The Chicago Bears are 0-2 to start out the season. It’s actually not the primary time the “Monsters of the Halfway” have began the season 0-2. In spite of everything, we lived by means of the John Fox period, however someway, after a number of seasons of huge expectations, and devastating outcomes, this season’s begin feels worse than most.
Okay, so we’re solely two video games in. Loads of time to show it round, proper? Fallacious. Bears followers have seen this film earlier than. Straight to streaming.
Essentially the most irritating factor, by far, concerning the Chicago Bears is that they all the time, all the time appear to make the incorrect resolution. Regardless of the selection, regardless of the place. If the McCaskey household is someway concerned, relaxation assured that they’ll someway handle to choose absolutely the worst particular person for the job.
Do you know Invoice Belichick interviewed to be head coach of the crew again in 1999? The Bears picked Dick Jauron (35-45) as a substitute. Additionally they had a shot at Bruce Arians and Andy Reid forward of the 2013 season, however as a substitute selected…Marc Trestman. So far as I can inform, Trestman is now an adjunct professor on the College of Miami Regulation Faculty. No, I don’t know why.
After Trestman, who was presupposed to be the Bears’ progressive “Moneyball” choose, the crew (for some purpose) employed Ernie Accorsi to assist them land his buddy, John Fox (14-34), which was the pendulum swinging all the best way again if I’ve ever seen it. Trestman was horrible, so screw analytics! Again to a superb ol’ smash-mouth soccer coach. That may have been nice if Fox was a good smash-mouth soccer coach. He was not.
When Fox inevitably flopped, the crew bypassed hotshot Rams’ QB coach Matt LaFleur in favor of Matt Nagy (34-31), a man who got here to Chicago and determined his crew didn’t have to run the soccer. The 2018 season was enjoyable, however Nagy all the time appeared to consider offensive schemes the best way Brian Wilson thought of harmonies — they by no means fairly labored out in actual life the best way they did in his head. I’ve blocked out most of Nagy’s ultimate 12 months in Chicago, and my mind has condensed all of it down into an imaginary GIF of Nagy yelling “The system works! THE SYSTEM WORKS!” whereas slowly melting into the bottom. He additionally positively stated “penis” as a substitute of “peanuts” whereas singing the Cubs’ seventh-inning stretch, however that’s neither right here nor there. Nagy is now again calling performs in KC underneath Andy Reid. Who, if you happen to’ll bear in mind, the Bears might have employed in 2012.
I’m not even certain the place to start with QBs. Outdoors of Jay Cutler, the Bears have had a good passing quarterback in my lifetime. You understand the notorious graphic that reveals up each time the Bears play the Packers? The one exhibiting all of the failed QBs the Bears have had through the reigns of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers? That actually tells you the whole lot it’s essential know.
Ought to we begin with Cade McNown? He was the Bears’ first-round choose in 1999 (at 12). All I’ll say about Cade is that he completed his NFL profession (which lasted a complete three years) with a passer ranking of 67.7. There was Jay Cutler, one of the best Bears QB in latest reminiscence. The Chicago O-line as soon as allowed him to be sacked 9 occasions in a half. He left that sport concussed and the crew exasperated in 2015.
This brings us to Mitch Trubisky, and this one is a doozy. The Bears chosen Trubisky with the second total choose within the 2017 draft. Hilariously, the Bears’ official draft social gathering was hosted by Mike “They advised me that is my crew!” Glennon, who needed to watch the Bears draft his alternative with none form of heads up from the crew, shortly after he’d received a 3-year, $45 million contract from GM Ryan Tempo (and the historical past of Bears’ GMs is a complete ‘nother article and one which I’m too unhappy and drained to inform).
2017, as you might recall, was the identical 12 months Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson have been each accessible. The Bears met with Mahomes however didn’t even hassle to fulfill with Watson which, in hindsight, was an important resolution for a complete host of different causes that have been unknown on the time. Chicago will get zero credit score for this one.
Why wouldn’t the Bears be excited about Watson, you ask? Properly, I’d like to let you know. It’s as a result of former GM Ryan Tempo was so laser-focused on one Mitch Trubisky that he could have watched a few of Trubisky’s school video games (the place he wasn’t even the beginning QB) in disguise, so involved was he that he would tip somebody off to the hidden gem that was Mitch Trubisky. And Trubisky’s UNC crew didn’t even win the sport! Tempo, who got here from the New Orleans Saints, spoke typically about wanting a QB “like Drew Brees.” Followers simply didn’t notice he meant somebody who really seemed like Drew Brees.
To deliver this lengthy, unhappy story to an finish, the Bears wound up buying and selling away three draft picks — shifting up one single, solitary spot — to take Trubisky with the second total choose. Out of concern he wouldn‘t be there at three, I assume? Mahomes went at 10 and Watson at 12. Trubisky may need been a good beginning QB. Not less than, we noticed flashes of what seemed like a good QB underneath no matter Nagy was attempting to do with him, which appeared to be making a quarterback prized (by Ryan Tempo) for his mobility stand within the pocket and throw. However Trubisky now sees ghosts, because of an offensive line that would do little or no to maintain big males from touchdown on prime of their younger quarterback. He’ll by no means be the identical.
However that is what Chicago does. It’s the place QBs go to die.
So certain, Matt Eberflus (3-16). He’ll be right here for a number of years, the Bears can be depressing to mediocre, and I nonetheless received’t be capable of choose him out of a lineup. Justin Fields, one other prime draft choose who got here in with lots of hype, and promise, can be a shell of his former self as soon as Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy is finished with him. The names and faces change, however the track stays the identical. None of this issues. Nothing issues.
So long as the McCaskeys personal the crew, the Bears are condemned to NFL purgatory — dangerous sufficient to occur upon an enormous draft choose occasionally, solely to make absolutely the incorrect selection, and inevitably get bounced throughout Wild Card Weekend.
Chicago. Identical because it ever was.