Another crushing loss should break Chicago Bears fans, but at this point, they’ve grown so used to it that they’re almost calloused to it all. Coughing up a 26-14 lead with three minutes left is yet another sign this team desperately needs a new coaching staff. Matt Eberflus and his staff continue to show they’re incapable of teaching this team how to finish. That will be a decision team president Kevin Warren and (maybe) GM Ryan Poles must make. However, not everything was doom and gloom.
Conversely, the Bears’ prospects for the 2024 draft improved again this week. The Carolina Panthers fell 30-10 against the Dallas Cowboys, dropping their league-worst record to 1-9. Chicago still controls the #1 overall pick next year. If that weren’t good enough, the Bears got an unexpected bonus when the New York Giants, the team considered the biggest threat for that #1 spot, beat the Washington Commanders in stunning fashion. That pushed their record to 3-8. As a result, Chicago moved from the #5 spot last week to the #4 spot.
The Chicago Bears move closer to two top-5 picks.
Something like this is unheard of in the NFL. Plenty of teams have two 1st rounders during certain years, but almost none of them end up with two that high. It feels like a virtual lock that Carolina’s will be in the top 3 at least. Arizona (2-9) and New England (2-8) are their biggest threats. Both teams have chances to get wins in the near future. The Patriots play the Giants next week. The Cardinals host the 3-6 Rams next week. If each of them gets a win, it could give the Bears a stranglehold on that #1 pick.
As for their own selection, four of the remaining six games will be against either opponents with winning records or opponents who have already beaten them this season. It isn’t crazy to think they might not win another game down the stretch. Their best opportunity will be next month against Atlanta and Arizona in back-to-back weeks. Trusting the Chicago Bears to close out games is obviously out of the question. Eberflus hasn’t beaten a team with a winning record or a divisional opponent in his tenure.
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The prospect of two top-5 picks is very real.
Best thing that could happen for the Bears is Arizona winning a few more games, and the Patriots finding a few wins.
On the other hand, I think that one of the scariest things that could come to pass for next season and beyond is Bill Belichick coaching Drake Maye. Brian Daboll coaching Caleb Williams is pretty scary too.
Informal question – if they don’t go to the Bears, where would you most and least like to see Williams and Maye end up?
Fields flashes at times but he just isn’t good when we need him to be. He has never had a game winning drive in his career. The 4th quarter is his worst rated quarter. With that being said, play him the rest of the year and trade him for a 1st round pick after the season. With three 1st round picks, the Bears can get a haul of players, and compete for a playoff spot next year with a new, competent coaching staff.
I never thought the Bears were going to be a playoff team this year. I’m fine with their losing this year especially with Fields going back to his running the ball 18 times in a game. Relying on your QB to rush for 100 yards to be able to compete is not sustainable. Fields will get injured again.
Fields sucks. He’s trying to save his job by being a running back instead of learning how to throw the ball at the NFL level.
Anyone still want to blame Justin Fields for everything?
At least I wont be choking up my turkey and stuffing this year if they played on Thanksgiving again. To the 4 who respond before me…all well written