What’s the worst that could happen? The Bears answered it Sunday.
The Buccaneers’ Shaq Barrett returns an interception for a touchdown against the Bears in the fourth quarter Sunday.
Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Because I’d seen this before, because I’d been around the block too many times to count, I found myself watching the closing moments of the Bears game and wondering what manner of demise they’d choose this time.
How about a fumble to ruin a comeback chance late against the Buccaneers? Been done to death, kid. Too obvious. Too pedestrian. Focus!
OK, how about a fatal false start as a salute to an undisciplined team? Poetic justice to be sure, but too subtle for this sad team. No, I decided that, if capturing the essence of the franchise was the goal in that one moment, then something big and bad and ugly had to happen.
And before I could make the journey down to rock bottom, something so ridiculous and over the top happened that I kicked myself for my lack of imagination.
On first down at the Bears’ six-yard line, Tampa Bay linebacker Shaq Barrett picked off a Justin Fields screen pass behind the line of scrimmage and, with an escort of large men pushing him like a stalled car, plowed four yards into the end zone.
An inside screen into an angry mass of humans. Into a forest of muscled arms and legs. Into the darkness of an approaching 0-2 record. Of course!
In the game of “Absurd Ways for the Bears to Lose,’’ we had ourselves a winner.
Which is to say a loser.
That the Bears lost 27-17 to Tampa Bay on Sunday wasn’t surprising. The surprising part was not anticipating how they’d do it. I’d like to think I’m better than that.
Which is to say the Bears aren’t.
On full display here was a silly, risky play designed by offensive coordinator Luke Getsy for a team that doesn’t have much of an offense. The Bears had cut the Bucs’ lead to 20-17 on Fields’ 20-yard pass to Chase Claypool with a little more than six minutes left in the game. That was followed by a stop by a defense that had bent like rubber all afternoon but hadn’t broken much.
So, yes, here was a chance, in a league in which you never know. Things happen.
And then that screen pass meant for running back Khalil Herbert.
“Of course when it doesn’t work, everybody is going to criticize,’’ Bears coach Matt Eberflus said afterward.
Only because it was a dumb play.
“In that situation, it’s tough because if you call a deeper pass, you don’t want to drop back into the end zone and have the potential to take a safety,’’ Fields said. “I think that’s a tough spot regarding play calls for Luke in that position. He went with his gut.’’
Getsy’s gut needs more brain food. If anybody can escape a safety, it’s the elusive Fields.
What a strange game. The Bears’ defense gave up 437 yards but allowed only 20 points. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, left for dead long ago, threw for 317 yards and a touchdown.
Fields was 16 of 29 for 211 yards and one touchdown, threw two interceptions and finished with a passer rating of 61.1.
If I had asked you two years ago, one year ago or last week whether you’d rather have Fields or Mayfield as the Bears starter, I would have been laughed out of town. Now, the question isn’t so funny.
The Bears have lost 12 straight games dating back to last season. That might not be fair to all the players who weren’t on the 2022 team, but just like their uniforms, they have to wear it.
“I see improvement,’’ Eberflus said.
The Bears have tons of issues that demand action with no real way of addressing them. How does a shaky defense cut down on yards allowed? How does an offensive that doesn’t know how to block bounce back from six sacks allowed? The Bears have some injuries, and they don’t have many good players. That’s what trouble looks like in the NFL.
The devoted fan will point to what looked like a blatant push-off on Mike Evans’ 70-yard reception in the second quarter as proof the Bears were robbed Sunday, but, come on. Did you really think a victory was in the cards?
Fields described what the Bears are going through as a “storm,’’ but that doesn’t quite capture it. A storm moves in, does what storms do and moves out. In this situation, the clouds appear to be tacked to the sky, immovable and, like a certain team, going nowhere.