Bruner’s Beat: Bears Drop Their Sixth Straight

The Chicago Bears’ skid continued in Week 13, as they fell to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers by a score of 28-19. The loss marks the Bears’ sixth straight and their eighth consecutive against their rival. Additionally, the defeat, combined with the Detroit Lions’ win, puts Chicago in last place in the NFC North by two games.

.@justnfields isn't human 😱

📺: #GBvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/G75fal5kgW

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 4, 2022

Chicago jumped out to yet another early lead in the first half thanks to a 55-yard rushing yard touchdown by Justin Fields. The run made for Fields’ eighth rushing score of the year, and he finished the game with six carries for 71 yards. While the rushing attempts took a noticeable dip compared to his last appearance, Fields was still able to make a big difference on the ground. 

You're not gonna catch @ChristianW2017!

4️⃣6️⃣-yard TOUCHDOWN 🙌#GBvsCHI | #ProBowlVote | #GoPackGo

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/AdF348mI6W

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 4, 2022

Despite the team’s stellar start, Chicago was unable to hold on down the stretch, getting outscored 18-0 in the fourth quarter. The defense struggled to stop Rodgers and rookie wideout Christian Watson, and the offense was unable able to capitalize on drives that ended in Green Bay territory. All in all, the fourth quarter collapse did a perfect job of encapsulating what the Bears’ 2022 season has looked like. 

Although the game itself did very little to deviate from the norm of Chicago Bears football this season, there were a couple of noteworthy takeaways. For one, this was one of the best passing games of Fields’ young career. The two interceptions and zero touchdowns may be hard to look at, but on a throw-for-throw basis, Fields looked as accurate and poised as he ever did. The Bears’ inability to score touchdowns when in the red zone only started when offensive coordinator Luke Getsy took the ball out of his hands. The fact Chicago moved the ball as well as they did while using Fields sparingly as a rusher is a major positive.

Should Jack Sanborn be the Bears starting MLB next year? I vote yes. Great instincts and quickness to read plays. This guy is a rookie with less than 5 starts. #Dabears #Bears #ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/RojF4FiA3J

— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) December 5, 2022

Next, undrafted rookie Jack Sanborn continues to make a difference, finishing the game with a team-best 11 tackles. Sanborn has been a key contributor since the Roquan Smith trade and is potentially playing himself into a long-term role with the team.

Finally, it’s worth questioning if kicked Cairo Santos has a future with the team. Santos went 2/3 on field goals and 1/2 on extra points, costing the Bears a total of four points. This may not seem significant in a nine-point loss, but those missed kicks forced the Bears to play more aggressively in the fourth quarter. He’s 18/20 on the year on field goals, but his 87.5% conversion rate on extra points leaves a lot to be desired, ranking 31st in the league. With a season-long of 51, Santos doesn’t have the leg to compensate for his recent inconsistency.

The Bears have week 14 off before they battle the Eagles on December 18^th at Solider Field.