BearFan PHX

Fields is not an NFL QB. It's not that he isn't being used right, it's that he cant find open receivers and throw them the ball in tempo. Trubisky was picked based on what he could become, but only had 19 games in college. I dont think you can use those two as a reason for passing on Caleb Williams. I do think you need to fire this staff and not let them near Caleb.

Nah, there's no path to redemption this year with any QB available to us. Bagent is cool, but I dont think he is the right long term answer. I think you have to look at a top pick in the 2024 draft to address this.

it's the only unchanged variable...

I agree. You cant really blame Poles for this. Then again, you cant say that Poles hit a bunch of home runs either. Its not enough to fire these guys. You have to find real winners to replace them with, winners who hold their locker rooms accountable. I dont know how modern NFL players react to tough disciplinarian coaches. Maybe that doesnt work either anymore. I doubt Andy Reid coddles his players though. We need a head coach who wants to dominate more than he wants to fit in well with HR. But would our owners ever allow that?!

"no QB in this draft is better than Justin Fields" two points: 1) no HC in the NFL would choose Fields over Caleb Williams if they were taking over a team next year 2) no QB in NFL history with 20+ starts has worse stats than Justin Fields. If we roll with Eberflus and Fields next year, I will find another team to watch. I dont know how I'd do that. It seems impossible, but this is 100% unacceptable. And if you understand that Flus and Fields need to be gone, then it's time to start thinking about when the best time to do that is, and how to get an early start on the right new coach. We used to be the Bears, and that was bad enough, but with back to back #1 picks, we are becoming the Browns. It's not a hard decision. It's not like we are 8-9. Blow it all up now. Don't drag it on like we did with Nagy and Pace.

100%. The experiment is over. Fields sucks. And the D line has zero pass rush, although we saw that one coming. Eberflus is probably a competent coach - meaning he is able to organize all the meetings, coaches and practices. he's a pro. There must be thousands like him out there. A much smaller number of coaches actually improve your teams chances of winning. They give you an edge. Eberflus and Getsy will never be one of those. There is literally no downside to firing them and trying someone else. Then in the offseason you can go for that Jim Harbaugh (the Bears would never have the balls to get him) or similar disciplinarian. The next coach shouldnt be a friendly positive guy. He needs to be a hard-ass like Ditka was. This team has no culture. And that means no accountability. Flus was calm and philosophical at the press conference. He's the wrong guy. I dont want to hear that he presents one face to the press and another to his team. After that performance there should be some emotion. And if not outright anger then that quiet cold killer's stare that Belichick has. This positive crap is for children and losers. Amen.

right. I agree. And if the Bears know that, why let the messaging spiral out of control?

it might be a forensic service hired by HR and have nothing to do with law enforcement. But yeah, the Bears' messaging has been atrocious.

Exactly. And if you are an NFL football team, and you let legal and HR bully your PR department, you're going to fail. You can't sacrifice the product in the service of the company. If you sell Ketchup, you can say nothing, but if you sell an entertainment product you cant. And especially not when you need players to focus and win as you said. McDonalds cant stop selling hamburgers because some employees are vegan and file a grievance. Youre not protecting the company at that point. You need strong leadership to decide which is the more threatening of the competing damages. Just because the legal department isnt in charge of the morale or image of the team, doesnt mean it's not also a threat, and a larger one at that. This one goes to Kevin Warren. If he didnt make decisions to get us here, he needs to make decisions to get us out. What a total disaster.

So now, if all this is true, it might be fair to start looking at how the Bears have handled this, which looks like: EXTREMELY poorly. This isn't "health" - it sounds like he was hitting on someone who works there, or had an affair, or got caught smoking marijuana or something like that. Maybe he got caught jerking off in his office? But to let these rumors swirl while you just leave them hanging in the wind is stupid as hell. On day two when the rumors had started, Poles or Eberflus should have just said "We will remain silent on this, except to say that this does not involve anything illegal other than possibly laws surrounding the workplace, which we must avoid commenting on either way because an employee has just resigned, and all the corporate stuff that would always go with that any time an employee resigns for any reason." What the actual hell.

I agree. Plus, I give him a break for Claypool and VJ, because it was the first year and he didnt really have the draft capital or cap room to do much else. He was trying to get his QB some weapons so they could evaluate Fields. He was reaching, for sure, but like you say, that wasnt his fault, and not a behavior hes continued, it was the hole that others left for him, especially that first year.

If this is about shaving points, I can imagine where the FBI hasnt arrested him because hes agreed to cooperate as a witness, and no one at the Bears wants to tell the players because if they felt a coach left them out there to dry on the field - thats a great way to lose a locker room. But if it was me - Id be worried about what theyd think when it finally comes out and they realize that I DIDNT tell them. Im sort of shocked the Bears didnt tell the players. Whatever it is, I guess the cover 2 means CYA too.

lol... shit.

I agree its going to be ugly, but something feels like its going to be something unexpected. Like theres some twist none of us have even thought of.

Youre right that if Fields balls out this year, he will absolutely save himself. But right now it doesnt feel like they're still deciding, it feels like they think it aint gonna happen, and thats pretty much where i am now too.

Thanks Stinger - I hadnt seen it written anywhere, so thats very helpful. To me, If Eberflus hugged him, thats a different signal than the one it seems were getting from the press conferences, so naturally im very interested to hear it. And I dont believe it any more or less than anything Im reading too. It's all possibly crap. It's just WEIRD and there has to be a reason?

Well I still want to know whats up with Williams, but i get your point, hes no longer the Chicago bears' problem. And to the rest of whats been said - yup we are screwed.

It's true that any actual conclusions about what specifically happened are all conjecture. But the way the team is reacting is real, and it isnt how they would behave if this was just a health issue. So something is up - but to guess exactly what that is would be impossible right now. All I know is that it isnt just a regular health thing.

Right, so no one (that Ive seen so far) said that Eberflus hugged Williams, or that Williams was even there when Flus got emotional (if that even happened).

not being snarky, really actually just curious - can you find me a link that says that Eberflus hugged him and that Williams was there when he cried?

Here's from an article in the Sun Times: "When Bears defensive position coaches spoke to reporters Thursday evening, they were clearly uneasy when Williams’ name came up. “I’m just excited for the game,” said linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi, who had worked with Williams since 2018 when both were assistants under Matt Eberflus. “My focus is the game. That’s where my mind is right now.” and "When cornerbacks coach Jon Hoke was asked if there were well wishes for Williams given that he said in his statement he was resigning to attend to his health and family, he replied, “Yeah. I’m sure. Absolutely.” Safeties coach Andre Curtis said he was “not qualified” to answer questions about Williams." Where are the "hes been a big part of our team and we are going to miss him" or even "we wish him the best" NO WHERE. And they arent sad they are uncomfortable. Something awful is going on. https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2023/9/21/23884751/bears-dc-candidates-dave-borgonzi-jon-hoke-alan-williams-matt-eberflus-defensive-coordinator

I think a good part of it is that the offense cant make first downs and the defense cant stop anyone, so they get fatigued on defense, and start playing from behind on offense which makes it even harder to make first downs.

lol you made me snort.

(almost) all agree. I wonder though if they were sure Fields wasnt the guy. I suspect they wanted to see what they had with him. I don't think they are purposely setting him up for failure, but i do think that his failure tells them that they need a new QB, and I do think Poles had that possibility in mind when he made the trade with Carolina, looking at the 2024 class rather than what was available in the 2023 group. He may even have thought that there is a good chance Fields wont improve. But i dont think they are holding him back on purpose at all. But maybe Im being naive.