I thought the pandemic over the last almost three years was creating issues with people. However, fans take things to a whole new level when football season hits. After a very wet win over the San Fransico 49ers, I feel that some of my Chicago Bears fan brothers and sisters might have lost their minds.
We discussed this all offseason, the national media talked about it all offseason, and specialists like Adam Hoge and Adam Jahns discussed it all offseason. This Chicago Bears team is in year one of an overhaul from the top down. Justin Fields will be learning a new playbook, the defensive scheme and front are changing, and a new foundational principle is becoming established.
The Chicago Bears won a sloppy game against the 49ers and everything seemed to change for fans. While I thought they could win that game, primarily because I believe Justin Fields is way better than Trey Lance, that win wasn’t going to change my thoughts on this team going forward.
The Chicago Bears fan base is getting a bit overzealous
My question to many of you is, why did it change your opinion? Truth be told, I thought the Bears could win against the 49ers, but I did not have them down in my prediction as a winner. I figured by Week 2; the Bears would be losing their seat at the top of all-time franchise wins. Who knew Green Bay would lay down again in week one?
You can keep disappointing yourself at times and under dogging the poop out of this team all you want if that makes you feel better. The Chicago Bears still are an eight-win team this year until proven otherwise. Justin Fields will take care of work against the Texans, Giants, Commanders, Lions, Falcons, and Jets. Every loss to one of those teams they should beat is a win against a team they shouldn’t.
That’s how I go into every season with every team based on their potential and quarterback because that position is vitally important. Don’t believe me? Think about the Derrick Henry’s, Adrian Peterson’s, and Jammal Charles’s of the world, and let me know how that faired with the team’s overall success.
Great running backs help the team at various times, but ultimately it still comes back to the quarterback. Let us take the Bears vs. Packers game as an example. Say David Montgomery and the running game stay running the ball the second and third drive.
The Chicago Bears are very productive, and the scores are 17-27 (Packers) by the third quarter. Due to the nature of running the ball, I figure that seems about right. Soon as the fourth quarter starts, it’s all on the quarterbacks. I still believe Justin Fields will become very good, but he’s not at the level where he can become Superman.
Had the Chicago Bears continued to run the ball, Justin Fields’ 11 pass attempts would have been more like five. We have seen that before with Mitch Trubisky. The Bears won that game against the Panthers (mainly because Cam Newton isn’t Aaron Rodgers). As I have been preaching all offseason, it is a quarterback-driven league. Teams are going to win or lose more because of them than ever. Something I didn’t see was the weapons. Tyreek Hill and that Dolphins coaching staff are using Tua Tagovailoa just like he did in college, and it is very run to watch.
I still believe in Darnell Mooney, and I pray for Velus Jones. Equanimeous St. Brown might be a dude, just not electric. Regardless the Chicago Bears need weapons and speed for Justin Fields. The receiver off-season market was crazy. The Chicago Bears still did right by not spending on certain players like JuJu, Kirk, and the rest of the tier two guys. They weren’t worth it. Guys like A.J. Brown, Hill, and DK Metcalf, that’s where the eyes should have been if there ever was a fighting chance for them.
My buddy keeps telling me that I should stop looking at mediocrity as a starting point. That’s not what I am doing. I don’t believe in spending for tier two players like Kenney Golladay and Will Fuller because that’s mediocrity (by definition). I rather the team learn with youth and be a bit worse than grab veterans that are “names” but not that talented anymore.
The Chicago Bears, unfortunately, hit the injury bug at receiver, so that changed the narrative. Alright, those are my thoughts after Week 2. Let’s see what happens. Justin Fields (if he stays healthy) will be a rock star. Mark my words. Just give it some time.