(670 The Score) The door of a dejected visiting locker room inside the Los Angeles Coliseum opened late Sunday night, and one by one came the Bears. They wore sweats for a red-eye charter back to Chicago and mostly hung their heads walking up a ramp to the team bus.
"It's a pretty s— feeling," receiver Allen Robinson said before heading on his way.
Those thoughts are widely shared by the Bears, who fell to 4-6 with their 17-7 loss to the Rams. Once believed to be a Super Bowl contender, Chicago would need a miracle to even make the playoffs. A 2019 season billed with such hope will end after the regular-season finale, after which the Bears will clean out their lockers as teams begin playoff preparation.
The Bears never saw this coming, which is why the feeling Sunday night hurt like each before it. Six games remain in this regular season, and whatever the final record shows matters little with the no first-round draft pick and the playoffs already out of the picture.
What are the Bears still playing for this season? They're trying to make the disappointment of 2019 an outlier.
Quarterback question
It's not too late for quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to save his tenure in Chicago, but time is certainly running out.
The most important aspect of the Bears' remaining six games is Trubisky, whose performance will continue to be evaluated in a revealing season. Can he inspire some hope and earn another chance in 2020?
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, Trubisky has a few chances to still to show the kind of potential once envisioned -- though that sample size would only slightly change the way he's viewed as a part of the Bears' future.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace built the franchise around the belief he held in Trubisky. At the end of this season, he must make the call whether the 25-year-old Trubisky is broken beyond repair.
Given how Trubisky has underperformed, it seems likely the Bears will at the least have competition at quarterback in 2020. Pace could also cut ties all together with Trubisky and turn to a proven veteran -- Philip Rivers or Cam Newton, for example -- to reopen a window of contention.
The Bears didn't draft the Drew Brees whom they once imagined in Trubisky. They failed in scouting Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, franchise quarterbacks whom they passed up in the 2017 draft.
Fortunately, they also haven't signed Trubisky to a lucrative contract extension that hamstrings them financially. The Bears can still cut ties with Trubisky and address their quarterback problem with a short-term solution.
For Trubisky, it's now or never.
Culture concerns
Back when the Bears were in Bourbonnais and billed as a Super Bowl contender, coach Matt Nagy offered a memorable line about his team.
"We don't have turds on this team," Nagy said after a spirited August practice.
That belief will be tested now. The true football character of the Bears will be at risk during these last six games. Will they quit on Nagy and the coaching staff?
Nagy instilled a strong culture in the Bears during a turnaround season in 2018, with Chicago going from worst to first in the NFC North. But that culture is at risk of crumbling as the losses pile up.
The Bears don't have the loud personalities like Brandon Marshall or Martellus Bennett to create the dysfunction of 2014, which led to coach Marc Trestman being fired. There hasn't been in-fighting revealed in a locker room that's still tight.
But if the Bears were to mail in the rest of this season, it could have lasting effects beyond 2019.
Show the money?
In recent weeks, the Bears have been reminded that the dominance of their defense relied on the cohesiveness of the whole group.
The Bears haven't been an elite defense since losing Pro Bowl defensive lineman Akiem Hicks to an elbow injury in early October. Without the tenacious presence up front, opposing offenses have better contained star edge rusher Khalil Mack and dared outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, nose tackle Eddie Goldman and the rest of the defense to create pressure.
Looking ahead, there are contract commitments to make on defense. Before those are made, the Bears must assess which players elevate the defensive unit into one of the league's best.
All-Pro safety Eddie Jackson has displayed he's worthy of a long-term contract extension, one that could come before the start of the 2020 season. And who will line up next to him? The Bears aren't likely to get Ha Ha Clinton-Dix on another bargain deal.
Linebacker Danny Trevathan has been a key leader for the Bears, but he's set to turn 30 just days after hitting free agency. His replacement, fourth-year linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, is also set to become a free agent this offseason and could be a cheaper alternative if he makes enough of an impression on the Bears.
Pace and the Bears will take inventory of their defense with what's left this season.
Still searching
Nearly two years into Nagy's tenure leading the Bears, they still don't have an identity on offense. There's nothing the Bears do well enough to consistently produce points.
The offensive struggles extend beyond Trubisky, as his supporting cast hasn't helped matters. After taking a loss in dealing Jordan Howard to the Eagles in March, the Bears turned to third-round pick David Montgomery at running back. He has averaged only 3.5 yards per carry as the Bears have failed to establish a rushing attack.
The Bears' offensive line has been a major reason for the team's failure to put points on the board. James Daniels struggled with pre-snap reads and communication at center, which adversely affected the rest of the line. That's why Cody Whitehair was moved back to center and Daniels was switched back to left guard.
Top tight end Trey Burton was placed on injured reserve Saturday after recording just 14 receptions for 84 yards and no touchdowns. Adam Shaheen, a second-round pick in 2017, may have played his last down with Chicago. Nagy doesn't have a tight end he can trust.
Unless Trubisky suddenly can elevate his play, a turnaround for the Bears' lifeless offense isn't likely. Finding the reasons behind those struggles can help Nagy, Pace and this team get its troubles fixed.
Head coach
After being named the NFL Coach of the Year in 2018, Nagy now is the subject of great scrutiny.
Nagy has been willing to accept blame for the Bears' disappointment this season. What's left of 2019 can help him find better ways to lead this team.
Nagy would be wise to relinquish his play-calling duties for the offense and step into a CEO role overseeing every aspect of the Bears, specifically in games. It could give him a better sense for why this season has gone awry. He can also oversee whether defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano is part of the reason his unit has has taken a step back and if the coaching staff has gotten enough out of its roster.
Once it's all over for 2019, Nagy will need to take a critical look at himself as a leader and figure out how he can elevate the Bears after this lost season.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
