With the Chicago Bears having started this season 0-2 and coming in way beneath expectations to this point, there are plenty of conclusions you could try and draw.
Going into a matchup with the 1-1 Dallas Cowboys, though, the Bears and head coach Ben Johnson are more or less in a lose-lose situation. They are backed into a corner and, for this weekend at least, there isn't a sure-fire way out.
Just look at the facts. Much of this fan base and the outside media is under the impression that the sky is falling only two games into the Johnson era. At 0-2, things don't look great. Now, they go into a matchup with the Cowboys and, whether they win or lose, the media will be able to have a field day. The critics will have plenty of ammo, regardless of the outcome.
No matter the outcome in Week 3, the Chicago Bears will face the same old criticism
If the Bears beat the Cowboys, there are going to be easy angles to take along the lines of, "Oh, the Cowboys were trash. The Bears still haven't beaten anyone."
The Cowboys' defense is one of the worst in the league, and who could've predicted after they traded away Micah Parsons? That seems like it was an obvious outcome to the season. But, why would the Bears be celebrated after a win over this Cowboys team? Be realistic.
Short of the Bears going in and flat-out dominating this one -- think about how the Detroit Lions made this team look a week ago -- there isn't a world where people feel ultra-confident about the Bears after Week 3. It is going to take a whole lot more time.
Granted, if anyone overreacted after just one win, there are jokes to be made there as well. It's only one game.
But on the flip side? Let's say the Bears walk away from this at 0-3.
Oh, you better believe the sky is absolutely falling in Chicago. The Bears go 0-3 under Johnson's first year with Caleb Williams, and you'll hear countless doomsday narratives spoken and written in the coming days. The Bears can hardly escape being the butt of the joke as it is. Imagine if they drop their first three games of the year.
The blame game will only be the beginning. Shoot, we've already seen some Bears players take issue with the coaching staff only two weeks in.
At 0-3, the Bears will be drowning in misery and, sadly, that's nothing new for this organization and its fan base.
I know, this is a total letdown of a column to read. I get it. But, we're Bears fans. Like I said, we're used to it.
Read more: Bears' destructive Week 2 loss to Lions somehow just got worse
Here's to hoping the Bears prove us all wrong in the coming weeks.