At this time last year, the Chicago Bears had clinched an NFC North title and were a trendy Super Bowl pick by some. They ended up losing in the wild card round, but the future still looked bright.
With one game remaining in the 2019 regular season, the Bears won't make the playoffs.
A whole lot of things went wrong in Chicago this year, as the Bears have gone from looking like a perennial contender to a team that needs a reset.
Here are the five biggest takeaways for Chicago from 2019:
5. The Bears have an impressive wide receiver duo
Let's start with a positive: The Bears have a good duo of wide receivers in Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller, something that will pay major dividends if the club ever gets its quarterback situation straightened out.
Robinson was the clear-cut No. 1 wideout for Chicago going into 2019, and he has delivered, logging a 1,000-yard campaign for the first time since 2015 with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Of course, staying healthy has helped, as the injury-prone Robinson is set to play a full 16-game campaign this year.
As for Miller, the second-year receiver had a strong first half of his rookie campaign and disappeared in the second half. Since Week 5 of this season, Miller has emerged as the Bears' No. 2 receiver ahead of Taylor Gabriel with some terrific performances.
As long as these two can avoid injuries, Chicago is set at wide receiver.
4. The running game has disappeared
Last year, the Bears had a solid ground attack, ranking 11th in the NFL in rushing offense. This season, Chicago has plummeted to 29th.
Mike Davis was a bust (he was released earlier this season), Tarik Cohen has been a virtual non-factor, and David Montgomery's efficiency (3.5 yards per carry) has left a lot to be desired.
Much of this has to do with the Bears' poor offensive line, but it seems obvious that they lack elite-level talent.
Cohen is a Swiss-army knife, but not a No. 1 back, and while Montgomery can be decent, I'm not sure he'll be a reliable featured guy.
With a struggling passing game, Chicago's non-existent rushing attack was the deathblow for the offense in 2019.
3. The defense has lost its edge
Much of the Bears' defensive talent remains.
Khalil Mack. Danny Trevathan. Leonard Floyd. Roquan Smith. Eddie Jackson.
In spite of that, Chicago's defense has not been nearly as dominant as it was last year. Even though it ranks an impressive eighth in the NFL, it just doesn't look quite the same.
The 2018 Bears' defense struck fear into the hearts of opponents. This season, that has simply not been the case.
Some of that may be due to the constant pressure placed on Chicago's defense due to the club's anemic offense, but it's clear the Bears' defense is not what it was a year ago.
2. Matt Nagy looks shellshocked
The Bears brought Matt Nagy in as head coach ahead of the 2018 campaign to bolster the offense.
He appeared to be on his way to doing that in his first season, but in 2019, Nagy has regressed, and that's very concerning.
The Bears were supposed to get better offensively this season; not worse. The fact that Chicago has gone backward is a major indictment against Nagy.
As the 2019 campaign progressed, Nagy has looked more and more like a deer in headlights, unable to find solutions to a litany of problems.
It's certainly not all Nagy's fault, but for a guy who is supposed to be an offensive wizard, it isn't a particularly good look.
1. Mitchell Trubisky has regressed
Let's put all of the Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson comparisons to rest.
There is a good chance you had Mitchell Trubisky at the top of your quarterback draft board just like the majority of analysts, so to play Monday morning quarterback should elicit eye rolls rather than head nods.
Putting that side, there is no doubt that Trubisky has regressed, and that is very, very worrisome.
Trubisky actually had a decent sophomore campaign and looked to be on the upswing, especially with what appeared to be an improving group of offensive talent.
However, Trubisky has been worse this season than he was last year, which has led some (okay; many) Chicago fans to question whether or not he should be the quarterback moving forward.
Trubisky deserves another chance to prove he can be a starting signal-caller in the NFL, but patience is certainly running thin.
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