Dhruv Koul shares his in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the Bears-Vikings 2019 season finale at U.S. Bank Stadium. Follow him on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Chicago Bears finished a disappointing, but still hopeful, 2019 season today in Minnesota. Entering a 7-8, they had a chance to finish a tumultuous season at .500 against a Vikings team that had nothing to play for.
There will be plenty to discuss about the offseason coming up, starting with Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy's season-ending press conference coming up this Tuesday. But today, it was time to evaluate the finale and enjoy the last of Bears football in their 100th season.
In the end, the Bears played a terribly ugly football game against a bunch of MIN backups, but they won at the buzzer. Enjoy a win to close out 2019!
I shared my in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the game below. Follow me on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation. Plenty more coming up during the playoffs and offseason!
Thoughts and Observations
1. (Pre-Game) With the Vikings resting their starters, the Bears have a real chance to finish .500, assuming Mitch Trubisky can execute against backups. Don't tell Matt Nagy and the team that this game is meaningless. The mental satisfaction of finishing .500 after the craziness of this season is huge in establishing the Bears as a program that players want to play for. Win this game, and head into the offseason at 20-12 under Matt Nagy, with real hope to contend in 2020.
2. This game has started out interestingly... the Vikings started with the ball, and third-string RB Mike Boone ripped off a 59 yard run to open the game. The next play? He fumbled; the Bears recovered. Bears kick a FG. Next drive, Boone mishandles a Sean Mannion pass and it's picked by Kevin Pierre-Louis. Bears settle for another FG. Bears lead 6-0 after causing two turnovers on MIN's first two drives. And yes, Mitch Trubisky has had some solid and some bad today. See below.
On the bright side, Eddy Pineiro has nailed two field goals right down the middle. He's really ending the season strong after a mid-season swoon that, arguably, cost the Bears a shot at the playoffs.
3. It's clear the Bears are making some business decisions in today's game, especially on defense. I've seen a number of plays where a strong tackle could've been made, but the defense opted to protect themselves. I don't blame them, especially when they've carried the team again. But it does bring about a bit of concern for next year -- if the offense isn't fixed, I wonder if Matt Nagy will start to lose the defense. They love him right now, but three straight years without an offense might break the camel's back. That's why I think it's imperative the Bears fix the QB spot (because Mitch isn't it.)
4. I'm telling you -- Nick Kwiatkoski is absolutely deserving of a new contract with the Bears. He's been sensational since taking over for Danny Trevathan. A great play by him to blow up Mike Boone for a safety. Bears lead 8-3. His instincts JUMP out on tape.
5. Bears lead 11-6 at halftime. Mike Boone has had some game. He has two carries that total 100 yards -- he has 126 yards total at halftime. He's also lost a fumble, bobbled a pass that was intercepted, and was tackled in the end zone for a safety. Pretty hilarious.
Also, wanted to point out the following:
6. I just watched my favorite Bears' offensive drive of the season. A nine-play, 75 yard touchdown drive that saw David Montgomery and Ryan Nall (!) run over the Vikings. The Bears ran it eight times, and it was capped off by a beautiful 14 yard run by Montgomery where he was pushed into the end zone by a couple tons of humanity. That was fun.
7. After one of the worst QB sneaks I've ever seen on fourth down, the Vikings took over at the Bears' 43. They marched right down the field and scored a touchdown. Shoddy tackling and poor coverage made it 18-13. Not a particularly good effort.
8. Another week, another awful penalty call extends an opponents' drive and results in points. On third down in Minnesota territory, Sean Mannion threw deep incomplete, but Ha Ha Clinton-Dix's shoulder hit the receiver's shoulder loudly, and the refs threw a flag. Just total nonsense.
9. Ensuing drive, Trubisky fumbles on a play-action pass, and then gets sack-stripped on the ensuing play. The Vikings' defender scored a touchdown on the play. It was reversed (defender down by contact) upon review. But this is a total, hilariously sad collapse.
10. Yep.
Time for Mitch to attempt a comeback in the fourth quarter -- perhaps for the first time as the Bears' unquestioned starter... here we go.
11. Crazy drive -- on 4th down from Bears territory, Trubisky found Riley Ridley for 34 yards to get Chicago into field goal range. Nicely done. The Bears then got another first down to help run down the clock -- good job by Nagy to go for it.
12. FYI...
13. YES!
14. Bears win and get to 8-8! Ugly, but enjoy it!
15. The season is now officially over. The Bears finish 8-8 and 4-2 in their division. Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy will address the media for their season-ending press conference on Tuesday this coming week at 9:30am CT. We'll get a lot of niceties; it'll be imperative to read between the lines, especially when talking about the QB position. Look forward to analyzing everything at that time.
16. Thanks to everyone for following along this season. It was a tough one, but I had a lot of fun anyway. Appreciate the interactions; look forward to discussing more in what figures to be an eventful offseason. Happy New Year to everyone! Enjoy the playoffs.
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