The Chicago Bears officially have a Jordan Love problem

This one hurts to write. But it must be done. The Chicago Bears have a Jordan Love problem.

I hoped we’d never get here. I hoped that after three decades of being haunted by Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, the Bears would get some relief from Packers quarterback success. Love, while talented, didn’t seem to measure up to his predecessors, at least not initially this season.

But that all changed during the second half of the 2023 season, and in Sunday’s thrashing of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card round, Jordan Love has officially arrived as one of the NFL’s top young quarterbacks.

It sucks. It really, really sucks. But it’s true. Love dismantled a quality Cowboys defense and may have cost Mike McCarthy his job.

Jordan Love casually dropping a PERFECT 158.3 passer rating in his playoff debut pic.twitter.com/PPEEo0ADby

— PFF (@PFF) January 15, 2024

Love gave Bears fans flashbacks of how Rodgers would slice and dice Chicago for 15 years in Green Bay’s Wild Card win. He was calm and collected, and a flick of his wrist would result in key conversions, big plays, and touchdowns.

Still can’t get over some of these throws from Jordan Love

: @NFL https://t.co/dEwLkcSYR8 pic.twitter.com/EsUdZvoVK8

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) January 15, 2024

It was hard to watch, not only because of how obvious it is that Jordan Love will be a difficult challenge for the Chicago Bears’ defense for years to come, but also because it was a stark reminder of how far away the Bears are from the Packers, even if just a few wins separated their 2023 records.

Justin Fields isn’t the passer Jordan Love is. I doubt he ever will be. Love’s mechanics are clean and crisp. His decision-making is sound. Perhaps it’s the result of sitting and watching Rodgers for three years before becoming the starter for the first time in 2023, but Fields has benefited from on-field experience since his rookie year. He’s progressed, sure, but it’s been very slow, and the results have been nowhere near what the Packers are getting from Love.

Love completed 64.2% of his passes for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2023. His first season as a starter would’ve broken the Bears’ single-season franchise records for passing yards and touchdowns.

And for as impressive as his regular season was, his NFL playoff debut was even better. He completed 16 of 21 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns.

Fields, meanwhile, hasn’t thrown for more than 3,000 yards in any of his three seasons, and while his lack of production as a passer has many variables (poor offensive coordinator, underwhelming supporting class, etc.), he’s one of them, too.

The Chicago Bears have one of the biggest off-season decisions in the NFL facing them this year. General manager Ryan Poles must decide whether he’s sticking with Justin Fields for a fourth season or if a rookie like Caleb Williams or Drake Maye gives the team a better chance to compete with the Packers and Detroit Lions in the not-too-distant future.

The Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and they’ll enrich the roster no matter what they decide. Poles will either give Fields the resources he needs to become Chicago’s Jordan Love (that feels gross just to type), or he’ll move on to Caleb Williams, hoping to end the Bears’ quarterback curse.

No Chicago Bears fan thought they’d be in this place, this awful, horrible place, after wild card weekend. No Bears fan thought Chicago would have another offseason highlighted by quarterback questions while the Packers advance to the Divisional Round with Jordan Love campaigning to be an early favorite in the 2024 NFL MVP odds.

But, we’re here. And it’s a reality that can’t be ignored, which is why I think Love’s NFL playoff debut will influence the Bears’ quarterback move. It has to. The status quo won’t be good enough next year, not with this version of Jordan Love.

The Bears have already taken one bold step to level up the offense with the firing of Luke Getsy. Moving on from Justin Fields might be next.

What do you think, Bears fans? Is Jordan Love going to haunt Chicago like Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre? Create your free user account and comment! And if you’d like an ad-free experience on Bears Talk, consider upgrading to a premium account. It’s just $3.49 per month (or better yet, $29.99 per year.) You’ll unlock our exclusive NFL Draft content, too. Bear Down!