Three Takeaways from Bears loss to Vikings |
That is not how this week was supposed to go, Bears fans. After witnessing a ton of improvement the past two weeks, especially the offensive end, the Bears had a chance to not only beat the Vikings on Sunday but, with the Raiders looming next, could have even moved closer to .500. Considering where this team was last season and even earlier this season that would be considered an accomplishment.
Instead, this team went back to their old ways, as the offense was unable to move the ball while also committing three turnovers. Typically, when you lose the turnover battle, wins will be tough to come by, but the Bears can't afford to lose the turnover battle as they don't have the ability to overcome that. To make matters worse, they lost the turnover battle to a team that turns the ball over more than any other team, and that alone has to be a kick to the groin for the Bears. Even with another loss as the Bears continue to occupy two of the first four picks in this year's upcoming draft, there were some things to like about their performance. Some of them we will cover today, and some we won't, but you at least have to love how the Bears have responded the past few weeks after a horrid start to 2023.
It may not always seem like it, but this defense has shown signs of improvement over the past few weeks. Granted, the Vikings didn't have Justin Jefferson, which makes things easier, but the Bears are also getting some of their injured bodies back on the defensive side, which is good. Not only that, but the team is starting to get a little bit of a pass rush going and now has seven sacks in the past two weeks as opposed to just two sacks in the first four weeks. Granted, five came against Washington in week five, but the fans have been waiting for an uptick in the pass rush, as they are already halfway to their 2022 sack total. With an improving pass rush comes more turnovers, and the Bears have done a great job forcing turnovers the past few games. Their most significant issue is not being able to capitalize on the turnovers, as Chicago is leaving too many points on the board off of turnovers.The Bears defense is improving
D'Onta Foreman needs more touches
When the season started, the Bears had a crowded RB room filled with Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, and Foreman. Three of the four have had success at the NFL level, with Johnson entering the league as a rookie. With Herbert slated to be the team's No. 1 option and Johnson his backup, it was between Homer and Foreman for the No. 3 spot as the Bears looked to have another elite rushing attack this season.
Not only did Homer overtake the No. 3 job by week two, but for whatever reason, Foreman has been a healthy scratch most of the year, bringing into question why the Bears even signed him. He finally had his chance on Sunday as a rash of injuries in the RB room forced him into action, and he performed well.
Foreman has always been capable of producing when given a chance, and you saw that during his time with the Titans and Panthers. Granted, less than 70 yards isn't anything to write home about, but the Bears offense was limited during the second half for various reasons. With Herbert expected to be out at least three more weeks and Homer dealing with a hamstring injury, the RB room will be down to Johnson and Foreman as the primary options. That may be a good thing, as Foreman does better with more touches and should be getting more the next month.
How severe is the Fields injury?
It was fun while it lasted right. After two straight weeks of MVP-caliber football, Justin Fields handed another clunker of a game, and it couldn't have come at a worse time. To make matters worse, Fields was sacked by Danielle Hunter early in the third quarter and was removed from the game with a hand injury.
Although X-rays revealed no break or fracture, Fields still dislocated his thumb on his throwing hand and will now get an MRI on Monday to determine the severity. That isn't what any Bears fan wants to hear, as it puts them in a position to start Tyson Bagent next week with Nathan Peterman as his backup.
If that is the case, the Chicago offensive game plan may look vanilla, leading to another terrible offensive performance. However, the long-term outlook of the Fields injury is where things get tricky as he could wind up on the IR depending on how severely hurt it is. If that is the case, Chicago is in a position to lose most of their upcoming games, and if that is the case, do you even bring Fields back this season? That will be a question for Ryan Poles to address, as things could go south in a hurry if they haven't gone south yet.
