The Bears are 3-8, and last in the NFC North. The playoffs are essentially out of the picture for this group. What can we expect for the rest of the year? I think at this point, we can expect and maybe hope for losses. Is it time to tank and get the highest pick possible? Simply put, yes. I think Poles, and Eberflus know just as well as we do, this team is young, and not going to win many big games. Of course you still go out and try to win, but we can all accept losses at this point.
The rest of this season, I think Chicago needs to focus on player development. How many reps and big situations can we throw our youth into? Along with this however, they need to stay healthy. We already saw a few frustrating injuries including Fields. You need to keep him and the rest of this crew healthy, and just get them reps and experience. Much like Justin, a lot of these guys just need game reps. Working Claypool into the offense more and more is extremely important. Continuing to pump confidence to Mooney and Kmet is also essential.
This plan is even more important defensively. This defense has a lot of talent, but a lot of inexperienced talent. Preparing these guys to go win big games in the coming seasons is essential here in the closing weeks of this season. I think guys like Sanborn, Gordon and essentially the entire D line, all need a lot more reps. Of course, you want to keep them healthy, but reps are super important. Putting these guys in situations to succeed, and maybe more importantly to fail, serve as learning opportunities for the coming seasons, when these games actually matter.
With the Bears remaining schedule, I simply don’t think it’s fair to expect a lot of wins, or a run for a playoff spot. However, I do think it’s fair to expect flashes of greatness, flashes of excitement, and flashes of breakout from this young group. Losing to the Falcons isn’t fun. In reality though, that just helps set up Chicago’s future. Although winning may not be the biggest priority, the rest of this season is essential for the future. Can Chicago develop this young, talented group? The next couple weeks will tell!
