(670 The Score) Was that really so hard to figure out?
Wait -- don't answer that. I know it had to have been, based on how reticent Bears coach Matt Nagy was to discuss it. But it all worked well enough, the basic concept of making your young quarterback's life easier instead of harder and calling plays from safe and versatile formations that build a sensible strategic base.
The Bears' 24-14 win over the Lions on Sunday at Soldier Field was far from a complete panacea for all that ails them, but there was enough concrete evidence of something finally getting through for us all to take a small step back from the precipice.
Never confuse an absence of awful for something actually good, we reiterate in this space far too often than is preferable. Even with that understood plainly after fulfilling the expectation of beating an inferior team, though, it's critical that rookie quarterback Justin Fields won a game for which he prepared as the starter (regardless of any of the public silliness foisted during the week), bouncing back from historical incompetence with some nicely placed throws that ripped off chunks of yards. His solid turn should mean the idea of any further dalliance with veteran Andy Dalton is over, now that we see what matters and how it can continue to grow with an effort committed to it properly.
More importantly, it's that the Bears can appreciate it.
Bill Lazor called plays, and it would seem that a functioning offensive coordinator is something they'd want to continue employing on game days. Because it's never quite that simple with this team, it took an extended postgame cross-examination from reporters to finally drag out of Nagy an admission that he had handed over the responsibility.
"Bill did a great job," Nagy eventually admitted before reminding us that it all runs through him and it's a team effort and all that and insisting that he's never going to talk about it again.
Dude has some kind of ego when it comes to this, even after a must-win was won. But it's good that it happened, even if it's handled less than entirely gracefully.
The defense stiffened when needed too. The inside linebacking duo of Alec Ogletree and Roquan Smith was prowling all over the field, Robert Quinn continued to spend valuable time in the opposing backfield, Khalil Mack looks more like himself and Trevis Gipson flashed some skill. With the injury to David Montgomery that looked somewhere between severe and devastating and the one to Damien Williams that may have the Bears soon signing running backs off the street, all eyes are now on how all of the rest of it complements the development of Fields as the schedule turns tougher.
Nagy might be petulant about needed changes after spending a week getting dragged both locally and nationally for his myopic embarrassment in Cleveland, but it was at least enough to steer the ship off the rocks for a moment.
It's amazing what you can see when there isn't a placemat in front of your face.
Dan Bernstein is the co-host of the Bernstein & Rahimi Show on middays from 9 a.m. until noon on 670 The Score. You can follow him on Twitter @Dan_Bernstein.
