The Chicago Bears were defeated by the Minnesota Vikings, 29-13, finishing their 2022 season 3-14. This is arguably the team’s worst season in franchise history, with this being the first time they’ve ever lost 14 games.
But the good news is the Bears will be picking first overall in the 2023 NFL draft, thanks to a Houston Texans win. It’ll be the first time Chicago selects No. 1 overall since 1947.
The 2022 season was a challenging season for the Bears. The positive was the progression of quarterback Justin Fields. He grew a lot from Week 1 to his final start in Week 17.
This is an obvious rebuild, with defensive stars Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn all being traded over the last 10 months. This was one of the worst defensive showings out of a Bears team since the Marc Trestman era. But that was to be expected during a rebuild where the roster was torn down.
Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles have a lot of work to do to fix this defense. They also have work to do to add weapons around Fields on offense. Before they do that, let’s take a look at everything we know about Chicago’s Week 18 loss to the Vikings.
Final Score: Vikings 29, Bears 13
Keys to the Game
No Justin Fields: If fans needed proof that Fields was the team’s MVP, Sunday’s offensive showing proved it. In the two games he didn’t play this year, their running game couldn’t get things going. Even when Fields was struggling early in the year, Chicago ran the ball well. Today, the Bears shuffled between Nathan Peterman and Tim Boyle. Peterman went 11-for-19 for 114 yards and one passing touchdown and Boyle went 2-for-9 for 33 yards and two interceptions.
10-game losing streak: With this loss, the Bears have lost 10 games in a row. The 2022 season turned out to be one of the worst in franchise history, with this being their most losses in a season and a year with their most losses in a row. Even after all of that, they were just half a game out of the first pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
No. 1 pick secured: After a 3-14 season, the most losses in team history, there is a positive outlook for the 2023 season. Thanks to a Texans victory, Chicago has the first pick in the 2023 NFL draft for the first time since 1947, they have the most projected salary cap space (north of $120 million), the best running game in the NFL, and a young quarterback to build their team around. They have a chance to turn this losing season into a winning one in 2023.
It was over when...
It was over when running back Alexander Mattison scored a 1-yard touchdown to add to the Vikings’ lead in the third quarter, extending their lead to 23-6. The Bears would get as close as 23-13, but that touchdown was enough to put the game out of reach.
3 Stars of the Game
*WR Velus Jones Jr: Jones was explosive on Sunday, taking a reverse play 42 yards for a touchdown, and returning four kicks for 82 yards. Jones also had one catch for 28 yards. This was the best game of his rookie season, and he’s made notable improvement down the stretch. It’ll be interesting to see how they use him next season.
**TE Cole Kmet: Kmet was a stud on Sunday, catching four passes for 57 yards and one touchdown. He was a reliable target for Nathan Peterman, similar to how he has been for Fields all season. As Fields and Kmet grow together, they’re going to be dominant for years to come.
***RB Khalil Herbert: Herbert helped control the running game for Chicago. Without Fields, the Bears don’t run the ball as well, that’s no secret. Still, Herbert averaged five yards per carry, finishing with 50 yards on 10 attempts.
What's Next
After a tough 2022 season, Bears fans will have to wait until March 15, which marks the start of the 2023 season and free agency, where things will kick into gear. Chicago has the most projected salary cap space of any team, expected to be north of $120 million. In addition, they will have the first overall pick in the 2023 pick after Sunday’s loss to Minnesota and Houston’s win over the Colts.
