The Chicago Bears came so close to pulling off an incredible comeback against the Minnesota Vikings. In the end, they weren’t quite able to close the deal. Too many mistakes and bad breaks in the final minutes. That said, there aren’t many reasons to be sad. In fact, there are quite a few to be happy about. It comes down to fans finding the silver linings from the game itself and the overall impact it could have on their future.
Moral victories don’t exist, according to most people. That isn’t true. They absolutely do. The Bears fought hard in that game against a more talented opponent on the road. One or two breaks their way, and they win. Not convinced? Here are two reasons why the loss is actually the best result Chicago could’ve hoped for. It comes down to getting the best of both worlds.
#1 – Justin Fields played his best game of the year.
The first four games of the season were ugly for the former 1st round pick. He had four interceptions with only two touchdowns and failed to complete more than half of his passes. People started to worry if the young quarterback could show any progress. He answered that with by far the best performance of the 2022 season. He went 15-of-21 for 208 yards and one touchdown. He also delivered 47 yards on eight carries. An iffy block-in-the-back penalty wiped out another 52-yard scamper. It was the first time Fields looked genuinely in control, and he was the best player on the field.
#2 – The Chicago Bears loss improves their 2023 draft position.
Losing is never fun, but often the way you lose can at least be encouraging. The Chicago Bears were dead in the water after falling behind 21-3 in the first half. Then a big shot by Fields to Darnell Mooney flipped the momentum. Chicago came back with 19 unanswered points to take the lead. Sadly a defense breakdown and Ihmir Smith-Marsette fumble ruined their chances to complete the victory. That said, this team is thinking long-term. Nobody expects them to win a Super Bowl this year. So for Fields to play really well and still lose is a hidden blessing. It means they are a step closer to a higher draft position in 2023. That should give them a chance to put more legitimate talent around him.
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I thought the after the first 3 drives by Minnesota, and the first 3 drives by the Bears, that Chicago would have to restart over completely next year. The Vikings had the ball for like 13.5 minutes in the first quarter. It was impossibly bad showing for the Bears. Makes me wonder if the Vikings were only up by 7 at half, how the second half would have turned out. As far as Fields is concerned, 1 decent outing does get you on the good list. Pass 65%+ over the next 5 games and I’ll start to believe. Not to… Read more »
Silverline!! Sooooo True watching the later part of the 2nd quarter and rest of game was FUN and gave me HOPE for the future. Not sure what happened with the O-line… but they actually provided much better protection. NOW we see what fields can do when he’s protected.
I’m sorry. They have been in every game and keep talking big steps forward. I’m not giving up on playoffs this year and I don’t think anyone on that team is either.
@GrinBearIt we have allowed 1 TD in the second half of games, that’s a perfect example of coaching adjustments. If you thought we were headed anywhere this year; you’re delusional. It’s a building and evaluating year; we have 3 more years with Fields under rookie contract.
That was supposed to be a “couple of”