The Chicago Bears have made progress this season after finishing with a dreadful 3-14 record in 2022. As they prepare to host the Arizona Cardinals (3-11) in Week 16, the Bears have a 5-9 record that has included 3 victories in their last 5 games.

But while there has been some improvement in the record, this has not been a season that long-suffering Bears fans would consider a success. This is a team that has lost 3 games this season in which they had a double-digit lead in the 4th quarter.

If that sounds unusual, it's because it is. Only one other team had lost 3 double-digit leads that late in the game in the same season. If the Bears had managed to handle those advantages over the Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns successfully, the Bears would clearly be in the NFC playoff structure.

They have not been eliminated yet, but their Week 15 collapse against the Browns has their postseason chances on life support.

In that game, the defense had played spectacular football for 3 quarters, but Cleveland quarterback Joe Flacco riddled the Chicago pass defense with 212 passing yards in the 4th quarter. That spurred the Cleveland comeback, which featured a 51-yard TD pass to Amari Cooper and a 34-yard reception by tight end David Njoku that set up Dustin Hopkins for the game-winning 36-yard field goal.

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After that field goal gave the Browns the lead, Justin Fields threw a Hail Mary pass that landed in the midsection of wideout Darnell Mooney, but the receiver could not hold it, ensuring Chicago's painful defeat.

Justin Fields is playing for his future and will thrown for 200 yards and run for 75 more

Fields has tried to establish himself as a legitimate NFL quarterback who has the ability to win on a consistent basis. He has not been able to accomplish that in his third season with the Bears.

There is no doubt about his athletic ability and all the physical skills that he has, but he has not shown he can win consistently. As a result, there is quite a bit of speculation that he will not be back with the Bears in 2024. They are likely to have the No. 1 pick in the draft because they own the Carolina Panthers' pick, and it seems quite probable that they will use it on a quarterback.

However, nothing is written in stone, and Fields still has his supporters. If he plays well over the final 3 games of the season, it could have an impact on how the Bears perceive the quarterback and if they want to keep him in the fold.

Even if they don't, it seems likely multiple teams would be interested in acquiring his services. He is one of the best runners at the quarterback position, and he also has the arm strength to make all the throws needed. It is his decision making and consistency that are in question.

If he was with another team that prepared him and coached him in a different manner than head coach Matt Eberflus and Luke Getsy, it seems quite possible that the former Ohio State star could reach a much higher level.

In the short term, he should be able to show off his skills against the Cardinals. Arizona has the 25th-ranked defense in yards allowed per game, and the Cardinals are 31st in rushing yards allowed per game. Fields could have a huge game running with the football.

He also has a superb receiver in D.J. Moore. It is doubtful that the Arizona defense can slow him down, and he should be able to add significantly to his receiving totals. Moore has caught 80 passes for 1,123 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Montez Sweat will have 2 sacks and bat down 1 other pass

The biggest reason for the Bears improvement this year has been their upgraded defense. That unit is playing much more alertly in the last 2 months that it did earlier in the season, and much of that coincides with the acquisition of pass rusher Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders at the trade deadline.

Sweat has shown that he can pressure the quarterback when the Bears need it most, and his teammates have followed his lead. Sweat has 6.0 sacks in a Chicago uniform and 12.5 on the season.

His presence makes life much easier for linebackers T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds, who have also become impact players. Edward has a team-leading 135 tackles and 2.5 sacks, while Edmunds has 92 tackles and 4 interceptions — including one that he has returned for a touchdown.