Week 18 is upon us, and while the beginning of the 2023 Chicago Bears season may have given fans more reasons to break their televisions than to cheer, the second and third acts of this season certainly give folks promise for 2024.
An 0-4 start and some bizarre internal personnel changes left fans frustrated. Fast forward to December, and the Bears maintained playoff eligibility (despite needing some wacky scenarios to pan out) until Week 17, as they currently sit at a 7-9 record before their season finale against the Packers at Lambeau Field.
I don't think that many Bears fans would have anticipated witnessing the following after such an appalling start: the Bears acquiring a defensive game-changer (Montez Sweat), DJ Moore having a career year, the Bears beating good defenses (and keeping games close in their losses), Eberflus reportedly keeping the locker room culture alive and positive, and - perhaps most importantly - Justin Fields making a case to be the quarterback of the future for Chicago.
It's a tale of the underdog - a narrative of overcoming obstacles - and while it was hard to find optimism in what initially seemed like a lost year, and while we all still might be playing the "if only they closed out (insert matchup here)" game, how could fans not be excited about the future?!
That future begins on Sunday. And the Bears have their "Super Bowl" of matchups against the Green Bay Packers.
Sure, it's another game against the Packers at Lambeau. And while this rivalry has been lopsided in recent memory, the tide seems to have turned a bit, making Sunday afternoon's game slightly different.
The Bears have an opportunity to knock the Packers out of the playoffs, sending a message to the NFC North as we venture into preparations for the 2024 season. With less than four months until the 2024 draft, the Bears have become one of the league's most intriguing teams. They control the board and have multiple appealing avenues to explore.
So, what do they do? That depends on the outcome of Sunday's "matchup to watch."
Justin Fields vs. Jordan Love
While it may seem predictable to have selected the quarterback matchup for the season finale, there's really no other way to go about this. If Fields is "the guy" going forward, he'll have to outperform Jordan Love to strengthen his case.
I said some things to Justin Fields… pic.twitter.com/uyZ8Gycpl3
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) January 5, 2024
Full transparency, I am Team Fields. I had my slight doubts early on in the season (who didn't?), but I firmly believe that the team's culture has been strengthened by the team supporting their quarterback.
And he's been playing great.
Still, he hasn't earned the respect of the division, the NFC, or the media. Everywhere Bears fans look, another reporter says "I don't hate Justin Fields," but then refrains from mentioning a single positive attribute of his play (I'm looking at you, Colin Cowherd).
If Justin Fields beats Green Bay, that will change.
Sunday is arguably the biggest game of Fields' career. While I don't want it to be, it's certainly possible that it's his last game as a Bear.
Or, it can be the beginning of the rest of his career in Chicago. Fields can knock down some of the Jordan Love hype and kick the Packers to the curb for the postseason. That alone should be a key motivating factor.
Were the numbers great for Fields in the Bears-Packers season opener? No, not great: 216 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
What about for Love? Yeah, a lot better: 245 yards with three touchdowns. But that was then, and this is now. That was when the Bears' run defense was getting shredded consistently. That was when the Bears did not have a pass rusher. That was when the Bears refused to use their quarterback properly. That was when DJ Moore was targeted two times per game.
It's a new day. And I firmly believe Justin Fields has the skillset to make Chicago stand on their feet, cheering loudly for his stellar level play. Block out the haters and the "herd." Go ball out, QB1. Make a statement and build on it in 2024 (hopefully) in Chicago. We believe in you.