With cornerback Kyler Gordon being a last-minute inactive in Week 14, the Chicago Bears needed their healthy defensive backs to step up against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, as the Bears' secondary surrendered 220 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Packers quarterback Jordan Love in the disappointing 28-21 loss.
The Bears were, unsurprisingly, unhappy with the DB room's performance, especially that of cornerback Nick McCloud.
Nick McCloud Continues Being an Issue in Bears' Secondary
The ex-Notre Dame defender's play in coverage has come under fire in recent weeks, and that trend continued on Sunday as McCloud gave up two catches on four targets for 33 receiving yards. He's now allowed 24-of-30 attempts to be completed (80.0%) for 319 yards, four TDs, and a 150.6 passer rating this season, per Pro Football Focus.
While that performance was enough to leave a bad taste in fans' mouths, McCloud's woes didn't stop there. The fifth-year CB attempted to tackle Packers running back Josh Jacobs during a third-and-goal late in the fourth quarter, but his momentum seemingly played a role in Jacobs falling into the end zone, giving Green Bay a lead it wouldn't squander.
It'd be different if McCloud were just making a mistake here and there; however, that isn't the case. He's causing headaches in pretty much every game he plays, and while it was easier to ignore those concerns earlier in the year, that's harder now that the NFL postseason is less than a month away. The Bears don't have time to hope that McCloud can turn things around when the result of every remaining game can make or break their playoff outlook.
At the same time, it isn't like Chicago is ripe with replacement options. The Bears are practically being forced to play McCloud with fellow CBs Tyrique Stevenson, Terrell Smith, and Zah Frazier all sidelined for the moment or longer. Gordon's pre-game setback certainly doesn't help either, so it wouldn't be a surprise to find McCloud back under the spotlight next week.
The good news for McCloud and Chicago's secondary is that a Week 15 clash with the Cleveland Browns might be exactly what they need. The Browns are averaging an abysmal 8.8 yards per completion (28th) and 174.2 passing yards per game (29th), as well as 0.8 interceptions per outing (T-23rd), setting the scene for a potentially productive day for the Bears' pass disruptors.
McCloud joined the Bears on a one-year contract in the offseason, proving how crucial a turnaround will be for him down the stretch. If his play doesn't improve and the issues continue outweighing the positives, it's hard to imagine him lasting much longer in the Windy City beyond Week 18.