The Chicago Bears Are In Complete Chaos Just A Few Weeks Into The Season
Heading into the 2023 season, things looked positive. It felt like the Chicago Bears were finally turning a new leaf and were ready to become a competitive football team. Three weeks into the season, though, the Bears are the biggest disaster in football, and things look darker than ever.
While the 0-3 start to the season on the field is terrible in and of itself, the chaos and drama off the field has been taking the spotlight.
Internal issues had been building for the Bears since week 1, but it has ramped up and became pure chaos since their week 2 27-17 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This chaos has left every Bears fan with the same question: what is happening with the Chicago Bears?
So it's only fair to recap the most notable moments of the past days and explain how we are witnessing one of the darkest periods in team history.
Justin Fields Sounds Off On Coaching Staff
September 20th was one of the darkest days in the Chicago Bears' history. It started with an ordinary press conference but quickly became much more than that.
It first started with Justin Fields. He went up to the mic and didn't hold back. He stated he felt he wasn't playing his game, like himself; he believed he was playing "robotic."
When asked why that could be, Fields' answer was simple, "coaching."
Fields is correct in his statements. The coaching staff has attempted to make him into something he's not instead of letting him continue his play style that has worked before and made him such a dynamic weapon.
Fields made waves in the media for voicing his opinions about the Bears' coaching. Yet it wasn't the most significant controversy out of Halas Hall that day.
Alan Williams Mystery Resignation From Chicago Bears
The biggest news of that day was from defensive coordinator Alan Williams. It's a situation that was wrapped in mystery and still is today.
The mystery began when Alan Williams missed the Bears' week two matchup against the Buccaneers for "personal" reasons.
Following the matchup, on the fateful September 20th, Head Coach Matt Eberflus was questioned on the Williams situation. His response? None. Eberflus declined to provide details on whether Williams would return to the team or if Williams was still employed.
This left fans and insiders alike wondering the same question: Was Alan Williams still the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears?
Uncertainty of the situation led people to create rumors, which spread like wildfire throughout the NFL world.
Most notably, the rumor that caught on was one involving the FBI.
The rumor was that the FBI raided Williams' home and Halas Hall on the morning of September 20th—a league-shaking rumor later proven untrue.
Williams resigned on the afternoon of September 20th, citing his need to care for himself and his family's health.
ESPN's Adam Schefter later revealed the reasoning for his resignation. Williams was engaging in inappropriate, but not criminal, behavior that saw the Bears Human Resources department step in.
The Williams and the Fields drama happened on the same day. Halas Hall was divided and confused. And they had yet to face off against the Kansas City Chiefs in week 3.
Bears Get Thumped 41-10 By The Chiefs
The Bears' week three matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs was an embarrassment in all facets. The offense couldn't move the ball, the defense was getting carved up, and the play-calling was sub-par at best and flat-out terrible at its worst.
"Freer" Justin Fields couldn't cross 100 passing yards, finishing his day at 99; DJ Moore had an uncharacteristic drop on a 40+ yard play; the other receivers (Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool) combined for one reception with 15 yards; and the offensive line consisted of primarily backups who struggled mightily.
The Chiefs' offense had its way with the defense, moving the ball easily and scoring at will. Patrick Mahomes and the starter were pulled for Blaine Gabbert and the backups in the 3rd quarter because the game got so out of hand.
"America's Game Of The Week," with Taylor Swift in attendance, had the transmission cut away by FOX to play the Dallas Cowboys loss to the Arizona Cardinals instead.
It was an utter embarrassment for the 0-3 Bears.
The Bears now open as underdogs at home to the Denver Broncos, who had 70 points hung on them last week.
Matt Eberflus
Matt Eberflus sits with a record of 3-17 as the head coach of the Chicago Bears. He currently possesses the worst win percentage of any coach in Bears history at .150 and has no reasons why he should remain as the head coach of the team.
It's simple: Eberflus needs to go.
His defense has one sack through three games. A new low, considering the Bears tallied a league-worst 20 sacks last season.
Neither Eberflus nor his coaching staff hold their players accountable. The Bears coach cannot motivate his players or develop a practical scheme.
Apart from the coaching staff hindering the team, injuries have as well.
Injuries
The Bears have made hefty additions to the injury list in the past few weeks, with OL Teven Jenkins, CB Kyler Gordon, and OT Braxton Jones on injured reserve.
In the secondary, Safety Eddie Jackson missed the week three matchup, and it looks like he will also miss week four. CB Jaylon Johnson also seems highly likely to miss week four.
The offensive line and secondary have been the most affected by injuries, two areas in which the Bears have almost no depth. Losing their top players in those units adds salt to the wound and adds to an already chaotic situation.
Can The Chicago Bears Turn This Around?
Nobody expected this poor of a start by the Bears. Now, nobody expects them to dig out of this hole they're in.
With all the chaos and division in the team, it seems very unlikely that the Bears can right the ship and finish with a respectable record.
It'll take more than a miracle for the Bears to dig themselves out of the hole they dug into. But we have seen unprecedented turnarounds from other teams before, leaving Bears fans with at least some hope.
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