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The Chicago Bears extended their losing streak to seven games after they fell to the Philadelphia Eagles, 25-20, at home in Week 15 of the 2022 NFL season. The Bears were within striking distance of the team with the league's best record, but they fell short in the end. Chicago has long been out of the playoff race and now carries a 3-11 win-loss card, which puts them dead last in the entire NFC. Here we'll discuss the four Bears most to blame for their Week 15 loss vs. the Eagles.
The Bears actually put up a pretty good fight in front of their home crowd at Soldier Field on Sunday. However, they ultimately fell to the conference-leading Eagles. Bears quarterback Justin Fields had a solid outing, rushing for 95 yards and attempting a comeback in the fourth quarter.
The Bears defense, though, struggled to contain Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver AJ Brown in the second half. Hurts recovered from two interceptions earlier in the game to throw for 176 yards and rush for two touchdowns in the final 30 minutes. Brown had seven catches for 156 yards in the second half, providing Hurts with a reliable target. The Eagles also had success on third downs, converting 60 percent of their attempts.
The Hurts and Brown show proved too much for the Bears to handle, and Chicago ultimately fell to a much more superior squad. The Bears will look to bounce back when they host the Buffalo Bills in Week 16.
For now, let us look at the four Bears most to blame for their Week 15 loss vs. the Eagles.
4. Bears Injuries
In terms of injuries, the Bears were already in very bad shape going into their Week 15 game. For instance, their top two wide receivers were unavailable. And then before the game, starting right tackle Larry Borom was declared injured. Offensive lineman Teven Jenkins and wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown would then leave the Bears in the first half. Roquan Smith's outstanding substitute, linebacker Jack Sanborn, also suffered an injury in the second half. The Bears' inability to maintain their health has just hurt their chances of winning games.
3. K Cairo Santos
Chicago kicker Cairo Santos has generally been quite reliable in recent seasons, but he has struggled with extra-point attempts this year. During the Bears' game against the Eagles, Santos missed an extra point, which was his fifth miss of the season.
The impression we have is that the Eagles just seem to bring out the worst in Bears kickers, as Santos had a controversial moment during a fourth down at the Bears' 26-yard line. The Bears chose to punt rather than attempt a field goal from the 31-yard line, with Santos reportedly indicating that the wind conditions were not ideal for the kick. Television cameras appeared to show Santos declining to kick the field goal, leading the Bears to take a five-yard penalty and punt from the 31.
If the wind continues to be a concern for Santos, he may not be the best fit as a kicker for the Bears. It's worth noting that the wind can be a significant factor in Chicago, and kickers must be able to handle challenging conditions. Santos will need to improve his accuracy and make better decisions in order to remain a reliable option for the Bears moving forward.
2. WR Velus Jones Jr.
With several of the Bears' top receivers out due to injury, reserve wideout Velus Jones Jr. had a chance to make an impact on offense. However, he struggled with ball security and fumbled on Philadelphia's 40-yard line after the Bears defense forced a three-and-out.
Take note that Jones has been a disappointment for GM Ryan Poles in this draft class. Jones saw more playing time against the Eagles due to the Bears' shortage of healthy receivers, but his fumble on that running play reminded fans of the mistakes that led to him losing his job on special teams earlier in the season. Bears fans even took to social to express their frustration with Jones and called for the team to move on from him before he causes problems in the 2023 campaign.
Velus Jones’ hands betray him pic.twitter.com/J1bem5ZxVa
— Barroom Network – Aldo Gandia (@BarroomNetwork) October 30, 2022
velus jones jr pic.twitter.com/8MDhMMCVnN
— ryan (@M5RELMANIA) December 18, 2022
1. Bears Offensive Line
The Bears have had difficulty protecting their quarterback all season. They have, in fact, allowed 42 sacks heading into their game against the Eagles, who have a strong pass rush. In this matchup, the Bears allowed six sacks to quarterback Justin Fields, with five of those occurring in the first half. Offensive linemen Cody Whitehair and Alex Leatherwood were responsible for five of those sacks.
The poor pass protection against the Eagles highlighted the need for the Bears to address their offensive line this offseason. For sure, protecting Fields is a top priority.
Whitehair struggled against the Eagles, allowing three sacks of Fields and being consistently overpowered by Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. Meanwhile, Leatherwood, a former first-round pick, also allowed two sacks and struggled with pass protection against Haason Reddick. His best play of the day was when he recovered a fumble to save a drive.
Remember that the Bears lost their best offensive lineman, Teven Jenkins, earlier in the season, and the impact of his absence was evident in the team's struggles to protect Fields. It will be important for the Bears to address their offensive line and find ways to improve their pass protection in order to give Fields the support he needs to succeed.
