Bears need to make sure a brutal loss doesn't lead to a lost season

 

[October 29, 2024]  By ANDREW SELIGMAN

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears need to make sure one gut-wrenching loss doesn't snowball into a lost season.

A team that rolled into its bye with three straight wins is now reeling after falling 18-15 on a Hail Mary touchdown at Washington on Sunday.

Between the offense's inability to get going until late in the game, some head-scratching play calls and one huge mental lapse by cornerback Tyrique Stevenson at the end, it all added up to one rough afternoon.

“When you lose, your initial feeling as anybody is to want to deflect blame or point fingers elsewhere,” tight end Cole Kmet said Monday. “But look, we got done watching the tape — I’ve watched the tape five or six times — we as players did not play well in that game.”

Caleb Williams and the offense struggled for most of the game before finding a rhythm. The fact Chicago came out flat plus some play calls that backfired put the coaching staff in the spotlight.

The Bears trailed 12-7 in the fourth quarter when they drove to the 1. They opted to give the ball to offensive lineman Doug Kramer, fumbled the handoff and Washington recovered.

Chicago took its first lead on their its drive when Roschon Johnson scored from the 1 with 25 seconds remaining. But instead of a narrow win, they came away with a brutal loss.

Stevenson getting caught on social media motioning to the crowd and having his back turned as the Commanders snapped the ball on Jayden Daniels' Hail Mary to Noah Brown drew the headlines. But on the previous play, with 6 seconds remaining and Washington at its 35, the Bears opted not to defend the sidelines. That allowed Terry McLaurin to get out of bounds and stop the clock following a 13-yard reception.

“If you want to play sideline defense, what they’re gonna do is convert to the Hail Mary there and just run everybody off the sideline,” Eberflus said. “Then, you’ve gotta pick them up from the sideline and do the same job that you’re gonna do in the Hail Mary. To me, we wanted to bring them up so we wouldn’t give them something that was too far down the field, which it was to the 48, and then we set up for the Hail Mary at the end.”

What’s working

Red-zone defense. The Bears might have been blown out had the defense not held its ground in the red zone. The Commanders got inside the 20 on three of their first four drives, only to settle for field goals each time.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams leaves the field after an 18-15 loss to the Washington Commanders in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

What needs help

Pass protection. The offensive line was already a sore spot before the Washington game. The Bears then lost LT Braxton Jones in the first half with a knee injury, and guards Teven Jenkins (knee) and Bill Murray (chest) exited in the fourth.

Williams got sacked twice, bringing his total to 22. He's tied for second in the NFL with Houston's C.J. Stroud and Las Vegas' Gardner Minshew even though he has played one fewer game.

Stock up

RB D’Andre Swift. Swift continued his string of big performances, rushing for 129 yards on 18 attempts. His 56-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the longest for Chicago since Justin Fields' 67-yarder against Detroit in Week 10 of the 2022 season — and the longest by a Bears running back since David Montgomery's 80-yarder against Houston in Week 14 in 2020.

Swift has run for 386 yards and four touchdowns in the past four games. He also has 147 yards receiving in that span, though he did not catch any passes against Washington.

Stock down

Stevenson apologized to his teammates during a meeting Monday for his mental gaffe. Beyond that, Eberflus said he was supposed to box out Noah Brown. He went up for the pass instead, and Zach Ertz tipped the ball up for an uncovered Brown to catch in the end zone.

Injuries

Eberflus said Montez Sweat (shin) was out and unable to return for the final play of the game. He had no update on Sweat or the three offensive linemen.

Key numbers

15 — The Bears had 15 first downs compared to 23 for Washington and were outgained 307 yards to 481.

Next steps

The Bears will try to shake this one off before they visit the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

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