Just when you think the Chicago Bears have hit rock bottom, they continuously surprise you with each passing week. Sunday night’s 41-25 beatdown by the Green Bay Packers on primetime was a new low in Chicago’s abysmal 2020 season.
The Bears have now lost five straight games since their 5-1 start. Only this time, in a shocking turn of events, it was Chicago’s defense that let them down. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers carved up the Bears defense, where Green Bay’s offense scored four touchdowns in the red zone against the NFL’s best red zone defense.
But, to no one’s surprise, Chicago’s offense was once again a complete and utter disappointment. While things looked promising early on for Mitchell Trubisky in his first start since Week 3, things soon turned ugly as Trubisky committed three turnovers — two interceptions and a fumble. But it wasn’t just Trubisky, as has been the case all season. The entire offense stumbled.
In fact, the entire Bears team stumbled on the primetime stage against their biggest rivals. And you have to wonder if this game — and what’s to follow — has sealed general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy’s fates in Chicago.
Final score: Packers 41, Bears 25
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Keys to the Game
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Costly turnovers: The one thing the Bears were going to have to do right if they had any chance of winning this game was to protect the football. But protect the football they did not. Chicago committed three turnovers, including two interceptions and a fumble returned for a touchdown by quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. The Packers scored 21 points off those turnovers, which was key in their rout of the Bears. Defensive letdown: For the first time this season, the defense let the Bears down. They came out completely flat against their biggest rivals, and they were embarrassed on national television. The league’s best red zone defense allowed the Packers to score four touchdowns on four trips inside the red zone. It was an effort reminiscent of the final year of Marc Trestman’s tenure in Chicago where it looked like the defense had given up. This Bears defense officially checked out at the end of the third quarter, when they allowed a 13-yard touchdown run by Packers running back Jamaal Williams to put Green Bay up 41-10. Offensive breakdown: The one thing that was abundantly clear before the start of this game was that the Bears offense was beyond repair. It didn’t matter who they put in at quarterback or who they had calling plays, the offense was a complete mitigated disaster. While Trubisky will get most of the blame for the offense’s struggles — because his decision making was atrocious at times — it was a collective effort, just as it’s been all season. The offensive line struggled, the pass catchers failed to make plays and it was a complete lack of execution all around. It doesn’t matter who the Bears go with next week, this offense will remain broken until it’s hopefully ripped apart this offseason.
It was over when…
AP Photo/Mike Roemer
You could say the game was over when the Bears and Packers took the field — after Aaron Rodgers marched his offense down the field 75 yards in 14 plays against one of the NFL’s best defenses. You could also say it was over when Trubisky fumbled the ball in the second quarter, which was returned for a touchdown to put the Packers up 27-3. But, believe it or not, this game was still within reach in the third quarter. After Chicago scored to close the first half out — to close the gap 27-10 — there was an opportunity in the third quarter for the Bears to make it a two possession game. But of course, this is the third quarter Bears we’re talking about. While Trubisky looked solid at times in this game, his tendency to force balls into double and triple coverage has been his downfall. And that’s exactly what happened on that second offensive drive at Green Bay’s 47-yard line when Trubisky attempted a pass to Darnell Mooney thrown into triple coverage and was picked off by Darnell Savage for the second time in that game. The Packers would take advantage of that turnover when Rodgers found Robert Tonyan for a 39-yard touchdown to put them up 34-10 in the third quarter, an insurmountable deficit.
3 Duds of the Game
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
***QB Mitchell Trubisky: Trubisky has been more exciting to watch than Foles, but his decision-making remains infuriating. Trubisky completed 26-of-46 passes for 242 yards and committed three turnovers — two interceptions and a fumble — where he posted a 74.7 passer rating. Still, is it wrong to believe Trubisky has done better than Foles? That’s where we’re at. **OLB Khalil Mack: When the Bears needed their big-time edge rusher to step up, he failed to do so. Mack registered just three tackles against the Packers and zero quarterback hits. *LT Charles Leno: This season has shown that Leno is going to be without a job next year — at least in Chicago. Leno continues to struggle at left tackle, where he committed some costly penalties, including holding and a false start, and gave up a sack on Trubisky.
Bears have lost eight of the last nine meetings vs. Packers
USA Today
The Bears haven’t just struggled in this rivalry, they’ve been downright abysmal. Not even counting the entire last decade, where they went 3-17. But in the last nine meetings between these two teams, the Bears have lost eight of those games. And they haven’t just lost, they’ve been embarrassed on numerous occasions.
Believe it or not, the Bears started this season 5-1
USA Today
Chicago doesn’t resemble the 5-1 squad they were earlier this season, where they appeared primed for a postseason berth and were competing for the NFC North. Now, they looked like a complete, jumbled mess. And it figures it was the Packers game where they were butchered on national television, a game that potentially sealed the fates of general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy.
What’s Next
USA Today
The Bears return home to Soldier Field for their second straight divisional game when they host the Detroit Lions in Week 13, where they’ll be looking to break a five-game losing streak.
