CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- Five years ago this past Saturday, the Bears suffered a disappointing loss to the Dolphins at Soldier Field. It marked the beginning of that team unraveling, with star receiver Brandon Marshall yelling in the postgame locker room and Super Bowl hopes quickly being dashed.
Sunday at Soldier Field felt so similar, with the Bears being exposed as a pretender in a 36-25 loss to the Saints, coach Matt Nagy failing to get results like Marc Trestman and calls for leadership falling empty in a lost locker room.
Like in 2014, the Bears could be on the brink of disaster if they don't find solutions.
It's still Trubisky's time
There was little chance the Bears would bench struggling quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and turn to backup Chase Daniel late in the game Sunday. And afterward, Nagy confirmed the Bears are standing by Trubisky as their starter.
The Bears drafted Trubisky second overall in 2017 with the hope that he could be their franchise quarterback. General manager Ryan Pace built the Bears around the rookie contract of Trubisky, which has one season left in addition to a fifth-year team option in 2021. The Bears' payroll will continue to grow with the likes of safety Eddie Jackson and running back Tarik Cohen in line for long-term deals.
As it does, the Bears need to identify Trubisky's worth.
Trubisky doesn't seem deserving of much for the long term. Unless he quickly reveals the growth often discussed at Halas Hall in the field in game action, his future is as a backup with another team. Trubisky is certainly a long way from the kind of mega-deal earned by quarterback peers like Carson Wentz and Jared Goff.
It's not time to bury Trubisky as the Bears' quarterback. He's still a young player who's attempting to polish his game, as disappointing as that may be lately.
But if Trubisky doesn't turn his performance around quickly, it will become abundantly clear he's not the answer at quarterback.
Who's accountable?
During his postgame press conference, Nagy mentioned that he's curious to see who takes on a leadership role amid the Bears' struggles.
"I'm going to be looking for who the leaders are on our team that are going to step up and take control and fix this thing," Nagy said. "Because inevitably, it's like, you as a leader, you can say so much and do so much, right. You've got to be able to see how guys are reached. Again, this is a tough one. It stings."
It was a concerning comment because Nagy has so often preached the importance of culture since arriving in Chicago in 2018, but the scene that was occurring reflected his worry.
Bears players like Roquan Smith were walking out of the locker room to head home not even 15 minutes after the final whistle, more interested in the moment in getting out than getting it right. Rookie running back David Montgomery declined to speak with reporters. Star linebacker Khalil Mack stormed out for a third straight game without addressing the media.
This isn't a gripe regarding media access but rather a reflection of accountability that seems to be lacking. It shows that a group of players is frustrated and doesn't have the solutions. When the locker room doors were closed for more than 10 minutes after the game, there were no voices heard. Nagy didn't offer an apparent postgame message.
Leaders speak up with a positive message and hold each other accountable. They seek solutions together.
Beaten down, the Bears dressed and just went home. That was it.
Running nowhere
What can Nagy do to spark the Bears' stagnant rushing game? He remains unsure.
Nagy was clearly frustrated in offering his candid assessment after the Bears ran just seven times for 17 yards.
"The run game has to get going," Nagy said. "As simple as that. It just has to get going. You can't run for 17 yards in the NFL and think you're going to win a game. You should get 17 yards on one run play.
"You guys seeing a theme here? You know, I'm with you. I'm with you."
The Bears traded running back Jordan Howard to the Eagles for a conditional sixth-round pick in March because they didn't believe in him. They drafted David Montgomery in the third round with the hope he could bring a spark.
Montgomery has rushed only 71 times for 231 yards in six games, averaging 3.3 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Howard is averaging 4.5 yards per carry for the Eagles, playing in an offense similar in structure to what Nagy operates.
Does Nagy just not trust Montgomery, Cohen and Mike Davis? Is his belief in the Bears' offensive line shot? Or could he simply be unwilling to run the football?
The Bears are averaging 4.4 yards per play on offense, which ranks 30th in the NFL and is just ahead of the Dolphins and Jets. Their 3.4 yards per carry ranks 29th.
What's clear is this offense is nothing without balance.
Defense down
It was only a month ago that the Bears defense appeared to be the best in football. What has happened since?
The Saints were without future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees, star running back Alvin Kamara and top tight end Jared Cook on Sunday, and they embarrassed the Bears defense. They posted 424 yards of offense, led by backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, backup running back Latavius Murray and receiver Michael Thomas.
What are the Bears missing on defense? The loss of Pro Bowl defensive lineman Akiem Hicks left a major void, but the Bears dominated the line of scrimmage without him in a win against the Vikings on Sept. 29. Who's stepping up now?
Late in the game Sunday, Abdullah Anderson picked up the Bears' first sack since that win against the Vikings.
A Bears defense that led the NFL in takeaways in 2018 failed to produce one against Bridgewater and the Saints. While Chicago's offense continued to struggle, its defense couldn't get off the field.
Is this what the Bears are now on defense?
Miller light
In the second quarter, the Bears faced a second-and-18 play and lined up with trips to the left. One of those players was second-year receiver Anthony Miller, who lined up in the wrong spot.
Teammates Taylor Gabriel and Trey Burton, also part of the trips formation, were both pointing Miller to the right spot. Later in the game, Miller ran a route inside when Trubisky was looking for him outside.
Why hasn't Miller been playing much? Perhaps his uncertainty with the playbook was a glimpse into why.
Extra points
-- In the first quarter, Saints safety J.T. Gray came around in a disguised look and was untouched as he blocked Pat O'Donnell's punt. It appeared to be a breakdown for the entire Bears punt protection unit instead of one player in particular.
-- Credit to the Fox broadcast for the incredible sky camera view of Bears receiver Cordarrelle Patterson's 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The angle stayed over the top of Patterson and shifted as he turned direction up the field. It offered a unique look at a skilled returner and exciting play.
-- Rashaad Coward started at right guard for the Bears, replacing the injured Kyle Long. Coward has an interesting story, as he was a defensive lineman signed to the Bears as an undrafted free agent. They saw his potential as an offensive lineman, and now he's stepping into a key role.
-- Speaking of Long, he was nowhere to be found on the Bears' sidelines during this loss. Long was shut down on injured reserve due to a hip injury, ending his season and likely his time with the Bears.
-- In the third quarter, the Bears offense took the field to Panic! at the Disco's "High Hopes" playing at Soldier Field. They went three-and-out and walked off to loud boos. Oh, so fitting.
-- Nagy won the AP NFL Coach of the Year award last season. Through seven weeks this season, Saints coach Sean Payton is deserving of that award. He has this New Orleans team sitting at 6-1 clicking despite injuries to key players.
-- Even the "Bear Raid" siren went silent in the fourth quarter.
-- I never saw this all coming.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
