The Chicago Bears lost 35-13 to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday to fall to 3-12 on the season. Their losing streak is now at eight games, with their last win coming in October against the New England Patriots in Week 7.
With two games left, the Bears are looking to finish strong with two divisional matchups on the docket. This week they play the Lions and they finish off the 2022 season against the Vikings.
Going into Week 17, the Bears have fallen in the power rankings. Let’s take a look at where Chicago stands going into Week 17:
USA Today
Current Ranking: 28th
Last Week’s Ranking: 26th
Author: Nate Davis
Author’s Take:
Chicago’s losing streak has reached eight. Glass half full, Da Bears are just a half-game out of top spot in the 2023 draft.
Our Take:
The 2022 Bears will be known for two things, Justin Fields’ excitement on the ground and the longest losing streak in franchise history. It’s Matt Eberflus’ first season, and there’s a plan in place to trust. The glass is half full in the minds of many Bears fans. Many are excited for this season to end and to see how free agency and the draft play out.
ESPN
Current Ranking: 29th
Last Week’s Ranking: 27th
Author: Courtney Cronin
Author’s Take:
The 2022 season in Chicago is defined by massive rebuilding efforts this franchise underwent to lay the foundation for a sustainable and successful operation. It started with Ryan Poles sending the Pro Bowl linebacker to the Los Angeles Chargers for picks and continued when the first-year general manager let more than 20 players from last season’s team walk in free agency. It culminated with Poles trading defensive end Robert Quinn and linebacker Roquan Smith at the deadline. The Bears learned two very important things this season: Justin Fields is their franchise quarterback, and everything this front office does needs to be geared toward building around him on offense.
Our Take:
Fans have to understand this year is a part of the rebuild. Three wins in 15 games isn’t fun, but it’s a process. The Bears are slated to get the second pick in the 2023 draft currently, with a slight chance to get the first pick. They can trade out of that to a quarterback-hungry team and help speed up that rebuild with more draft capital. Trust the process.
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 29th
Last Week’s Ranking: 29th
Author: Dan Hanzus
Author’s Take:
Facing a stout Bills defense keyed to stop his scrambling and playing with a wide receiver group thinned out by injuries, Justin Fields had nowhere to go on Saturday at the ice box also known as Soldier Field. The result was a 35-13 loss to Buffalo that served as another reminder of how much work Chicago must do to get on the level of the best teams in football. Fields aggravated his left shoulder injury and got his foot stepped on during the loss, but Matt Eberflus dismissed the idea of shutting down the young quarterback for the final games of the season. “Absolutely not,” the coach said.
Our Take:
Justin Fields’ running game being stopped turned the Bears offensive upside down. They were held to 13 points. It’s hard to win games in the NFL when you only score 13. Fields won’t be shut down for the rest of the year, despite the injuries he’s had this year. Good call by Matt Eberflus, as the young quarterback needs all the reps he can get before the offseason.
NBC Sports
Current Ranking: 29th
Last Week’s Ranking: 30th
Author: Mike Florio
Author’s Take:
But for Justin Fields, they might be winless
Our Take:
Though being winless without Justin Fields may be a stretch, he is the reason why the Bears have been close in games. If he takes that next step in 2023 and the roster around him gets better, there’s no excuse for this team to not be a playoff team.
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 30th
Last Week’s Ranking: 30th
Author: Pete Prisco
Author’s Take:
They showed against the Bills how far they have to go to get to that level. That’s what happens with young teams against teams that good.
Our Take:
Yes, the Bills are levels above where the Bears are, but we already knew this. Chicago deserves credit, they fought them hard in the first half. That’s been the story all year though. Playing a good two to three quarters and losing games in the fourth quarter. In 2023, that needs to change.
