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.
Week 2 did not go well for the Chicago Bears in a must-win game.
2. The defense makes Baker Mayfield look like a star
Watching the Chicago Bears’ defense is enough to make even the most dedicated onlooker sick to their stomach.
Play after play, drive after drive, quarter after quarter, game after game, the takeaway from the defense is the same: we look, and perhaps are, historically bad. The Chicago Bears defense is a direct insult to the tradition of the Windy City.
Baker Mayfield was allowed to look like a born-again stud, dropping back into clean pockets and finding Mike Evans for huge gains down the field as if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were playing with extra men on the field.
While there were nice stops in the run game on a few occasions, the vibe was still overwhelmingly negative. The Bears were blown off the line of scrimmage and were unable to make Baker Mayfield uncomfortable despite Matt Eberflus dialing up pressure calls in the absence of defensive coordinator Alan Williams.
Although the defense did do a decent job of keeping the Chicago Bears close in the fourth quarter, that cannot excuse getting dominated for more than three quarters by a team many expected to be rebuilding this season.
The Chicago Bears defense, as it stands now, is a complete joke. Chicago is supposed to be a tough city, but we’ve appeared to be anything but tough thus far this season.
3. Rookie Offensive Tackle Darnell Wright is off to a tough start
Chicago Bears rookie Offensive Tackle Darnell Wright has received his share of ‘Welcome to the League’ moments through two weeks of football in the 2023-24 NFL season.
On multiple occasions, it was apparent that Wright was having issues adjusting to the speed of the game. He seems to be a half-step slow getting off the line as he has been repeatedly punished by speed rushes.
Although I’ll be the first person to tell you that there are a lot of questions surrounding Justin Fields and his coaching staff, it is fair to hold this line to a higher standard as they were supposed to be much-improved after the drafting of Wright and the signing of Nate Davis, who did not play in Week 2.
Growing pains are to be expected for Darnell Wright, but it’s harder to be patient when the Chicago Bears rushing offense appears to have become worse.
Wright was supposed to be a run-blocking savant with his combination of size and speed but the Bears have yet to establish a consistent rushing attack on the right side of the offense.
I’m more than willing to be patient for Darnell Wright but with many of Ryan Poles’ decisions suddenly in question following a disappointing start, his development is worth keeping an eye on.
The Chicago Bears need to make some adjustments to become a good team.
4. Roschon Johnson continues his ascent
I’ve been aboard the Roschon Johnson RB1 hype train since the beginning, so don’t expect me to slow it down now after another impressive performance in Week 2.
As it’s been consistently noted, the Bears offense has a lot to work on. Perhaps the most discouraging development thus far has been the disappearance of last season’s top-ranked rushing attack.
Despite this poor development, Roschon Johnson has found ways to stand out and did so again in Week 2. He took a second-quarter toss from Justin Fields, found a crease inside the left tackle, and took off for a 29-yard gain that set up a game-tying field goal.
It’s clear that the coaching staff has bigger plans for Roschon Johnson, as it was reported prior to Sunday’s game that he was expected to handle a bigger workload. This is great news to this Bears fan, as it seems to me that the Chicago Bears need as much physicality as they can muster.
Johnson is one of the few Bears capable of punching defenses in the mouth and he needs to be utilized early and often.
5. The disappointing start brings into question every move Ryan Poles has made as GM
Ryan Poles has enjoyed fan adulation unlike any Chicago Bears General Manager in my life thus far in his tenure but Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should signal alarm throughout every level of the organization.
Although I do truly wish the best for Nate Davis as he navigates this difficult time, it’s impossible to not have a questioning eye on that acquisition as it has yielded zero results for the Chicago Bears offensive line.
Furthermore, Wright continues to struggle as noted earlier while Jalen Carter continues to show massive potential for the Philadelphia Eagles defensive line.
While I felt that the Eagles were a better landing spot for someone like Carter, it’s difficult to reconcile that with yourself when he’s making plays and the Bears’ defensive line is in shambles.
Other acquisitions like DeMarcus Walker, Andrew Billings, T.J. Edwards, and Tremaine Edmunds have yet to show why they were worthy of the hype they received upon signing on the dotted line.
The linebackers, in particular, stand out as many questioned paying them after such a public showdown with Roquan Smith.
Before the season, I would’ve understood how Poles felt and why he made those decisions but those decisions have to bear fruit in the League if you wish to stick around. Unfortunately for Ryan Poles and Bears faithful all over the world, nothing has looked good. In fact, it somehow feels worse than ever before.
Ryan Poles, Matt Eberflus, and Luke Getsy should not be let off the hook for Sunday’s letdown against the Buccaneers. The City of Chicago deserves better than what we’ve been forced to consume through two weeks of the 2023-24 NFL season.
With the Kansas City Chiefs looming, there truly is no rest for the weary. Only the results will matter.