Bears Mailbag -- Should a Housecleaning be a Foregone Conclusion?

After an embarrassment on national television in Green Bay, followed by a heartbreaking meltdown at home against Detroit, the Chicago Bears roared back against Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans last Sunday.  The 36-7 beatdown in the Ryan Pace Bowl 2.0 kept their playoff hopes alive, at least for another week.

As the Bears get set to head to Minneapolis this Sunday to take on the Vikings in a de facto playoff game, I couldn't help but notice the parallels to last season.

Thankfully for Bears fans, Chicago is playing meaningful football in December yet again.  If someone told you before the season that the game at Minnesota before Christmas week would be vital to the Bears' playoff hopes, wouldn't you have taken it? With that, I reach into this week's Bears Mailbag.  Thanks to everyone who submitted questions.  Follow me on Twitter @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.

Bears Mailbag

It really depends on how they finish this year.  You can say what you want about Matt Nagy and his commitment to Nick Foles and *his* scheme.  There's a fair argument there.  But you know what?  He gave up play-calling, which seemed impossible earlier this year.  They went into the bye week, took an honest look, and recommitted to the Mitch Trubisky offense.  They've had solid results on offense for three straight games now.  There's a chance this can turn into something bigger.  And if it does, perhaps Nagy has learned significant lessons that he can apply as head coach, either here or somewhere else. I don't trust Ryan Pace to pick the Bears' next QB, and for good reason.  But his latest draft class is looking like a home run.  He's shifted his draft philosophy in recent years and it's produced better players.  There's a chance Pace has learned his lesson. My point is, I am not out for blood.  Both guys have made mistakes, and if I *had* to choose a direction where changes are made, I'd fire Pace and let the new person evaluate Nagy.  And maybe by season's end, the team is 6-10 and a house cleaning is in deserved order.  Or, maybe they've truly turned a corner. We won't know until the end of the year, now that there is a tangible direction that this team is currently going -- one that I'm interested in seeing through.

Winning is important for building an organizational culture.  Losing cannot, and never should be, acceptable for a franchise.  Draft position doesn't matter in the long run, and the hope of a rebuild doesn't matter.  If a team is losing games because they are bad, organizational change will come naturally. I said it above -- the Bears are playing meaningful football in December for the third straight year.  Despite a six-game losing streak (six games!!!) this year, they are relevant in the playoff race.  Is it due to a weak NFC?  Sure.  But they did beat Tampa Bay and they probably should've beaten New Orleans.  On January 1, 2018, if I had told you that the Bears would be relevant every season since then and would have the opportunity to make the playoffs for the second time in 2020 in three years, you'd have taken it. Are these guys perfect?  No.  I don't want Ryan Pace picking another QB.  Matt Nagy probably hurt this team by sticking with Nick Foles for so long.  But you know what?  People do learn from mistakes.  Nagy has finally committed to an offense that suits Mitch Trubisky.  Pace has drafted well the last two years, with his 2020 class looking like a home run despite first round picks. Maybe they lose out, finish 6-10, and clean house anyway.  At that point, it'd be deserved.  But if the Bears *can* make the playoffs, there is no way rooting against that makes sense for Bears fans.