Nov. 17--The Chicago Bears headed to St. Louis over the weekend as heavy underdogs and emerged with their most lopsided victory in three years. A 37-13 dismantling of the Rams was the Bears' fourth victory in the last six games and their largest margin of victory since a 51-20 defeat of the Tennessee Titans in Week 9 of 2013.
In what was easily their most complete performance of the season, the Bears delivered undeniable evidence of progress and generated significant momentum heading into this week's game with the Denver Broncos at Soldier Field.
So has this team, in its first season under coach John Fox, turned the corner? And just how convincing was Sunday's battering of the Rams?
Reporters Dan Wiederer and Rich Campbell discuss in this week's Real Talk.
Dan Wiederer: Color me surprised. Color me impressed.
Before heading to St. Louis, I had picked the Bears to lose by 10 points. And after the Rams took their opening drive 80 yards in seven plays for a touchdown, I backed up that assertion with the following tweet: "This is a really bad matchup for the Bears across the board. We'll see if they can make some tactical moves to compensate."
I figured that one of the Bears' greatest weaknesses -- team speed -- would be exposed by one of the Rams' greatest strengths. Instead? The Bears played with great physicality and used shrewd play-calling on both sides of the ball to dominate. They scored 37 points, more than double what the Rams had been allowing per game before Sunday. And after that shaky first series on defense, the Bears surrendered just two first downs and three points on the Rams' next eight possessions.
Oh, and did I mention the Bears did all that with their best defensive player (Pernell McPhee) and the linchpin of their offense (Matt Forte) back in Chicago dealing with knee injuries?
Wow.
In a week-to-week league, I prefer to steer around grand statements. But this was a big deal.
Rich Campbell: Even some members of the team were a bit taken aback by how thorough the win was, so I don't think we're out on a limb in saying this was an important milestone in the building process.
Above all, Sunday's result reinforced to me how capable the Bears' coaching staff is, starting with John Fox at the top and -- just as importantly -- working down the pyramid.
The short week. Three airplane trips in the seven days before the game. No McPhee or Forte. An unfavorable matchup for the offensive line. Yet the Bears were very well prepared.
Their persistence in the running game paid off, and their refined execution in the screen game resulted in an 83-yard touchdown by Jeremy Langford. Defensively, as you wrote in Monday's paper, players effectively stuck with the technique to take on blocks and wall off Todd Gurley's running lanes. Even on special teams, the Bears contained Tavon Austin.
To take it a step further, sound preparation fosters belief, which can become a self-perpetuating cycle. That's why we see such a committed, focused and competent group of players right now.
Wiederer: No question. I think we can confirm that this coaching staff has been top notch, particularly in the preparation department. There is now a string of evidence to show that this team has been sharp week in and week out with its game plans, recognizing its limitations, understanding the opponents' strengths and attacking accordingly.
It's been refreshing to see a team so dialed in from that perspective. What a luxury it's been, also, to have a pair of proven coordinators who clearly have a knack for communicating their weekly vision to players.
And here's another fun statistical measure of progress. In the Bears' first victory this season -- Week 4 against the Raiders -- they took the lead for good with two seconds left. In their second win (Week 5, at Kansas City) they took the lead for good with 18 seconds left. In the third win at San Diego, they took the lead for good with 3:19 left. Sunday? They led for the final 36:56.
Campbell: Learning how to play with a lead and how to bury an opponent is part of the growing process, and the Bears can only benefit from Sunday's experience as they push toward more meaningful games in the future.
That said, beating the Rams doesn't propel them to contender status. The Bears and Rams are two of 15 teams in the league with four or five wins. Sunday's performance helps the Bears establish their place among the crowded middle of the pack, but it doesn't mean they've "turned the corner," by my definition. They're an ascending team, though, and that should satisfy fans right now.
Wiederer: In some respects, I guess it's just semantics at this point. Maybe we can agree that the Bears have turned a corner while conceding that they haven't turned the corner. Fair enough?
It's not that I'm ready to push this team into the playoff picture, even with as mediocre as the NFC is. That kind of discussion is still way too premature. But when you measure this team's growth since Oct. 1 -- with four wins and a pair of coulda-been losses -- it seems clear that they've left rock bottom somewhere back in 2014 and that this ascension that you mention will come with some refreshing surges of positivity.
To be playing the level of defense that the Bears have been playing since the bye with the personnel at their disposal is really quite impressive. It speaks to chemistry. It speaks to toughness. And for the dreaming crowd, I'm OK with pointing out the three home games in the next four weeks that offer the opportunity for a real surge.
Campbell: I'm not willing to even write the p-word. Sunday's success isn't about that, a point on which we agree. After digesting everything that happened against the Rams, the word that keeps surfacing in my mind is "competent."
To be clear, I don't mean that as a backhanded compliment. I just think re-establishing competence was Step 1 after the team sunk so far a year ago. Now, the Bears are back to running a competent operation.
They have smart coaches who know how to motivate players and how to lift backups to a level that mitigates injury concerns, and they have players who respond to coaching. I mean, when Jay Cutler has a career-high passer rating and Shea McClellin forces a fumble and leads the team in tackles, they're really on to something.
OK, there's your backhanded compliment.
Wiederer: Demonstrated competence equals elevating confidence.
Cutler's locked in right now, making very few mistakes. Jeremy Langford looks like the heir apparent to Forte. Adam Gase is making all the right moves. And the defense, dare I say it, looks like a blue-collar Chicago Bears defense again.
Equally notable: the next two opponents on the schedule -- the Broncos and Packers -- both began this month undefeated but now look to be at least somewhat vulnerable. Plus, I am thoroughly impressed with how this Bears team has handled flux -- all the injuries and depth chart shakeups -- without flinching.
Don't get me wrong, the Bears will drop a stinker or two in somewhere between now and Christmas. And while I'm not going to rattle you any further with the p-word, 8-8 suddenly seems like an attainable goal. As I said earlier, wow.
Campbell: It sure looks like the right time to play the Broncos and Packers. Only a couple of weeks ago in this space, we discussed the brutal November ahead for the Bears. Now, they have a terrific chance to measure this recent surge against a pair of playoff-caliber teams, which the Chargers and Rams are not.
If we've learned anything since Cutler returned in Week 4 from his strained hamstring, it's that the Bears will be competitive. Fans should enjoy that on its own merit. Players said they're not thinking ahead, either, another sign of smart focus.
I'm totally with you in avoiding grand statements, given the week-to-week nature of the NFL. So let's see if the Bears can beat the Broncos at home and/or the Packers on the road on Brett Favre Night. Those games will tell us a lot more.
