CHICAGO -- I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday yesterday. As this torturous 2024 season drags on for two more games, there's not much to garner from each individual performance as there is relating it to the big picture.
In about two weeks, this season will mercifully end, the coaching staff will be fired, players will take a breath as they leave Halas Hall post-exit interviews, and then all eyes will turn to George McCaskey, Kevin Warren, and -- if he remains -- Ryan Poles. The offseason awaits - where the Bears are always in the playoffs.
But not before one more primetime game to showcase yet another embarrassment at Soldier Field for the charter franchise.
I shared my in-game reactions, thoughts and observations below. Follow me on Twitter / X @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.
Thoughts and Observations
1. A quick thought on the state of the "young Bears" as this game kicks off. The #64 overall pick, Zacch Pickens, was a healthy scratch tonight. Kiran Amegadjie is active but not starting at LT, in favor of Larry Borom. Tyler Scott is still relegated mainly to special teams. These mid-round picks continue to do very little for Ryan Poles' roster.
Frankly, the Bears' highly drafted rookies haven't done much yet to impress tonight either. Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze twice through the first quarter had miscommunications and failed to link up on key third downs. Two Top 10 picks who are still having mis-com issues this late into their rookie years... just gross to see.
https://x.com/DhruvKoul/status/1872459123629097250
2. D'Andre Swift really can play a role on this team next year, but he's still simply not being used well enough. I'm very excited to see what a guy like Ben Johnson can do with Swift -- he's a playmaker. But they will need to invest in the RB room. The current construction doesn't provide a formidable attack.
Of course, there should be at least 3 new starters on the OL next year as well.
3. The hold on Jake Curhan negated a beautiful play by Caleb rolling to his left and firing a touchdown to Rome Odunze. Williams is simply not quite consistent enough yet, but the flashes are absolutely tremendous. So much to mold - and his floor is already significantly higher than Justin Fields'.
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4. Tyrique Stevenson has been a liability in coverage since the Hail Mary debacle in Washington. But man, he's become the Bears' version of C.J. Gardner-Johnson, it appears. He's no doubt an instigator, but per my count, he's drawn at least three flags on opposing WRs in recent weeks -- twice on Jameson Williams and once tonight on DK Metcalf. I'm not sure what his future is on this team, but he's certainly flipping the script on these penalties. Is that worth trying to build with?
https://x.com/DhruvKoul/status/1872466838631895455
<HALFTIME>
5. Just a disgusting drive coming out of halftime, man. A rollout to the right with a levels concept finds everyone covered and Caleb runs for one yard. Swift picked up 7 on second down, and Roschon was stuffed on 3rd and 2 for a gain of 1. And Thomas Brown punted... who is this helping? These reps are just wastes.
6. Ryan Poles picked up a couple guys at the last minute before the season -- Darrell Taylor and Chris Williams -- for lower round future draft picks. They have been exactly what the Bears paid for -- solid depth players but contributing way more than you'd want. I give Poles credit for swinging on those guys. On the Seahawks' drive after that punt above, Williams collapsed the interior and Taylor stripped Geno Smith on a second-attempt sack (though Seahawks recovered). Nice effort play there.
7. One day, Caleb will learn how to throw the ball away. Another brutal sack on third down where a throw-away was available. This is 2019 Baker Mayfield levels of stubborn. (And anyone who knows me knows I love Baker.) Throw the ball away, man.
8. Kyler Gordon continues to play hard. He's a really nice player at nickel corner but honestly I could see a different DC deploying him in all sorts of ways -- sort of how Brian Flores uses Josh Metellus. A Swiss-Army knife who can line up and play anywhere -- and do anything. Ryan Poles' first ever draft pick has turned out to be a good player.
https://x.com/DhruvKoul/status/1872479770589769963
9. This is the worst this Bears offense has looked since the New England game. The OL is terrible, everyone appears confused and Caleb has been bad tonight. Really bad. Mike MacDonald has this team in hell.
Somewhere, Ben Johnson is watching this game... does he like ANYTHING about what he's seeing?
10. LOL Thomas Brown, what? A 4th and inches false start on Jake Curhan before two-minute warning pushes it to 4th and 5. He initially decided to punt, THEN CALLED TIMEOUT and opted to go for it. Management malpractice.
A crazy play by Caleb and DJ Moore converted the fourth down miraculously to keep the drive going. But seriously, any possibility Brown had to be a serious HC candidate is just out the window.
https://x.com/DhruvKoul/status/1872489241651126614
11. It ended just about as disgustingly as you can imagine. 1st and 10 from the +40 and the Bears couldn't gain any yardage at all. And Cairo Santos couldn't attempt a ~57-yarder from there, so a prayer on a blitz was lofted and picked off by Tariq Woolen. So Caleb lost the INT streak and the Bears lost the game on the same play.
One of the worst ever football games played at Soldier Field.
And honestly, if Ben Johnson was watching this (and he was) -- does he still want this job? How many players will he want to keep? I'll dive into this some time early in the offseason. It's going to be another busy, painful offseason, I'm sure.
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12. One more next Sunday at Lambeau Field to wrap this miserable season for the Bears. Heading into the offseason with another loss to the Green Bay Packers (who might be sitting their starters) is probably a fitting end to whatever this era was. And perhaps Ryan Poles' final game as GM of this team.
Early prediction: Packers 33, Bears 13
~11 days until Bears fans' Super Bowl -- the offseason with a head coaching search.
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