Chicago Bears: Three things most to blame for bad 2017 season
Injuries
Every single team in the NFL deal with injuries. This is true.
But no team has truly suffered as horribly from injuries as the Chicago Bears have over the last few seasons.
This year was no different, and, arguably, the losses they suffered hurt them worse than ever before.
Their wide receiver group already wasn’t going to be great this season, but then you lose White and Cameron Meredith before you even get out of your first game?
How demoralizing is that?
Then, the interior offensive line, which should’ve been one of the strengths of this team, didn’t have a single moment of stability all season.
Kyle Long and Josh Sitton, their two Pro Bowl-level guards, couldn’t stay healthy, forcing Cody Whitehair to occasionally take their place when Tom Compton was too injured or Bradley Sowell was too bad to do so. Then, Grasu would take Whitehair’s place and play like someone who doesn’t belong in the NFL. Whitehair to jump back and forth constantly, which negatively affected his place at center.
Rinse, lather, repeat.
It’s a shame Kyle Long’s injuries took a toll on him because #DaBears offensive line has started to round into form. https://t.co/tMlhLWumbQ
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) December 15, 2017
And if you thought the offensive side suffered, just think about how badly the injury bug has bitten the defense.
Quintin Demps, a free agent acquisition at safety, went out in Week 2 for the whole season.
Then Jerrell Freeman and Nick Kwiatkoski each suffered pectoral injuries in consecutive weeks, sending Freeman to IR and forcing Kwiatkoski to miss several weeks.
Leonard Floyd, the Bears’ most athletic and versatile defensive player, is on IR with a knee injury.
Christian Jones and Jon Timu started games at inside linebacker for this Bears this year. I mean…come on.
#Bears coordinator Vic Fangio trying to hold defense together despite mounting injuries. @BobLeGere. https://t.co/IBDMWRNBEj
— Daily Herald (@dailyherald) December 8, 2017
The Bears probably would not have been this bad if not for all those injuries. They wouldn’t have competed for a playoff berth or anything, but 4-9? I’m not so sure.
But that’s the NFL. Though, if we’re keeping it totally real here, the horrid rash of injuries might well be the fault of a bad strength and conditioning staff.
Who’s in charge of hiring them? Well, we’ll get to that in a bit.