Chicago Bears: Will Players-Only Meeting Turn Things Around?
After suffering their third loss of the year, the Chicago Bears are quickly sinking into a hole that they won’t be unable to get out of if things don’t change. While watching the first six games of their season, it’s plain to see that the offense’s lack of production is the one phase that’s holding back the team’s ability to control a game from start to finish. We can even go as far to say that the coaching is the sole reason for Chicago’s inability to live up to expectations.
Regardless of what some may feel is the reason, something has to get done. And actually, it looks like that something is about to happen. Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago tweeted that he got confirmation from Bears wide receiver Taylor Gabriel that there would be a players-only meeting taking place in the very-near future (assuming that the very-near future is sometime this week).
Bears WR Taylor Gabriel tells us he expects the team to have a players only meeting. When? “Soon,” Gabriel said.
— Jeff Dickerson (@DickersonESPN) October 22, 2019
It was also mentioned by safety Eddie Jackson while being a guest on The Mully and Haugh Show on 607 The Score. Not only did Jackson say that there will be a meeting, but he also stated that the team’s subpar performance thus far this season isn’t just on the offense, but also on the defense.
As people on the outside looking in, we can all make the assumption that this players-only meeting may feature a lot of finger pointing at the offense. However, that won’t be the case according to another player who has chimed in on this meeting. Cornerback Prince Amukamara, one of the most experienced players on this team and a Super Bowl champion, mentioned that this meeting will be a civilized gathering that will generate positive vibes.
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Whether it’s civilized or not, the point has to get across to all 53 players on the roster that the team’s margin for error is virtually nonexistent. With a 3-3 record, and currently being in third place in the NFC North, the Bears need to get rolling just like they did this time last season when they had the same 3-3 record.
Chicago’s next opponent is the Los Angeles Chargers. It’s safe to say that this game is the franchise’s most crucial game of the season thus far. A win will not only break their losing skid, but it will give them some much-needed momentum for the three games after that, which are NFC opponents.
The Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Rams will be the Bears’ next matches after the Chargers in Weeks 9, 10, and 11 respectively. Two of those three games will be on the road (Philly and L.A.). These three games are so vital simply because all three of these NFC teams are in the hunt for a wildcard spot in the postseason. And assuming that the 6-1 Green Bay Packers continue to keep rolling the way they are, a wildcard berth is the only way Chicago will make it to the playoffs for the second year in a row.
However, if the Bears come away with another “L” after facing the Chargers (especially in the disastrous fashion of their last two games), then it will do nothing but magnify their problems and make those NFC matchups that much more difficult.
With all of this being said, this players-only meeting could be the turning point that the players and fans have been greatly anticipating over the past few weeks. Maybe the answer to fixing the problems that are hindering this team can be found internally. Of course, what will be said will be a mystery to all of us. So, we will have to wait until the outcome of Sunday’s game to see whether or not this players-only meeting served its purpose.