adam

With the loss, CAR is back at the top: 1. CAR 1-8, .510 SoS 2. ARZ 1-8, .538 SoS 3. NYG 2-7, .524 SoS 4. NE 2-7. .551 SoS 5. CHI 3-7, .476 SoS 6. LAR 3-6, .521 SoS Bears drafting 1st and 5th.

This felt like the Texans game last year. The Bears were playing a terrible team and needed a Roquan Smith INT to seal the win. It always felt like the Bears were one play away from losing this game. It is so hard to evaluate the team against a team like that, on a Thursday no less, and with a rookie QB. All I know is Carolina will have a new HC and QB by the time they are competing for anything. I thought the defense played better, but I still do not like the soft zone. Sweat looks legit, he was getting constant pressure which opened it up for others, exactly what he is getting paid to do. After seeing Bagent look less and less confident every game, it is clear that Getsy and the entire coaching staff need to go. The offense just looks so disjointed. No identity. Now the Bears get another mini-bye and 10 days rest before the Lions. I am sure Fields will be back for that one.

#1 is worth the most, so you want that at all costs.

players with over 100 snaps, and it's their PFF overall grades yes, overall for OFF and DEF

At the halfway point of the season, here are the top 5 and bottom 5 offensive and defensive players based on PFF Grades: Offense Top 5 (100 snaps): DJ Moore - 84.4 Khalil Herbert - 79.3 Teven Jenkins - 78.1 D'onta Foreman - 74.7 Justin Fields - 73.6 Offense Bottom 5 (100 snaps, worst first): Lucas Patrick - 44.1 Cody Whitehair - 45.1 Robert Tonyan - 46.5 Ja'Tyre Carter - 49.0 Larry Borom - 49.5 Defense Top 5 (100 snaps): Jaylon Johnson - 86.3 TJ Edwards - 81.0 Terell Smith - 70.6 Eddie Jackson - 67.1 Greg Stroman - 66.6 Defense Bottom 5 (100 snaps, worst first): Dominique Robinson - 37.9 Yannick Ngakoue - 41.0 Elijah Hicks - 47.1 Tyrique Stevenson - 47.5 Zacch Pickens - 47.8 The two best players regardless of snap counts were Noah Sewell and Jaylon Johnson. The two worst players regardless of snap counts were Josh Blackwell and a tie between Robinson and Homer. Any thoughts on these? I thought Billings and Kmet would be higher, neither made the top 5.

Looking ahead to the draft, some potential trade partners include: ARZ - multiple 1st rounders, need QB WAS - multiple 2nd rounders PHI - multiple 2nd rounders NYG - need QB DEN - need QB LVR - need QB ATL - need QB LAR - need QB

Now with the Sweat deal, I feel like Poles wants to trade down and recoup some additional draft capital. I can see them trading either one of those high picks and gaining an extra 1st in 2025 and potentially gaining back a 2024 2nd.

So who do you think are players that are exceeding expectations at the halfway point in the season? At this point, on offense probably Jenkins and Wright for me. Everyone else is either meeting or are below my expectations. On defense, Edwards and Billings? Maybe Sanborn again? It just feels like a lot of guys have not met the preseason hype and in order to be successful in this league you need a lot more guys exceeding expectations.

People complain about everything nowadays.

So Week 12 is going to be huge for the tankathon with 4 teams head to head, meaning 2 of the bottom 6 will add another win. It looks like the most realistic outcome is CAR and ARZ both losing out. The Bears probably win 2-3 more. LAR will also win 2-3 more. That leaves NYG and NE. I can't see NE losing out, Bill will sneak a game or two out. For NYG though? They were bad with Daniel Jones, now look terrible. Can they win another game?

1. ARZ 1-8 2. CAR 1-7 3. CHI 2-7 4. NYG 2-7 5. NE 2-7 6. LAR 3-6 Of this group, CHI and CAR have the lowest SoS, which gives them the tiebreaker over other teams. So once ARZ has their bye, they would be back in a tie with CAR, but CAR wins the tiebreaker for the first pick. With how bad this season has been, the Bears have only 2 fewer wins than Pick 17.

The Bears need to win this to keep CAR in the running for the #1 pick. This might be CAR's only chance at winning another game. Will it be the return of Fields? Moore revenge game?

It looks like this will be the end for Eddie Jackson and Cody Whitehair. Cutting them both this offseason would free up almost 22M in cap space with about $10M in dead cap. Jackson has been ok, but too often injured. Whitehair has been slowly degrading into a below replacement level player and you can't pay those guys $13M a year. Jackson is due $18M, there is just no way I see him on the roster next year, so the Bears will have to look for a new FS in FA or the draft.

5 turnovers and a ton of penalties and lose by a TD, that is what you call beating yourself. The refs didn't help. Some really ticky tack calls on Bears and blatant ones not called on Saints. It looked like the PHI/DAL game, PHI never gets called for a penalty.

You have to keep taking swings at QB until you get one.

Fields needs to come back on THU against CAR. Velus needs to be cut, what a waste of a roster spot. Claypool and Velus have been Poles' biggest mistakes to date. With Velus being older, that was already a red flag that his game might not transfer to the NFL. Then after all the drops, and an entire offseason to hone his craft he is still dropping balls.

If CAR can't beat IND today or CHI on THU, I doubt they win another game (maybe GB). So then it will come down to SoS and CAR will beat ARZ for the #1 pick. It looks like the Bears will get 4-5 wins, CAR and ARZ, and maybe MIN. That probably ends up with pick #4 or #5 meaning they would miss out on MHJ if they chose a QB at #1.

1. ARZ 1-8 2. CAR 1-6 vs. IND 3. CHI 2-7 4. NE 2-7 5. NYG 2-6 vs LVR Bears currently drafting 2 and 3. I don't know if Arizona wins another game.

Outside of the INT, the offense has looked good. The defense is playing too soft again on passing plays. Almost every completion is a slant or the seam, they have to tighten that up. Only allowed 33 yards rushing, but 137 passing. No penalties called on the Saints.

Offense looks efficient and in sync. Need a score before the half.

Poles better extend Johnson, secondary getting smoked.

Bagent needs to just throw the ball away. Way too many defenders facing him at that point.

That was the catch of his career, wow. Great start.

I am torn on if this means anything for Fields. My first thought on this was if the Bears were willing to lock in another long term contract for big money, this leads me to believe that they already made their mind up on Fields. If they where going to keep him, they would not be signing any big long term deals. On the flip side, they did front load the deal and only signed Billings to 2 years, which would be the end of Fields 5th year. So it seems like Poles did it again. He has signed quality players while also hedging his bet on Fields. This could mean they could still draft a QB and keep Fields for next year.

This goes back to the fact that just because someone held a position, that doesn't make them an expert. He was a terrible GM and his takes are terrible. I could care less what he says about anything. By the time the draft rolls around, the Bears will have added DJ Moore and Montez Sweat for basically free. They will have the choice of QBs, if they elect to go that route and another blue-chip player.