To be optimistic, I want to force myself to look for more good than bad in every single Bears game. Three steps forward and two steps back is still a step in the right direction.
Every week, I’m going to look at how the Bears performed in their previous game and look for three good areas and two that need improving. And then, just to finish the countdown, I want to look at something else that happened in the NFL this weekend. Either some important news that I can add my voice to or something that may have flown under the radar.
Let’s begin.
The Good
Justin Fields
Stat sheet readers will disagree with me here, but Justin Fields showed some improvement in Week 4 compared to his previous games. This was the first game where he didn’t have an interception, but he did lose a fumble due to poor protection. Speaking of poor protection, Fields was sacked six times, although he easily avoided many more sacks with his legs, turning losses into neutral or positive plays.
Fields threw for 174 yards on 11 completions, featuring an incredible 56-yard pass to Darnell Mooney. Fields’ relationship with Mooney is also improving, as No. 11 saw the greatest target share.
While he still has a long way to go, it’s nice not to have the quarterback be among the worst players on the field.
Michael Badgley
Kickers rarely get the credit they deserve from fans of the NFL. They are expected to be automatic in some of the most stressful moments of a game. So something has to be said for what Badgley did on Sunday.
It was announced during the week that Bears kicker Cairo Santos was dealing with an undisclosed personal issue, and Badgley was signed as an emergency fill-in. He was responsible for all 12 of the Bears’ points on Sunday. With Santos back, Badgley was let go this week and is now on the Lions’ practice squad.
Eddie Jackson
Quickly returning to 2018 form, Jackson had another strong game on Sunday, racking up nine tackles, one pass defended, and an interception. Jackson registered the 12th fastest speed of the week while running down Darius Slayton from the middle of the field, clocking 20.33mph.
Through four games, Jackson now has three interceptions and one forced fumble (he only had two interceptions in the 2019-2021 seasons).
His success can partly be attributed to the strong play from rookie safety Jaquan Brisker, which has allowed Jackson to play the ballhawk role that earned him his huge contract extension in 2020. Whatever Alan Williams and Matt Eberflus did to unlock Eddie Jackson in the offseason has worked, and hopefully, he continues to play dominant defense.
The Bad
The Offensive Line
Cody Whitehair was arguably the best lineman on this offense, and his knee injury which will put him on injured reserve for at least four games, will put Justin Fields under more pressure than he already is.
The offensive line allowed six sacks and 9 QB hits on Sunday and are to blame for Fields’ lost fumble. Center Sam Mustipher, in particular, played horribly, especially in pass protection. According to Pro Football Focus, Mustipher allowed six pressures, allowed one sack and had a pass protection grade of a whopping 1.5.
Lucas Patrick moved to left guard after Whitehair's injury and had the second-worst pass protection grade against the Giants. The combination of these two caused Fields to feel pressure on almost every play, which is detrimental to a quarterback who’s working on throwing the ball more quickly.
Luke Getsy
To say this offense has been disappointing so far this season is an understatement.
There are personnel issues with the unit, but the playcalling needs to improve to see the growth fans want before the year is over. While it cannot be denied that Getsy has taken advantage of his skilled running backs, his play-calling is one-dimensional and predictable.
The Bears' running game has been impressive through four weeks, but eventually, opposing defensive coordinators will be able to figure out Getsy’s gameplan if he continues to call twice as many run plays as pass plays. It’s possible that Getsy doesn't trust Fields enough to let him throw more. If that's the case the Bears are in big trouble.
The Other
The Allen Robinson Conundrum
Is it better to be the best player on a bad team or the worst player on a good team?
For years, Allen Robinson was the former, spending his first seven years on the Jaguars and the Bears (excluding the entire 2017 season where he was recovering from a torn ACL in Week 1), catching passes from the likes of Blake Bortles, Mitchell Trubisky, Nick Foles, and Andy Dalton. And through those first six years, he looked pretty good, catching at least four receptions per game, having three years with over 1,000 receiving yards, and developing a reputation as an elite contested catch receiver.
His last year with the Bears -- 2021 -- was underwhelming. He caught just 38 passes for 410 yards and one touchdown. It appeared that his heart wasn’t with the team anymore and that he was ready to get to free agency.
He got his wish this past offseason, signing with the Rams for a three-year, $46.5 million contract. However, through four games, he has not earned his payday, catching only nine passes on 18 targets for 95 yards and one touchdown.
Even though he now has to fight for targets with Cooper Kupp, he is being outperformed by former seventh-round pick Ben Skowronek. Matthew Stafford is a smart quarterback, so I have to wonder if something is not clicking between him and his new, experienced receiver.