Bears searching for answers after embarrassing loss to Patriots |
CHICAGO - there was ever a time for the Chicago Bears (4-5) to fire a coach midseason, this may be the time. Chicago dropped below .500 for just the second time this season and the first time since they started the year 1-2. This time, it came at home to the New England Patriots (3-7), who are very quietly beginning to play more competitive football.
In a game that featured the Number One overall Pick, Caleb Williams, and the No. 3 overall pick, Drake Maye, many people thought this game could be one of the best games of the weekend, especially when you look at the position both teams are in. Instead, it was another ugly showing and, depending on who you ask, the worst showing of the season for the Bears, as Chicago was held to under 150 yards of offense in a 19-3 defeat. This is a game you can solely blame on Shane Waldron and the offense. The Bears' defense did more than enough to win this game, holding Maye to 184 yards. However, Williams only had 120 yards passing and just 69 years, and when you take into account the sacks, it was an all-around rough day for the Bears and their fans. Right from the start you got a sense of how things would go as three of the first four drives resulted in punts apart from a Joey Slye field goal that put the Patriots in front 3-0. With the offense doing nothing for the Bears, it was up to the defense to make a play, and that is when Tremaine Edmunds came down with an interception, setting the Bears up with excellent field position. The result was another wasted opportunity by the offense, as that drive resulted in another Torrey Taylor punt before the defense forced a punt of their own to give the ball back to the Bears. It was on Chicago's next possession when things started to look better as the Bears chewed newly five minutes off the clock and went 50 yards on 12 plays. The passing game played a massive role in that, as Rome Odunze and Kennan Allen hauled in three first-down receptions on that drive to help Chicago move the chains. As the drive went on, you started to see D'Andre Swift get involved. He finished the day with 59 yards, and Chicago had to settle for a 33-yard Cairo Santos field goal to tie things up 3-3. Those were the only points of the game for the Bears, as that drive was nearly half of the offense's yards on the day. They managed to pick up just 65 yards the rest of the game, to go with two turnovers on downs and five punts. With time winding down in the first half, the Patriots had the ball and subsequently went on to deliver their best drive of the game leading into the half. That drive took 10 plays and nearly six minutes off the clock, as Maye and company were starting to move the ball much easier than most of the game. Finding DeMario Douglas for 17 yards did help the offense get in a groove, as the Bears defense was starting to get gassed on the field. The big play of the drive came on an Austin Hooper 24-yard reception before Rhamondre Stevenson started to use his legs to move the ball inside the two-yard line. Maye and his arm took care of the rest from there as he found fellow rookie Ja'lynn Polk for the two-yard strike to put the Patriots in front for good, 10-3. New England would tack on an additional field goal late in the first half after Kayshon Boutte picked up a massive first down to set up Slye as the Patriots led 13-3 at the half. That would be all the offense they needed in this one, as both offenses struggled to move the ball in the second half. The Patriots tallied just over 110 yards of offense compared to the Bears' 65. However, 78 of their 110 yards came on both of their scoring drives, which ended in Slye field goals. The first of those field goals came from 25 yards out as Maye used his legs to pick up a 19-yard first down to get the drive started before the short-yardage gains began to take over. Antonio Gibson and Hooper also played a role on that drive with a pair of first downs as the Patriots extended their lead to 16-3. New England would tack on one additional field goal on their next possession as a first down reception from Hunter Henry helped set up a 33-yard field goal to lift the Patriots to a 19-3 win. With the loss, Chicago not only dropped their first game at home this season but also ended the longest home-winning streak in the NFL. They need to hit the drawing board fast. Stevenson led all rushers with 74 yards on 20 carries, as yards were tough to come by on the ground. Hooper finished the day with 64 yards on three receptions to lead all receivers, with Douglas adding 50. Allen and his 44 yards led Chicago. "I'm not gonna go there." "We'll look at everything." Coach Eberflus on fans calling for his job: pic.twitter.com/j0EM9UCP6C "Yes, I'm confident in my head coach." "I don't think we're at a breaking point." "We definitely, offensively speaking, have taken a pretty big step back."
Kevin Byard III when asked if the coaching staff has lost the locker room. pic.twitter.com/8UUoW9l6Yo
Matt Eberflus on the potential of changing play-calling duties. pic.twitter.com/I2Ap0GHxdG
Caleb Williams when asked if he has confidence in Matt Eberflus. pic.twitter.com/wKK9q51ucS
DJ Moore when asked if the Bears are at a breaking point following their 3rd straight loss. pic.twitter.com/OnSKhUePdn
Cole Kmet on the Bears since the bye. pic.twitter.com/F1wYY3aklQ
