I Went To Minnesota Yesterday And The Bears Quit On Me

Now that’s not entirely fair, that’s what we call in the journalism business a fire sauce headline, but the point remains, the Bears have regressed in an absolutely pathetic manner this past month. Now I know those outside of Chicago will say, who cares? They sucked before and still suck now. Well the answer is all of us care. No one thought the Bears 2015 season was going to be a good one in terms of wins or playoff berths. USA Today picked the Bears to go 3-13 for christ sakes. All we wanted was to see the light at the end of the tunnel, to see hope for the future. And we got that on Thanksgiving night and then immediately went a million steps backwards. A month ago I would have told you the offensive line was something the Bears could build on. Now I’m sitting here wondering if Charles Leno and Hroniss Grasu can play for this team next year (I’m not worried about Kyle Long and you shouldn’t be either, he’s too good to not turn this thing around). The Defense, while shitty, was finding ways to make plays. Now I look at it and there is no one outside of Willie Young and Pernell McPhee I feel confident about. Alshon, yet again has hamstring issues that make it impossible for him to be the impact player we all think he can be. An old friend once told me the best ability is availability and Alshon has a hard time being available. Jay has taken a step forward this year but you saw what happens yesterday when the offense has to play out of their comfort zone, when they have to pass to catch up and can’t control possession and dictate pace. John Fox and his clock management is already an issue and these games don’t even matter, imagine what will happen when they do. The coaching staff on a whole has let this thing go backwards, all the praise they got the first 3 months of the season should be looked on in a skeptical way now that it’s come to a grinding halt. The point of this rambling rant is simply this. The Bears as late as the last week of November were showing signs of promise and progress, now they’re not too different than last year’s team. Maybe not getting blown out, maybe not the same circus that Trestman brought with him, but unless they win on the road in Tampa or at home against Detroit they will have the exact same 5-11 record as last year’s team. And what got better? Zach Miller and? Basically nothing. It’s frustrating as hell, to think things were turning around only to see them in the same old place. 5 years in a row without a playoff berth, 2016 looking like it will be more of the same. I’ll still be an optimist, it’s in my blood, and I still believe in Ryan Pace, but I would be lying if I didn’t say yesterday and the entire month of December has been spirit crushing when it comes to the future of this Bears team.

PS

I have to take some of the blame here. Have to think things go differently if I don’t fuck up the pregame handshake with the ref, barely slept last night reliving this in my head, also I had heartburn from tailgating all day.