People have tried to downplay the impact of the Chicago Bears this season. They're being called lucky and a pretender after reaching 9-3. That is fine. Such is the territory of being a team that has won several games with 4th quarter comebacks and hasn't been good in a long time. Yet one thing those critics can't deny is the impact the Bears have left on teams in their wake. After stunning the Las Vegas Raiders 25-24, the team deflated so much that they were crushed 40-6 by Indianapolis the next week, sending their season into a full tailspin. Washington was 3-2 going into Monday night's rematch from last year. Chicago's comeback stunned them and kick-started what has become a seven-game losing streak.
Pittsburgh seemed to be righting the ship after a small skid with big wins over Indy and Cincinnati. Then the Bears ruined their visit to Soldier Field, 31-28. The Steelers were then crushed by Buffalo the next week, putting them at 6-6 and in danger of losing the division. It seems like every team they play that has high hopes sees its season spiral out of control. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the same might be happening to the Philadelphia Eagles, who apparently still haven't recovered from the drubbing they took on Black Friday.
The Eagles are trying to shake off that ugly Black Friday loss to the Bears. I’m told this week, the team had a series of “no-BS discussions” ahead of a “Monday Night Football” meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers. The message? Stop pointing fingers. “We are all done with the finger-pointing,” one Philly player told me. “It’s not just one thing that’s in our way. It’s not just Jalen (Hurts), it’s not just Saquon (Barkley), it’s not just (OC Kevin) Patullo, it’s not just the offensive line. … It’s a little bit of everyone.”
The Chicago Bears feel like this season's version of the Grim Reaper.
Everywhere they go, death seems to follow. That might be a little overdramatic, but you can't argue the results. When a team has to call meetings to snuff out internal divisions after an ugly loss to you, it feels pretty noteworthy. Remember, they were 8-3 going into that game. Everybody felt the Eagles were the favorite to claim the #1 seed in the NFC. Not only were those hopes dashed, but now their hopes of even going far in the playoffs are being questioned. The best team in the NFL is experiencing an identity crisis, and it's largely due to the Chicago Bears.
Meanwhile, they themselves have an identity nobody is confused by. The Bears are a run-first team with an opportunistic defense. They win by controlling the ball, wearing you down, and taking it away. That is how they've won nine of their last ten games. It probably isn't enough to make them true Super Bowl contenders, but one thing is clear. Every team that comes across them should be very careful. Bad stuff seems to happen if you lose.
