Last Week's Review & This Week's Preview: Bears @ Titans
- nolanbul2
- Nov 6, 2020
- 9 min read
Updated: Jan 15, 2022
Only our beloved Chicago Bears can find a way to make a 5-3 record feel much worse than what it appears to be.
Bears fans everywhere are all taking the season in various forms so far: Most are panicking, some are feeling iffy, and few are confident in the road ahead. I am somewhere in the middle, as their fortunate record still has them in a suitable position to make a playoff push. Yet, as we all know, their recent play has provided visible frustration and questioning of what to expect from this team.
The Bears are now two third's into a tough three-game stretch of playoff-caliber opponents. First, they lost to the Los Angeles Rams, then they lost to the New Orleans Saints, and now they face the Tennessee Titans this Sunday. In this article, I discuss the overtime loss to the Saints and preview the upcoming game against the Titans.
If you haven't already, please feel free to check out my introduction article, I had a blast putting it together. You will get to know more about me, my background, and my plans for this website here:
Tired Of The Same Old Same Old
Like many other Bears fans, I am sick and tired of complaining about this team's same issues: Bland QB play, a subpar Offensive Line, limited run game, and frequently questionable play-calling by Head Coach Matt Nagy. Win or loss, these are the same issues that have been plaguing the Chicago Bears offense almost all season long. While fantastic, the defense has been visibly affected by the lackluster offense's performance, as they are on the field far too long and face far too much pressure for them to carry the team. It is the same old same old, both in 2020 and through the majority of Bears seasons.
On the bright side, Running Back David Montgomery had his first twenty carry game and his highest yard total with 89 rushing yards, all against one of the most formidable run defenses in the league. Wide Receiver Darnell Mooney also stepped up with a five-catch, 69 yards, one touchdown performance. On the other side, Defensive End Khalil Mack notched his 6.5 sack this year, which is top ten in the league. And Linebacker Roquan Smith had a strong, quality performance without any noticeable bumps in the road. Finally, on Special Teams, Kicker Cairo Santos has become an underrated piece to the team and proved so by making all three of his field-goal attempts, including a clutch 51-yarder to push the team into overtime. Despite the bright sides, I am sure you could figure out that it was not enough to win and make fans happy.
Allen Robinson With A Diving Touchdown Grab Against The Saints (Credit: Chicago Sun-Times)
We were also able to finally witness what a deep pass completion looks like in the middle of the second quarter. After Saints Kicker Wil Lutz *gulp* doinked a 27-yard field goal attempt, the Bears were able to take advantage of such a surprising instance by having a four-play, 80-yard touchdown drive afterward. QB Nick Foles was able to complete a rare deep pass to Darnell Mooney for 50 yards and eventually find fellow Wide Receiver Allen Robinson who beautifully caught a 24-yard pass in the back of the endzone. As I said to my friends after the Mooney catch, those types of plays have been so rare from us that you cannot help but genuinely appreciate those while you can. It turned out it was truly worth trying to enjoy those big plays while you could because the offense decided to act like their typical selves again fall flat immediately after.
Javon Wims, What on EARTH Were You Thinking?!
You know your team did not have a good game when arguably their biggest highlight was a fight that one of your players cowardly started mid-game. Just when you thought our offense could not become more of a lughing-stock, they defied the odds and did something we would have never imagined. In this case, the spotlight was shined on a single player: Wide Receiver Javon Wims.
With about nine minutes left in the third quarter, Nick Foles completeed a short pass to Allen Robinson for about four to five yards. Then, suddenly, the camera paned over to a pile of two Saints players on top of a Bears player on the opposite side of the on-field action. Players on both teams rush over to break up the apparent incident, where we suddenly see Wims arise and start clapping rapidly towards a Saints player. Then, the instant replay appeared, and...wow. Once the play died down, Wims rushed over to Saints Cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson and proceeded not only to rip off his chain but then punch him twice on the helmet before they would go to the ground together.
As he was punched the first time, Gardner-Johnson was simply unphased. He looked about as confused as fans were as to why Wims decided to hit him in the first place. Wims later claimed that Gardner-Johnson spit on his face, but there has since been no evidence to prove that was true. We know that Gardner-Johnson, minutes before, met Wims and ripped the mouthpiece off his helmet and onto the field. Then, the next time Wims met with him, he decides to get his revenge, but only in one of the worst and saddest fasions possible.
If all he did was rip off Gardner-Johnson's chain, the whole situation would have been much less severe and embarrassing. In fact, if he ripped off his chain while we knew that his mouthpiece was ripped off, I would have defended him. You either get even with him and move on. Instead, Wims took it up a notch and decided to fight Gardner-Johnson, when all he had to do was be the bigger man and move-on. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and Wims was immediately ejected from Sunday's contest and will serve a two-game suspension.
A Meme I Made To Honor Javon Wims Last Week
I wanted the Bears to cut Wims a day or two after the game in the heat of the moment. He did not get cut, but will serve a suspension and hopefully lose the already minimal playing time that he was currently given. Call it pathetic, unnecessary, ridiculous, and so on. There were not many instances where I was more embarrassed or mad at a Bears player's action (or any player for that matter) than what Wims demonstrated. Depending on the severity, I am always willing to give players a second chance. But Wims has hardly shown any apology or accountability since the incident, and he will have an uphill, almost impossible battle to climb to gain my respect again.
State Of The Opponent: Tennessee Titans
Until their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7, the Titans were one of the two remaining undefeated teams in the league. Running Back Derrick Henry might need to check with a chiropractor as he has been carrying the Titans (and my primary Fantasy Football team) so far this year and leads the league in rushing. But do not underestimate the performance of QB Ryan Tannehill, as he has been proving me and many others wrong that last season's resurgence of his was no fluke. Along the way, Wide Receiver A.J. Brown has been establishing his dominance, when healthy, in his sophomore year in the league. The 2020 NFL season has done wonders for the Titans, and they still appear as the top dog in a mostly light AFC South division.
However, the team is coming off a somewhat surprising, eleven point loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. With the loss, the Titans will head into Sunday on a two-game losing streak. The offense, as hinted in the last paragraph, has been a robust unit all year long. But the defense has been lackluster and statistically towards the bottom half of the league overall. More-so vulnerable to pass attacks than rush attacks, the team has given up no less than 24 points in each of their past three games. Of course, the Steelers have themselves one of the most potent offenses in the league, and the Bengals have their fair share of weapons, so the path to a positive defensive performance has been challenging to find in recent weeks. However, it was only a matter of time when their defense could not do enough to pass by and force them to lose a game. They will look to bounce-back against a light Chicago Bears offense.
State Of the Bears
Remember when I claimed that my most significant criticism of GM Ryan Pace's offseason work was his lack of addressing the Offensive Line? And that his shortcomings of fixing that position would eventually come back to bite him? Well, I sure do, and we have now reached the point where that is genuinely biting Pace. However, it might not have exactly been the way that I, or many others, have imagined.
We already saw Guard James Daniels go down with a season-ending injury, we had seen Center Cody Whitehair inactive last week, and the overall performance of the front line has been dreadful. But to make matters worse, Covid-19 finally decided to strike the Bears, in their Achilles heel, which has been the Offensive Line.
All of the following players will be out this Sunday due to injury or Covid-19: Starters Bobby Massie, James Daniels, Cody Whitehair and backups Jason Spriggs and Sam Mustipher. You read that correctly; five Offensive Lineman will officially be out, as Germain Ifedi and Charles Leno will be the only Week 1 starters on the field.
The Bears Offensive Line At Full Health Earlier This Year V.S. The New York Giants
(Credit: Chicago Bears)
Even if a good chunk of our Offensive Lineman were active, Ryan Pace should have been ashamed for how little he provided to aid the group this offseason. There is a reason why David Montgomery has had almost no room to run the football and that the unit has given up the fifth-most sacks in the league. The entire offense has had its shortcomings, both in the passing and rushing departments; you do not need a football scholar to tell you that. But the front line had shamefully been a crucial reason for the unit's failures.
They should become healthy enough to play again soon, but there will not be a big enough difference to truly provide a spark. Although I must admit this is easier said than done, the Bears (like most of the NFL) stood pat at the deadline and avoided trying to capitalize on the team's fortunate record in hopes of improving themselves down the road. Meaning that we are stuck with the front line as it is for the remainder of the season.
There Goes Nagy Again...
After orchestrating the undisputed best offensive drive of the season with Darnell Mooney's 50-yard catch and Allen Robinson's 24-yard touchdown, Matt Nagy decided to put his stupid hat back on and appear to lose complete control of his offense yet again. Not only did he lose control, but he did so in an ugly fashion.
It would be a different case if the unit were putting up a fight and not scoring as much, but they seemed lost, unconfident, and outstandingly outmatched while hardly scoring whatsoever. As the team's confidence appeared to shrink, the fan's faith shurnk at a much faster rate. Lighter opponents would help make our team appear better, much like they were earlier in the year, but for now, trust in Nagy and his squad are only decreasing until proven otherwise.
As previously mentioned, the Titans have one of the lower-ranked defenses in the league this year. The Bears offense is currently in limbo, but they have an opportunity to finally catch a break after facing two stricter defenses in the Rams and Saints. It is difficult to have any faith in the unit to bounce back and produce enough to outscore the opposition. The Bears defense will face significant pressure yet again, but they have the capabilities of slowing down any team they line up against.
My Preseason Prediction For This Game: Titans Win
My Pick Now: Titans Win
Final Score: Titans 26 - Bears 17
As the Titans kept assuring their dominance and the Bears began their recent downward tumble, I have kept my eyes on this game and became increasingly frightened of what to expect. Specifically, Derrick Henry against anyone is frightening, but Derrick Henry against an Eddie Goldman-less defense makes me lose sleep at night.
The Titans' recent upset loss provides smaller glimpses of hope and show that even a team as bad as the Bengals can beat the Titans. Upsets will always happen, one way or another; that is the beauty of sports. But it was delightful to finally see such an instance regarding the Titans before the Bears were set to face them.
The only way I expect the Bears to win is to slow down Derrick Henry, which will take all the might of the defense led by Linebackers Roquan Smith and Danny Trevethan. You cannot shut down Derrick Henry, which has yet to be proven in his string of dominance over the past year. But if the defense can, at the very least, slow him down and maybe create crucial turnovers off Ryan Tannehill while they are at it, the Bears certainly have a chance.
Ryan Tannehill Showing A Sign Of Appreciation Towards His Running Back, Derrick Henry
(Credit: SaltWire)
However, if the defense plays as such, it is all up to the offense to take advantage of it. The likelihood is low, but the Bears would have to win the matchup of a poor offense v.s. a poor defense. Do I see it happening? Sadly, no, not enough at least. I think Derrick Henry will live up to typical expectations and put a hole through the Bears defense, while Tannehill will do enough to put his team over the top.
Even if the Bears take an L on Sunday and lose three straight, do not entirely give up on the season just yet, as a more manageable set of opponents will be ahead. If the Bears were able to upset the Titans, I would not be shocked if fan's showed their (no pun intended) unbearable recency bias and suddenly acted like we were contenders again. But I understand your frustrations; I am right there with you, as I expect he team to unfortunately lose their third-straight game this week.
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Thank You and Bear Down!
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