Category: Bears Wire Podcast

Podcast: How much blame does Justin Fields deserve for Bears’ struggling offense?

In the latest episode of our Bears Wire podcast, we discuss Justin Fields’ part in Chicago’s offensive struggles.

The Chicago Bears offense has been a mess through the first six weeks of the 2022 NFL season. Well, outside of the run game, which is the second best in the league.

Chicago’s passing offense has been the worst in the NFL since the beginning of this season — they’re averaging just 122.8 passing yards per game — and it hasn’t shown much signs of getting better.

There’s plenty of blame to go around, including the offensive line’s struggles in pass protection, the receivers struggling to get separation or dropping passes and offensive play caller Luke Getsy. And, of course, quarterback Justin Fields.

While Fields doesn’t have much help in terms of a supporting cast, he certainly plays a part in the offense’s struggles. Fields has looked uncomfortable and indecisive for most of the season, and he’s played a role in the struggles in the passing game.

Fields continues to struggle with holding onto the ball too long and bailing from the pocket too soon. There’s a lack of trust with Fields, and it’s evident on the field. The one time Fields has looked comfortable back there was in Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings.

The offense has a lot to clean up over the final 11 games of the season, and that includes Fields.

As the Bears gear up for a Week 7 prime-time game against the Patriots, host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) discuss Fields’ part in the offense’s struggles and preview the matchup against New England.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[listicle id=519854]

 

Bears Wire Podcast: Now THAT was the Justin Fields we’ve been waiting for

In the latest episode of our Bears Wire podcast, we discuss Justin Fields’ growth and preview Week 6.

The Chicago Bears suffered a 29-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. But you wouldn’t know it with the optimism surrounding Chicago after the defeat, which has everything to do with quarterback Justin Fields.

Fields is coming off his best game of the season, which isn’t saying much, considering how brutal the first four weeks have been. But with Fields’ development the most important aspect of this rebuilding year, it was the kind of performance that goes a long way in the potential future of this franchise.

Fields looked the most comfortable he’s been all season against a good Vikings defense. He completed a career-high 71 percent of his passes (15-of-21) for 208 yards with a touchdown, no interceptions and a 118.8 passer rating, also a career best.

But it was about more than the boxscore. Fields looked comfortable, confident and poised, despite less-than-stellar protection and a limited receiving corp. He showcased his impressive skillset, where he made plays both with his arm and legs. The swagger we’d been missing for him all season was present.

This is the kind of performance that Fields, and this unimpressive passing offense, can build on moving forward. And they’ll have a good chance to do just that against a struggling Washington Commanders team — assuming the offensive line does enough to keep Fields upright.

As the Bears gear up for a Week 6 prime-time game against the Commanders, host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) discuss Fields’ growth, discuss the offensive line, and preview the matchup against Washington.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[listicle id=519310]

[listicle id=519207]

Podcast: Bears OC Luke Getsy’s play calling is rightfully coming under fire

In the latest episode of our Bears Wire podcast, we discuss the criticism surrounding Luke Getsy’s play calling and preview Week 5.

Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has come under fire this week for his conservative approach in calling plays. And rightfully so. Just look at Chicago’s inability to score touchdowns on all three red-zone opportunities in last week’s loss to the Giants.

The Bears offense is among the worst in the NFL, and the only reason it’s not the worst is because of their third-ranked run game. The passing game is the worst in the league, and it’s not even close. So it’s not really shocking that Getsy has leaned more on the run game early this season.

But let’s make thing one thing clear: It’s not all on Getsy. This is a group effort all around — coordinator, quarterback, offensive line, receivers, etc. But it’s also fair to criticize the first-time play caller for his conservative approach, especially in the red zone.

As the Bears gear up for a Week 5 game against the Vikings, host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) discuss the criticism surrounding Getsy’s play calling, Fields’ development, and preview the matchup against Minnesota.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Podcast: Has Bears QB Justin Fields’ development been on the back burner?

Are the Bears prioritizing winning football games over Justin Fields’ development? We discuss on our Bears Wire podcast.

There were high expectations for Bears quarterback Justin Fields heading into his second season. That despite an underwhelming supporting cast with questions at receiver and the offensive line.

So Fields’ rough start through the first three games of the season has certainly been alarming. The Bears not only have the worst passing game in the NFL — by a lot — but Fields himself has looked uncomfortable and indecisive. He certainly appears to be missing the swagger that fans saw at times in his rookie season.

There were times in last Sunday’s win over the Texans where the Bears showed a lack of confidence in Fields. Whether it was offensive coordinator Luke Getsy calling runs on third-and-longs or head coach Matt Eberflus taking three timeouts into halftime rather than give the offense a shot.

As my colleague Brendan Sugrue mentioned in his Week 3 takeaways, it certainly appears that Eberflus is prioritizing winning football games rather than Fields’ development.

Which, to be fair, is exactly what he should be worrying about. While Fields’ development is important, Eberflus’ priority isn’t simply Fields. His job is to win football games and coach his entire team.

But that doesn’t mean that Fields’ development isn’t taking a hit in the process. Fields looks like he’s regressed, and it’s up to Getsy and quarterback coach Andrew Janocko to get the young QB back on track.

As the Bears gear up for a Week 4 game against the Giants, host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) discuss concerns about Fields’ development, praise the run game and defense, and preview the matchup against New York.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[listicle id=517930]

Podcast: Fixing the Bears’ lackluster passing attack

We discuss how to fix the Bears’ disappointing passing offense in our latest podcast episode.

The Chicago Bears have the worst passing offense in the NFL, and it’s not even close. Through two games, they’re averaging just 76.5 passing yards per game. The next closest team (Week 4 opponent, New York Giants) averages more than double that at 153 passing yards.

Quarterback Justin Fields has attempted just 28 passes through the first two games, which isn’t exactly ideal for his development in Year 2. Last week against the Green Bay Packers, Fields attempted just 11 passes. Receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Cole Kmet have been non-existent in this offense, where Mooney has just two catches for 4 yards and Kmet has zero catches.

With that said, it’s too early to start worrying after just two games. Not to mention, against two opponents, in the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers, with great defenses.

But Chicago has an opportunity to really open things up against the Houston Texans this Sunday, as the Texans are allowing an average of 270.5 passing yards per game (26th in the NFL). Although, with Houston allowing 160 rushing yards per game, expect the Bears to run the ball plenty with David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert.

As the Bears gear up for a Week 3 game against the Texans, host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) discuss how to fix Chicago’s passing offense, the concerns of the run defense and preview the matchup against Houston.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[listicle id=517134]

[listicle id=517058]

Podcast: Hooray! Bears appear to have a professional operation again

We discuss Matt Eberflus’ strong debut, Justin Fields’ impressive second half and preview the Bears’ prime-time matchup vs. Packers.

The Chicago Bears kicked off the Matt Eberflus era with a comeback win over the San Francisco 49ers, which felt like a breath of fresh air for this team.

The H.I.T.S. principle was in full effect for Chicago, where the Bears played smart, discipled football. They won the turnover battle (2-1) and committed just three penalties for 24 yards (compared to San Francisco’s 12 for 99 yards).

It was a rough start for Chicago’s offense in the first half, where they were held scoreless and quarterback Justin Fields completed just 3-of-9 passes for 19 yards and an interception.

But then something amazing happened. The Bears made halftime adjustments and scored three unanswered touchdowns in the second half to outlast the 49ers, with some help from Chicago’s defense, and start the season 1-0.

The performance spoke to what we can expect from Eberflus’ squad this season: a hard-fought effort that should keep them competitive in most games they play this season, including against Green Bay.

As the Bears gear up for a prime-time showdown against the Packers, host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) discuss Eberflus’ strong debut as head coach, Fields’ impressive second half and preview the matchup against Green Bay.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[listicle id=516502]

[listicle id=516527]

Podcast: Discussing potential of this 2022 Bears rookie class

The Bears have several rookies poised to make a significant impact this season. We share our thoughts on which rookies will be contributors.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles’ first NFL draft class has the potential to be an impactful one from Day 1. There are a number of drafted rookies who are poised for starting jobs. But which rookies are primed to make the biggest impacts?

When discussing this rookie class, you have to start with second-round selections cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker, who have immediately upgraded the secondary. Gordon and Brisker fill huge holes at their respective positions, and they’re both expected to start immediately as rookies. Both Gordon and Brisker have made an impression during the offseason program, where they’ve been turnover machines.

One of the biggest needs for the Bears this offseason has been wide receiver, which they addressed with the selection of Velus Jones Jr. in the third round of the draft. It’s easy to see why Chicago is excited about Jones’ potential, where his speed and run-after-the-catch ability have him poised to become a playmaker for quarterback Justin Fields. Given the Bears have an unproven receiving corp behind Darnell Mooney, Jones has a chance to see plenty of reps as a rookie.

Perhaps one of the more surprising rookies is fifth rounder Braxton Jones, who’s garnered starting reps at left tackle during the final week of organized team activities and mandatory minicamp. Jones clearly impressed the coaching staff to earn that starting chance, and he’s emerged as a contender for that starting left tackle role.

Some other notable rookies include punter Trenton Gill, who finds himself as the top guy following the release of Ryan Winslow, and fifth-round defensive end Dominique Robinson, who has the chance for some valuable reps behind the likes of Robert Quinn, Trevis Gipson and Al-Quadin Muhammad.

Host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) discuss the rookies we expect to make significant impacts in 2022. Rookie talk begins around the 16:36 mark of the episode.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

What do you think? Which Bears rookies do you think will make the greatest impact in 2022?

[listicle id=509716]

Podcast: Why Bears QB Justin Fields isn’t among offseason’s biggest losers

The consensus among NFL analysts is that Bears QB Justin Fields is being set up for failure in Year 2. We discuss why that isn’t the case.

Bears quarterback Justin Fields has been at the center of NFL offseason discussion, where the general consensus is that Fields is being set up for failure heading into his second season.

Fields has been declared among the NFL’s biggest offseason losers by a number of outlets, where they’ve cited new general manager Ryan Poles’ inability to surround him with playmakers at wide receiver and an established offensive line.

They’re fair arguments to be sure, especially as other NFL teams have surrounded their young quarterbacks with strong supporting casts. But is Fields really among the offseason’s biggest losers?

The one thing that appears to be going underrated is the fact that Matt Nagy is no longer his offensive play caller. It appears that the Bears are banking on the addition of offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to help Fields take that next step. And it certainly helps that Chicago’s offense will cater to Fields’ strengths, including getting him on the move, utilizing play action and a run-heavy scheme, as well as allowing him to stretch the field with his deep ball.

Host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) discuss why statements that Fields is among the offseason’s biggest losers isn’t a strong argument. Fields talk begins around the 12:10 mark of the episode.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

What do you think? Is Fields really among the offseason’s biggest losers?

Podcast: Breaking down the Bears’ 2022 schedule

In the new episode of our Bears Wire podcast, we’re breaking down Chicago’s 2022 schedule, including sharing our early record predictions.

We’ve hit another milestone in the NFL offseason following the league’s schedule release, where we learned when the Chicago Bears will be facing their 2022 opponents.

Aside from facing their NFC North rivals twice this season, the Bears will square off against the AFC East and NFC East, which includes home games against the Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins, as well as away games against the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots and New York Jets.

They’ll also face the same-place finisher from the NFC South (Atlanta Falcons) and NFC West (San Francisco 49ers). With the additional 17th regular-season game, the Bears will host the Houston Texans.

While there’s not a lot of confidence in what Chicago can do this season, they do have one of the easiest schedules in the league. So there are certainly some games to be won.

Following the NFL’s schedule release, host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) are breaking down the Bears’ 2022 schedule, including which games are winnable, which will prove to be more challenging and our early win/loss predictions.

Listen to the latest episode below:

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Podcast: Bears draft reactions and a Nick Foles farewell

In the latest episode of our Bears Wire podcast, we’re breaking down Chicago’s top draft selections and bidding farewell to Nick Foles.

The Chicago Bears have welcomed 11 new rookies with their 2022 NFL draft class, including top selections cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker.

While we didn’t know much about general manager Ryan Poles’ tendencies, we learned a little about his approach in the NFL draft — to stockpile draft picks and attack areas of weakness.

In this case, that included the secondary and the offensive line. Chicago used their top two draft selections to address holes at cornerback and safety, as well as drafted four offensive linemen on Day 3.

But it all comes back to quarterback Justin Fields. Many criticized the Bears for failing to address offense until the third round when they selected wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. And with questions remaining on the offensive line and in the receiving corps, it’s fair to wonder if Fields is being put in a position to succeed in Year 2.

Following the 2022 NFL draft, host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) are breaking down Chicago’s top selections, discussing the Bears’ offensive approach and bidding farewell to the man, the myth, the legend, Nick Foles.

Follow The Bears Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[listicle id=507035]