CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- As the final minutes and seconds ticked off the clock on a near-historically cold day at Soldier Field, the northeast corner of the lower stadium bowl was left with Bills fans, who celebrated a third consecutive AFC East crown for a team considered one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl.
Most Bears fans who spent their Christmas Eve afternoon braving the extreme conditions along the city’s lakefront had headed out in seek of warmth, because there was nothing left for them to see. The Bears lost their eighth straight game, falling 35-13 to the Bills on Saturday afternoon.
Amid his team's continued struggles, Bears coach Matt Eberflus has pointed to the growth of his football team in recent weeks. But this loss was hard to paint as anything but a reminder of where Chicago stands in its rebuild.
“Overall, at the end of the day, it’s disappointing,” Eberflus said. “A good football team came in here. My hat’s off to the Buffalo Bills and their coaching staff. They did a nice job executing today.”
The Bears are a 3-12 team that's currently in line to land the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft. They have a depleted roster with the season winding down, a depth chart that has been exposed amid the attrition and a long way to go in order to reach the mountaintop where teams like the Bills stand.
The Bears struggled on both sides of the football Saturday and were particularly gashed in the second half. They led 10-6 at halftime before star quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills' dynamic offense exploded for 29 points in the second half.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields was contained by the Bills in a disappointing day, going 15-of-23 for 119 yards and a touchdown pass while rushing seven times for just 11 yards. Buffalo’s defense used its ends to contain Fields’ running threat while often relying on a single-high safety look in the secondary, daring Chicago's passing game to look downfield in the extraordinary weather conditions.
The Bears lost their identity on offense without Fields’ dual threat.
“The reality is I’m not going to be running for 100 yards a game,” Fields said. “When the defense does a good job of taking my legs away, my job is to take a defender with me, maybe take two with me, and allow the running backs to work.
“They did a good job defensively. Of course, they’re a good team. Got to give credit to those guys.”
The Bears marched downfield on a methodical opening scoring drive, going eight plays and 64 yards before Fields found receiver Dante Pettis open in the end zone for a six-yard score. Chicago averaged 2.8 yards per play after that first series.
Meanwhile, the Bills had their way against the Bears’ undermanned defense. Chicago surrendered 254 rushing yards in a porous effort, with Buffalo running back Devin Singletary carrying for 106 yards and backup running back James Cook running for 99 yards. Allen made plays with his legs as needed, adding 41 rushing yards of his own. All three scored touchdowns.
“Just being out of our gaps, not doing our jobs, not being physical,” Bears rookie safety Jaquan Brisker said. “Especially being more physical in the cold because everybody is cold, offense and defense. They were more physical, made a lot of great plays.”
Just six days prior, the Bears held tough against the high-flying Eagles before coming up short in a 25-20 loss at Soldier Field. It was a gutsy performance that showcased the effort and commitment of the team behind its first-year coach Eberflus.
But the Bears’ best in this early stage of a complete rebuild simply means competing with better competition. The reality of the development process is what occurred Saturday against the Bills.
Fields can only do so much by himself and needs the critical investments on offense like Allen has with the Bills. Meanwhile, the Bears need to overhaul their defensive front to take the next step forward. Two games remain in this regular season, then a pivotal offseason begins.
The Bears didn't have the talent to run with the Bills. That was the cold truth on a cold day.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
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