The Bears came into the year with questions about Justin Fields and their passing game. Those questions have certainly remained through five games.
Glaring Offensive Issues
There are plenty of things you can point at on the Bears offense and blame them for their struggles. That is because there are multiple factors playing into it. However, none are bigger than their second-year QB, Justin Fields. The Bears sit dead last in yards per game (YPG), as well as Passing YPG. Fields has completed just 55.7% of his passes for 135.8 Passing YPG. He has added 3 TD’s to his 4 INT’s. He is running the ball well, but right now this passing attack is far from where it needs to be.
The Bears have not set Fields up to succeed this season. They hardly added any talent to their receiving core, nor their offensive line. They lost more than they gained. I believe the biggest issue is offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. The first-time play-caller is not panning out, and the team should look to make a change as soon as possible. If the Bears really believed in Fields, they should have set him up to succeed better.
Staying Alive
The Bears defense, at times, has kept them in games. They may have spotted 21 to the Vikings in the first quarter-and-a-half, but they stood the Vikings up for some time before finally breaking and allowing the game-winning TD. The defense kept them in the game against the Giants, and is a big reason they beat both the Texans and the 49ers. What this tells me is that Matt Eberflus still knows how to build a defense and make the most of what he has talent-wise. He has always been able to do this in his career, and that has not changed as a head coach.
Outlook
The Bears outlook going forward relies heavily on the team’s ability to improve offensively. They need to figure out the play-calling, and if that means firing Getsy then so be it. Fields has to play better as well. His job as the future of the Bears franchise is certainly in question right now. If he plays like this throughout the season, there will certainly be discussions of replacing him in the off-season. They will continue to run the ball and build their offense around that. The defense will be stout. These things are a given. The rest of the questions will be answered in due time.
