After their Week 9 loss to the Cardinals, the Bears dropped to 4-4, now at the bottom of the competitive NFC North, where all other teams are at least three games above .500. To stay in the playoff race, the Bears will need to elevate their performance, though injuries have recently slowed down Caleb Williams’ offense. In last week’s loss to the Commanders, left tackle Braxton Jones injured his knee, and in Week 9, right tackle Darnell Wright left the game with a suspected MCL sprain, according to reports. NFL insider Ian Rapoport mentioned Wright will undergo an MRI to confirm the severity.
Further adding to their challenges, No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams tweaked his ankle during the Bears’ 29-9 loss to the Cardinals, though it appears to be minor. This defeat followed a narrow loss to the Commanders in Week 8, thanks to a last-second Hail Mary by Jayden Daniels.
The Bears’ defense struggled against Arizona, allowing 213 rushing yards and conceding 21 points for the first time since last season’s Week 11. Their offense was similarly ineffective, going 3-14 on third downs against one of the league’s weakest defenses.
Head coach Matt Eberflus has now faced 18 road losses out of 21 games with the Bears, eight of which were by double-digit margins. His coaching staff might face player backlash, as some have expressed frustration over recent losses and called for greater accountability. Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards admitted, “This wasn’t good enough, from top to bottom.”
Williams acknowledged that the team needed to move past their Week 8 loss faster, suggesting they struggled to rebound mentally. With nine games left, the Bears will look to regain momentum and stay in the NFC playoff hunt, starting with a favorable matchup against the 2-7 New England Patriots in Week 10.
