The Chicago Bears are left in a daze of confusion after what happened the past month. They went into the bye week with loads of momentum and confidence, sitting at 4-2 with a surging offense. A brutal Hail Mary loss in Washington, two blowout defeats, and a blocked game-winning FG against the Packers have sent them reeling to 4-6 and all but out of the playoff picture. Players seem stunned at the turn of events while coaches are grasping at straws, trying to reverse the slow collapse before it’s too late. Montez Sweat has been in the midst of it all.
The star defensive end has had some difficulties this season. Despite playing well, his sack total is stuck at 3.5, and he’s been battling persistent injuries. When asked about his mood and that of the locker room going into a pivotal matchup with Minnesota, Sweat didn’t mince words.
“We’re on, what, a three or four-game losing streak? I’m pretty fucking frustrated.”
Montez Sweat couldn’t have put it better.
It isn’t hard to gauge how the Bears players feel. They know they should be better than their current record suggests. If not for some brutal late-game decision-making, they would be 6-4. Montez Sweat must feel a helpless sense of deja vu. This was his experience, for the most part, in Washington for years. The team would always have enough talent to compete, but they always seemed to get held back by coaching or quarterback problems. His only trip to the playoffs came in 2020 on a team that finished 7-9. He hasn’t even sniffed a Super Bowl. At 28 years old, he knows his number of peak years is dwindling. Setbacks like this have to tug at a man’s love for the game. It will be interesting to see how he and the team respond on Sunday against an 8-2 Vikings team with all the momentum in the world.
Maybe if some of the players were less of the “P word”.
Podcasty
Montez, we all feel it. But unlike you, none of us can do anything about it but bitch and be frustrated.
You can do something. Your play has been off of your normal standard this year. If that’s just a mindset thing, then decide to give better effort alongside the rest of these guys.
If you’re injured – which is what I think – tell them. I’d rather you sit for a few weeks and heal up, than play at half-strength the rest of the season.
Mona, my mistress, I mainly desire my machinations to be manifested in playing murderously winning football in meaningful and momentous ways.
Montez Sweat just voiced what probably every other Bears player and fan is feeling right now.
This is why I call myself Optimistic Masochist, Guys. It happens almost every f***ing year!!!
And it probably won’t change until the McCaskeys decide to quit torturing us and sell the team.
I believe the f-word he was really looking for was “frustrated.” He and the team should meditate and practice yoga to get to the
solution for their problems. Real wellness requires such. And don’t forget it could be worse. You could be frustrated and very poor during the holidays with rough sleeping, food insecurity, cheap booze, and even cheaper women during bad weather days out in the ally way. That’s what we call the Chicago Blues.