Tag: Luke Getsy

Bears clinch No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, and they don’t need a new quarterback

The Chicago Bears have clinched the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, and Justin Fields has proven that they don’t need a quarterback. Not a bad place to be.

Due to their trade with the Carolina Panthers, who lost 26-0 to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday to set their record at 2-14, the Chicago Bears now have the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

And Justin Fields wanted everybody to know that they don’t need to select a quarterback with that pick. Fields completed 20 of 32 passes for 268 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 99.5 in Chicago’s 37-17 beatdown of the Atlanta Falcons. Fields also ran 11 times for 45 yards and a touchdown, and some of his plays in this hame augured well for his future and his potential. Whether the Bears are into that idea or not is a point of conjecture, but this team has some holes they could fill with some major talent and two high selections. Right now, per Tankathon, the Bears have the first and 10th picks.

Fields’ fans at Soldier Field seem to agree.

Dealing with Fields as a runner has always been frustrating, and it was a nightmare for the Falcons’ defense on this day.

But the throws he made in this game, especially to receiver D.J. Moore, were absolutely on point.

Fields isn’t a perfect quarterback per se, but in the right system and with the right people around him, he should have shown enough this season to have the Bears’ front office (whoever’s in charge of it after this season) convinced that there are other more pressing issues to address.

Bears OC Luke Getsy explains how Justin Fields has grown this season

Justin Fields has made strides in his third season with the Bears. But is it enough to secure his Chicago future?

Bears quarterback Justin Fields is facing an uncertain future in Chicago, where these final games have served as an evaluation period for general manager Ryan Poles.

Chicago is just one Panthers loss away from landing the first overall pick in the NFL draft for a second consecutive year. Only this time, potential “generational talent” Caleb Williams is waiting.

The only person who knows what Poles will do is Poles, and we’ve still got a few months before he has to make his decision. Still, the question is whether Fields has done enough to warrant another look from the Bears.

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy spoke about the progress Fields has made this season as he states his case for the QB job in 2024.

“I think just regarding Justin, there’s been a tremendous amount of growth,” Getsy told reporters Thursday. “Where he’s … just in this season alone, how far along he’s come — taking care of the football, being in control of the game. I think that’s been the coolest part since he’s come back. I just feel like he’s in control when he’s out there. That’s been a lot of fun to see.

“His ability to progress is better. His footwork is better. The protection part of it is outstanding. The completion percentage part of it is good. He’s throwing the ball accurately. The extended-play part of it has been a lot of fun to see him progress through that. So there’s been a lot of areas. I’m leaving other stuff out. But I think there’s been a lot of really cool stuff that Justin has grown through this year.”

Fields has completed 60.9 percent of his passes this season for 2,146 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions (two of which came on Hail Mary attempts). He’s also tallied 105 rushes for 585 yards and three scores.

There’s no denying Fields has made improvement in these past few weeks alone, and he’s shown he’s a top playmaker with the ball in his hands. Not to mention, Fields has garnered staunch support from his teammates. But Poles has to ask himself: Can Fields lead this team to a championship?

Raiders copied Bears trick play during win vs. Chargers

Bears fans may have noticed one of the Raiders touchdowns against the Chargers on Thursday Night Football looking awfully familiar.

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and if that’s the case, the Las Vegas Raiders must think highly of Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

The Raiders trounced the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football, winning 63-21 in one of the most lopsided games in recent memory. There were plenty of touchdowns scored by the Raiders in all sorts of ways, one of which appeared to have come straight from the Bears playbook from just last week.

Las Vegas scored their fifth touchdown of the evening on a direct snap to running back Brandon Bolden, who faked the pitch to quarterback Aidan O’Connell and ran up the left sideline for the 26-yard score. But as former NFL quarterback and current analyst Chase Daniel notes, we’ve seen that play before.

That’s right, the play came straight from the Bears, who ran it a week earlier in their win against the Detroit Lions. On their opening possession, the Bears had wide receiver DJ Moore take the direct snap, fake a pitch to quarterback Justin Fields, and run up the sideline for the 16-yard touchdown. The Raiders implemented a carbon copy of the play just four days later, from the fake pitch to Fields to the left tackle pulling and leading the way downfield.

NFL teams borrow from each other all the time. It’s already happened a few times this season and in big moments in years past as well. For example, the “Philly Special” in Super Bowl LII was taken from the Bears, who had run it at the end of the 2017 regular season. However, it’s interesting to see a team take a play and successfully implement it less than a week later.

Getsy may not be the most popular offensive coordinator in the league right now, but give him credit for ingenuity that has other teams copying his plays.

Bears determined to not let Browns’ Myles Garrett, Za’Darius Smith wreck the game

The Bears offense will be tested by a dominant Browns defense led by pass rushers Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith.

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for a huge showdown against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, where they’re looking to extend their winning streak to three games.

But Chicago’s offense will be tested by a dominant Cleveland defense led by defensive end Myles Garrett, who is a true game-wrecker and already has 13.0 sacks and 26 QB hits this season. The Bears will also have to contend with Za’Darius Smith, who has 3.5 sacks and 14 QB hits.

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is determined to not let those Browns edge defenders wreck the game.

“They give us a report each week and I think they were like No. 1 in like every defensive statistic in the league, so I was like, ‘This is gonna be fun, right?’” Getsy said, via The Athletic. “Then you go out there and you have 95 (Garrett) and 99 (Smith) staring down at you at the same time.

“It’s fun. I think this is why you do what you do. You want to play against the best. Yes, those two you have to account for at all times. There’s no question about it that when you’re going up against guys like that, your game plan has to be centered around those two guys.”

Expect a game plan that includes quick passes and screens, along with finding ways to get Fields on the move. A heavy dose of the run game with Fields and D’Onta Foreman would also help.

The last time Fields faced the Browns (in the regular season), he was sacked nine times — 4.5 of which belonged to Garrett — in his first NFL start. A lot has changed since that game, including an improved offensive line, Matt Nagy’s departure and an improved Fields.

But it’s still going to take a strong effort from this offensive line — notably left tackle Braxton Jones, who will have to contend with Garrett for most of the game.

Vikings gameday: Live updates from Vikings vs. Bears

Join us as we provide live updates throughout the game.

Monday night is finally here as the Minnesota Vikings take on the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Join us as we discuss the game with live updates throughout each drive.

Olin Kreutz says Bears QB Justin Fields should want out of Chicago

Olin Kreutz joined 670 The Score’s to share why Justin Fields should want out of Chicago and why the Bears should stick with Tyson Bagent.

The Chicago Bears are set to start undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent for a second week in a row when they take on the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday night due to Justin Fields’ thumb injury. Head coach Matt Eberflus made it clear that when Fields is healthy, he will return as the starting quarterback. But given how Bagent has looked and the type of offense the team put together for him during his first start, one former Bear and current analyst thinks Fields should start looking for new places to play while the team sticks with Bagent moving forward.

Olin Kreutz, the former Bears center and current NFL analyst, joined 670 The Score’s Parkins & Spiegel show on Friday for his weekly hit and shared that he believes the Bears coaching staff is unwilling to design an offense around Fields. For that reason, he thinks Fields should want to go elsewhere to a team that will use him in a more effective way and for the Bears to stick with Bagent going forward. Kreutz explains his reasoning:

The Bears have shown you that they’re not going to design an offense around Justin Fields. It’s not that any of us think Justin Fields can’t win in the NFL, that we don’t see his immense talent, that we don’t see the way he runs the ball, that we don’t think he’s a dynamic playmaker, it’s that the Bears are insisting they want a quarterback that can beat you from the pocket. The only thing that tells me that is the film.

The film tells me they insist on coach [Luke] Getsy, coach [Matt] Eberflus, Ryan Poles, they want a quarterback in the pocket, they don’t want these college concepts, they don’t want to run a of quarterback runs, they don’t want to run a lot of zone reads. So if they’re going to do that, if I’m Justin Fields, I want out of Chicago. I want to go somewhere where they use me the way I think I can help a team win, the way I think I can be elite.

I think they should stay with Bagent because that’s the kind of quarterback they want anyway.

Kreutz has seen his fair share of quarterbacks trying to run offenses that don’t fit their style, and he makes valid points. For much of the season, Fields and Getsy haven’t been able to work effectively together. Things looked to be improving overall before Fields’ injury in Week 6, but that was after three weeks of poor offensive play. Now Bagent comes in and operates the offense like Getsy and Eberflus wanted with positive results, abeit for one game.

There’s no denying Fields’ natural talents, as Kreutz says, and there have been periods of success during their year and a half together. But after 21 games in this offense, it feels like the two sides just aren’t a match and are destined for divorce at some point.

That being said, it’s highly unlikely the Bears will bench Fields for the rest of the season, and it would come as a complete shock to see him moved prior to the NFL trade deadline next week. He will make his return in the next week or two and look to show the organization he deserves to be in the long-term plans. The third-year quarterback has thrown for 1,201 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions in six games, the bulk of his production coming in recent games. But Kretuz thinks he should want out and it’s hard to blame him.

Bears OC Luke Getsy explains what impressed him about QB Tyson Bagent’s first NFL start

Luke Getsy praised Bears rookie Tyson Bagent for his performance in his first NFL start.

Bears rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent made his first NFL start last Sunday against the Raiders, where he led his team to their second victory of the season.

Bagent didn’t have to do much. He completed 21-of-29 passes for 162 yards with one touchdown and — most importantly — no turnovers. Bagent leaned on a productive run game — which totaled 173 yards — and a dominant defense that kept Las Vegas in check.

Bagent executed the role of game manager to perfection, which offensive coordinator Luke Getsy explained impressed him the most about his debut.

“Just the fact that we were able to go out there and operate clean,” Getsy said, via 670 the Score. “He went out and kept his poise like we expected him to do. He did a really nice job of handling — it’s not just the pass game, it’s the run game that we put a lot on our quarterbacks to do a lot. He obviously went out there and showed he was able to do that.”

It’s a good thing, too, considering Bagent is gearing up for his second career NFL start in prime time against the Chargers. Starter Justin Fields is doubtful with a right thumb injury, where he remains week-to-week.

Getsy praised Bagent for how he’s handled his unique journey into the NFL, where it certainly looks like Chicago has a solid backup quarterback.

“Credit to Tyson for his work ethic, his determination today that he got here,” Getsy said. “He had a purpose to make sure that he was ready for whenever or if an opportunity ever came around. So, all the credit to him.”

Luke Getsy has faith in Bears rookie QB Tyson Bagent ahead of first NFL start

Bears rookie QB Tyson Bagent’s confidence is contagious.

It will be a battle of the backup quarterbacks when the Chicago Bears battle the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday at Soldier Field.

With Bears starter Justin Fields sidelined with a dislocated thumb on his right throwing hand, rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent will make his first NFL start Sunday, where he’ll face the Raiders’ Brian Hoyer or rookie Aidan O’Connell.

Bagent replaced Fields in the second half of last Sunday’s loss to the Vikings, where he led a touchdown drive and nearly orchestrated a comeback before tossing an ill-advised interception.

Now with a full week to prepare as the starter, Bagent has expressed confidence ahead of Sunday’s game. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy told reporters that Bagent’s confidence is rubbing off on them.

“He has a lot of confidence,” Getsy said Thursday, via the Sun-Times. “He works his butt off, so the preparation is what gives him his confidence. …. He’s put the work in.”

Getsy coached Bagent at the Senior Bowl during the offseason, where he had the opportunity to get to know him as a player on the field and in the classroom.

“Getting to know him in that time in January was really good to kind of connect to see what kind of learner he is and being able to dive into that quickly,” Getsy said. “I think that’s helped his progress and his ability to go in there last week and really function at a high level.”

6 things to know ahead of Bears vs. Raiders in Week 7

The Bears are looking to get back in the win column when they host the Raiders in Week 7. Here’s what you need to know ahead of the game.

Pessimism regarding the Chicago Bears is at a season-high following last week’s disappointing loss to the rival Minnesota Vikings.

Not only did the team fail to match their offensive splendor that they displayed in Week 5, but the Bears also lost quarterback Justin Fields to a thumb injury that may keep him out a few weeks. Any hopes of a miraculous playoff run are all but dead, and questions are once again being raised about the future prospects of head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, as well as Fields himself.

With so much ire polluting the air, it’ll be good to take a breath and look forward to next week’s matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. The two teams have a surprising amount of connective tissue, from both starting signal-callers having various injury issues to a blockbuster trade that fundamentally changed the direction of their respective franchises.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of Bears vs. Raiders in Week 7.

Bears Hot Seat Watch: Where Matt Eberflus, Luke Getsy, Ryan Poles stand in Week 7

The Bears found themselves back in the loss column. How hot are Matt Eberflus, Luke Getsy and Ryan Poles’ seats in Week 7?

The Chicago Bears found themselves back in the loss column after a frustrating 19-13 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. It marked the team’s 15th loss in the last 15 games, and they haven’t won a home game since Sept. 25, 2022.

Head coach Matt Eberflus, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and general manager Ryan Poles all find themselves on the hot seat, in some regard, following what’s been a brutal two seasons.

Since the new regime has taken over at the start of the 2022 season, the Bears have gone 4-19, including a franchise-worse 14-game losing streak.

While there was some optimism after last week’s game, that’s vanished after this brutal loss, along with quarterback Justin Fields suffering a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand that could keep him out for a bit.

Whether Eberflus, Getsy and/or Poles last through the entire season, one month, two weeks or one game remains to be seen. But we’ll be following along the entire way.

On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the coolest and 10 the hottest seat, here’s a look at where Eberflus, Getsy and Poles’ seats stand heading into Week 7.