LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- When the Bears' starters are unveiled before the home crowd at Soldier Field, the quarterback is typically saved for last. Given the arduous history Chicago has endured at the position, the receptions have been mixed.
Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton each heard cheers and jeers in the early part of this century. Jay Cutler was welcomed as a hero in this city but departed with more groans than celebrations. Mitchell Trubisky was greeted by a gleeful reception during his first games at Soldier Field but ultimately felt the fans' frustrations.
On Sunday, veteran Andy Dalton will have his own Bears baptism when he steps onto Soldier Field in the most uncomfortable starting quarterback situation in recent memory -- making his home debut in Chicago before a fan base eager to see him sit on the bench.
Here's a plea to the 60,000 or so fans at Soldier FIeld: Don't boo Dalton before he even takes a snap against the Bengals on Sunday afternoon.
The 33-year-old Dalton has handled himself with grace and class since late April, when the Bears traded up in the draft to select the 22-year-old Fields with the No. 11 overall pick. Dalton admitted he understood the possibility of a promising rookie quarterback entering the fold in Chicago. He has acknowledged the odd circumstances of playing on a one-year contract, for which he'll of course be paid handsomely in the form of $10 million.
Emma: Bears' plan for Justin Fields reminds of Ravens' blueprint with then-rookie Lamar Jackson
But Dalton should at least be given an opportunity to make an impression in Chicago, even if he isn't the quarterback whom fans covet.
Dalton got a sense of the dynamic during a preseason game against the Bills on Aug. 21, when fans called so loudly for Fields to start that Fields himself responded postgame by asking for their support of Dalton as the starter.
Bears fans have rooted for countless quarterbacks far worse than Dalton, believing everyone from Jim Harbaugh to Erik Kramer to Cade McNown could save the franchise's long-troubled history at this most important position.
Dalton may be Chicago's second-favorite Bears quarterback, but it seems this could be fairly simple. Either he leads the team to victories early this season or Fields takes over and begins a promising path forward.
So come Sunday, put aside the decades of frustration with Bears quarterbacks and get behind Dalton -- at least for as long as he warrants that support.
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4-down territory
1.) Taking accountability
Longtime NFL writer and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Dan Pompei posed an important question in his column in the Athletic early this week: Why was linebacker Roquan Smith the lone representative of the Bears' defense to speak after the team's loss Sunday night?
The Bears' defense was gashed by the Rams to the tune of 386 yards and had multiple major breakdowns that led to points for Los Angeles, yet it was only Smith -- who had the team's best defensive performance -- who was made available by the team.
Though which players speak to the media doesn't matter to many fans, it's a reflection of leadership and culture when individuals are -- or aren't -- willing to address struggles. Credit to veteran safety Tashaun Gipson, who was a part of two breakdowns in coverage Sunday, for addressing reporters Tuesday and taking ownership of the poor performance.
"I take ownership on that play," said Gipson of the 56-yard touchdown reception for Rams receiver Cooper Kupp. "We’ve all got to be on the same page, myself, all of us. But I take ownership on that play.
"It was solely on us. It wasn’t a game plan, it wasn’t a scheme, it wasn’t route concepts. It was truly 100% on us. And plays like that was the tale of the tape in the game. It was just frustrating.”
Fellow Bears safety Eddie Jackson hasn't been made available to reporters since the loss Sunday -- nor have top-paid stars like edge rusher Khalil Mack or edge rusher Robert Quinn. It would be interesting to hear whether Gipson was indeed responsible or whether others should share the blame.
Regardless, the Bears can't speak of a positive culture if they aren't willing to be accountable.
2.) Open it up
Expectations for the Bears' offense under Nagy's watch have been so low that last Sunday at SoFi Stadium felt like a success.
The Bears had 322 yards of offense against a Rams defense that was the top-ranked unit in the NFL in 2020. Though Chicago averaged just 4.7 yards per play, the results were often positive. The trouble was the Bears failed to take any chances beyond 15 yards in the passing game. Their longest completion went for 19 yards, with the majority of that chunk coming after the catch.
"We were driving down the field, so I wasn’t mad or anything about us not taking shots down the field or anything," receiver Darnell Mooney said. "The game plan was go down the field, nickel and dime it and get the running game going. So the biggest scare that I was worried about was if we could get the running game going. If the running game was going, then the passing game would have an opportunity to wake up. And our running game was going. So we were able to get the passes in when we were able to and go down. But we didn’t get the points. So that was the negative part of it."
This week, the Bears hope to turn their offense up a notch with more downfield opportunities. They'll be facing a less dangerous Bengals defense and should get opportunities against man coverage, a look the Rams rarely show.
"They play a lot of man, and they come down, they pressure," tight end Jimmy Graham said. "So you’re going to have to win your one-on-one matchups and create these windows for yourself, unlike last week, which was a lot of zone a lot of guys sitting on (routes), just ready to crash down.
"I know we’re going to keep pressing forward."
3.) The full Monty
The 2019 version of Bears running back David Montgomery wouldn't have opened his season with a 41-yard run like he did last Sunday night.
That Montgomery wouldn't have had the hole in the B gap, nor would he have made a cut on the second level or turn up his speed on the outside. This Montgomery has an improved run-blocking unit up front and has committed himself to being a faster, more dynamic rusher.
He's plenty confident too.
"I'm not really most running backs," Montgomery said Sunday.
Only Bengals running back Joe Mixon -- who will line up on the opposite sideline Sunday -- rushed for more than Montgomery's 108 yards in Week 1. It was the payoff for all the work Montgomery and the Bears did this offseason to rebuild their running game -- and for Montgomery to improve himself personally.
Montgomery worked with a personal speed coach and refined his running style. It showed already, and there's more to come.
4.) Bank on Chase
Though the Bears had little chance of drafting Bengals rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase in April, they did the proper due diligence on him. Nagy believed in Chase's talent and future. The Bengals selected Chase at No. 5 overall.
"I mean, super talented," Nagy said. "Just a playmaker. Really, when you look at it what he has is he's got it all. He's so well-rounded. To come in this first game and have this connection with Joe Burrow, the sky's the limit for him.
"He's a weapon and as a rookie and for the first game to come in and do what he does he's special."
Quote to note
"Go out and get a W. Point blank, period. That’s pretty much the only thing that can fix that, just going out there and taking care of business on Sunday and getting a W."
-- Bears defensive lineman Bilal Nichols on moving past a disappointing season opener
Injury report
NT Eddie Goldman (knee/ankle) -- Goldman appears to have suffered a setback, practicing in a limited fashion Wednesday but then sitting out Thursday. That continued a troubling trend for Goldman, who also dealt with a back issue during training camp.
OT Jason Peters (quad) -- The Bears can't afford to be down to their fourth tackle in just their second game, but that's a possibility. They have to hope Peters is healthy for Sunday. On the bright side, he's making progress toward playing.
OLB Robert Quinn (back) -- Typically, your back doesn't get healthier in your 30s -- especially when rushing the quarterback 40 times per game. Quinn should play, but how effective he can be will be a storyline to follow.
OT Larry Borom (ankle) -- This appears to be a multi-week injury for the rookie Borom, who has suffered tough breaks since earning the Bears' trust early in training camp.
Prediction (1-0): Bears 24, Bengals 21
The Bears are 1-3 in season openers under Nagy's watch but 3-0 in the second game of the campaign. They'll make it four in a row as Dalton wins a revenge game against the Bengals.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.