(670 The Score) This season has reached its official halfway point and the Bears head into their Week 10 bye at 3-6, the kind of struggling football team many expected to see.
The Bears have lost four consecutive games for the third straight season, and the perceptions and realities of the team have become clearer. With that in mind, let's take inventory and assess the five most important revelations so far and what they mean moving forward.
1) Fields on path to be a franchise quarterback
It was easier for the Bears to accept a heartbreaking loss to the Steelers on Monday Night Football when they simultaneously witnessed rookie quarterback Justin Fields' breakthrough, as he nearly led the team to a comeback victory in the fourth quarter.
Fields has made significant strides in his rookie season, which began with clear discomfort when he stepped in as the starter back in Week 3. He has since taken ownership of the role and is more comfortable in an offense that's better catering to his strengths.
It's not too early to say Fields looks like everything the Bears had hoped, as he's a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who can change a game. He has asserted himself as a leader and showcased a strong grasp of the scheme, and those developments are now meshing with the talent that led the Bears to trade up to select him at No. 11 overall in the NFL Draft last April.
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Fields is starting to put it all together and hasn't been set back by the team's collective struggles in recent weeks. Instead, he has been a catalyst who has elevated those around him. The Bears' loss Monday was a primary example of that, with Fields sparking the offense in the second half and leading a dramatic comeback attempt, including a go-ahead touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter in which he made some special plays.
Fields' development is the most important aspect of the Bears' season. Despite the team's overall poor performance, he seems to be a franchise quarterback in the making.
2) No misconceptions for ownership
At the end of last season, Bears team chairman George McCaskey and president Ted Phillips spoke highly of how coach Matt Nagy navigated his players and staff through a six-game losing streak.
Why the Bears chose to see a positive in a significant skid is questionable in its own right, but the Bears now amassing four straight losses for a third consecutive season should leave no doubt for McCaskey and Phillips – the continued struggles are a poor reflection of Nagy and general manager Pace, and there shouldn't be silver linings this time.
McCaskey stated in January that he wanted to see "progress" from the Bears in 2021 after they went 8-8 in the regular season in 2020. They're now 3-6 and would need to finish 6-2 to chart progress with nine victories this season.
The Bears appear to be bottoming out in what could be the end of the Pace-Nagy era.
3) Demise of the defense
Entering the season, the Bears believed their defense could return to its top form of 2018. That has proved to be a foolish belief.
The Bears are 22nd in scoring defense and 13th in yardage surrendered through Week 9, both marks that should've been expected. The Bears have been set back by injuries to star edge rusher Khalil Mack, defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, nose tackle Eddie Goldman, safety Eddie Jackson and linebacker Danny Trevathan, five of the most important pieces of that 2018 defense and five key starters here in 2021.
But injuries can't be used as an excuse in this case. Injuries are a reality for a defense that's aging and seemed past its prime before the season began. So, how much different will this group look in 2022? Hicks and Trevathan are unlikely to be back. Kindle Vildor hasn't proved himself as a starter at cornerback, and the defensive line needs more impact depth.
The Bears could have several new starters on defense coming in next season.
4) Running identity
For the better part of Nagy's tenure in Chicago, there have been desperate pleas to run the football. Finally, those have come to fruition.
The Bears have one of the NFL's best running attacks, ranking sixth in averaging 136.6 rushing yards per game with a number of players contributing to that success. Top back David Montgomery returned Monday from his four-game stint on injured reserve, rushing for 63 yards. He has 82 carries for 372 yards and three scores this season.
While Montgomery was out, rookie Khalil Herbert – a sixth-round pick of the Bears in April – led the backfield. He has carried 85 times for 364 yards and a touchdown this season and looks like a strong complement to Montgomery. And Fields has emerged as a considerable running threat with greater comfort in his role. He's the Bears' third-leading rusher with 52 carries for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Whether it's Nagy or somebody else coaching the Bears next season, the offense has a budding identity in place.
5) O-line priorities
Too often this season, the Bears have found out the hard way that Fields is a tough dude. That's a problematic statement as it relates to their offensive line.
The protection unit hasn't been good enough to inspire confidence moving forward. It's imperative that the Bears invest heavily in their offensive line next offseason. Veteran Jason Peters, 39, has graded as the Bears' top offensive lineman on Pro Football Focus, ranking 17th out of 79 tackles. He was signed in August to replace rookie Teven Jenkins, who's nearing a return from back surgery but remains an unknown.
Right guard James Daniels has played well in his return from a torn pectoral, ranking 23rd out of 76 guards. Left guard Cody Whitehair isn't far behind in ranking 30th. Those are solid-but-not elite marks.
The Bears haven't had stability at right tackle, where Germain Ifedi, Larry Borom and Lachavious Simmons have each struggled in their respective time at the position. Meanwhile, center Sam Mustipher ranks 37th out of 40 eligible players at his position.
As the Bears build their offense around Fields, they need to prioritize building a more stable offensive line to protect him.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
