Three Takeaways from Bears loss to 49ers |
Another Week and another loss for the Chicago Bears, who have now lost seven straight games. What was supposed to be a week filled with optimism after Thomas Brown was appointed acting Head Coach turned into a nightmare, as the Bears were blown out by the San Francisco 49ers 38-13.
If that isn't bad enough, this team was held to just four yards in the first half, and some will make the case that this was one of the Bears' worst overall performances of the season. That's not a good look for a guy auditioning for the Head Coach opening next season, as his first crack as a head coach didn't go well. No one expected him to come in here and win overnight, but given how the offense has looked since he took over the playcalling, many thought the team's overall performance would've been better than it showed yesterday. Here are some takeaways from Sunday's loss:
Give Brown some credit this season. Not only did Brown come to join Shane Waldron's staff, but he was promoted a month ago to take over the play-calling duties for his former boss. Brown received another promotion three weeks later and is now the acting head coach instead of the fired Eberflus. It's no secret that Brown is one of the more highly respected coaches within the Bears organization, and it's evident that the players love him and want to play for him. There is a reason why he was promoted as many times as he has been in the past month. However, with every promotion comes a new challenge, and Brown is undoubtedly facing a challenge now. For the first time, he is taking on HC duties and calling plays while trying to learn the ropes as the coach. You can't fault him for wanting to do both, especially when the offense has improved vastly, but you have to wonder if he has bitten off more than he can chew. Sometimes, less is more, and if Brown wants to get a fair shot at becoming the Bears' next head coach, he may have to focus on the head coach duties rather than trying to do both. The Bears will have to figure that out over the next month.Is Brown taking on too much?
Where was the defense?
It's one thing for the Bears' offense to struggle, which it has done plenty of times this season. To see the defense struggle as much as they did on Sunday was a shock, and it's starting to look like this defense isn't as good as many thought it would be. Like Brown, who has been promoted twice in the past month, Eric Washington got a bit of a promotion as he took over the defensive play calling for the first time.
Facing off against a battered offense that has struggled to find its footing, this was as good an opportunity as ever for Washington to leave his mark and prove his worth as a play-caller. Instead, the 49ers offense looked as good as they have at any point this season, topping 300 yards in the first half and putting up 38 points on what was supposed to be an elite Bears defense.
Evidently, calling plays is more challenging than it sounds, and Washington did look lost at times on the sidelines. This is the only occasion on which anyone would say the team missed Eberflus. No one will sit here and say they miss him as a coach, but he was the defensive play-caller, and the defense did look good with him calling the defensive shots. With an extra day off this week, Washington has some work to do to get the defense back on track.
Please protect your franchise quarterback
The Bears' offensive line has been an issue for years, and despite Ryan Poles being a former offensive lineman, the Bears have failed to address it. It has gotten worse from one year to the next, but this season, the offensive line's struggles have reached an all-time low.
Despite his mobility in the pocket and his setting franchise records in virtually every Rookie passing category, Caleb Williams has been on his back a ton this season, and you have to wonder how much longer his body can take the beating it has. With the five sacks yesterday, Williams has been sacked 54 times this season.
That is not only the most in the NFL by a wide margin but also the most in Chicago Bears history, and that is saying something. With the Vikings, Lions, Packers, and Seahawks remaining on the schedule, the Bears offensive line will face challenges, as all four teams can get to the quarterback.
Realistically speaking, Williams may get sacked 70 times this season, and that is a massive number, any way you put it. Williams has proven to be a tough quarterback, given the hits he has taken this season, but there is no way he can handle the beating he has taken this season long-term, and the Bears need to upgrade the offensive line before it's too late.
