January 9, 2022: Quiet Ending

Well, here we are. Week 18, the 17th game of the regular season for the first time ever, is upon us. As the good NFL teams jockey for playoff position, while other fight to punch their tickets, the Bears, well, will be quietly riding off into the sunset. This last game against Minnesota will provide another quiet ending to another crappy season in Chicago. Fun times.

What reason is there to watch this final match? Well, it’s the Bears playing in a regular season game, so… I’ll be watching for that fact alone. The Bears are on a 2 game winning streak, although it means absolutely nothing THIS season. This will in all likelihood be the last game Matt Nagy coaches. Yes, he will be the scapegoat; I’m not saying he shouldn’t be. There’s been a lot of talk about the next coach. Supposedly Harbaugh said he’d be interested coming back to the NFL… I guess I’d be OK with him. It’s not like I have somebody else in mind. There has been talk about Sean Payton; not sure how real that is. It will be somebody. There were reports this week that Nagy has already been told; is this the same source that said Nagy was told he’d be canned before the Detroit game on Thanksgiving? Again, I’m not saying it’s not going to turn out to be true, it’s just kind of funny. Poor Nagy… being asked this question, again, as he prepares for this week’s game. I liked Nagy, however, if the results aren’t there, then you have to go, especially in the NFL today where it feels like any losing streak puts the current coach on the hot seat. For me, I think the biggest thing is that I feel like we were duped. When Nagy came in, he was dubbed as some offensive genius. Clearly, this was not the case. The Bears offense remains one of the worst in the league. Nagy is front and center with these problems. He is not alone though. I like the folks who think Trubisky would have been some great QB if it weren’t for Nagy; apparently 31 other NFL teams don’t agree, since he’s currently serving as a backup in a league where many teams could use a guy. Mitch wasn’t Matt’s guy, yet he would have been a better option heading into the season then Dalton or Foles. Feels like talent at the QB position is a problem; feels like we’ve been here before.

Enter Justin Fields. I think every Bears fan was happy to see that trade flash across the bottom of the screen prior to the Bears making their first round pick in 2021. He certainly passes the eye test with his raw talent. Unfortunately, like most rookie QBs, it didn’t immediately translate into success on the field during the season. He’s had those moments that keep our faith alive that the Bears may have finally found THE guy; this will be the thought that helps us keep our heads high heading into the offseason. Fact is, we don’t know yet. Right or wrong, Nagy has been blamed for this as well; right or wrong, this pick may have saved Pace’s job. It doesn’t feel fair. Pace should have been canned for the due diligence he did around the FIRST QB he drafted; he should have been shown the door after last season, but he was given another chance. He’s made some good picks, but he was also the one that let Fuller walk with no answer for his replacement in the secondary, and the reason why we had to pull somebody off their fishing boat to start at maybe the most important position on the offensive line. This is Nagy’s fault too right?

I’m not here to defend Nagy. Although he isn’t the only problem on this team, he is a part of it; since he is the head coach, he is a big part of it; since he insists on calling the plays in this pathetic offense, his share of blame grows even more. He should be gone after today. Just don’t think that immediately solves all of our problems. Just don’t assume that whoever becomes the next head coach for the Bears will be any better. I want to assume Fields will be better next season, if only for the fact that if he’s not, we’re really screwed. If he is though… if the experience he gained this year being on the field helps him turn in a stellar sophomore season… if we find a head coach and offense that helps him thrive… if we find a WR that is a true #1… if the OL gets their act together consistently… if the defense is able to fill the holes left by guys no longer around… that’s a lot of ifs. Put on your Bears jersey and try to enjoy this last game of the season; I will do the same. Then let’s pray that the Bears offseason is half as good as the Bulls. Bear Down.