Chicago Bears: 5 Thoughts on ninth consecutive loss in 2024

The Chicago Bears once again suffered a loss, this time to the Detroit Lions. It was their ninth straight loss as the season fell further into the abyss.

Well, stop me if you heard this before. The Chicago Bears lost a game in which they were never in contention. They fell to the Detroit Lions34-17 in a score that should have been worse. They provided no resistance to the Lions. They were down 20-0 before they finally moved the ball into the end zone.

One thing the Bears did do was end their scoreless streak in the first half of games. Having not scored in the first quarter, the streak went to seven straight first-half quarters. They finally score with 6:35 left in the second quarter. They then scored again before the half. Those were basically the highlights of the game.

The 2024 season cannot end quickly enough for the Chicago Bears. They are now 4-11. Their nine-game losing streak now stands alone as the second-longest losing streak in franchise history. It hurts even more knowing the the longest one covered the last two previous seasons. They lost 14 in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Here are some thoughts on the Chicago Bears’ frustrating loss to the Lions in Week 16.

The offensive line suffered more bad news

One of the biggest disappointments in the Chicago Bears’ 2024 season is the play of the offensive line. The unit was struggling all season before injuries reared their ugly heads. Everyone on the starting five has gone through some sort of injury. On Sunday, the Bears suffered a big one.

Arguably the one lineman who was playing decently was left tackle Braxton Jones. However, he suffered a gruesome lower leg injury. A Lions defensive lineman lost his balance and went down. His knee pinned Jones’ ankle to the ground. Jones transferred his weight to the other leg but it could not handle all that weight. It buckled and reports are that he fractured his fibula.

He will need surgery so his season is over. However, doctors said that he avoided more serious injuries like torn ligaments or multiple fractures. Still, it was a tough situation for the third-year player.

Also in the game, right guard Teven Jenkins also went down. He suffered a calf injury and did not return. He is in a precarious situation with the Chicago Bears. He is in the final season of his rookie contract. The team was concerned about his injury history and with the number of injuries he had this season, those concerns are now greater. if he wanted a big payday it likely will not come from the Bears.

The offensive line has to be the biggest priority for the Chicago Bears this offseason. We saw that nothing can be done if the line is not playing well. With the linemen struggling, the offense also struggles to move the ball. General manager Ryan Poles neglected the line this past offseason. That cannot happen again.

Has Allen played himself into a contract extension?

Wide receiver Keenan Allen had another terrific game. He had nine catches for 145 yards and a touchdown. He now has five touchdowns in his last five games. His seven touchdowns lead the team whether it is receiving or rushing. In the last two games, he has had 26 targets go his way.

Earlier in the season, Allen had trouble getting involved in the offense. It appears that he and the coaches figured something out and he is now playing well. The question is whether he did enough to earn a new contract with the Chicago Bears.

If Allen signs a one or two-year deal then perhaps something could be done. As mentioned before, the offensive line should be top priority. However, this season left a bad taste in Allen’s and the Chicago Bears’ mouths. They might reach an agreement that is helpful for both sides so they can try again in 2025.

Williams continues to show that the Bears could build around the rookie quarterback

While the Chicago Bears continue to lose, quarterback Caleb Williams is showing that he is a good player to build around. He has had struggling teammates all around him, yet he continues to show his toughness and resiliency. With two sacks by the Lions on Sunday, he has now been sacked 60 times, most in the league.

Despite a porous offensive line and a non-existent running game, Williams keeps playing well. Against the Lions he went 26/40 for 334 yards and 2 touchdowns. Once again, he threw zero interceptions. He has now played nine consecutive games without an interception. In that period he has thrown 326 passes without a pick.

Williams already owns the NFL rookie record for most consecutive passes without an interception. He now has his eyes set on the all-time record. That was 402 straight passes by Aaron Rodgers.

While the 2024 season is lost, it will be an interesting offseason. Poles and the Bears front office have to do whatever it takes to get him protection with a good offensive line and a coach who could get even more out of the young quarterback. The staff as currently assembled has let him down.

Bears’ draft position remains the same

With the season quickly coming to a close, we turn our attention to the Chicago Bears’ draft position. They were up to the same position they were last offseason based on their record, number nine. Despite the loss, the Bears remain at nine.

However, if Chicago continues to lose that position could go higher. They are now tied with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. The Bears own the tiebreakers with them so Carolina stands at seven and New York at eight. If those teams win a game, though, and the Bears do not, then things could change.

The Panthers have games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, two up-and-down teams. The Jets face the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. Meanwhile, the Bears face the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. The Bears definitely have the roughest schedule between the three.

If the Bears lose out, there is a good chance that they could end up with a top-five pick.

The Bears got a closeup view of a potential new head coach

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be the hottest head coaching candidate this offseason. There are many who feel that he could be the number one target for the Chicago Bears. On Sunday, he showed why many teams will salivate for the opportunity to hire him.

Johnson went deep into the playbook and came up with an genius trick play. He had running back Jahmyr Gibbs and quarterback Jared Goff fake a stumble. Gibbs hit the ground while Goff stayed upright. That left the Bears defenders flat-footed. Lions tight end Sam LaPorta then ran towards the end zone and was wide open for the touchdown.

The play showed the way Johnson can come up with a wide variety of offensive plays to keep defenses off-balanced. He has been an offensive coordinator for three seasons now and his offenses have ranked in the top five in yards and points all three seasons. This season, the Lions rank second in yards and first in points scored.

The Chicago Bears have interest in Johnson for their head coaching vacancy. Now it appears that the feeling is mutual. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Johnson is intrigued by the Chicago job.

There’s a lot to like in Chicago with Caleb Williams, tons of cap space, extra draft resources. Team president Kevin Warren has a lot of connections around the league from his several decades in pro and college football. That’s allowed them to get a jump start on the search process, gathering background as part of what is expected to be a thorough search led by Warren and GM Ryan Poles.

In a season filled with so much frustration, hiring Johnson could be the first step in winning back the fans and getting the Chicago Bears back to their winning days.

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