Halfway Point: Where Do We Go From Here?

[G08]

Reminds me of one of my favorite Radiohead songs:

Where do we go from here?
The words are coming out all weird
Where are you now when I need you?
Alone on an airplane
Falling asleep against the window pane
My blood will thicken

I need to wash myself again
To hide all the dirt and pain
'Cause I'd be scared
That there's nothing underneath

What say you? I find myself frequently torn between what would be the most efficient road to get to a Super Bowl, where we realistically are, and what I think will happen.

Most efficient? Justin Fields is the guy, the defense ascends and this team goes in 2024 on a high-note with a shit-ton of money and an arsenal of draft picks.

Where we realistically are? Another broken offense, an undisciplined and floundering team/organization that needs a powerful enema.

What I think will happen? Eberflus is given another year, offensive staff fired, QB drafted high and forced into action when he's not ready and ultimately is forced to learn an offense in year two when Eberflus and friends are all launched into the sun.

Where do we go from here?
The planet is a gunboat in a sea of fear
And where are you?
They brought in the CIA
The tanks and the whole marines
To blow me away
To blow me sky high

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

We don't go anywhere. Because as someone else put it, The McCaskey's value continuity over losing. They value not rocking the boat, or making the difficult in-season decision that need to be made in order to get the franchise back on track. They enable losing and a losing culture. They pass on accountability in order to maintain an air of control and competency (which they don't have, and everyone else in the NFL can see they don't have).

[thunderspirit]

We don't go anywhere. Because as someone else put it, The McCaskey's value continuity over losing. They value not rocking the boat, or making the difficult in-season decision that need to be made in order to get the franchise back on track. They enable losing and a losing culture. They pass on accountability in order to maintain an air of control and competency (which they don't have, and everyone else in the NFL can see they don't have).

This is partially accurate, but needs context and (some) framing.

The McCaskeys value continuity, yes. They want the Bears to be similar to the Steelers, a team that doesn't cycle through GMs and HCs and instead lets them build something sustained. That's the goal.

They don't fire people during the season, true. First, it almost never unearths a guy who becomes better than his immediate predecessor; and second, it adds chaos rather than subtracting it — it rarely accomplishes anything.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but: to his credit, George has recognized when what the Bears tried in the past hasn't worked and has actively pursued something else. He's tried several different approaches to hiring people, including hiring a former scout who had a history with the team (Emery) and consulting on two separate occasions with two different former successful executives they respect and trust to find guys with solid league reputations (both Pace and Poles). The Bears have tried the veteran coordinator (Eberflus), the young offensive-minded up-and-comer (Nagy), tried something "outside the box" (Trestman), and hired an experienced coach (Fox).

I'm not suggesting in any way that what they've done has worked; the evidence to the contrary speaks for itself. But I will state, plainly, that the Bears have not done the same thing every time, in fact have actively avoided doing that.

[The Marshall Plan]

We continue to lose games this year because our coaching is putrid and we still don’t have a defensive line.

The Bags storyline really is saving this season because it makes it interesting. Otherwise it would just be one sad affair after another with JF1’s struggles, the coaching, the defense coughing up 25+ points per game.

We end the season somewhere around 4-13. We have two top five picks with Carolina’s being in the top three.

We miss out on MHJ because he goes 1 overall to the Cards. Instead we take Fashanu and then either trade down or BPA DL. If we take a QB it’ll be in round 2 because this draft is deep at QB.

In FA I do see Poles signing another impact player for the DL. Whether that’s Burns, Jones or somebody else.

The coaching staff is fired and I think they hire Ron Rivera.

Edit: I don’t think they move on from JF1. I think that whomever they hire at HC may not want to start their regime with a rookie QB and waste 2 years. I think they believe they can build around JF1 and will continue to do so.

[Mikefive]

I think we end up with 4-6 wins. I think Flus and staff are gone. I think Fields is traded and we end up drafting a QB with Carolina's pick. If we get anywhere near FA without Sweat signed to a new deal, Poles may join the coaches on the unemployment line.

At some point, Kevin Warren must and will assert himself. This offseason Warren makes his move to bring in his guys in an attempt to get this train wreck back on the tracks.

[artbest01]

Re: QB and a new head coach, I believe you have it backwards. A new head coach a. is likely going to want to choose his own QB and b. will like the thought of having a QB in year 1 of a rookie deal - leaves more flexibility in building a roster. The only way a new coach will want to stick with Justin is if he returns this year fairly soon and plays consistently like he did against Denver and Washington.

We continue to lose games this year because our coaching is putrid and we still don’t have a defensive line.

The Bags storyline really is saving this season because it makes it interesting. Otherwise it would just be one sad affair after another with JF1’s struggles, the coaching, the defense coughing up 25+ points per game.

We end the season somewhere around 4-13. We have two top five picks with Carolina’s being in the top three.

We miss out on MHJ because he goes 1 overall to the Cards. Instead we take Fashanu and then either trade down or BPA DL. If we take a QB it’ll be in round 2 because this draft is deep at QB.

In FA I do see Poles signing another impact player for the DL. Whether that’s Burns, Jones or somebody else.

The coaching staff is fired and I think they hire Ron Rivera.

Edit: I don’t think they move on from JF1. I think that whomever they hire at HC may not want to start their regime with a rookie QB and waste 2 years. I think they believe they can build around JF1 and will continue to do so.

[Moriarty]

I think we end up with 4-6 wins. I think Flus and staff are gone. I think Fields is traded and we end up drafting a QB with Carolina's pick. If we get anywhere near FA without Sweat signed to a new deal, Poles may join the coaches on the unemployment line.

At some point, Kevin Warren must and will assert himself. This offseason Warren makes his move to bring in his guys in an attempt to get this train wreck back on the tracks.

This is what would happen in a world of sanity.


I refuse to get my hopes up
(yet still reserve the right to be embittered if it doesn't)

[pus]

Somebody said the quarterback thing is the most intriguing and/or important part of this season and I totally agree. I'd like to see the rest of the year work out in a manner that results in the hiring of a new HC who is truly taken with both of our QBs, but that's unlikely, given the staff that is in place currently.

It follows that I'll be happy to see all of our coaches dismissed at season's end.

But at least Poles is a young GM, in his first contract - if he can learn from his early mistakes he should be an NFL Einstein pretty soon.

[wab]

I think the Bears are embroiled in chaos and a plummeting culture. I think they finish out the season and only manage to beat the Panthers and the Cards. I think the come away with the #2 and #4 picks.

I think what happens with the QB position depends on what happens with the staff.

Ideally this staff is launched into the sun...which should happen solely based on the HR stuff, let alone the performance on the field. But, what probably will happen is exactly what I've said in a couple other threads...Flus will fire Getsy and Morgan...bring in some bottom shelf replacement...win 4 games...get fired...and delay everything for another year.

[Grizzled]

The Bears might get to 4 wins. Otherwise no more changes save and excepting they sign Johnson to an extension. We might see Jf go off for another game or so but I don't see Getsy changing and accomodating his strengths so he remains the unknown.

[thunderspirit]

The Bears might get to 4 wins. Otherwise no more changes save and excepting they sign Johnson to an extension. We might see Jf go off for another game or so but I don't see Getsy changing and accomodating his strengths so he remains the unknown.

I'm not convinced this coaching staff is gong to let Fields play again if they can help it.

[dplank]

I love The Bends, song and album, and consider Radiohead the greatest band of all time. So no chance I was letting that pass by without comment.

As far as our Bears and the 2nd half, I’ll keep pointing to the 2022 Lions as my hopeful outcome. I want to see us end the season strong and see this vision come together. It’s so much better than another reset IMO. I want Fields to come back and continue the track he was on - it won’t be perfect every week but I want a lot more good than bad going forward. Keep feeding that run game and build up confidence in our OL - something they can hang their hat on. On defense, I hope Sweat gives us a semblance of a pass rush so we can see how this defense functions when properly staffed. It looked for a minute like they were turning a corner, but Bears.

[UOK]

There is absolutely zero reason to have hope for anything better soon, nor should anyone anticipate the team making good decisions for at least another 2 years. They have utterly failed the fans and are steering an already waterlogged crumbling ruin of a franchise deeper into the inky blackness of eternally dead football teams. The only thing fans can do is wait for Virginia to die and hopefully her idiot children to sell their stock. It all needs to go. Franchise needs rebuilt from the studs.

[wulfy]

Chicago Fans Rallying Cry: “Can’t wait until the owner dies”

At least it worked for the Blackhawks when Bill moved on to the Distillery In The Sky.

[Arkansasbear]

It's simply going to get more depressing, not sure how that's possible, but it will happen.

[Arkansasbear]

We continue to lose games this year because our coaching is putrid and we still don’t have a defensive line.

The Bags storyline really is saving this season because it makes it interesting. Otherwise it would just be one sad affair after another with JF1’s struggles, the coaching, the defense coughing up 25+ points per game.

We end the season somewhere around 4-13. We have two top five picks with Carolina’s being in the top three.

We miss out on MHJ because he goes 1 overall to the Cards. Instead we take Fashanu and then either trade down or BPA DL. If we take a QB it’ll be in round 2 because this draft is deep at QB.

In FA I do see Poles signing another impact player for the DL. Whether that’s Burns, Jones or somebody else.

The coaching staff is fired and I think they hire Ron Rivera.

Edit: I don’t think they move on from JF1. I think that whomever they hire at HC may not want to start their regime with a rookie QB and waste 2 years. I think they believe they can build around JF1 and will continue to do so.

Well we don't have defensive line, but at least I think we now have a defensive lineman.

Bagent's story may have been written a bit premature, the first chapter of making the NFL was interesting. The second chapter of his first start was a neat subplot. Now it looks like it might not be worth reading.

I still think we end up with the 1st pick via the Panthers plus ours no later than 5. Will be hard to take a QB in the second after the Sweat trade, unless we trade down and recoup one.

Need a proven 3T if Flus is staying, which I hope now he doesn't.

No idea who they hire, but I do like the Rivera idea. I'm for a guy that had been a HC already. As someone pointed out the only guy we've had with experience as a HC recently was Fox.

[karhu]

First off, a light adaptation of Scott Miller:

Don't even waste the man-hours on us
We are finding no solution.
Call all the boys in from the fighting fronts
We have lost the revolution.
None of the soaring flight we dreamed
Is any closer to perfection,
And all I want is one year when the Bears are good.
We are throwing the election.

Most efficient: Fields stays and we invest our first-rounders in real lynchpins. If that's MHJ and Brock Bowers, so be it. If it's MHJ and Leonard Taylor, maybe even better.

Realistically: We have two or three NFL starters. Three or four now that Sweat's in the fold. That's it. We're still 4-5 years away from contention, even if we fire the coaching staff this offseason.

Probable: We'll retain the coaching staff and Fields, trade down at least once in the first, and wind up with a total of two rookies in our whole draft class whose talent outshines their coaches' attempts to misuse them. An expensive FA safety and guard, neither of whom lives up to his billing. Rebuild set back another year.

I've got a feeling it's all rigged.
I've got a feeling it ended a long time ago;
Nobody tells me.
I've got a feeling it's over now.
I've got a feeling it's over now.
I've got a feeling the votes are in and I got none.
And all I want is one.

EDIT: At the same time:

I can say what I want to say;
I forget why I think it's true.
Once the proof sounded obvious,
Now it's seeming out of the blue.
I could dole out the war-room advice
To the joint chiefs, cool and calm;
I could ride my intentions like Slim on the bomb.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Well I’m going to swim against the tide (sorry).
I think we’ve hit (or about to hit) rock bottom. The only way is up!

•Fields has had some time out, he’s been able to get his head sorted. He’s going to come out and let the ball rip. I’m sure seeing Bagent has helped him.
•DJ Moore is still a top 10 Wide receiver..
•Getsy has rediscovered the run game.
•Since Williams was binned the defense has been better, OK Chargers picked us apart but they’ve got a talented team and a talented OC. Maybe binning the other toxic coach will have similarly positive results?
• Finally, Montez Sweat is a MASSIVE upgrade on our DL. He’s a leader on and off the field. He’s going to improve all of our defense.

Here’s to 9 straight wins, Fields figuring it out, Sweat extending, JJ signing a deal and Carolina tanking

[The Marshall Plan]

We continue to lose games this year because our coaching is putrid and we still don’t have a defensive line.

The Bags storyline really is saving this season because it makes it interesting. Otherwise it would just be one sad affair after another with JF1’s struggles, the coaching, the defense coughing up 25+ points per game.

We end the season somewhere around 4-13. We have two top five picks with Carolina’s being in the top three.

We miss out on MHJ because he goes 1 overall to the Cards. Instead we take Fashanu and then either trade down or BPA DL. If we take a QB it’ll be in round 2 because this draft is deep at QB.

In FA I do see Poles signing another impact player for the DL. Whether that’s Burns, Jones or somebody else.

The coaching staff is fired and I think they hire Ron Rivera.

Edit: I don’t think they move on from JF1. I think that whomever they hire at HC may not want to start their regime with a rookie QB and waste 2 years. I think they believe they can build around JF1 and will continue to do so.

Well we don't have defensive line, but at least I think we now have a defensive lineman.

Bagent's story may have been written a bit premature, the first chapter of making the NFL was interesting. The second chapter of his first start was a neat subplot. Now it looks like it might not be worth reading.

I still think we end up with the 1st pick via the Panthers plus ours no later than 5. Will be hard to take a QB in the second after the Sweat trade, unless we trade down and recoup one.

Need a proven 3T if Flus is staying, which I hope now he doesn't.

No idea who they hire, but I do like the Rivera idea. I'm for a guy that had been a HC already. As someone pointed out the only guy we've had with experience as a HC recently was Fox.

I think Rivera gets the job because of his connection to the Bears organization and his previous HC experience.

My preferred list right now is:

1) Harbaugh
2) Ron Rivera or Mike Tomlin if they get fired.
3) Brian Flores

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

If we’re going for an unproven coordinator then I’d go for Kellen Moore - he’s a good OC at 2 different organisations

[Rusty Trombagent]

This is gonna annoy a lot of people, but Tyson is about to save everyone's job. Sorry guys.

[thefish7]

To quote another song, this time by The Clash:

Straight to hell, boys.

I don't think the organization is destroyed long term, but this season is done. Either we lose a lot, which sucks, or we win annoyingly much, which screws up our draft and could save Eberflus. During the games I'll be rooting for a win every time, in between games I'm really done with Eberflus and the season is wasted anyway.

[HurricaneBear]

Well I’m going to swim against the tide (sorry).
I think we’ve hit (or about to hit) rock bottom. The only way is up!

•Fields has had some time out, he’s been able to get his head sorted. He’s going to come out and let the ball rip. I’m sure seeing Bagent has helped him.
•DJ Moore is still a top 10 Wide receiver..
•Getsy has rediscovered the run game.
•Since Williams was binned the defense has been better, OK Chargers picked us apart but they’ve got a talented team and a talented OC. Maybe binning the other toxic coach will have similarly positive results?
• Finally, Montez Sweat is a MASSIVE upgrade on our DL. He’s a leader on and off the field. He’s going to improve all of our defense.

Here’s to 9 straight wins, Fields figuring it out, Sweat extending, JJ signing a deal and Carolina tanking

Just when I'm ready to give into despair, you go and write something like this and totally bring me back from the brink! It wouldn't be a heroic MVP win without over coming some adversity! I'll add the oline gets healthy and plays like a top 5 unit behind the dominating pancakes of Jenkins and Wright.

[The Marshall Plan]

Re: QB and a new head coach, I believe you have it backwards. A new head coach a. is likely going to want to choose his own QB and b. will like the thought of having a QB in year 1 of a rookie deal - leaves more flexibility in building a roster. The only way a new coach will want to stick with Justin is if he returns this year fairly soon and plays consistently like he did against Denver and Washington.

We continue to lose games this year because our coaching is putrid and we still don’t have a defensive line.

The Bags storyline really is saving this season because it makes it interesting. Otherwise it would just be one sad affair after another with JF1’s struggles, the coaching, the defense coughing up 25+ points per game.

We end the season somewhere around 4-13. We have two top five picks with Carolina’s being in the top three.

We miss out on MHJ because he goes 1 overall to the Cards. Instead we take Fashanu and then either trade down or BPA DL. If we take a QB it’ll be in round 2 because this draft is deep at QB.

In FA I do see Poles signing another impact player for the DL. Whether that’s Burns, Jones or somebody else.

The coaching staff is fired and I think they hire Ron Rivera.

Edit: I don’t think they move on from JF1. I think that whomever they hire at HC may not want to start their regime with a rookie QB and waste 2 years. I think they believe they can build around JF1 and will continue to do so.

This is I THINK and not I WANT.

I think that part of the HC interview process will involve what to do with JF1 and that favorability will be given to candidates who think they can do something with him.

[Shadow]

Half way through the 2d year of the rebuild, right on schedule as planned.

Year 1 - Strip it all down and shoot for the number one overall pick. = Check
Year 2 - Offer platitudes about winning and improving while still competing for the number one overall pick. = Check
Year 3 - (2024) Will bring more changes, incremental improvements and competing for the chance to climb out of the NFCN cellar ala the Lions.
Year 4 - (2025) Compete for the Division Title.

[Grizzled]

The Bears might get to 4 wins. Otherwise no more changes save and excepting they sign Johnson to an extension. We might see Jf go off for another game or so but I don't see Getsy changing and accomodating his strengths so he remains the unknown.

I'm not convinced this coaching staff is gong to let Fields play again if they can help it.

I was wondering about that but I think Fields is given one more chance, the Bears have to see if he can possibly be the answer. I think he starts against Carolina.

[G08]

During the pregame show, Michael Smith, the former ESPN host, explained what Poles inherited from former GM Ryan Pace.

“The Bears lacked picks, cap space, youth and talent,” Smith said. “Poles had to reset the roster, and that process takes more than two offseasons. There were hardly any first-rounders around here when Poles arrived.”

Smith then hit on Poles’ acquisition of Sweat.

“That was a move to get more blue-chip talent in the building,” he said.

And then came this.

“So Justin Fields is under contract for next year and the Bears have the option for the fifth year — and they still believe in him,” Smith said. “A lot can change between now and the draft. But the Bears know this roster still needs to undergo a lot of upgrades around whomever is under center.”

After the game, Gonzalez suggested the Bears should take USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick if they have it and then trade their second first-rounder for more selections. Everyone disagreed with him. It might be best to stick with Fields or Bagent. Poles simply has more work to do.

“You got a chance this year to use up all that draft leverage to stack this football team with talent,” Whitworth said.

“Because I believe the way you build a football team in the NFL is to continue to stockpile talent, and that’s really the winning model,” Whitworth said. “When you look in San Francisco, when you look at Philly, where Jason (Kelce) plays, it’s about the guys that play around him just as much as it is their quarterback when you want to win year in and year out. So you look at their draft pick capital, maybe trading one of those picks to move back in the first a little further and stockpiling more picks to keep more talent because this team is a lot further away than just one dynamic quarterback.”

[Burl]

Problem for Poles here is, if he sticks with Fields and C. Williams becomes the next Mahomes while Fields just sputters or continues to be inconsistent, he's got to live with the consequences.

Fields has the remainder of the year to make the decision easy or hard.

[G08]

Problem for Poles here is, if he sticks with Fields and C. Williams becomes the next Mahomes while Fields just sputters or continues to be inconsistent, he's got to live with the consequences.

Fields has the remainder of the year to make the decision easy or hard.

That's true... I suppose the other way to not undo the work he's done thus far is to hire an offensive-minded coach and perhaps Leslie Frazier or another Tampa-Two-Twat to run the defense.

[Boris13c]

I think the Bears are embroiled in chaos and a plummeting culture. I think they finish out the season and only manage to beat the Panthers and the Cards. I think the come away with the #2 and #4 picks.

I think what happens with the QB position depends on what happens with the staff.

Ideally this staff is launched into the sun...which should happen solely based on the HR stuff, let alone the performance on the field. But, what probably will happen is exactly what I've said in a couple other threads...Flus will fire Getsy and Morgan...bring in some bottom shelf replacement...win 4 games...get fired...and delay everything for another year.

ya know, if you change the names of the coaches, this could be something that has been said in the past and unfortunately is a repeat nightmare from coaches and QB's past

chaos and dysfunction? check ... been in place for many different regimes
questions about the QB? check as it seems to be a cursed position for this franchise
wanting the coaches launched into the sun? check and double check with so many examples from which to choose

it isn't rocket science ... we have seen other franchises do it ... the Bears try but without the desired result and when they try again it is with the same failed result ... wash, rinse, repeat