The Christmas season is upon us, and all around the world, good girls and boys are writing to Santa in hopes of having their holiday dreams come true.
If enduring an inordinate amount of football-related suffering was enough to land on the nice list, then Chicago Bears fans are in line to get everything they want this Christmas. This season really has been an exercise in pain, from losing winnable games in increasingly inventive ways to giving lifeless performances against mediocre and bad teams. The Bears are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, and a loss this Sunday to the Vikings would tie them for the second-longest winless run in franchise history. Bah humbug.
Bears fans deserve better, and with that in mind, we're compiling a list of what our favorite team needs this offseason. We know how busy Santa's workshop gets this time of year, so we're only asking for three things, but to be fair, they are pretty big ones. Let's hope that Santa can Bear Down the chimney this year.
Wishlist item No. 1: Find the right head coach
It all starts at the top, and Bears fans have watched time and again as their team has made the wrong choice at head coach. Matt Eberflus is just the latest example, but for the most part, it's been one mistake after another patrolling the sideline at Soldier Field.
The Bears have only had two head coaches in the past four decades that can be considered a success. If there's one thing to be learned from Mike Ditka and Lovie Smith, it's that there's more than one way to be a great coach. Ditka, a Hall-of-Fame tight end, was loud and fiery. Lovie was quiet and cerebral, with one of the sharpest defensive minds in the game.
There's a hotly contested debate among Bears fans right now over who the next coach should be. Many want Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. He's the hottest name on the market for the way he's transformed Detroit's offense into a juggernaut, but the downside is that he has no head coaching experience. Johnson is the brains behind the Lions' offense, but Dan Campbell is the beating heart of that team. Will Johnson be able to lead his own locker room, or is he the next Marc Trestman?
On the other side of the coin is Mike Vrabel. The former Titans coach took Tennessee to the AFC Championship game with Ryan Tannehill as his quarterback. He's a three-time Super Bowl champion as a player, and the prototypical "leader of men" that many fans say they are looking for. His lack of success after losing offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, though, leads his detractors to believe that he would just be the next John Fox.
I don't envy Ryan Poles and Kevin Warren for having to make this all-important hire, but what I do know is that they better get it right. The Bears are not far away from a talent perspective to be real contenders. Whether it's Johnson, Vrabel, or someon else, they just need the right man to lead them.
Wishlist item No. 2: Beef up the offensive and defensive lines
There's a lot to like on the Bears roster. The team is set at quarterback with Caleb Williams. The receiver room is outstanding with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, and especially so if the team can find a way to bring back Keenan Allen for another year without breaking the bank. Cole Kmet is a very good tight end.
On defense, the Bears have strong linebackers in T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds. The secondary is led by Jaylon Johnson, one of the best corners in the league. Kyler Gordon is a playmaker and Kevin Byard has proven to be an outstanding signing.
On plays that happen down the field, the Bears are looking pretty good on both sides of the ball. In the trenches, though, it's a different story. There are good pieces, such as Darnell Wright on the offensive side and Montez Sweat and Gervon Dexter on the defensive side, but they need help.
Caleb Williams has been under duress all season. Opponents have sacked him 56 times, the most in the league, but through it all, he's remained healthy and has set an NFL rookie record for consecutive passes without an interception. Just imagine what he could do if he was given time in the pocket.
The Bears defense has slipped this season because it can no longer stop the run. Chicago was the best in the league last year in limiting opposing rushing yards, but is giving up nearly 50 more yards on the ground per game this year to fall all the way to 26th. The team has gotten slightly better this year at registering sacks, but they're still below average compared to the rest of the league. What's the solution?
The Bears need to go all-in, both in free agency and the draft, in fortifying the trenches. Chicago's first-round pick will almost certainly land in the top-10. That pick needs to be an offensive lineman or a defensive end. Ryan Poles will also have two early second-round picks to work with. They need to be put towards the O-line and/or D-line, as well.
Having big names at the skill positions is all well and good, but it's impossible to win in the NFL if you can't win at the point of attack. This is a make-or-break offseason for Poles, who needs to nail the head coaching hire and get some big bodies to protect Williams, stop the run, and get to the opposing quarterback.
Wishlist item No. 3: Learn how to start and finish games
This will hopefully come with getting a new coach, but it needs to be said. Under Matt Eberflus, the Bears were TERRIBLE at the start of games, and they've also been completely inept at finishing them.
The Bears have scored 20 points in the first quarter all year, and they've played 13 games. Their opponents have scored first 12 times. That means the team is always playing from behind. If you turn on the game a little late, you're always seeing a Bears deficit.
The Bears have been much better in the fourth quarter, and with all of their first-quarter troubles, they've needed be. They've scored 101 points in the final frame, but the problem is that they spit the bit when it comes to crunch time.
Bears fans have watched in horror as the team has come up with new ways to lose games. Giving up a Hail Mary? Check. Settling for a long field goal and having it blocked? Yes indeed. Scoring 11 points in the final 22 seconds to tie, then giving the game away in overtime? Yeah, they've done that too, and let us not forget ruining an epic Thanksgiving comeback by letting time expire with a timeout still in hand.
No team in the NFL is good enough to win consistently when they don't know how to start or finish games. Whatever happens next season, Bears fans can only hope that the first-quarter game script and the fourth-quarter game management are much, much better.