Bear Digest

Chicago Bears hope benefits of bye week outweigh a major drawback

Just when the Bears are seeing some success, along comes a bye week and the obvious benefits can be overshadowed by one negative effect.
Gene Chamberlain|
D'Andre Swift (4) celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (14) and Luther Burden III last week. The offense is starting to click, and now they get to sit for a week.
D'Andre Swift (4) celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (14) and Luther Burden III last week. The offense is starting to click, and now they get to sit for a week. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The bye week is welcomed by the Bears for a chance to heal but it's possible injured starters T.J. Edwards and Kyler Gordon might have been ready to play if they had a game this week, anyway.

Both had practiced Tuesday and if they're practicing in a week when there is no game, it stands to reason they'll be available when the next game is played.

The medical reason is probably the best one for the Bears to be happy about a week off but the Bears do have one really good reason to wish they were playing Sunday.

They have a winning streak and their offense especially has to feel the need to get back on the field again after their success.

"What we think and feel of actually going back and watching the tape, I think the first four games, and like (media) said, these last two gams that we've had our first home win and our first away win, I think it builds a lot of momentum and confidence," quarterback Caleb Williams said.

The Bears will be going for a three-game winning streak with their game Oct.  12 against Washington. They had a three-game winning streak last year when they beat the Rams, Panthers and Jaguars in succession before losing the Hail Mary game with the Commanders.

They haven't had more than a three-game winning streak since winning the NFC North in 2018 under former coach Matt Nagy in his first season. They won four straight and five during that season.

Williams points out how the offense played well but can always stand to benefit from a self-scout during this bye week.

"Like I said after the game, we’ve got to go look at everything and be truthful for ourselves, and the coaches are going to do the same for us," Williams said.

Even though momentum is big, Williams said the goal is regular improvement.

"You try to stay on that consistent path of growth and not ever ride the rollercoaster,” he said.

In recent years, the Bears rode roller coasters taking far too many wild drops. It's time to climb, and the bye week can be part of helping achieve it.

Then again, they've won once in the last years after their bye week, their 28-13 victory over Ben Johnson and the Lions at Soldier Field in 2023.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.