3 questions facing the Chicago Bears entering Week 2

The week after a brutal Chicago Bears loss always drags.

Bears fans anxiously wait for an opportunity for the team to redeem themselves the following week, and while hope remains, Sunday’s 38-20 loss against Green Bay did not provide many answers as to what’s next for the Bears.

In fact, it raised several questions.

Here are the three biggest questions facing the Chicago Bears entering Week 2’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

AP Photo Nam Y. Huh

What is Luke Getsy’s vision for this offense?

One more screen on third-and-long, and I might lose it.

To be fair, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy showed some resilience in the middle of the 2022 season, dialing up some designed runs and using the then-subpar receiving corps to the best of their ability after a string of games with some lousy play-calling.

Unfortunately, those rough trends from less than a year ago seemed to reappear at Soldier Field in Week 1. Fans have been hyped all offseason for the acquisition of DJ Moore. This is what was supposed to open up the playbook. This was the game-changing player Chicago needed. And yet, Getsy’s negligence of drawing up plays that prioritized Moore was baffling.

Moore was targeted twice. Twice.

What made things even more head-scratching was abandoning the use of Chicago’s WR1 after he turned his only two targets into receptions for 25 yards. It worked. Why stop?

I also didn’t quite understand the lack of vertical throws. Yes, it’s now clear that the offensive line is far from being completely rebuilt, which makes allowing enough time for receivers to get downfield a challenge. Fields had little protection on many drives.

Still, Getsy seemed incredibly underprepared for Green Bay. There were opportunities to get creative, instead, the play-calling was uninspiring. And when he tried to get creative, it was a mess. That third-and-short in the first quarter was creative for all the wrong reasons.

At least Roschon Johnson looked good.

Quinn Harris – Getty Images

How soon can Matt Eberflus correct the defense?

The defense’s failures in Week 1 aren’t entirely on defensive coordinator Alan Williams.

When a team hires a defensive-minded coach in an offense-heavy league, that defense better be lights-out stellar. The Bears are far from it, and that’s mainly on Matt Eberflus.

The Bears have some wildly talented players, but something isn’t clicking, and it’s reaching a concerning level. Chicago’s defense got torched by Packers running back Aaron Jones on the ground and on several big plays through the air. It was reminiscent of 2022 when the Bears had one of the league’s worst defenses.

The soft zone scheme doesn’t work. The defensive line isn’t aggressive. It doesn’t feel like the Bears improved anywhere on that side of the ball.

When will we start seeing that improvement?

They’ll have a chance to correct things in Tampa in Week 2.

Quinn Harris Getty Images

Can Justin Fields make the Year 3 leap?

It’s a question that seems like an overreaction to one game, and I don’t want my mind to wander down that treacherous path. But it has to be asked.

I’ve been very vocal in my support for Fields and believe he can be the present and future of the Chicago Bears. However, had a rough game in Week 1. Flashes of major improvements in reading the field and finding time in the pocket instilled some hope in the first quarter, but it was followed up with a rough second half.

His interception, which the Packers returned for a touchdown, was awful. But what’s even more concerning is the game plan surrounding Fields that will ultimately determine his progression. Fields has new weapons and a revamped offensive line. Yet, the way Getsy dialed up plays, it looked like we were back in Week 4 of 2022.

I’m not doubting the talent or athletic ability of Justin Fields. But to get an accurate read of what to invest in moving forward, Fields needs to be given the proper resources for evaluation. That includes a playbook that showcases his talents and enough protection. Only then will we know if he is on track to make that leap.

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