OT Bears 2019/20 season and beyond

[dougthonus]

I think their season comes down to next week against the Rams. They’ll be heavy underdogs, but the Rams have looked beatable at times.

If they win that, they have the Giants and Lions after. Could be 7-5 after thanksgiving going into a tough final 4 games. But at least the final 4 games will matter at that point.

Of course, it wouldn’t surprise me if they lose the next 3 games.

Mitch looked ok today. An abysmal 1st and 4th were saved by good 2nd and 3rd quarters. Hopefully he can build off of it...I’m not holding my breath though.

Bold of you to assume the season isn't over and still comes down to a game that hasn't been played. Bears probably need to win out to make the playoffs. In that sense, their season probably comes down to every single game left, and well, it's pretty unlikely that fantasy will go on much longer.

It more or less essentially is barring a miracle string of wins from a team that’s tried its best to avoid winning.

But it certainly technically isn’t. 10-6 most of the time gets you in the playoffs. Seattle will take one of the wild card spots, and the other is up for grabs by the group of Minnesota/Philly/Carolina. Bears can play their way into that group by doing the ridiculously difficult task of winning out November. But after the Rams, that task gets quite a bit easier.

Yeah, you're right 10-6 has a good shot at getting them in. If they finish 10-6 they probably hold the tiebreaker against everyone they'd be competing with except the Eagles. Of course, in their remaining 7 games they will likely be heavy underdogs in 5 of them.

If they get in, they'll certainly be viewed as a dark horse super bowl team only because they would have to be playing really well to win 6 of the next 7 against that group. Obviously really unlikely that happens, but I suppose you keep hoping while you can.

[RedBulls23]

This win wasn't even slightly impressive. The Lions are allowing 27 point per game, and the Bears at home managed to only score 20.

[Betta Bulleavit]

This win wasn't even slightly impressive. The Lions are allowing 27 point per game, and the Bears at home managed to only score 20.

This is the NFL. A win is a win. You look across the league and you’ll find a lot of teams that are struggling to get them. So just take them an move forward. Geez...

[Betta Bulleavit]

Bold of you to assume the season isn't over and still comes down to a game that hasn't been played. Bears probably need to win out to make the playoffs. In that sense, their season probably comes down to every single game left, and well, it's pretty unlikely that fantasy will go on much longer.

It more or less essentially is barring a miracle string of wins from a team that’s tried its best to avoid winning.

But it certainly technically isn’t. 10-6 most of the time gets you in the playoffs. Seattle will take one of the wild card spots, and the other is up for grabs by the group of Minnesota/Philly/Carolina. Bears can play their way into that group by doing the ridiculously difficult task of winning out November. But after the Rams, that task gets quite a bit easier.

Yeah, you're right 10-6 has a good shot at getting them in. If they finish 10-6 they probably hold the tiebreaker against everyone they'd be competing with except the Eagles. Of course, in their remaining 7 games they will likely be heavy underdogs in 5 of them.

If they get in, they'll certainly be viewed as a dark horse super bowl team only because they would have to be playing really well to win 6 of the next 7 against that group. Obviously really unlikely that happens, but I suppose you keep hoping while you can.

The outlook is bleak to say the least. But losses for both the Rams and the Panthers helps. If the Cowboys can take down Minny coupled with our win today, next week could shape up as the first of many big weeks for the Bears. Time to find out the fabric of this team.

[Susan]

It's kinda good that the team has been left for dead by the fans/media. It's common for teams to rally around that and get rolling.

Going to LA to face the Rams who have gotten nothing from both Goff and Gurley relative to last year. That's a very winnable game followed by the Giants, Lions and Cowboys.

Left for dead but there's some very winnable games there.

[RedBulls23]

I think they'll will end up with 7 or 8 wins. It would be great if they can win 10, but I don't think they'll get there.

Last 4 games are going to be very tough. That game against the Lions won't be easy either if Stafford is healthy.

[RedBulls23]

This win wasn't even slightly impressive. The Lions are allowing 27 point per game, and the Bears at home managed to only score 20.

This is the NFL. A win is a win. You look across the league and you’ll find a lot of teams that are struggling to get them. So just take them an move forward. Geez...

I don't need to take anything. This game wasn't impressive at all. If Stafford plays they would have lost.

Honestly, if you don't like my opinion then just ignore it. Don't see why you feel the reason to respond the way you do everytime.

[Betta Bulleavit]

This win wasn't even slightly impressive. The Lions are allowing 27 point per game, and the Bears at home managed to only score 20.

This is the NFL. A win is a win. You look across the league and you’ll find a lot of teams that are struggling to get them. So just take them an move forward. Geez...

I don't need to take anything. This game wasn't impressive at all. If Stafford plays they would have lost.

Honestly, if you don't like my opinion then just ignore it. Don't see why you feel the reason to respond the way you do everytime.

Respond the way that I do? Every time? I’m entitled to my opinion just as you are to yours. I’d rather that we just be able to respect each other’s opinions rather than ignoring them. I am simply pointing out that this is a tough TOUGH league and wins just aren’t easy to come by. The Chiefs, Saints, Colts and Rams all lost to what were considered as inferior teams today. Maybe the Lions are a below average defense. But we are also a below average offense coming off of 4 straight losses. I’ll take that. It’s better than a loss, which would have effectively rendered to rest of the season meaningless. What’s so hard to get about that?

[dice]

It more or less essentially is barring a miracle string of wins from a team that’s tried its best to avoid winning.

But it certainly technically isn’t. 10-6 most of the time gets you in the playoffs. Seattle will take one of the wild card spots, and the other is up for grabs by the group of Minnesota/Philly/Carolina. Bears can play their way into that group by doing the ridiculously difficult task of winning out November. But after the Rams, that task gets quite a bit easier.

Yeah, you're right 10-6 has a good shot at getting them in. If they finish 10-6 they probably hold the tiebreaker against everyone they'd be competing with except the Eagles. Of course, in their remaining 7 games they will likely be heavy underdogs in 5 of them.

If they get in, they'll certainly be viewed as a dark horse super bowl team only because they would have to be playing really well to win 6 of the next 7 against that group. Obviously really unlikely that happens, but I suppose you keep hoping while you can.

The outlook is bleak to say the least. But losses for both the Rams and the Panthers helps. If the Cowboys can take down Minny coupled with our win today, next week could shape up as the first of many big weeks for the Bears. Time to find out the fabric of this team.

if you're looking for the miracle playoff berth, you should probably prefer the cowboys to lose to the vikings. would give the eagles (who the bears LOSE the tiebreaker to) a better shot at taking the division and would put the bears only a game behind the cowboys with a home game against them in week 14

[Betta Bulleavit]

Yeah, you're right 10-6 has a good shot at getting them in. If they finish 10-6 they probably hold the tiebreaker against everyone they'd be competing with except the Eagles. Of course, in their remaining 7 games they will likely be heavy underdogs in 5 of them.

If they get in, they'll certainly be viewed as a dark horse super bowl team only because they would have to be playing really well to win 6 of the next 7 against that group. Obviously really unlikely that happens, but I suppose you keep hoping while you can.

The outlook is bleak to say the least. But losses for both the Rams and the Panthers helps. If the Cowboys can take down Minny coupled with our win today, next week could shape up as the first of many big weeks for the Bears. Time to find out the fabric of this team.

if you're looking for the miracle playoff berth, you probably prefer the cowboys to lose to the vikings. would give the eagles (who the bears LOSE the tiebreaker to) a better shot at taking the division and would put the bears only a game behind the cowboys with a home game against them in week 14

Very true. I actually didn’t think about that until after I posted that. Good call.

[fleet]

Mitch played well and this is a big deal. Just about everyone figured that he was deader than Julius Caesar, and he showed signs of life. Good on you, Mitch.

Agree that Mitch had a nice game and showed signs of life. I don't think "this is a big deal" though. It wasn't a great game or amazing game. He only had two long drives and both had a bit of luck (4th down conversion on one and a 22 yard questionable pass interference penalty on a ball that wouldn't have been catchable anyway).

Watching this game doesn't make me think Mitch was a good QB though. It was a decent to good game against a lousy defense. Bears still had 7 three and outs and punted on 9 of 12 possessions for 25% scoring percentage which would put them 30th in the NFL and one of those drives started in FG range.

When you have a QB who has been left for dead by 90+% of the fandom, any sign of life is a big deal.

It couldn't be a big deal in the big picture against the Lions pass defense. A big deal on a Mitch Trubisky richter scale of accomplishment. Defining big deal as a sign of life that he can have a possible career in the league as a fringe starter on some level if you squint your eyes. This particular opponent being the test was not convincing as a sign of life in higher terms however. A sign of some sort of life, Invertabrate life, single cell life on the evolutionarly ladder of NFL QBs.

[dice]

The outlook is bleak to say the least. But losses for both the Rams and the Panthers helps. If the Cowboys can take down Minny coupled with our win today, next week could shape up as the first of many big weeks for the Bears. Time to find out the fabric of this team.

if you're looking for the miracle playoff berth, you probably prefer the cowboys to lose to the vikings. would give the eagles (who the bears LOSE the tiebreaker to) a better shot at taking the division and would put the bears only a game behind the cowboys with a home game against them in week 14

Very true. I actually didn’t think about that until after I posted that. Good call.

then again, gonna have to overtake either minny or seattle anyway in addition to either dallas or philly (and the rams and panthers). it's a long road

[MeloRoseNoah]

At this point, the team can use any W. A few things that are responsible for this W:

1) Coby Whitehair back at C. O-line picks up blitz much better now
2) Adam She-heen benched permanently. This dude is a huge (-), similar to Kyle Long
3) Trubisky is having more time to go through his progression and play the QB position better

At this point, Pace needs to rebuild that O-line into an elite unit. If it goes that way, David Montgomery will shred defenses and that will lift a huge burden off Trubisky.

[chicagoballer]

now, we have lost Hicks and likely Trevathan for awhile... if we lose another pro-bowler on defense, not sure if the defense will be any good either

[Jeffster81]

Lions defense have given up 427 yards per game for the past three games, the Bears managed something like 226 yards against the defense.

Yeah, it's a win but I do not feel remotely good about it. Beat the Rams next week and maybe I will start to feel a little bit better about the Bears. Beating the Lions does nothing for me.

[Chi town]

Different picture of Eddie P makes that kick and Bears are 5-4 right now.

[dougthonus]

When you have a QB who has been left for dead by 90+% of the fandom, any sign of life is a big deal.

I don't know how to say it without coming off more aggressively than I mean it to be.

I think Mitch had a nice day against a bad defense. I still think he's one of the worst QBs in the NFL. I still think he has absolutely no chance to be a quality future starting QB. So I am happy for his win and decent performance, but for me a big deal would be something that changes my belief about what is possible in the future, and this didn't do that.

I still leave Mitch for dead. It doesn't mean I think he will be god awful every game the rest of the year and that the Bears will lose out, but it means I think there is no chance he's an above average starting QB nor do I think he's capable of being a caretaker QB with an elite defense.

[dougthonus]

The outlook is bleak to say the least. But losses for both the Rams and the Panthers helps. If the Cowboys can take down Minny coupled with our win today, next week could shape up as the first of many big weeks for the Bears. Time to find out the fabric of this team.

Unfortunately, I think I know the fabric of the team already That said, I'll be hoping I'm wrong and that you can make fun of me in seven weeks for my dour opinion.

[dougthonus]

if you're looking for the miracle playoff berth, you should probably prefer the cowboys to lose to the vikings. would give the eagles (who the bears LOSE the tiebreaker to) a better shot at taking the division and would put the bears only a game behind the cowboys with a home game against them in week 14

Not sure if that ends up being true.

They need to pass one of the two seven win teams (Seahawks/Vikings) presently and hope none of the other teams between those teams and them pass them by even more.

Had the Vikings lost, they would have had to pass the Seahawks or whomever came out of the six/five win teams. The Eagles would have been equivalent of a six win team due to owning the tiebreaker which would have still been a better scenario than the Bears are in now IMO.

Assume Seattle is just gone.

They're effectively now need to pass:
2.5 games behind the Vikings (3 in win column)
1 game behind Dallas (tiebreaker pending)
1 game behind Rams (tiebreaker pending)
1 game behind Carolina (Bears probably win tiebreaker in a tie scenario)

Assuming Philly can take the division.

If Dallas had won instead of Minnesota, and we assume Dallas takes the division:
1 game behind Philly (but lose tie breaker so effectively 2)
1.5 games behind Vikings (2 in win column)
1 game behind Rams (tiebreaker pending)
1 game behind Carolina (Bears probably win tiebreaker in a tie scenario)

Effectively now they much chase down Minnesota or Seattle (along with everyone else whom are both three games up in the win column) instead of Philly whom is 1 game in the win column but they would need to beat out for the tiebreaker (though possibly a three way tie could give them the group tiebreaker).

Probably doesn't matter much one way or the other, but they're in a half game worse state now. Granted, they play one against Minnesota, so if they win that one, they're effectively 1.5 behind Minnesota (2 in the win column) which maybe makes it about even since you have to assume that the Bears need to win 6 of their 7 remaining games to stand a realistic chance.

At any rate, no matter how you slice it, the odds are pretty bleak. That missed FG against the Chargers really hurts as at 5-4, you'd have a lot more wiggle room to go 5-2 the rest of the way and still have a good chance instead of 6-1. Their odds would still be long, but they'd certainly be way more in the mix.

[micromonkey]

I think Doug is being generous-Mitch had a so-so day vs. a very bad team--and before the game an Onion article pretty much nailed how bad Mitch is.

He doesn't pass any test at being above average, let alone average-last season he was fairly good at running a bit--but now--he has 0 redeeming qualities. He has a negative QBR which passes any and all eye tests.

Its really frustrating to watch them play--he has no vision, no arm strength--in short nothing to make him anything than a coffee boy or clipboard holder on a tanking team. I hope he moves on has a nice life and maybe has some good games as a backup some point down the road. But do not pass go, do not collect $200 and do not extend him for any money. Do not fall for the sunk cost fallacy--which I'm sure we will. This would be worse than the Cutler mega deal right when most fans were ready to bail on him.

We are better off gambling on undrafted QBs to see what they may have. We are running such a shoop-ish offense than any college player should be able to pick it up quickly.