Could it be deja vu for Chicago Bears fans? The team is headed towards a losing season and last-place finish in the NFC North for the second consecutive year but is still somehow inspiring a fair amount of optimism for the future. A much-improved defense and the Carolina Panthers' fortuitous draft selection could convince fans that change is finally coming.
But Bears tight end Cole Kmet is not ready to pat himself or the team on the back, even after an impressive 28-13 win against the 9-4 Detroit Lions.
“You’re not gonna throw a parade for winning two games in a row,” he said, per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “We’ve got a lot to go here till the end. But definitely a positive. . . . We’ve been seeing things on tape that have been showing up, and we’ve been liking it. This is a results league. It’s nice to see the result go our way.”
Are the Bears really on the right track this time?
Article Continues BelowChicago is still only 5-8 on the season, with plenty of concerns to address on the offensive end. Quarterback Justin Fields is undeniably playing better (two total touchdowns and no turnovers in Sunday's win), but it will be extremely difficult for the organization to pass on taking his replacement with the potential No. 1 overall pick in April's NFL Draft. Enduring more QB growing pains is an agonizing thought for fans who have been asked to be patient for far too long.
Kmet and company are not concerned with the future, though. They are focused on building on these last two successful weeks and stealing a win from the Cleveland Browns in Week 15. “We’re not gonna act like we’re not aware of what’s going on,” the 24-year-old said after tallying five catches for 66 yards versus Detroit. “We have to run the table [to make the playoffs]. We have been looking better, and I do believe in that, but the results have to come with that.”
The Bears will do their best to lure their fans just a little closer to the land of hope when they arrive in Cleveland for Sunday's contest.