12 Thoughts On The Bears' Playoff Meltdown Loss To The Saints

Dhruv Koul shares his in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the Bears-Saints Wild Card game at the Superdome.  Follow him on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation. NEW ORLEANS -- The Chicago Bears grabbed the seventh and final NFC playoff spot last Sunday when the L.A. Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17.  Of course, the Bears had their own opportunity to win a game at home against the Green Bay Packers to secure it, but they didn't. Backing into the playoffs isn't what fans wanted from this team, but that's what happened.  And today, their reward was to come to the Superdome on Wild Card Sunday and take on one of the most complete teams in the NFL -- the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints came to Soldier Field in Week 8 and eked out an overtime victory.  But both teams were playing different football then.  The Bears were in the midst of their Nick Foles experiment -- one that worked rather OK on that Sunday.  And the Saints were still finding themselves as a defense.  Since then, both teams have gone in different directions, especially defensively.  The Bears' "D" has fallen off a cliff, while the Saints' unit has been one of the league's best. To make matters worse, New Orleans got Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas back for today's game, while the Bears lost Roquan Smith and Darnell Mooney.

The probability of the Bears pulling off an all-time upset on the road was low, but the optics of today's game were important, especially for Ryan Pace, Matt Nagy, and Mitch Trubisky.  If the Bears stayed competitive, there was an opportunity to sell ownership that the late-season turnaround was something to build on in 2021.  If they got blown out, Monday suddenly became very fascinating with respect to the Bears' future. In the end, the Bears completely melted down after a spirited first half (much like the Week 8 game) to eventually meekly bow out of the playoffs. I shared my in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the game below.  Follow me on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.

Thoughts and Observations

1.  (PRE-GAME) In addition to the thread I pasted above, I had a few more pre-game thoughts on the game today that I released this morning.  You can find them below:

A big (bad) surprise in this one, though -- Jaylon Johnson, the Bears' strong rookie CB, is inactive as well.

2.  Painful start to the game.  The defense got off the field on the first drive after a couple third down conversions from the Saints.  After the offense went three-and-out with a near-pick over the middle from Mitch Trubisky, New Orleans drove straight down the field for a touchdown.  It was way too easy. Bears' ensuing drive -- Trubisky threw two straight dimes to Javon Wims (of all people!).  One was hauled in for 28 yards.  One was dropped in the end zone -- it went straight through his hands.  The Bears went for it on fourth down and Trubisky ran short of the marker.  The Saints have a chance to put the nail in the coffin EARLY.

3.  This game is all sorts of wild.  Here was the next sequence of events:

• Tipped ball for Drew Brees that was called an INT on the field.  It probably should've remained an INT for Duke Shelley, but it was overturned.
• FG attempt by Wil Lutz is wide right.
• Bears go three-and-out.
• Tashaun Gipson hits Taysom Hill and causes a John Jenkins INT, which would've been a Deonte Harris TD if the throw got off.
• A terrible unsportsmanlike call on Cole Kmet hurts the Bears, and they settle for a FG in favorable field position.

4.  The Bears' defense has stepped up after a shaky start and just forced a three-and-out on the ensuing drive.  A nice pass breakup by Tashaun Gipson on Michael Thomas that would've had the first down.  Then Khalil Mack and Mario Edwards Jr. teamed up to TFL on an end-around.  And then Robert Quinn forced an incomplete pass on third-and-long.  They're keeping the Bears in it right now.

5.  The Bears go into halftime down 7-3 and they get the ball back to start the third quarter.  They had a chance to possibly score some points before halftime, but opted to go conservatively into halftime.  I have to say, I kind of understand it.  Here's why:

"Reward" the team for a good first half performance (overall) and try to win it in the second half. 6.  Well, you know it was only a matter of time, but C.J. Gardner-Johnson has struck again.  In Week 8, he instigated Javon Wims into an ejection; today, it was Anthony Miller.  As the Bears threw incomplete on third down to open the second half, Miller was caught shoving Gardner-Johnson after CJGJ approached him and appeared to say something.  Both players got unsportsmanlike penalties, but Miller was ejected.  The Bears are down... a lot of weapons in this game, now.  Saints still lead 7-3 and have the ball with ~11 minutes left in the third quarter.

7.  A back-breaking drive there.  Brees connected with Thomas for 37 yards on third down backed up inside their own red zone.  Then a bunch of missed tackles and an unnecessary neutral zone infraction by Eddie Jackson eventually cost the Bears a touchdown.  It's 14-3 Saints and it feels like the game is over at this point.  So much shooting themselves in the foot to open the third quarter, and the quarter is almost over at this point.

Remember that Wims dropped TD?  Feels like ages ago in this game. 8.  Death, taxes, and Trubisky throwing short of the sticks on third down. 9.  An absurd drive by the Saints, just repeatedly killing the Bears' defense, results in a back-breaking touchdown.  It's 21-3 Saints, and this second half has been a nightmare of epic proportions for the Bears.

10.  The Bears had a lot going against them in this game.  A tough road venue, a tough team, missing three key defensive starters and a critical offensive piece.  And then the guy who should've been their WR2 today got ejected mid-game.  They were also victims of some terrible calls by the referees.  But the meltdown just isn't excusable.  That happens to poorly coached teams. 11.  The Bears' season ends in New Orleans.  It'll be important to monitor the news tonight and tomorrow regarding the Bears' major decisions, especially on Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy.  The Bears will likely hold their season-ending press conference at some point this week, too. A sad way to go into the offseason, but unsurprising.  It's likely the end of a significant chapter in Bears history.  It remains to be seen whom all it affects. My guess?  We see a housecleaning. 12.  Prepare for a long offseason, followed by, I presume, a lengthy period of rough football, Bears fans.