5. It’s time to start planning for next season

As I said before, this game was de facto playoff game for both of these teams. Coming into Sunday’s game, the Bears’ playoff hopes were already a long shot. Now, at 4-6, they’re on life support.

With so many teams ahead of them in the standings, it’s time to start evaluating for 2020 to see where this team goes from here. The 2019 season was supposed to be the next step in building and maintaining a Super Bowl-caliber team with many of the same pieces in place. Instead, flaws have been exposed at every level and everyone has six games remaining to see what can be salvaged.

Financial decisions at many positions are coming, most notably with Trubisky. After his benching/injury, how will the Bears handle his final few games of the season? Will the defense move on from cornerback Prince Amukamara, who despite having a solid season, could be a cap casualty? Has the team seen enough from Robinson to offer him a lucrative contract extension? There are many questions to be answered and with the playoffs now effectively out of sight, the Bears need to find their answers.