(670 The Score) Once a 5-1 football team, the Bears understood these last three games would be a revealing stretch. They've fallen to 5-4 by losing each one, the latest a 24-17 setback to the Titans on Sunday.
Here are the observations from the Bears' third straight loss.
Shambles
No play was more symbolic of the Bears' struggles Sunday -- and perhaps the entire season -- than the one with 13:55 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Bears trailed 17-0 but were goal-to-go for the first time in the game, sitting at the 4-yard line. On first down, coach Matt Nagy called what was supposed to be a fake pitch to running back Cordarrelle Patterson and then a handoff to receiver Allen Robinson, who was coming from a bunched formation on the right across to the left.
Once quarterback Nick Foles took the shotgun snap, the play was doomed. Right guard Germain Ifedi was pulled to the left, which set up right tackle Rashaad Coward with a defender rushing to the vacated spot and another going right at his chinstrap. Coward was blown back so badly that he knocked over Robinson, and the play was dead.
Foles was forced to keep the football and lost a yard. The Bears eventually kicked a 22-yard field goal to finally get on the board.
It was a play call that was far too cute for a makeshift offensive line and required far too many elements to work. The play underscored how poorly the Bears have blocked up front and Nagy's reluctance to work around that.
Where was veteran tight end Jimmy Graham, who's being paid $16 million over two seasons to make plays in the red zone? What about rookie tight end Cole Kmet, whom the Bears selected 43rd overall? Kmet wasn't targeted once Sunday.
It's understandable if Nagy didn't trust a dive play up the middle with running back David Montgomery, who was getting no push from his offensive line. But the play he called instead was far worse given these circumstances.
Even with five healthy starters at the beginning of this season, the Bears were struggling to block well. The offensive line was a problem entering 2020, and the only change made was the firing of position coach Harry Hiestand and the hiring Juan Castillo.
Alex Bars filled in well in making his first ever start at center, and he should be the new starter at left guard once Cody Whitehair -- who's on the COVID-19 reserve list and also has a calf injury -- can return. Also on the COVID-19 reserve list, Jason Spriggs would offer a more steady presence at right tackle with Bobby Massie missing an extended period of time.
But without drastic improvements from the offensive line, the Bears need to find a better way to work around this.
Hats off to the defense
The Bears defense had a goal in mind ahead of facing Titans star running back Derrick Henry, though coordinator Chuck Pagano declined to say what it was.
The Bears had to have accomplished that goal, as they held Henry -- the NFL's leading rusher entering the day -- to just 68 yards on 21 carries. It marked his second-lowest rushing total of the season. The Bears also kept Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill in check, as he was 10-of-21 for 158 yards. Chicago's defense allowed only 228 total yards of offense to Tennessee, which picked up 4.1 yards per play.
Once again, the Bears' defense was let down by its inept offense. Another stifling performance from the group was wasted.
What would the Bears be without their elite defense? It's a question I posed rhetorically on Twitter on Sunday and one that drew plenty of actual answers -- the most common being the New York Jets.
At this point, it's notable that nobody on the Bears' defense has expressed that frustration with the offense.
"We all take accountability for our own selves," linebacker Danny Trevathan said when asked about the struggles of this offense. "We all want to play better. I definitely want to play better."
Flag on the play
Early in the third quarter, the Bears elected to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the Titans' 31-yard line. It was a moment that could've been a pivotal swing in the game.
Instead, rookie left guard Arlington Hamrbight was flagged for a false start, pushing the Bears back to fourth-and-6. It was frustrating for the Bears, but it happens -- Hambright is a rookie who was making his first NFL appearance.
The Bears offense stayed on the field, lining up to go for it on fourth-and-6 from the Titans' 36-yard line. The 11-year veteran Graham was then flagged for a false start. That's inexcusable. Chicago was pushed to fourth-and-11 and forced to punt from Tennessee's 41-yard line.
The Bears have been flagged an NFL-high 63 times in nine games, an average of seven penalties per game. (The Cardinals are averaging more penalties per game, drawing 62 in eight games.)
With so many issues already, the Bears can't afford to also beat themselves.
What do you think?
Former Bears guard Kyle Long, now a budding NFL analyst with CBS Sports, posed an interesting question on Twitter.
If Mitch was healthy do you think Nagy would try him today
— Kyle (@Ky1eLong) November 8, 2020
If Mitchell Trubisky was healthy, would Nagy have turned to him Sunday? The results were nearly even, with "No" leading by mere percentage points over "Yes."
I couldn't make up my mind on this one. Nagy has faith in Foles and also knows there are greater problems with the offense. But he also recognizes that Trubisky's mobility offers him a better chance behind a struggling offensive line.
Of course, Trubisky wasn't available Sunday while recovering from a right shoulder injury. He won't require surgery or be placed on injured reserve, so maybe we can get an answer to this question down the line.
Extra points
-- Maybe the Bears tried to downplay their struggles in the third quarter by also struggling in the first and second quarters. Chicago still has scored just seven points in the third quarter this season.
-- Linebacker Barkevious Mingo had the Bears' longest rushing play of the game Sunday, carrying for 11 yards on a fake punt in the first quarter. He was the team's leading rusher at halftime.
-- Bears beat colleague Kevin Fishbain of the Athletic pointed out in the fourth quarter that the team's official Twitter account posted a sponsored tweet for Montgomery being evaluated for a concussion. The Bears didn't do much right Sunday, including that.
-- The Bears were 2-for-15 on third-down conversions. There's nothing more that needs to be added.
-- Who's the Bears' MVP this season, kicker Cairo Santos or punter Pat O'Donnell?
-- As Nagy tried to explain this loss, the lights went out in his postgame Zoom press conference. It was only fitting.
-- The weather was too beautiful in Chicago to watch that game.
-- At least Ryan Nall had a good Sunday.
-- Seven games remain this season. I'm setting the over-under for Bears wins at 8.5.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
