AZ54

Agreed on the 3 tech. However I suspect the run defense is suffering from some run-fit issues. We saw this a long time even with Urlacher and Briggs on the field. Once they got it corrected things changed quickly. We have new LBs from different systems and we have a bevy backup DBs. The nickel DB is very key to the defense. We also had two rookie DBs on the corners last week. Things seem a lot like what we saw in Kyler Gordon’s first 8 games last year. Even Brisker is being slow to react. I suspect that is in part because he’s keeping an eye on more than just his assignment. For this defense to work players must know their assignment and get to it quickly.

We found them!

Does anyone know where the real Bears offense is? I see players using our uniforms that just executed a 15 play 9 min +drive for a TD.

I'm only discouraged by Fields' lack of progress. Everything else is moving forward in the right direction. We haven't seen our entire starting secondary on the field much but I think it's improved. The depth at CB has improved as well and I look forward to seeing Smith/Stevenson on the field today. It might decide what we do with Jaylon Johnson. Dline has improved too except for the pass rush. Last year's version of the dline was so bad it's not a high bar to get better but the rookies are starting to make some plays. We've got a couple pieces where we need 6 but it's better. It was lost in the noise of the losing streak but late in the Tampa game we had back to back 3 and outs and gave the offense the chance to win the game. I don't know if we ever saw that last season. It's just a data point but you have to start somewhere. Oline even with all the injuries is still much better than last year. It's not consistent but there are a lot of good downs in the mix. RB/WR and TE are all good position groups.

Did you consider we don't see those because they might be trying to call the routes or plays that Justin likes to throw to? We have the right combination of weapons to work between the hashes: Moore, Tonyan, Kmet, Mooney, Claypool, even the RBs could do a bit of it if we wanted to. Yet if all Justin is gong to do is watch them be wide open and keep holding the ball then it doesn't matter.

Even if there is a remote chance Bagent can succeed we won't be doing him any favors throwing him on the field too early. It's odd because if we were watching Andy Dalton as our bridge QB for a 1st Rd pick we'd be hearing la lot of people say let the rookie get ready behind the scenes before throwing him to the wolves.

Bingo. Then he goes to the post game press conference and acts like his dog just died. Fields is not the guy you want to follow into battle when you are outnumbered. Dealing with the poor performance on the field is one thing but the lack of leadership can drag down the performance of everyone on the team. He has all the talent but I'd rather have someone with the heart to fight to win. It's difficult to say what changed with him from last year but as the saying goes: Hard times don't build character, they reveal it. ....this quote from his press conference via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin when asked what he’s learned from the last few weeks.

No the question is if you are the Bears would you trade Justin to the Jets for a future first round pick?

Just watched the post-game press conference. Fields is rapidly devolving into the blame game for everyone but himself. He's lost...mentally and does not in anyway look like the leader of this offense. None of that is good and I'm not sure how he turns this around. Pressure can make a diamond or you get dust.

I'll add that Poles has done the right thing and hedged his bet on Fields. He didn't go all-in like Denver with Wilson followed by giving up draft picks for Sean Payton.

Fields just isn't playing like an NFL QB. Just missed an easy pass to Kmet for a TD. Now I'm curious who comes in. With this score it should be Bagent, get him some experience.

To be fair the Bears never said it was a health issue, at least I never heard that. I believe that was just internet speculation. I"m not sure how many HR investigations folks have taken part in on the first couple days you have no idea where things are going. Just because you are someone's manager doesn't mean HR tells you why they are doing an investigation because they can be investigating you too. Nor can you come out and tell people either on the team or in media there is an investigation because legally you are liable if you try to influence the investigation.

The team never fired nor suspended Williams so I think that clearly means there was no criminal activity involved, nor gambling on games. From the top: 1) Bears planned to fire him. I don't know of any scenario in any business where you would tell an employee in advance you plan on firing them. I can say you're performance is trending toward termination but I'm also required to state here is what you must do to retain your job. I cannot say "I'm going to fire you no matter what you do". This does not mean these coaches can't be fired on-the-spot. Nor does that seem like Poles MO as he has had many difficult discussions with people face to face. 2) Drugs. Can't rule it out completely but again, the team has never offered anything that sounded like help or assistance (i.e. our thoughts are with him at this time) 3. Gambling on games is immediate suspension by the league pending investigation. Didn't happen. 4. Alphabet community paranoia that everyone is after them. 5. Domestic problem. From a resignation standpoint this could fit but again the team was ont very conciliatory about him working through some problems. Seems unlikely. 6. ED. Not sure what job standards Flus might have for his DC but this doesn't seem like one of them. Likewise with personal health no conciliatory messages whatsoever from the team. 7. No conciliatory messages from team, no offers at all for support. See Roquan's issues in the past. I'm still thinking he was demoted from play calling because he was bad at it. He didn't like it and walked away to think about it and then decided to quit. This being a performance management issue Flus wanted to keep it in-house. Maybe there is a juicy tidbit behind the scenes. I don't think any players have spoken about this either.

IF... big IF... we are going to win this game we must run the ball all game long. That won't be happening up the middle with Chris Jones back but we're actually better working the edges of the Dline. We need to keep the pressure off Fields and have a good enough run game for play action to help him with more time in the pocket. We need TDs on every trip into the redzone. We need to win time of possession as that is the best way to minimize Mahomes' damage. Somebody needs to find a way to get enough pressure on Mahomes to keep them around 25pts. I'm not saying we'll score 26pts but as thresholds go anything beyond that is likely getting into 6 sigma territory for our offense. All long shots but this is the way.

There are some positives to build on. Not that it was all great news as he highlights some bad mistakes but this team is not the same s*** show in talent that we watched last year. If Fields was just making the easy plays, not even the right "reads", just took what was there, then this would have likely turned out differently. Same thing goes for Getsy if he'd have just called more run plays... which would have helped Fields. W

Reading between the lines here this means Bagent just got promoted to 2nd string. Most likely we're moving Peterman back to the practice squad where he'll dress as the emergency QB. I take this as very good news that Bagent continues to excel, at least as far as backup QBs go.

That might be the most contrite press release ever. Not even a little thank you. https://www.chicagobears.com/news/alan-williams-resigns-as-bears-defensive-coordinator The Bears on Wednesday released the following statement: "Alan Williams submitted his resignation as the team's defensive coordinator this afternoon."

i finally got to watch his press conference. In some aspects I liked what he said in a couple aspects it made me nervous. Especially with the one play he talked about where he took a sack. Justin said in that scenario in the future he'll be leaving the pocket. IIRC there were receivers open on that play. So mostly he alluded to just getting out of the pocket but nothing about just making the quick easy pass to an open receiver even if it's not the normal read for that play. That makes me a bit nervous but I do agree he needs to get back to doing what makes him comfortable early in the game and then let the rest of it come to him.

Nah Flus seemed pretty clear they want to keep Wright at RT. I think that's best too especially with Davis coming back. We've been running with Patrick for a couple weeks so just change one position with Borom. At least Borom gets to practice all week to prepare and he looked much better in preseason. Hopefully Jones' injury isn't serious. That doesn't seem likely for a 4 wk IR plan but sometimes these neck issues can go sideways quickly.

Flus' reactions on Williams' status at today's press conference was pretty non-descript. That was immediately after he said he and the team have Davis and his family in their thoughts (paraphrasing). If Flus won't give Williams the same kind of sentiment, and this has now been through 3 press conferences, then to me it just doesn't feel like a family or medical type of issue. Flus was asked if he had fired Williams and he said no but he also didn't say Wiliams would be back calling plays. Which I continue to interpret to mean Flus took over the play calling for the rest of the season or at least until he feels like things are on the right track. I know nothing of the other rumors and I'll keep it that way until something more official comes out. I think if there were any truth to the legal issue rumors (which sound very criminal) the team would just cut ties with Williams more officially. Or at least come out and say he was suspended pending investigation.

This is known as the Mark Anderson rule.

I only got to see the last 7min of the MNF game but Bryce Young does not look like an NFL QB. I still think it was the right call to see what Fields could do because a bird in the hand is always the better option. It's not working out for whatever reason with Fields and after MNF my hopes have gone higher for getting the 1st overall pick next year. For some reason I also watched Drake Maye on Sat and he didn't look like an NFL QB either. Arm talent is there but reading the field eh not so much, at least in that game. He's also not hte best athlete on the move. So that brings me to just one...Caleb Williams. I've only seen him play for about 10min so far this season but he looks the part.

I will forever blame you for getting me hooked on Scotch whiskey.

I don't agree with that at all. Flus' body language is an easy read and you know when he's upset and not happy. He took over play calling, likely for the rest of the season from Alan Williams. I wouldn't expect him to be calling out players or coaches in a press conference. if you have class and are willing to tell people to their face in private that their performance is bad then you don't ever need to do it in public.

The argument is that Shanahan knows offense and how to get the most out of his QBs. Regardless of who they are and their skillset. He’s not developing QBs or they’d be successful elsewhere or he’d quit Trading away draft picks to draft a new one. Imagine the 49ers roster with the extra draft picks they gave up for Lance. I’ve watched a ton of Brock Purdy since he was a freshman in college. I like him but He will regress to his mean as well. Still a good QB but Shannan thought so much of him he was 3rd string behind Lance.