The Chicago Bears knew what they were getting when they traded for veteran quarterback Nick Foles in the offseason.
Foles is equal parts a guy who can lead your team back from a 16-point deficit with three touchdowns in five minutes as he is a player who will stall a drive with a fluttering ball that falls short of its intended target.
That’s why Week 4’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts, one in which Foles looked more like the bad part of his player equation, shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Was he terrible? No. But he was ‘just a guy,’ which unfortunately has become the norm for Bears quarterbacks in the NFL’s modern era.
It’s also the norm for Chicago’s starter to rank at or near the bottom of various quarterback power rankings, like the one NBC Sports is tracking throughout the season.
Entering Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Foles has a firm grip on No. 24, down four spots from where he was after his miraculous comeback win over the Falcons.
New QB, same story. The Bears offense lacks any rhythm, and Foles didn’t help as he was inaccurate throughout the game. He did hit a couple of deep passes, something Mitch Trubisky couldn’t do through two and a half games. But he also looks incapable of making any plays with his feet, which is a strength of Trubisky’s.
The problem with this year’s Bears, as opposed to seasons past, is the defense.
Led by Khalil Mack and Eddie Jackson, the defense is playing sound and solid football but it isn’t producing turnovers, defensive scores, or favorable field position to help offset an offense that lacks the kind of quarterback who can score from anywhere on the field.
Can a team led by a quarterback who’s ranked in the bottom 10 of the league be taken seriously as a contender?
We’ll certainly find out Thursday night when Foles goes head-to-head against arguably the greatest player of all-time, Tom Brady.