Bengals coach Zac Taylor’s game plan for backup quarterback Jake Browning against the Jaguars on Monday night looked awfully similar to Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s approach with Justin Fields against the Vikings the previous Monday.
And then it didn’t.
On the Bengals’ first two possessions against a Jaguars defense that ranked 20th in the NFL in yards allowed but 12th in points allowed, Browning played it ultra-safe in the passing game. Five of his first eight passes were completed behind the line of scrimmage. His longest went three yards beyond the line of scrimmage. The average completion was 1.1 yards behind the line for his first eight passes.
It was reminiscent of Fields’ performance against the Vikings, when he averaged 2.4 air yards per attempt and 5.9 yards gained per attempt — which was 5.0 yards per attempt before his final 36-yard pass to DJ Moore that set up Cairo Santos’ game-winning 30-yard field goal.
Except Taylor and Browning didn’t wait until the final play to open things up. On the Bengals’ third possession, Browning threw a 17-yard completion to Ja’Marr Chase to the Bengals’ 31-yard line, then a 25-yard completion to Trenton Irwin to the Jaguars’ 44, and he was on his way.
A four-year practice-squad veteran with the Vikings and Bengals who had thrown one pass in a regular-season NFL game before Week 10, Browning suddenly looked like Joe Burrow on a good day. He completed 32 of 37 passes for 354 yards (9.6 yards per attempt), one touchdown and no interceptions in a 34-31 overtime victory.
It was the latest episode of a seasonlong series: “What are the (insert team here) doing that Getsy and the Bears are not?”
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud continued his phenomenal rookie season Sunday, throwing for 274 yards and one touchdown with a 106.1 passer rating in a 22-17 victory over the Broncos. The Packers’ Jordan Love continued his surge Sunday in his first season as a starter Sunday, outplaying Patrick Mahomes with 267 passing yards, three touchdowns and a 118.6 passer rating in a 27-19 upset of the Chiefs.
Coming off a 12-10 victory over the Vikings in which the defense was dominant (against backup QB Josh Dobbs) and the offense produced four field goals but no touchdowns, Getsy’s offense will be on trial in the final five games.
Even with Fields having missed four games with a dislocated thumb, the Bears’ offense has statistically improved from Getsy’s first season in 2022 — from 28th to 20th in yards, from 23rd to 21st in points, from 32nd to 25th in passing, from 32nd to 26th in sacks and from 13th to ninth in third-down conversions. The Bears won two games with undrafted free agent Tyson Bagent starting for Fields.
But with Fields’ future as the franchise quarterback still in the balance, Getsy needs more than that to prove he’s “in the process of building something special,” as he said when the Bears were 0-3 after a 41-10 loss to the Chiefs.
“It’s a 17-week process. It’s not a three-week process,” Getsy said at the time.
Well, the Bears are now 12 weeks into that 17-week process, and it’s crunch time for Getsy. If it turns out that Fields is not the answer, it’s unlikely that Fields will take the fall alone.
2. What about Matt Eberflus? A head coaching change seemed almost imminent when the Bears were 0-4 and 2-7 and Eberflus appeared to be in over his head following the resignation of defensive coordinator Alan Williams and the firing of running backs coach David Walker.
But with two victories in the last three games, a defense that is showing some bite with the addition of defensive end Montez Sweat and a playable schedule down the stretch, Eberflus is trending toward returning — with a legitimate claim to progress with a 6-11 or 7-10 finish that doesn’t include crap-outs like the opener against the Packers or implosions like the losses to the Broncos and Lions.
3. The Lions game Sunday at Soldier Field should be a litmus test for Fields, Getsy and the offense, especially just three weeks after a 31-26 loss to the Lions at Ford Field.
Fields played well in his first game back from the dislocated thumb — 16-for-23, 169 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions for a 105.2 passer rating, plus 18 carries for 104 rushing yards. Now he’s in his third game back against a leaky Lions defense that has allowed an average of 28.8 points in its last four games.
4. Knock on Wood Department: There’s another factor in the offense’s favor. The offensive line of left tackle Braxton Jones, left guard Teven Jenkins, center Lucas Patrick, right guard Nate Davis and right tackle Darnell Wright will start its third consecutive game together. Not only is that the Bears’ best combination, but it would be the first time this season the Bears have started the same combo in three straight games.
5. The Packers’ resurgence — victories over the Chargers, Lions and Chiefs to get to 6-6 — can’t sit well with Bears fans, especially with Love playing a key role in an offense that Getsy was nurtured in.
Love had 100-plus passer ratings in all three games. The Bears haven’t had a starting quarterback with a 100-plus passer rating in three consecutive games since Josh McCown in 2013 — against the Rams (102.4 in a 42-21 loss), the Vikings (114.9 in a 23-20 overtime loss) and the Cowboys (141.9 in a 45-28 victory).
6. The Bears’ defense is primed for a big finish but will be under the gun against the Lions after collapsing in the loss at Ford Field. The unit is 11th in yards allowed but 23rd in points allowed — largely because of poor production on third down (43.3%, 30th in the NFL) and in the red zone (73.5% touchdowns allowed, 32nd).
That’s where everything fell apart the last time. The Lions converted eight of 11 third downs and scored a touchdown on all three red-zone possessions.
7. For What It’s Worth Department: The Bears started strong against the 12-1 Eagles at Soldier Field following their bye week in Eberflus’ first season in 2022. Cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety DeAndre Houston-Carson each intercepted quarterback Jalen Hurts, and the Bears outgained the Eagles 154-109 to lead 6-3 with three minutes left in the first half. But the defense withered from there in a 25-20 loss to the eventual NFC champions.
8. Jim Harbaugh Watch: With their fearless leader on the sideline amid a three-game suspension connected to sign-stealing allegations, No. 1 Michigan (13-0) beat Iowa 26-0 in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday. The Wolverines (13-0), who are 38-3 in the last three seasons under Harbaugh, will play Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinals Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl.
The Wolverines outscored the Hawkeyes 10-0 in the third quarter to turn a taffy pull into a comfortable victory. Michigan has outscored its opponents 86-0 in the third quarter with Harbaugh, the former Bears quarterback, as coach.
9. Ex-Bears Player of the Week: Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack had two more sacks and a forced fumble in a 6-0 victory over the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Mack leads the NFL with 15 sacks and five forced fumbles. He has 23 sacks in 29 games since being traded from the Bears last year.
10. Bear-ometer: 7-10 — vs. Lions (L); at Browns (W); vs. Cardinals (W); vs. Falcons (W); at Packers (L).
