Earlier this week, the Chicago Bears had to cancel one of their organized team activities practices as punishment for violating live contact drills at a practice earlier in the offseason. The punishment from the league comes as new first-year head coach Matt Eberflus is trying to build a culture of hustle and intensity for the Bears’ roster. For Chicago to win games in 2022 and 2023, Eberflus will have to rely on hustle and intelligence from his players.

Bears Will Have To Win With Hustle As They Lack Elite Talent To Win Games

Heading into the 2022 season, the Bears are projected by most NFL analysts to be one of the worst teams in the league this year. This is due to the roster rebuild that Chicago is currently undergoing with new general manager Ryan Poles and Eberflus as head coach. The Bears roster lacks impact players on defense and offense, which is why Poles is responsible for rebuilding the roster with young players.

Chicago #Bears Have Been Forced By NFL To Forfeit OTA Practice https://t.co/bJv8aimhoF pic.twitter.com/h6h2RF8kur

— ✶ Sports Mockery ✶ (@sportsmockery) June 7, 2022

Where elite teams in the NFL win games by having the best-talented roster, the Bears will have to win games due to their players out-hustling their opponents and playing mistake-free football. On the defensive side of the ball, this involving not quitting on a play before the play ends, not missing assignments or coverages, and making sure to get to the ball as soon as possible. On offense, the Bears players can’t turn the ball over, garner dumb penalties, and will need to fight for every yard.

For the Bears to win games in 2022, they need to play a complementary style of football. That involves the offense having extended drives to keep their defense off the field and limit the amount of time the opposing offense has with the ball. Chicago’s defense will have to help the offense by creating more turnovers and getting better field position to help ensure the offense scores.

Chicago Bears HC Matt Eberflus told @JeffJoniak that he already had a conversation with QB Justin Fields.

Eberflus on his message to Bears fans: "We're an effort-based team. We're going to hustle on every phase. We're going to play with great intensity."

— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) January 31, 2022

The Bears may only win five or six games in 2022, but none of the wins will come easy due to the lack of talent. For Chicago to earn their victories, it will be because they physically outperformed their opponent despite being outperformed statistically. Bears fans could see several victories in 2022 where the margin of victory is seven points or less.

Lovie Smith Is A Prime Example Of A Coach Winning Because of Hustle

Eberflus will implement a Cover-2 style defense which is the defense former Bears’ head coach Lovie Smith utilized during his coaching tenure with Chicago from 2004 to 2012. In Smith’s first season with the Bears in 2004, the team only won five games, but they won those games due to hustle. Chicago’s 2004 team featured arguably the worst offense in franchise history as four quarterbacks started for the team.

LM: Since Lovie Smith became head coach in 2004, #Bears lead NFL with 266 takeaways.

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 7, 2012

Although the 2004 Bears were significantly limited on offense due to the quarterback position, the team still managed to win games by playing complementary football. Chicago’s defense in 2004 excelled at creating takeaways by forcing fumbling and generating interceptions off of tipped passes. In all five of the Bears’ wins in 2004, the defense either returned a turnover for a touchdown or created a turnover that would set up their offense to score a touchdown. Chicago’s defense that season recorded a defensive touchdown in six games.

During the following season of 2005, the Bears’ offense was limited again due to injuries at the quarterback position as rookie quarterback Kyle Orton started 15 games. Despite Orton struggling significantly as a rookie, Chicago would win 11 games and the NFC North Division in 2005. Smith’s defense was the best in the NFL throughout the majority of the season, but Chicago’s rushing offense was what enabled the team to win their games.

Chicago Bears notes, per the Bears website.

1) The Bears’ seven home wins are the most since 2005.

2) The Bears held opponents to six or fewer halftime points in nine games this year, most in the NFL.

3) The Bears defense finished first in the NFL with 36 takeaways.

— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) January 2, 2019

Although the Bears’ passing offense ranked 31st in the league in 2005, their rushing offense ranked eighth as running back Thomas Jones rushed for over 1,300 yards. In nine of Chicago’s 11 wins in 2005, the defense generated at least one takeaway while the offense was able to rush for 100 yards or more. The Bears won seven games by 10 points or less that year.

How Smith’s team won games in 2004 and 2005 is how Eberflus’ team will have to win games in 2022. Chicago’s defense will have to play mistake-free football and forcing turnovers to set up the offense with running back David Montgomery to control the clock. The Bears will not win many games this season, but their hustle will enable them to win two or three games, resulting in a massive difference when looking at a two-win team and a five-win team.