SM has reported for the past two weeks now that tension at Halas Hall is reaching a fever pitch. Chicago Bears chairman George McCaskey is furious with the direction the team has gone, having lost five in a row ending with that embarrassing failure in Green Bay. A game that was coming off a bye week and was must-win in every conceivable way. To fall behind 41-10 going into the 4th quarter? Just another humiliation McCaskey had to stomach.
Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy said all the right things. They had a good plan when they came together in 2018. Sadly the execution of that plan has proven to be flawed. After a 12-4 start, they are 13-14 with five games left in their third season together. Making things worse is how pitiful the offense has looked for most of that time, squandering yet another great defense.
It’s a movie the McCaskeys have seen way too many times before.
So that brings up the obvious question. Are they ready to make a change? While nothing is set completely in stone yet, there’s been a general feeling that McCaskey is leaning in that direction. This received further confirmation from Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. He painted a pretty clear picture. Essentially if the Bears manage to lose any of their next upcoming games against teams that have fired their own GMs and/or head coaches (Lions/Texans/Jaguars)? It will be the final nail in the coffin.
“The truth is if the Bears can’t find a way to beat the three rudderless opponents in the next four weeks, it’s just about a guarantee some high-level change will come at Halas Hall in the first week of January.”
What makes this even more daunting for Pace and Nagy is two of those teams, Detroit and Houston, have clear superiority at quarterback. So if the Bears defense can’t hold them in check? Winning either of those games is a way bigger challenge than some people might realize. Don’t forget this team fell behind 23-6 in Detroit before that crazy comeback on opening day.
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Chicago Bears have left themselves no room for error
When that happens, they’ve almost never been able to make a late run down the stretch. Somebody always trips them up. It happened last year. After sinking to 4-6, they won three in a row to put themselves in position to make the playoffs. Sadly they lost in Green Bay to the Packer, which ended their hopes. Keep in mind they have to go 4-1 down this final stretch just to reach 9-7.
With the way their offense has played and how banged up their defense is getting? It doesn’t feel like that sort of run is in them at this point. No matter what Nagy has done trying to provide a spark isn’t working. Pace lost his last opportunity to do anything at the trade deadline back in October. There is a feeling of helplessness emanating from both men whenever they’re on camera.
They aren’t stupid. They know the stakes.
Basically, if the Chicago Bears lose two or more games over this final sequence they’re done for. Going from 5-1 to 8-8 or worse is wholly unacceptable. To say nothing of their other failures with the quarterback position and the offense in general. People can try to make excuses but this is a bottom-line business. Either you win or the team finds somebody who will. Pace had six years and only did so once. If any stat should provide clarity to McCaskey and the board of directors? It’s that one.