horrible, horrible sequence.
11. Losing a game at home to the Washington Commanders ought to cause some RUMBLING in that locker room. That’s just an inexcusable loss.
1-4 in the NFC. A total mess.
12. The Bears get a mini-bye before heading to Foxborough for their final “scheduled” prime time game of the year. Taking on the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium — even without Tom Brady — is always a tough task. That, too, on Monday Night Football? After today’s performance, call me BEARish…
Early prediction: Patriots 19, Bears 6.
I hope that after this game everyone sees Fields is far from the problem. Yes, he has made his fair share of mistakes BUT if you take into account everything that is breaking down in front of him play after play after play on top of the poor playcalling then it’s easy to understand that the trickle down effect of poor play is causing our qb to, in turn, play poorly as well. He needs help. Arguably the most help out of any qb in the entire league right now based on the players we do have. Football is won… Read more »
I agree somewhat Michael Hughes, and you do have some facts in there for sure. But part of what you said is my main issue… all the people commenting on here are only willing to lay blame on everyone EXCEPT one person. He somehow gets a 100% free pass. When he is also at fault. And he does get plenty of good pockets to step up into. Not all the time, for sure. As this line is not very good. But he does get clean pockets, and routinely takes them away by constantly running sideways right into defenders.
I agree with most except step up in the pocket? When? Is it before or after your center is on his butt?! Because we are predictable, when we bootleg there’s a defender waiting. You can’t expect anyone to do their job when others aren’t doing there own. 50% of dropbacks he’s being hit. That’s not saying he’s not at fault, but it saying no matter which way you call it, until all pieces are in place, you can’t blame any one person. The line is trash, the tight end is trash, your best receiver is an overachieving fifth rounder. When… Read more »
Thanks Lions fan.
Wow, not a Bears fan, but that may have been some of the worst football (playing & coaching) I have ever seen. I thought last weeks’ game was putrid. What does that make this? Justin Fields might be the worst QB in the NFL. He is 6’3″ and plays like he is 5′ 11″. I think another ball just got deflected. Seriously, he makes Daniel Jones look like Fran Tarkenton. And the coaching, holy cow!?! How in the world is David Montgomery not in the game on 4th and Goal from the 1? Seriously? How do you not punt the… Read more »