The Chicago Bears led the Detroit Lions 26-14 with 4:14 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. It was a triumphant return to action for Justin Fields (until it wasn't), as he set a season high with 104 rushing yards to go along with 169 yards and a touchdown through the air. For a moment in time, it appeared like Chicago would pull off its best win of the season.
Nope.
Detroit scored two touchdowns on its final two possessions, including a two-point conversion to go up 29-26 in the game's waning moments. As the Bears mounted one final effort, Fields fumbled into the end zone for a safety, cementing the Lions' impressive come-from-behind victory.
Chicago falls to 3-8 on the season. Maybe this is good in the long run. The Bears' draft odds certainly improve, and the front office won't have a freak victory to hold over the fanbase when deciding the future of various maligned staff members. The Bears weren't supposed to win this game, and now any false hope has been avoided.
There is a positive spin on this — hey, the Bears almost beat the first-place Lions behind Fields' best performance of the season! — but the NFL isn't the place for moral victories. As Chicago moves closer to the bottom of the standings, here are a few members of the organization who deserve a ticket to the bench or to their next job.
Bears should bench Tyler Scott after critical late-game mistake
With the Bears still up 26-21 inside three minutes, Justin Field launched a third-and-10 bomb to rookie wideout Tyler Scott. It was a perfectly placed ball and the fourth-round pick initially beat his man. But, a momentary hesitation lost Scott his advantage and Fields' pass ended up just outside Scott's reach.
The result was a punt, and the Lions marched down the field for a go-ahead touchdown. It's hard to blame a rookie for one missed pass, but it has been a roller-coaster campaign for Scott. He has caught 50 percent of his passes (9-of-18) in 10 games (one start) for 77 yards. He also has six rushes for 44 yards to his name.
Chicago should invest in youth — there's not much to gain otherwise the rest of the way — but Scott continues to stumble into rookie mistakes. As the Bears strive to find some sort of positive momentum before the end of the season, it wouldn't be terribly surprising if Scott gets put in the doghouse while the Bears test other options in the WR room.
More Equanimeous St. Brown, anyone?
Bears should fire Luke Getsy for poor late-game management
The Bears lured Luke Getsy away from the Green Bay Packers to take over offensive coordinator duties last season. The results so far have been largely underwhelming. It's fair to say defense is the Bears' primary disappointment, but the offense continues to come up small, no matter who is under center.
Justin Fields treated the Bears to his best game of the regular season after missing four weeks to a thumb injury. He made extended plays with his legs, broke off a few big runs, and made several impressive throws. He almost completed a game-saving dime on third-and-10 in the waning minutes, but as previously mentioned, Tyler Scott misjudged it in the air.
Chicago's offense completely stalled late in the fourth quarter. After Jared Goff trimmed the Bears' lead to 26-21 inside four minutes, Chicago went three-and-out. Getsy dialed up two straight Khalil Herbert runs, both of which were stuffed at the line of scrimmage, before turning to the typically fickle Fields to make a big play on third down — the misfire to Scott.
When the Lions re-took the lead, Chicago still had time to mount a few plays and punch back. Instead, Fields was immediately sacked and he fumbled out of the end zone, leading to a safety and the Lions' eighth victory of the season.
For the season, Chicago's offense ranks 20th in total yards per game. Getsy has been reliant on the run out of necessity, but even in a game where Fields' athleticism leads to game-breaking plays, shoddy late-game execution helped dig the Bears' grave. The Bears probably need to consider a QB change in the offseason — especially if Caleb Williams is waiting there with the No. 1 pick — but it's time to consider a scheme and personnel overhaul, too.
Bears should fire Matt Eberflus after latest disappointment
The Matt Eberflus experience has been largely negative, I'd say. The Bears are 6-21 since he took over. We can chalk it up to a rebuild, but that doesn't really fly in the NFL. Especially not when one considers the front office's blatant attempts to add veteran talent to the roster. The D.J. Moore trade, the Montez Sweat trade. Chicago is supposed to win these games. Fields is supposed to look like the franchise QB. It's not happening right now.
Eberflus was the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts for four years prior to taking the Bears' job. He was billed as the savior of Chicago's defense, the man who would return Chicago to the gritty glory of the '80s. Chicago's defense has fluctuated between passable and completely unreliable, all while the offense crumbles on a weekly basis.
We can blame Getsy, Fields, or the rookie wideout for not executing in the game's final four minutes, but generally earning your team a 12-point lead at the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter is enough to win. The Bears' defense completely fell apart, allowing Jared Goff to go 75 yards in 1:16 of game action on their penultimate drive, before going 73 yards in 2:03 to punch in the go-ahead touchdown with David Montgomery moments later.
That won't cut it. The defense can't put on a great show all day, only to completely lose their grip down the stretch. That's how good teams lose postseason games, and it's how bad teams "almost" upset good teams. Chicago should have won this game. Bears fans should be celebrating their first sign of material growth in ages. Instead, it's another loss, and another week of existential dread as the Bears await another tough matchup with the Minnesota Vikings next week.
It's time to hit the reset button. Eberflus hasn't worked, the Bears' roster as a whole hasn't worked. Something needs to change, starting at the top.