Last Week's Review & This Week's Preview: Lions @ Bears
- nolanbul2
- Dec 4, 2020
- 11 min read
Updated: Jan 15, 2022
Within the past two weeks, I did something that I did my very best to avoid: missing an article for a game. After the much-needed bye week, both for me and especially the Bears, I enjoyed the week off of writing here. As I have noted in my previous articles, I was beyond sick and tired of writing about the same material, which typically revolved around the Bears defense playing at a high level while the offense held us back and blew our chances of winning. It is what Bears fans are used to, but my goodness it is annoying (still is).
Combine that with the mix of working on final papers/projects for school and heading home for winter break created very little time for me to sit down and write properly. I have been stressed with school many times while writing these articles during the season; there is no surprise there. But with the end of the semester approaching, things just kept stacking onto each other, and I was backed into a corner and had to decide if I should do schoolwork or work on my Bears articles. I think we knew what I chose and we can agree that it was a wise choice.
I am sure hardly anyone noticed my absence, but I am glad to be back writing here. I wish it were under better circumstances, as the Bears have dropped their fifth-straight game this season, going from a promising 5-1 to an underwhelming 5-6. In this article, I discuss the blowout loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday and preview our upcoming game against the Detroit Lions.
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:
The Ugly Keeps Getting Uglier
Final Score: Bears 25 - Packers 41
Do not be fooled here: after the Bears had a brutally depressing loss on national television against the Minnesota Vikings, I lost all hope for the remainder of the season. So heading into another nationally televised game against one of the strongest teams in the league in (ugh) the Packers, my expectations were shallow towards the team. I anticipated yet another low scoring matchup for the Bears but expected them to lose by at least two scores. And boy, was it much worse than that.
After an opening drive where Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his offense had to fight for a score after 14 plays, the Packers lit up the Bears in humiliating fashion on both sides of the ball. Rodgers proceeded to throw two more touchdown passes in the first half and find Tight End Robert Tonyan in the third quarter for a touchdown. In that same quarter, Running Back Jamaal Williams also strolled into the end zone with ease, and our signal-caller Mitch Trubisky lost the football to Packers Linebacker Preston Smith as he took it to the endzone for a second-quarter score.

Mitch Trubisky Being Swarmed At The Line As He Fumbles The Ball To Green Bay
(Credit: Yahoo! Sports)
The Bears were fortunate enough to eventually pad some numbers up and make the loss look less harmful on paper. Wide Receiver Allen Robinson caught two touchdown passes, and Running Back David Montgomery capped off the Bears first possession with a shocking 58-yard run (the longest of his career). With almost three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Monty would catch a short pass from Trubisky to score a three-yard touchdown, too. Of course, none of that truly mattered, as the Bears were far out of contending in the game by the time they would decide not to be awful on offense. Before all of that, the Bears botched several opportunities to score (specifically after the long Montgomery run). Trubisky, along with his lost fumble in which the Packers scooped-and-scored, threw two interceptions, too. One of which he would find perfectly in stride to Packers Safety Darnell Savage. Admittedly, Trubisky could have looked worse, but it was still a rough performance from the Quarterback who is gasping for air at this point.
The Eventual Exposure Of The Defense Was Inevitable
As you could guess from the scoring above, the Bears defense got squashed for the first time this season. Even the mightiest defenses get exposed now and then. To think realistically, this was bound to happen eventually with the defense this year. Of course, it does not help to have the heart and soul of our defense, Defensive End Akiem Hicks, sidelined, as we saw how his lengthy absence affected the team last year. Overall, the Packers boast a strong offensive unit with several elite players, which would be a challenge for anyone squaring against them.
One aspect that grew many fans angry (including yours truly) was that the defense continually ran three-man rushes against the Packers. Hmmm, why?!
I think it is perfectly safe to assume that Aaron Rodgers is the last man we want to avoid giving pressure. I prefer not to allow (in my opinion) the most talented Quarterback in NFL history all the time in the world to make a play. Sure, no Hicks sucks, but come on! This has not been the only instance where we have seen a lack of blitz calls from Defensive Coordinator Chuck Pagano, but I have never felt as annoyed as I was this past Sunday with the instance. Pagano is a man I trust; he has done an excellent job with the unit, especially considering the immaculate shoes he had to fill after the departure of former Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio. But if there is any criticism I have of him, it is his lack of blitz usage.
Now I must say that I did not expect us to get blown out in the fashion that we did. However, these types of humiliating losses should come as no surprise to anyone, especially given the current state of the Bears heading into that game and the outlook of the matchup (more on the team's state later, get ready for that). Regardless, I will not take anything away from how awful the team looked. It was a gross, embarrassing loss, and it makes it far worse that the whole world had to see it, it was against our biggest rivals, and we are now under .500 for the first time this year.
State Of The Opponent: Detroit Lions
The Lions have been a mediocre team for years and have not been any better in 2020. Their Head Coach, Matt Patricia, has been on the hot seat before the year and has faced heavy scrutiny from fans and the NFL community as a whole. Well, after their loss to the Houston Texans (same score as the Bears loss: 25-41) on Thanksgiving, Lions' ownership has had enough. Days later, they would not only fire Patricia but let go of their General Manager Bob Quinn, as well.

Bob Quinn And Matt Patricia, Both Victims Of Recent Mid-Season Firings From Their Own Team
(Credit: Lions Wire - USA Today)
Regardless if you agree or disagree with firing people mid-season, kudos to them for actually pulling off such a prominent move. Many Bears fans dream of such a scenario playing out for them at the moment with their guys. Although their season is essentially over, Lions fans finally have the heavy burden of Matt Patricia lifted off them. They get to look forward to a future without him, and hopefully with a better coach down the road.
Heading into this week, the Lions will have Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell become the interim Head Coach. As shown numerously on Twitter by current and former Lions players, the team is thrilled that Patricia is gone, which further proves that he was just an awful Head Coach. For the time being, they probably welcome Bevell in charge with open arms.
Bevell Takes Over An Injury-Riddled Squad
Bevell should be pleased about the temporary promotion, but his start will not be easy. As of this writing, several key Lions players are on the injury report, and their outlooks for this Sunday are murky. Cornerback Jeff Okudah, Wide Receiver Kenny Golladay, and Running Back D'Andre Swift did not practice Thursday. Swift is the only one who has practiced all week (limited fashion on Wednesday).
Each player has missed quite a few games, as Golladay leads the way with (in essence) missing the last five games. That hurts me because I love "Kenny G" and currently have him on my primary Fantasy Football team. But, of course, the Lions are aching to have their stud wideout back in their lineup. Unfortunately, the chances of those three playing are only becoming slimmer, which is excellent news for the Bears, awful news for the Lions.
If those three were to suit up and play this week, the Lions would have a Running Back that can be a weapon in both the passing and running game, a Cornerback who was the #3 overall draft selection this year and can help an already-subpar secondary, and a Wide Receiver who is the clear-cut top target and has shown he is matchup-proof. The Lions are clearly not the best football team, and without those three will only hurt their chances yet again for another matchup.
State Of The Bears
As I stated earlier, after the loss to the Vikings, any hope I had of the Bears making the playoffs was thrown out of the window. But after the horrific loss to the Packers, I have become gravely concerned with not only the team and the on-field product, but the organization as a whole.
The calling for General Manager Ryan Pace and Coach Nagy to be fired now seems like a no-brainer for Bears fans to agree upon. In particular, Nagy has become an absolute joke with handling the offense; that much has become evident as ever. To only make matters worse, he called out the entire team's effort on Wednesday, specifically the defense.

Coach Nagy Walking Onto The Field Last Week V.S. Green Bay (Credit: WGN)
I do not entirely disagree with Nagy in terms of the effort shown last Sunday. Especially on the Jamaal Williams touchdown run, it just hinted that the team looked defeated and that they gave up, so I will defend him in those regards. However, how silly is it that the ONE TIME the defense plays at a substantially low level, he rips them to shreds? Buddy, have you taken a look at the other side of the ball?! The unit YOU are in charge of, the part of the game that YOU were renowned as a "guru" for before you embarrassingly lost the privilege of being called as such since your faltering last year. The defense has carried the team and prevented you and your unit from looking far worse than it should be. That acceptable 25-18 record you have, you think any part of it mainly due to the offense?
The worst part of that record is that when you look at it without knowing the Bears' true story during his tenure, you think that would be an adequate record, and I would agree. That record (as of now) could be the top argument for him to stay in Chicago. But we all know the real story; he has been extremely disappointing considering how his first year (2018) went. If you cannot tell, I want Pace and Nagy gone, but (as of now) I still have slight fears of them staying put and given yet another chance. They have lost five-straight games and, barring an absolute miracle, their playoff hopes have greatly diminished. The best thing the team can do is to do whatever they can to stay above .500 and limit the downward spiral they are currently going through. But even if they finish the season above .500, that will never mask the humiliation of losing five-straight games after a surging start.
Enough Ranting, Let Us Focus On This Sunday
Fortunately for the Bears, they are entering a phase of remaining opponents that are much easier than most of the ones they faced during the losing streak. It starts this week against the Detroit Lions, who are also coming off a brutal loss and what could be the beginning of a massive shakeup within their organization.
Although the Bears' offense can never be trusted, they match up up well against a defensive unit that cannot be trusted, as well. Each unit is near-bottom feeders in almost every statistical category, as (similarly to Week 1) it will be a below-average offense taking on a below-average defense. Especially in the fantasy football world, Running Back David Montgomery arguably has the best outlook heading into this week's matchup, and I would agree. Statistically speaking, he is coming off his best game of the season, and the team can only hope he can carry some momentum and perform well against another porous run defense.
On the other sides of the ball for each unit, there is more intrigue. Matthew Stafford always commands my respect and attention, and the same should be applied to opposing defenses. I will always be in his corner and proudly claim that he may arguably be the most underrated Quarterback in the league.
Unfortunately for him and the rest of the offense, they have dealt with numerous critical injuries throughout the year. Especially as of late with an exciting rookie in D'Andre Swift and Stafford's top target, Kenny Golladay. Although they should be taken seriously, the Bears defense is not only set up for an easier-than-expected matchup, but they have an excellent chance to take advantage of the opposing injuries and bounce-back to the level we are used to seeing from them.

Khalil Mack Chasing Down D'Andre Swift Back In Week 1 This Year (Credit: Detroit Free-Pass)
But it is also not like the Bears still do not have critical injuries of their own. As of this writing, Hicks, Mack, and Offensive Tackle Charles Leno are just a few of the players who's status is in question for the upcoming game. Mack is a frequent visitor on the injury report and has been known to play through pain, so I would expect him to play. But fingers crossed that Hicks can play; not only would we get a fixture of the defense back, but we get some much-needed leadership and a festive spirit back on the field.
My Pre-Season Prediction For This Game: Bears Win
My Pick Now: Lions Win
Final Score: Lions 23 - Bears 20
Do I believe the Bears are a better team than the Lions? Yes. Does my gut still say to pick the Bears? Yes. So then why am I picking the Lions to win?
Simply put, people, I am scared from their previous weeks and am increasingly fearful of the direction the team is heading internally. I do not want to feel like a clown picking a team that is tumbling as the Bears are. Sure, the matchup looks enticing, and it will be refreshing to face a much easier opponent. But I have low trust in the Bears being able to win a game in the first place.
Also, you never know how a team could respond to the removal of a despised head coach. For all we know, the Lions could be somewhat revitalized and play better than what they were previously under. For example, after the Falcons started 0-5, they fired Dan Quinn and have won four of their last six games since. The Houston Texans also fired their Head Coach, Bill O'Brien, after an 0-4 start. Since then, they have won four of their last seven games since. Could the Lions follow a similar path? We shall see, as the Bears could be the first victim of a potentially revitalized Lions squad.
I sure hope I am wrong here, but after all, one could argue that losses from here on out could benefit both their 2021 draft position and increase Pace and Nagy's likelihood of being shown the door here in Chicago. For one, I will never root for the team to lose, but keep in mind that a loss could be a blessing in disguise.
In terms of our sanity, though, a win would certainly help. Not even the harsh rebuilding years in the middle of the last decade saw our team lose six-straight games, as I can never recall witnessing such a tragic feat. Let us hope we do not have to cross that bridge this Sunday, especially against a division foe.
If you read through this whole article, pat yourself on the back because you are a gem. While you are at it, please feel free to let me know what you think and tap the heart icon at the bottom, if you wish.
Thank You and Bear Down!
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