5 takeaways from Bears’ 41-17 win against the Jaguars
For the first time since early November, the Chicago Bears are above .500 and control their own destiny in the playoff race after they dismantled the Jacksonville Jaguars 41-17 in the penultimate game of the 2020 regular season.
While Chicago got off to a somewhat slow start in the first half on both offense and defense, they remedied their woes in the second half thanks to key adjustments to make for a convincing win ahead of their daunting week 17 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
This game went as many expected, but there was still a few takeaways when it was all said and done. Here are mine from Sunday’s win.
The Bears didn't fall for the trap game
AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton
Everybody and their mother picked the Bears to win this football game, considering how well the Bears have been playing as of late, coupled with the Jaguars ineptitude this season. What's more, the Bears needed this game to put their playoff hopes back into their own hands following the Arizona Cardinals loss on Saturday. With all of that, you could hear Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars shouting "it's a trap" all the way from Florida. But the Bears still took care of business. While things did get dicey in the first half due to the defense's inability to stop the Jaguar offense, coupled with the Bears offense and their issues in the redzone, the Bears still won convincingly and showed they have their eye on the prize. It was easy to overlook this matchup ahead of their date with the Green Bay Packers next week. Heck, many fans did just that. But this team ultimately showed the focus needed to make a playoff run and avoided the trap game. That's all you can ask for at this point in the season.
The Bears finally made the right halftime adjustments
AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton
Raise your hand if you predicted the Bears would score 21 offensive points in the third quarter. Now put them down because you're lying. Even if they were playing the Jaguars, nobody saw that type of output coming on Sunday, given the team's issues in the third quarter all season. But for once, the Bears coaching staff adjusted, even if head coach Matt Nagy won't admit it. https://twitter.com/patrickfinley/status/1343308008374284288 From my vantage point, I saw the offense re-dedicate themselves to the run after relying on the passing attack in the first half. They attempted 21 passes and just 11 runs in the first 30 minutes of the game, including nine straight passes to end the half. Once the third quarter began, however, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor went back to the team's bread and butter; Running David Montgomery. The running game became the focal point of the offense again and good things followed as Montgomery nearly had yet another 100-yard performance. That led to quarterback Mitchell Trubisky settling down and playing within the offense again, resulting in points and mistake-free football. Too many times this team turtled coming out of halftime, often looking lifeless and out of sorts. Although this was against the Jaguars, it's good to see the Bears break out of that habit for at least one week. Hopefully it can continue into their final regular season game.
Roquan Smith made a statement in this game
AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton
You don't need to ask Bears linebacker Roquan Smith about how he's feeling following his Pro Bowl snub earlier this week. His play on Sunday told the whole story. Smith was a blur on the field, making himself known on nearly every play. He had eight total tackles on the day, all solo, while also defending two passes and snagging two interceptions off Jaguars quarterback Mike Glennon. He wanted to make a statement to everyone who doubted him and he made it loud and clear. It's also yet another reminder of how far he's come since his up and down 2019 season. The former Georgia Bulldog had questions surrounding his health and overall play after he was ineffective at times during the season, before getting shut down for the year due to a torn pectoral. It's safe to say all of that is behind him as Smith has become one of the best inside linebackers in the league. Smith may not have found a spot in the Pro Bowl, but there could be an even more prestigious opportunity waiting for him on an all-pro team.
Jimmy Graham was worth the hefty price tag
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
When the Bears decided to ink veteran tight end Jimmy Graham to a multiyear free agent deal worth $16 million in March, it was almost unanimously panned as an awful decision. Graham, a former all-pro player, was well past his prime and didn't seem to be worth the price tag. But with the regular season just about complete, it's safe to say Graham was worth the money after all. Graham has played in every game this season, catching 48 passes for 451 yards and eight touchdowns. He arguably had his best one on Sunday when he caught four passes for 69 yards and two scores. While those numbers aren't worthy of being in the Pro Bowl or anything, Graham did what general manager Ryan Pace envisioned back in the spring. He solidified a horrendous unit, gave the Bears a legitimate redzone threat, and provided rookie tight end Cole Kmet a valuable mentor as he adjusts to the professional level. If the Bears can make the playoffs, he'll continue to be a valuable weapon in the passing game, particularly inside the 20. And if next Sunday is his last game as a Bear, due to a sizeable chunk of change coming his way next season, then he'll have accomplished what he was brought here to do. Either way, it's not fair to pan this move when it has benefitted the Bears in more ways than one.
Time to find out if these Bears are for real
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As I said at the beginning, we all knew the Bears would beat the Jaguars. There's really no reason to hash it out and go over everything that happened. Because now, all that matters is their date with the Green Bay Packers in week 17 for the opportunity to play in the postseason. It's been one month since the Bears last played the Packers, where they were blown out 41-25 in primetime. Trubisky was making his return to the lineup following his benching in week three and it was his first game working with Lazor, who took over playcalling halfway through the season. It's also the last time the Bears have played an opponent over .500, meaning we'll truly see if this team has turned a corner, or if they have simply beaten up bad opponents. Don't expect the Packers to take their foot off the gas pedal, either. Green Bay is still looking to lock down the top seed in the NFC to secure a bye in the playoffs, plus quarterback Aaron Rodgers is gunning for the most valuable player award as well. He'll want to give the Bears everything he's got. Will this game be a repeat of seven years ago, when the Bears hosted the Packers in week 17 with a playoff berth on the line, only to blow it in the final minutes? Only time will tell, but we'll get to see how much this team has improved since their last meeting and find out once and for all if this is a playoff caliber squad or not.
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