The Bears lose once again to the Aaron Rodgers-led Packers for what seems like the hundredth time in a row. The Bears fall to 3-9 overall on the season and have been officially removed from playoff contention. Bears quarterback Justin Fields had his best passing game of the year, despite throwing two interceptions that are arguably not his fault. The Bears had the jump on the Packers early on, the score at halftime being 16-10. However, the Packers rallied back, beating the Bears 28-19 on Soldier Field.
Justin Fields put on an impressive display after returning from the shoulder injury he sustained in week 11. He went 20/25 and 254 yards in the air, while rushing for 70 yards and a touchdown. He made impressive throw after impressive throw, including two perfectly accurate deep balls to N’Keal Harry and Equanimeous St. Brown; both of whom were guarded by all-pro defensive back Jaire Alexander. Fields was one of the bright spots on the Bears, per usual. As the Bears approach the bye week, Fields has plenty of time to rest up his shoulder and prepare for the Philadelphia Eagles in week 15.
Aside from Fields, the only bright spot which made a big difference was undrafted rookie Jack Sanborn. Sanborn has been playing out of his mind in place of Roquan Smith after his trade to the Baltimore Ravens. Sanborn put up double-digit tackles for the third time out of five games he has started. Sanborn has proved himself to be a viable replacement for Roquan Smith, who many Bears fans thought was irreplaceable. Sanborn will likely be one of the few starters still on the Bears after the 2023 offseason, as GM Ryan Poles will probably overhaul most of the defense during free agency and the draft.
Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy proved that he needs time to develop. At midseason, Getsy called plays like he was ready to become a head coach. Since then, he has taken a couple of steps back. However, Getsy is in his first season of play calling, and for what it’s worth, he is doing well for his first time. As the Bears approach the end of their season, Getsy should focus on calling more passing plays with Fields. Since the season is effectively over, it is vital to get Fields well-developed as a passer before 2023, when the Bears can make a run at contending.
