CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- By no means does anyone inside the Bears' locker room believe they've played a high-quality game of football yet.
Through five games, the Bears have struggled to generate consistent offense, have seen their defense bend but not break and collectively showcased plenty of flaws. Nonetheless, they're 4-1 after beating the Buccaneers, 20-19, at Soldier Field on Thursday evening.
The Bears have been a team just good enough to overcome their own inconsistencies. So where do they go from here?
"We'll continue to grow together," quarterback Nick Foles said. "This is something that doesn't happen overnight.
"It was a fist fight. It wasn't an easy game by any means. We just kept fighting, kept fighting and everyone kept throwing punches."
The Bears are still waiting for the knockout performance that has eluded them to this point. On Thursday, their offense was shaky once again, generating just 243 yards and 4.1 yards per play while failing to establish the running game. Chicago faced a double-digit deficit for the fourth time in five games this season, falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter and still trailing 13-0 late into the second quarter.
But the Bears' defense frustrated future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady with a relentless pass rush that kept him uncomfortable. In the fourth quarter, Brady was captured on the national broadcast angrily barking at his offensive line.
Bears kicker Cairo Santos booted his team to a 20-19 lead with a 38-yard field goal with 1:13 remaining in regulation. The architect of countless winning drives, Brady was then denied by the Bears' defense as the Buccaneers turned it over on downs.
"This defense, man, these guys, it's a mentality," Bears star pass rusher Khalil Mack said. "When our backs are against the wall -- there's a lot of doubt out there -- we believe in each other and we know in those moments that we can count on one another."
After the Bears celebrated their victory in the home locker room of Soldier Field, coach Matt Nagy gathered them together and shared a message: We can play a lot better.
The Bears will only go as far as their offense allows them. That's what they were reminded of in a 19-11 loss to the Colts last Sunday and again early on Thursday evening. Foles settled in after an interception in the first quarter, finishing 30-of-42 for 243 yards, one touchdown and that interception.
However, the lack of a running game underscored the Bears' offensive inconsistency. David Montgomery was the team's leading rusher, carrying only 10 times for 29 yards. Unlocking a ground game will remain the key to whether the Bears can generate more offensively.
Nagy certainly realizes that, but committing to the running game has proved difficult for him.
"There's going to be zero abandoning of the run because it hasn't been successful the last few weeks, I promise you that," Nagy said.
The Bears will cherish their 4-1 start despite the uneven nature of their play. They know they could easily be 1-4 and looking for something to save their season. Instead, Chicago can still make something special out of 2020.
That's what the Bears believe can come of this. Whether they can improve will determine where it goes from here.
"There's a lot of areas to improve and we all know that," Foles said. "And that's exciting, because I feel like we're putting these pieces together, and it reminds me of some special teams I've been on where the first part of the season, you go through this and then you finally figure out what works and what you want to be and you start rolling.
"We have the pieces and the people here to get this thing right and continue to improve as a team."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
