The Chicago Bears undoubtedly watched the AFC and NFC championship games on Sunday like the rest of the country. Sure they were going about their own business, but it was another opportunity to remind themselves of what their ultimate goal is going into next season. What remains to be answered is how they go about this retooling effort. They don't have a lot of money to spend or many high draft picks. This will force them to make difficult choices. They must do so with clear objectives in mind.
This is where the conference title games actually come in handy. They offered a perfect education on what GM Ryan Pace should do in regards to his focus over the three 3-4 months. It is reflected in the two teams that won the games and will now face each other in Super Bowl 54, the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. That lesson is this.
If you have an elite quarterback? Surround him with weapons.
If you don't? Embrace running the football and playing defense.
The two teams are a perfect contrast to each other. Kansas City with MVP Patrick Mahomes just lighting up the scoreboard. San Francisco with their disciplined and talented defense combined with a superbly-coached rushing attack that just racked up over 200 yards against the Packers. If the Bears have any sort of common sense, they know which direction they have to go.
Chicago Bears have first piece to the puzzle already
Pace and head coach Matt Nagy may still believe in Mitch Trubisky, but there is no way on this planet that they think he's anything remotely close to what Mahomes is. The Bears don't have a top-tier quarterback. Period. That means if this team is going to make the deep playoff run they crave, they must follow the 49ers model. One this organization has made great use of it in the past.
The good news is Chicago is already halfway there. They have an elite defense spearheaded by Khalil Mack, Eddie Jackson, and Kyle Fuller. One that finished 5th in the league in points allowed. This means the team only has to fix the second part of the formula.
That being the running game.
Nobody needs reminding the Bears were quite bad in 2019 on the ground. They finished a dismal 27th. The run blocking up front was atrocious most of the year and rookie David Montgomery found himself getting hit in the backfield way too often. This cannot be allowed to happen again. Changes are required. They need better blocking and maybe another more explosive option next to Montgomery.
One thing they really need though is somebody to tell Nagy he must embrace the run-first philosophy. Something he actually did in 2018. The Bears ranked 6th in rushing attempts that year. Last season they dropped to 20th. One can understand not committing to something that doesn't work, but Nagy must do everything in his power to mold this offense into something that can function without Trubisky having to be constantly on his game.
It's not easy for a coach who is a quarterback himself at heart, but it must be done.
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