8 takeaways from the Bears’ familiar loss to the Vikings

The Bears are who we thought they were after the 19-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Here were our takeaways from the game.

It’s back to reality for the 2023 Chicago Bears. After an exciting victory over the Washington Commanders in Week 5, the Bears followed it up with a stinker on the lakefront, losing 19-13 to the Minnesota Vikings to fall to 1-5.

Chicago had 10 days to prepare for their divisional opponent, but apparently that wasn’t enough time to recognize Minnesota’s numerous blitz packages that thwarted the offense on the first play from scrimmage. Quarterback Justin Fields had a rough outing, completing just 6-of-10 passes for 58 yards and an interception before exiting the game with a dislocated thumb.

Backup undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent entered in relief and didn’t fare much better, committing two turnovers that thwarted any sort of comeback. The offense totaled just 275 yards and failed to capitalize when they had excellent field position, which they had often thanks to a strong defensive performance.

The Bears defense contained the Vikings offense for much of the day. Minnesota scored 12 offensive points, totaled 220 yards, and converted just 2-of-13 third-down conversions. With a (mostly) healthy secondary back and improved play from the linebackers, the defense played well enough for the team to win. That wasn’t the case, though, and now the Bears have to navigate an uncertain immediate future with key injuries sidelining players such as Fields.

Here were our takeaways from Sunday’s all-too-familiar loss.

10 takeaways from the Bears’ exciting win over the Commanders

From DJ Moore’s killer mentality to Greg Stroman’s big plays, here are our takeaways from the Bears win over Washington.

Our long national nightmare has finally come to an end. The Chicago Bears have won a football game for the first time in 346 days, beating the Washington Commanders 40-20 in prime time to kick off Week 5. Chicago sprinted out of the gates by demanding the ball to start the game and going down to score with ease. They were led by quarterback Justin Fields and DJ Moore, who had himself a career day, to drop 40 points on Washington, the most they scored in nearly three years.

The Commanders offense struggled early and didn’t find their groove until the second half. Though it got too close for comfort at times, they never overtook the lead from the Bears, and Chicago finally got the monkey off their back. A mini-bye week is up next to recover as they look ahead to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6 to potentially start a winning streak, their first one in two years.

But before we look ahead, here are our takeaways from the Bears’ win over Washington.

7 takeaways from the Bears’ shocking loss to the Broncos

From the fourth down decision to Justin Fields’ emergence, here are our takeaways from the Bears loss to the Broncos.

Only the Chicago Bears could take a beautiful day on the lakefront and turn it into a miserable setting. But you have to give them credit for upping their creativity with this one. The winless Bears welcomed the fellow-winless Denver Broncos to town in a matchup that decided who’s season was over and who’s just might be only mostly over. Chicago drew the short straw despite leading 28-7 and blew a lead of epic proportions to lose 31-28.

For about three quarters of the game, Chicago looked like a competent NFL team. Quarterback Justin Fields and the offense were unstoppable and gave fans a show they had not seen in years. Even the defense, which couldn’t stop a nosebleed, found ways to keep the Denver offense off the field. Everything was clicking, until late in the third quarter.

After going up 28-7, the Broncos offense found a spark and the Bears defense wasn’t quick enough to put out the flame. Quarterback Russell Wilson fired two touchdowns before the Denver defense got their first defensive touchdown in nearly two full years off a Fields fumble. The lead was gone and panic began setting in.

Head coach Matt Eberflus made one of the most questionable calls of his coaching tenure when he opted to burn a timeout and give his offense a shot at converting a fourth-and-short. It backfired, which led to the go-ahead field goal to seal the improbable Broncos victory.

This game had everything, good and bad. Even happenings off the field that may have impacted Sunday’s performances. Regardless, there was plenty to take away from the game.

4 takeaways from the Bears’ blowout loss to the Chiefs

Here are our takeaways following the Bears’ 41-10 loss to the Chiefs.

A bad week for the Chicago Bears ended in one of the worst ways possible after they dropped their Week 3 matchup to the Kansas City Chiefs 41-10. The score truly doesn’t do this game justice as the Chiefs were up 31-0 at halftime thanks to timely plays from quarterback Patrick Mahomes, as well as costly turnovers by the Bears. It was over at halftime and the final two quarters were merely a formality as the Chiefs pulled their starters midway through the third quarter.

For the Bears, quarterback Justin Fields failed to eclipse 100-yards passing, going 11-of-22 for 99 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. It was another dreadful outing despite the additional quarterback rollouts and designed runs that were added after Fields expressed his desire to simplify things earlier in the week.

On defense, the Bears couldn’t get pressure on Mahomes and allowed him to pick apart the secondary with three touchdowns. The Chiefs broke out of their offensive slump and looked like their old selves once again. Playing the Bears can do that for a team.

The Bears are now 0-3 for the first time since 2016 and the hope from the offseason has completely vanished for the majority of the fanbase. Here are our takeaways from yet another miserable loss.

8 Takeaways from the Bears’ blowout loss to the Packers

From the worst opening game in 20 years to D.J. Moore’s lack of targets, here are our takeaways from the Bears’ loss to the Packers.

The 2023 season started with a thud for the Chicago Bears after an offseason filled with activity and hope. The Bears welcomed the Green Bay Packers into Soldier Field to begin Week 1 and were run out of the building when it was all said and done, losing 38-20.

It was one of the more anticipated opening weeks in recent memory given how the Bears brought in impact players to build around quarterback Justin Fields, while the Packers were turning the page to a new era with Jordan Love taking over as their signal caller. Many believed this would finally be the turning point in the Bears-Packers rivalry. Instead, it was much of the same that left fans feeling a different type of hopelessness.

The Bears were aggressive early but failed to convert a fourth down, resulting in a Packers touchdown to begin the game. Things were tight for much of the first half, but adjustments coming out of halftime made the difference. Green Bay changed up their plays to attack on offense while dialing up the pressure on Fields on defense. The Bears had no response, and the game was blown open.

It was a failure on almost every front, and while the coaching staff may want to bury the tape, the team needs to learn from this experience for the rest of the year. Here are our takeaways from the unacceptable loss to the Packers:

12 takeaways from third practice at Bears training camp

The Bears held their third practice of training camp on Friday. Here’s what we learned from Day 3:

The Chicago Bears returned to the practice field for their third practice during training camp on Friday, bringing us one step closer to the start of the 2023 season.

It was the second open practice of the summer, which allowed fans to get a first look at the Bears before the 2023 season. While practice was on the lighter side as they ramp up, there were some standout players on Friday.

There was plenty to digest from practice and press conferences with defensive coordinator Alan Williams, offensive tackle Darnell Wright, cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Jaquan Brisker.

Following Friday’s practice, here’s a look at what we learned from the third day of Bears training camp:

5 takeaways from the Bears’ 2023 NFL draft

With the 2023 NFL draft in the books, here’s what we learned about the Bears.

The 2023 NFL draft has concluded, and the Chicago Bears welcomed 10 new members to their roster. For general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus, it marks the close to their second draft with Chicago.

It’s hard to evaluate this rookie group considering they’ve yet to even step on a practice field yet alone the playing field. But the Bears added some impact players in offensive tackle Darnell Wright, defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens, as well as cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. There are also some potential late-round gems in this draft class, including running back Roschon Johnson and wide receiver Tyler Scott.

From Poles having a type to building around quarterback Justin Fields, here are our takeaways following the Bears’ 2023 NFL draft:

6 Takeaways from the Bears’ end-of-season press conference

From Ryan Poles’ commanding presence to their commitment to Justin Fields, here are our takeaways from Tuesday’s Bears press conference.

The dust is still settling on the Chicago Bears’ 2022-2023 season but the front office is already getting to work on what should be one of the busiest offseasons in team history. General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus, fresh off their first year in their respective positions, met the media on Tuesday morning to reflect on the season and share their plans for the upcoming offseason.

The two talked for nearly a half hour, answering questions about the direction they might take in free agency and what they might (or might not) do with the top overall draft pick. Here are our takeaways from what was said up at Halas Hall.

3 takeaways from the Bears’ Week 18 loss to the Vikings

The Bears lost their 624th game of all time and it might be the biggest one in team history. Here are our takeaways from Bears vs. Vikings.

The 2022 regular season has mercifully come to an end for the Chicago Bears, and it featured one more loss that had significant ramifications. The Bears fell 29-13 to the Minnesota Vikings, losing their 10th game in a row. But this loss, coupled with a win by the Houston Texans, gave the Bears the top selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.

As far as the actual game goes, the Bears pulled out all the stops to ensure they wouldn’t win. Justin Fields was out due to a hip injury, so head coach Matt Eberflus rolled with two quarterbacks. Nathan Peterman got the start and Tim Boyle shuffled in throughout the day. Neither was particularly effective, but it didn’t matter as the defense was carved up by the Vikings starters before they exited the game to rest up for the postseason.

With the final loss of the season, the Bears finish 3-14 but have numerous possibilities that await this offseason. Here are our takeaways from Sunday’s game.

5 Takeaways from the Bears’ lackluster loss to the Lions

From Matt Eberflus’ unpreparedness to Chase Claypool’s outburst, here are our takeaways from Sunday’s Bears loss to the Lions.

New year, new Chicago Bears? Not exactly after their Week 17 game against the Detroit Lions. The Bears lost their ninth game in a row when they fell 41-10 against the Lions, allowing Detroit to keep their playoff hopes alive. For Chicago, it was arguably their worst game of the season as they sleepwalk to the final week of the season.

After a historic first quarter from Justin Fields and his running ability that netted 10 points, the Bears went scoreless for the next 45 minutes while the Lions punched them in the mouth on their way to scoring 40+ points. The loss tops last week’s game against the Bills as the most lopsided defeat for the Bears this season.

It was a forgettable game that left a bad taste in the mouth’s of Bears fans everywhere on the start of the new year. Here are our takeaways from the loss.