Bengals coach Zac Taylor’s game plan for back-up Jake Browning against the Jaguars on Monday night looked awfully similar to Luke Getsy’s approach with Justin Fields against the Vikings the previous Monday night. And then it didn’t.
On the Bengals’ first two possessions against a Jaguars defense that ranked 20th in yards but 12th in points, Browning played it ultra-safe in the passing game. Five of his first eight passes were completed behind the line of scrimmage. His longest pass went three yards beyond the line of scrimmage. On his first eight passes, the average was completed 1.1 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
It was reminiscent of Fields’ performance against the Vikings, when he averaged 2.4 air yards per attempt and 5.9 yards gained per attempt — 5.0 yards per attempt before the final 36-yard downfield pass to DJ Moore that set up Cairo Santos’ game-winning 30-yard field goal.
Except Taylor and Browning didn’t wait until the final play to open things up. On the Bengals’ third possession, Browning threw downfield for a 17-yard completion to Ja’Marr Chase to the Bengals’ 31-yard-line, then another downfield throw for a 25-yard completion to Trenton Irwin to the Jaguars’ 44, and he was on his way.
Browning, a four-year practice squad veteran with the Vikings and Bengals who had thrown one pass in a regular-season NFL game until Week 10, suddenly looked like Joe Burrow on one of his best days. He completed 32-of-37 passes for 354 yards (9.6 yards per attempt), one touchdown and no interceptions in a 34-31 overtime victory.
It was the latest episode of a season-long series — “What are the (insert team here) doing that Getsy and the Bears are not?” The Texans’ C.J. Stroud continued his phenomenal rookie season Sunday — throwing for 274 yards and one touchdown with a 106.1 passer rating in a 22-17 victory over the Broncos. The Packers’ Jordan Love continued his surge in his first season as a starter Sunday — outplaying Patrick Mahomes with 267 passing yards, three touchdowns and a 118.6 passer rating in a 27-19 upset of the Chiefs.
Coming off that 12-10 victory over the Vikings in which the Bears’ defense was dominant (against Joshua Dobbs) and the offense produced four field goals and no touchdowns, Getsy’s offense will be on trial most of all in the final five games.
Even with Fields missing four games with a dislocated thumb, the Bears’ offense has statistically improved from Getsy’s first season in 2022 — from 28th to 20th in yards; from 23rd to 21st in points; from 32nd to 25th in passing; from 32nd to 26th in sacks; and from 13th to ninth in third-down conversions. The Bears won two games with undrafted free agent Tyson Bagent starting for Fields.
But, with Fields’ future as the franchise quarterback still in the balance, Getsy needs more than that to prove he’s “in the process of building something special,” as he said when the Bears were 0-3 after a 41-10 loss to the Chiefs.
“It’s a 17-week process. It’s not a three-week process,” Getsy said at the time.
Well, the Bears are now 12 weeks into that 17-week process and it’s crunch time for Luke Getsy. If it turns out that Fields is not the answer, it’s unlikely Fields will take the fall alone.
2. What about Matt Eberflus? A head coaching change seemed almost immiment when the Bears were 0-4 and 2-7 and Eberflus appeared to be in over his head with the resignation of defensive coordinator Alan Williams and the firing of running backs coach David Walker — and the aftermath of both departures.
But with two victories in the last three games, a defense that is showing some bite with the addition of Montez Sweat and a playable schedule down the stretch, Eberflus is trending toward returning — with a legitimate claim to progress with a 6-11 or 7-10 finish that does not include crap-outs like the Packers opener or implosions like the losses to the Broncos and Lions.
3. The Lions game on Sunday at Soldier Field should be a litmus test for Fields, Getsy and the Bears offense — especially just three weeks after a 31-26 loss to the Lions at Ford Field.
Fields played well in his first game back from the dislocated thumb — 16 of 23, 169 yards, one touchdown and no intrerceptions for a 105.2 passer rating, plus 18 carries for 104 rushing yards.
Now he’s in his third game back — against a leaky Lions defense that has allowed 28.8 points in its last four games (38, 26, 23, 28).
4. Knock on Wood Dept.: Another factor in the offense’s favor — the offensive line of left tackle Braxton Jones, left guard Teven Jenkins, center Lucas Patrick, right guard Nate Davis and right tackle Darnell Wright will be starting its third consecutive game together.
Not only is that the Bears’ best combination, but it would be the first time this season the Bears have started the same combination in three consecutive games.
5. The Packers’ resurgence — victories over the Chargers (23-20), Lions (29-22) and Chiefs (27-19) to get to 6-6 — can’t sit well with Bears fans, especially with Love playing a key role in an offense that Getsy was nurtured in.
Love has had 100+ passer ratings in all three games. The Bears haven’t had a starting quarterback with a 100+ passer rating in three consecutive games since Josh McCown in 2013 — against the Rams (102.4 in a 42-21 loss), Vikings (114.9 in a 23-20 overtime loss) and Cowboys (141.9 in a 45-28 victory).
For the record, Jay Cutler only did that once in his eight seasons as the Bears’ quarterback — in his first month with the team (games 2-4) in 2009.
6. The Bears’ defense is primed for a big finish, but will be under the gun against the Lions on Sunday after collapsing in a 31-26 loss at Ford Field.
The Bears are 11th in yards allowed but 23rd in offensive points allowed — largely because of poor production on third down (43.3%, 30th in the NFL) and in the red zone (73.5% touchdowns allowed, 32nd).
That’s where everything fell apart at Ford Field. The Lions converted 8-of-11 third downs and scored a touchdown on all three red-zone possessions.
7. For What It’s Worth Dept.: The Bears started strong against the 12-1 Eagles at Soldier Field following their bye week in Eberflus’ first season in 2023.
They intercepted Jalen Hurts twide (Kyler Gordon, DeAndre Houston-Carson) and outgained the Eagles 154-109 in leading 6-3 with three minutes left in the first half. The Bears’ defense withered from there in a 25-20 loss to the eventual NFC champions.
8. Jim Harbaugh Watch: With their fearless leader back on the sideline following a three-game suspension, No. 1 Michigan (13-0) beat Iowa 26-0 in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Wolverins (13-0), who are 38-3 in the last three seasons under Harbaugh, will play Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl.
The Wolverines outscored the Hawkeyes 10-0 in the third quarter to turn a taffy pull into a comfortable victory. Michigan has outscored its opponents 86-0 in the third quarter with Harbaugh on the sidelines.
9. Ex-Bears Player of the Week: Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack had two more sacks and a forced fumble in a 6-0 victory over the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Mack leads the NFL with 15 sacks and five forced fumbles. He has 23 sacks in 29 games since being traded from the Bears last year.
10. Bear-ometer: 7-10 — vs. Lions (L); at Browns (W); vs. Cardinals (W); vs. Falcons (W); at Packers (L).
