CHICAGO - The Week 2 loss at Houston was not what set off doomsday predictions for the Chicago Bears. Rather, it was how they lost.
The Bears couldn't protect Caleb Williams, who also struggled at times to keep himself out of harm's way, and there was almost nothing in the way of production from the running game, an essential for a rookie quarterback.
Even though the Bears had the ball at midfield with a minute remaining and a chance to win, there has been a sky-is-falling feeling since the 19-13 loss to the Texans at NRG Stadium. It's easy to recall Justin Fields' first start in 2021 - when he was sacked nine times in a miserable road loss to the Cleveland Browns - and have "here-we-go-again" feelings creep in because when you cannot protect the quarterback or run the football, it's a recipe for disaster - a problem magnified for a rookie.
The obstacles facing the Bears as they prepare for Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium are clear. Williams cannot be pressured and hit time and again. The offensive line needs to create gaps for running backs.
It sounds simple and might be easier with the upcoming schedule. The Bears face the three worst run defenses in the NFL over the next three weeks: Colts (32nd), Los Angeles Rams (30th) and Carolina Panthers (31st), with two home games following the trip to Indianapolis. All three opponents are also bottom-five on defense on third down through the small sample size of two games. The next four games - including Oct. 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London - are against opponents currently 0-2.
Had the Bears lost 27-24 with a productive offensive showing, there wouldn't be near the level of grumbling and despair following a one-score loss in a game in which the Texans were a 6 1/2-point favorite. In that scenario, the focus would have been on William's quick improvement following a rocky debut in the opening win against the Tennessee Titans.
"It's funny nowadays because if our offense looked like our defense has, I feel like everyone would be more OK with it," tight end Cole Kmet said. "What difference does it make in reality? Both sides of the ball need to play well in order for you to win a lot of games. That being said, we have things offensively we need to work on."
No one is disputing that.
Nose tackle Andrew Billings agreed the noise would be significantly lower had the Bears lost a higher-scoring game, with the offense piling up more yards but just not quite enough points.
"I think people care about offensive performance more than anything and they just want to see the show," Billings said. "That's what it is. We have a rookie quarterback and people tend to forget that. There's a learning curve no matter what, and after two weeks, he's still got a lot to learn. I'm not worried. I am not worried at all. The O-line will get their stuff together. Defense will keep getting better too. We've got stuff to improve on as well."
The development of Williams is the most important storyline this season. Where he's at entering the offseason will shape the trajectory of 2025 and 2026, critical seasons for the organization that signed the No. 1 pick to a cap-friendly rookie contract. If the Bears want to take advantage of the roster flexibility afforded teams with quarterbacks playing on the cheap - and it comes in a small window - they have to be positioned as a contender sooner rather than later.
Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron must establish an identity for an offense that hasn't been particularly good at anything. The Colts will be without elite defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, who was placed on injured reserve with an ankle issue, and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is already embattled.
Indianapolis has been gashed for 474 yards rushing, the most through two weeks since the Baltimore Colts in 1978, and as a result, the offense is averaging only 19 minutes, 55 seconds of possession. Of course, the Colts probably view the clash with the Bears' 28th-ranked rushing offense as an opportunity for its defense to get right.
There have been problems across the board trying to run the ball. There are too many plays where you watch and say, "If this guy did his job, this springs for a really positive play." And far too many players are taking turns being that guy, so there's no simple solution. Linemen have lost at the point of attack. Combination blocks have been poorly executed. Tight ends haven't held up their end of the bargain. Backs have chosen poor paths. The whole thing has been out of sync way too often.
"It's about finding that rhythm as a whole," Waldron said.
The Titans presented a unique challenge with tackles Jeffery Simmons and D'Vondre Sweat in the middle of their defense. The Texans had a dangerous pair of edge defenders in Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson. The shorthanded Colts don't have similar talent in their front seven. Neither will the banged-up Rams, who have nine players on IR, or the Panthers, who benched last year's No. 1 pick in favor of former Bears quarterback Andy Dalton.
The Bears have an opportunity in the next several weeks to find themselves offensively with a defense that should keep them in most every game and a reliable special teams unit. Fast forward to the end of October and, if all goes well, the team could be 5-2 and feeling pretty good about its growth and development before a tougher slate arrives, including games against NFC North foes.
Even with the issues the Bears are sifting through on the offensive line - Ryan Bates and Larry Borom are on IR - it's too early to shift the forecast to a lot of gloom for a team that has unsuccessfully navigated similar issues in recent seasons.
The Bears have more than enough talent on offense to get on a mini-roll. But they need to figure out who they are and what they want to be so we're not declaring an ugly performance in which Williams passed for 174 yards and was sacked seven times with two interceptions and an offense that produced one touchdown as better than the week before.
"You sign up for games like that," Williams said. "That was a playoff team last year, and to be down six with a chance to go win with the ball in your hands, that's all you can ask for. Obviously the defense played great, special teams did well.
"We're going to need more, obviously. But it felt great to be in that type of game, that type of environment. And I'm excited for more."
Scouting report
Alec Pierce, Colts wide receiver
Alec Pierce, 6-foot-3, 211 pounds, is in his third season after the Colts made him a second-round pick in 2022 out of Cincinnati.
Pierce, a Glenbard West product, is off to a hot start with eight receptions for 181 yards (22.6 average) and two touchdowns, getting increased playing time because slot receiver Josh Downs missed the first two games with an ankle injury. Downs is expected to play Sunday.
"He's making plays down the field when Anthony Richardson has time," the scout said. "They are a very vertically based passing offense. They want to push the ball down the field. That's why they drafted Adonai Mitchell (in Round 2) this year. But Mitchell has not played well the first couple games. He's struggled to adjust to the NFL, and Pierce has some of the traits you need to be a deep-ball target. He can cover a lot of ground and he's got good range. Strong at the catch point and you're starting to see more of a complete route tree.
"That is what he has to continue doing to be a consistent producer in the NFL. He can run the deep-nine routes and the posts. Can he separate underneath consistently? If he starts doing that, you're talking about a big receiver with 4.4 speed and incredible leaping ability, a giant catch window. He's got a higher ceiling than a lot of people think, but they're just not throwing the ball with enough efficiency in Indianapolis. Richardson is not seeing the field well."
