“We will take the north and never give it back”
-Ryan poles
Ryan Poles made that statement when he met the Bears press for the first time. To Poles’ credit, he decided on a path to reshape the team from an aging and expensive roster to a young team learning to win. The project is not 2-years old, but the progress is apparent. There is just one problem. The Detroit Lions beat the Bears to the punch and have taken control of the NFC North.
With a win on Sunday and a loss by the Eagles on Monday night, the Lions would be tied for the top spot in the NFC with a record of 9-2. The Lions are who the Bears aspire to be.
Meanwhile, Ryan Poles is at a crossroads with this team. Questions persist regarding his head coach AND the franchise quarterback. Will Fields show enough to warrant a third year under the current coaching regime? Will Eberflus be shown the door? The Bears are 6-21 under Eberflus. And he has looked overwhelmed while meeting the press recently.
There are only seven games remaining in this season. Matt Eberflus and his staff must win a few of the games to ensure their jobs for 2024. Fields must pick up where he left off after impressive games against Washington and Denver before he dislocated his thumb. The task begins Sunday when the Bears travel to Detroit to face the team that beat Chicago to the punch, wrestling control of the NFC North away from the stronghold Green Bay had on this division for decades.
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The Bears failed to take advantage of opportunities early in the season. Winnable games against Tampa, Denver, and Minnesota have put the team in this situation. Changing the roster is one thing, but learning to win is what has escaped the Bears this season.
There are signs of improvement that do create hope moving forward. The offensive line has improved tremendously. They will line up Sunday with their best five linemen on the field for the first time all season. The OL will have to have their best game of the year when they face Detroit.
The most improvement we have seen is the run defense. Over the last five weeks, the defense has allowed 43 yards (Carolina), 87 (New Orleans), 54 (L.A. Chargers), 39 (Las Vegas), and 46 (Minnesota). They have a league-best yards per carry of just 3.2 yards. Where they need improvement is in the passing game. There has been little pressure on the quarterback. Teams have been able to move the ball through the air by completions under the soft zone coverages the Bears have played all season.
The additions of Ngakoue and Sweat started to show improvement in getting to the quarterback, especially last week. Montez Sweat had more QB pressures than any linemen in recent memory. As the line develops chemistry, the defensive backs should be able to play more aggressively.
Will Justin Fields Finally Silence His Critics?
The last and most important area of concern is what Fields will show in these last seven games. The OL did not allow a sack last week, and sacks have dropped dramatically over the last four games. This, of course, coincides with Fields being out of the lineup. Fields needs to make quicker decisions and throw on time. He must capitalize on the running game and use play-action. Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy needs to mold his game plans to accentuate what Fields does well.
Taking control of the NFC North will take time, but a big first step can happen with a win this Sunday!
