Hungry lions rub their bellies
The NFL giant’s incredible ongoing crisis
By Heiko Oldörp
November 28, 2024, 12:06 p.m
A top talent as a quarterback, but otherwise very mediocre: these are the Chicago Bears 2024. After a good start, there have recently been five defeats in a row. The season seems to be a lost one again. And things could get really bad this Thursday.
Today it’s that time again in the USA: Thanksgiving. One of the most important holidays of the year. Around 80 million people are expected to be out and about this year to spend “Turkey Day” with their loved ones, to unwind, eat well and be grateful. The Chicago Bears are also among the travelers. However, for them it is a business trip. The Bears play at the Detroit Lions, the division rival (6:30 p.m./Nitro and RTL+).
Kevin Warren, the president of the Bears, has also been in a better mood.
(Photo: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con)
It is the 20th meeting on Thanksgiving. Chicago won all of the last three duels (2018, 2019, 2021). Detroit’s last win was ten years ago. However, this time it is a duel that could hardly be more different. Chicago has lost its last five games, while Detroit has won nine times in a row. It’s quite possible that the bears will become food for the lions from the Autostadt – on Thanksgiving of all days.
From golden October to gray November
While the Lions are currently considered the big favorites for the title, Chicago, the “Windy City”, is once again experiencing stormy times. The season was a “disorientated free fall,” one could read in the Chicago Tribune these days. The last win was a month and a half ago on October 13th, when Chicago won 35:16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and actually had a 4-2 record after six games. But these golden October days have given way to the dreary gray of November.
“I’ve been in crisis four or five years in a row now,” said Jaylon Johnson at the beginning of the week. The cornerback is something like the Chicago Bear personified. He has been at the club since 2020 and is therefore a man who has long been used to losing a lot of games. Only in his first season did the Bears have a balanced season (8:8) and even reached the playoffs, but were immediately eliminated by the New Orleans Saints (9:21).
The hope is Caleb Williams
This time too, Johnson will probably not experience a “winning season”, i.e. a season with more wins than defeats. The balance is 4:7 with six games remaining. He hasn’t smiled in a long time, says Johnson. Because there is nothing to laugh about at the moment. The 25-year-old complains that he is frustrated and everyone else in the club feels the same.
At least Caleb Williams offers a little hope. He was the number one pick in this year’s much-hyped draft class, in which six quarterbacks were selected in the first round. In order to be able to sign Williams, the Bears even sent Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They had just taken Fields in 2021, eleventh in the draft. But he couldn’t meet the expectations placed on him – or not quickly enough. And Caleb Williams was considered this possible franchise player and potential superstar. This temptation was simply too great not to succumb to.
Small, safe steps, no hara-kiri
After eleven games it can be said: Williams has done his job according to the rules so far. He had had great moments and taken small, safe steps. Nothing excessive. No hara-kiri. But there were also actions – and you have to give him that as a rookie – in which his inexperience became very clear.
Nevertheless: in the 27:30 overtime defeat against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, the 23-year-old rookie was the leader the Bears want in the coming years. 32 of 47 passes arrived, throws for 340 yards, two touchdowns and the fifth game in a row without an interception. When Chicago was down 16:27 with less than two minutes left, Williams marched ahead and actually brought the Bears to 27:27 before the game was lost in overtime.
Coach Eberflus: “Caleb is growing before our eyes”
Coach Matt Eberflus praised Williams’ “courageous performance” and “really good execution” of plays. His performance was “an inspiration for the entire team,” the coach continued. “Caleb is growing before our eyes,” said Eberflus in a joyful voice.
On the other hand, it must also be said that the Bears could have lost the game by double digits. And the fact that they couldn’t use the momentum of the eleven-point comeback in extra time was so characteristic of this team and this club. However – and this is also typical of Chicago – it is now quite easy to point to even worse seasons, even scarier phases of the season. 2022 for example. The Bears actually lost ten games in a row in Eberflus’ first season as head coach. So at the moment everything is only half as bad. It just depends on the perspective.
Back to Jaylon Johnson, the crisis-experienced cornerback. He is one of the better professionals in the league at his position. With his qualities, he would also find a place at a club that is guaranteed to reach the playoffs. But Johnson is not thinking about a possible change. No, he’s not looking around, the 25-year-old emphasized after the defeat against Minnesota – and added: It will get better as it gets better. A sentence full of resignation. He could also have said that at some point it would rain in the Atacama Desert…
