5 takeaways from the Bears’ week 2 loss vs the Buccaneers

The Chicago Bears faced what many considered to be a must-win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2 of the 2023-24 NFL Regular Season. So, did anyone expect that they’d actually win?

Perhaps it is good that we are used to being disappointed as Chicago sports fans, as that is exactly what Bears Nation was forced to endure once more after Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers won handily by a score of 27-17 in Week 2.

I’m sick to my stomach and it feels all too familiar. Here are the biggest takeaways from the Chicago Bears Week 2 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon:

1. It’s time to hold Justin Fields accountable

Justin Fields has not been good with the Chicago Bears so far this year.

The excitement is over, replaced by dread and disappointment.

I don’t know anyone who wants Justin Fields to succeed more than I do. I would be lying to switch positions and say I don’t believe in his talent or his potential but the question is moving beyond that at this point.

The question now needs to be, despite talent and potential: “Is this working?”

Like myself, I’d imagine even the most dedicated Justin Fields supporters would be forced to answer with, “No, it’s not.”

There’s another conversation to be had regarding how we got to this point and who’s to blame for Fields’ development but a spade must be called a spade. It’s simply becoming difficult to watch Justin Fields drop back to pass.

He’s progressing through his reads slowly, he’s hesitant to pull the trigger, and he seems to be missing the ability to anticipate open targets. He’s taking too many sacks and the Chicago Bears are constantly in third-and-long.

The end of the game provided a crystal clear example of the lack of trust in Justin Fields. Instead of building on the prior touchdown drive, the Bears dialed up a screen pass (immediately after a similar screen pass) that was completely covered.

Yet, Fields threw it anyway and it resulted in a game-clinching interception for a touchdown for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I firmly believe that the Chicago Bears organization has failed to provide Justin Fields with an adequate development plan by most franchise quarterback standards but at the end of the day,  the player will rightfully always be given the most responsibility for their performance.

Justin Fields simply has not been good enough. Lay the blame at the feet of those who you will, but Bears Nation deserves better production from the quarterback position.