Focused Bears Endure Losses

Bears linebacker Nick Morrow went through Year 1 of the Jon Gruden regime with the Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders.

So he has essentially been through an NFL rebuild even if it did go sideways and Gruden left with a 3-2 record amid a 2021 email scandal.

The Bears are headed in the right direction at the end of Year 1 in their rebuild, Morrow insists, even as coach Matt Eberflus owns a 3-12 record. Morrow cited how well he saw younger players perform in his first year with the Raiders and drew the comparison.

"I think the young guys are playing well here right now, too, so I think that's a good sign," Morrow said.

Eberflus' team has one less win than former coach Nathaniel Hackett had in Denver and on Monday the Broncos fired him 15 games into his first season. Something like this won't happen in Chicago because the Bears haven't quit despite their obvious deficiencies—that and the fact they didn't throw a decade's worth of draft picks at Russell Wilson, only to have him flop.

Bears players haven't quit and neither has the coaching staff. An example is Justin Fields will continue to play quarterback even after aggravating a left shoulder injury and getting his foot stepped on Saturday against Buffalo.

"He's good to go, he's healthy, he's ready to go for this week," Eberflus said Monday.

To the Bears, there is still value in Fields playing even if he is taking a beating.

"Because we've got to get better," Eberflus said. "We want to improve. We want to see where we are. These last two games matter.

"They're division opponents to us, very important to our football team to see the competition, to see guys compete against our division. I think it's important for each man, it's important for each unit and it's important for our whole football team."

The Bears will set a franchise record for losses with nine if they fall at Detroit Sunday.

Eberflus has talked with coaches he calls mentors, like Tony Dungy or former college coach Gary Pinkel, about the team's losses and situation. He says they've told him the same things.

"Yeah, just stay the course," Eberflus said. "Just stay the course. You're doing the right things. Your systems are sound and just stay the course.

"Don't try to reinvent the wheel. Make sure the guys are doing the basics. Make sure they're doing the rudiments of the game. Make sure they're playing hard."

The Bears led 10-6 at halftime over Buffalo but can't finish games. It's been a problem all year and the lack of talent is a likely culprit.

"I think at one point the score was 21-13, and then the game kinda got away," Morrow said. "I don't think the feeling changes.

"Obviously you wanna win; if you're a competitor you wanna win. That's what you kinda focus on is figuring out a way to improve, and get the next one."

The Bears are running out of next ones this season, but this coaching staff will have plenty more next ones in 2023.

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