PHILADELPHIA – The Chicago Bears just fell into the football abyss.
Whatever illusions the Bears (3-5) had of contending for a playoff spot likely vanished after 22-14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
The offense was hopeless early. The Bears didn’t pick up a first down until 45 seconds remained in the first half. Coach Matt Nagy’s offense gained 9 total net yards on 20 plays in the opening 30 minutes. Only two teams have been held to 10 or fewer yards in a half over the last three years -- the Bears on Sunday and the Chiefs in 2017 when Nagy held the title of offensive coordinator, per ESPN Stats & Information.
Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky looked like a lost cause in the first half. The former No. 2 pick inspired zero confidence. The Bears posed no real threat with Trubisky behind center -- and the Eagles knew it. The 25-year-old quarterback improved in the second half, but it wasn't enough to stop Chicago's four-game slide.
The Bears are in a tough spot. They have treacherous road games at Green Bay, Minnesota and Los Angeles, plus a home date with the Chiefs in Week 16.
At 3-5, the Bears appear done.
QB breakdown: Trubisky isn’t Chicago’s only problem, but he completed 6 of 13 balls for 24 yards in the first half. That's beyond terrible. Again, Trubisky led Chicago on impressive scoring drives later in the game, but the damage was already done. Trubisky routinely struggles to put together four solid quarters. Going to backup Chase Daniel would be a temporary fix. The veteran backup is nowhere close to a long-term solution. But at what point does Nagy reach his breaking point? All available evidence suggests Trubisky is not a franchise quarterback.
Describe the game in two words: BRU-TAL. Can we count that as two words? Aside from the obvious issues with Trubisky, the Bears dropped passes, jumped offside and played leaky run defense much of the afternoon. And the Eagles weren’t particularly sharp. Philadelphia let the Bears hang around because they failed to finish off drives early in the game. The final score could've been much worse. Tight end Adam Shaheen muffing the final kickoff was poetic justice.
Pivotal play: Eagles tight end Zach Ertz's 25-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller pleaded with the official to call offensive pass interference on Ertz, who appeared to push off on the play. The official felt differently. No flag. Once the Bears fell behind by 12 points (the Eagles missed the extra point), it was going to be difficult for them to come all the way back.