Bear Digest

Bears' NFC North Mission Impossible Begins for Thomas Brown

The new Bears offensive coordinator needs to capture the right balance if he's going to help end a 10-game losing streak to Green Bay and negotiate a full NFC North schedule.

Gene Chamberlain

The last moment the Bears sat on top of the NFC North, as Eddie Jackson picks off Aaron Rodgers in the end zone in 2018. Then it was all downhill for Chicago.
The last moment the Bears sat on top of the NFC North, as Eddie Jackson picks off Aaron Rodgers in the end zone in 2018. Then it was all downhill for Chicago. / Mike De Sisti, Mike De Sisti
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New Bears offensive coordinator Thomas Brown laughed a bit when it was pointed out his greatest success last year as a play caller came against the Green Bay Packers, this week's Bears opponent.

They lost the game, though, 33-30.

"My goal was to have every game be that same success," Brown said.

Probably with a win in the end, that is. Brown wasn't exactly spiking the ball because the circumstances were different then.

The Packers defense has since switched to a 4-3 under Jeff Hafley this year after being a 3-4 defense since 2008.

Brown credited his players in that losing effort.

"I think just those guys have done a really good job in that day, making plays, being locked in, being focused, executing the game plan," he said. "That's the goal anytime you call the game."

The truth is, it might have been their best game in terms of points scored but not in terms of executing the game plan.

The Packers had a 30-16 lead in the fourth quarter and it appeared over before Bryce Young and the passing game caught fire to tie it.

Brown's idea of calling a game would not be moving to desperation time and throwing it all over the field, but in balancing out the attack with a healthy lean on the running game.

There is no magical formula or, as he called it, a "quick fix" to get what the Bears need on offense to prevent a 10-game losing streak against the Packers from becoming a new record 11-game losing streak.

Welcome to the reality of the Bears' 2024 plight, Thomas Brown. Your mission, now that you've decided to accept it, is to get the Bears out of this 4-5 mess and three-game losing streak to avoid the possibility they must change coaching staffs again. And you have to do it the hard way, by running through the NFC North, where all three teams are well positioned to make the playoffs.

The Bears haven't played a divisional game yet and it's going to take 5-1 or 6-0 in the division for them to get to the playoffs.

Here's how it looks around the NFC North, where the Bears have lost 21 of their last 30 games since Eddie Jackson picked off an Aaron Rodgers throw in the end zone to clinch the 2018 NFC North title for Chicago.

On SI NFC North Rankings

1. Lions, 2. Vikings, 3. Packers, 4. BEARS

NO MYSTERY WHICH WAY THOMAS BROWN TAKES THIS BEARS OFFENSE

JAQUAN BRISKER PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE WITH CONCUSSION

BEARS DEFENSE MAINTAINS FOCUS WHILE OFFENSE GETS ACT TOGETHER

JAYLON JOHNSON AND DJ MOORE TAKE THE HIGH ROAD AFTER PACKER INSULTS

Minnesota Vikings

Joe Nelson, Minnesota Vikings On SI

This Week: Sunday at Tennessee, noon

What to Watch: Justin Jefferson. The Titans have one of the better defenses in the NFL and it won't be a shock if they steal from the game plan Jacksonville employed to bracket and double Jefferson and Jordan Addison for all 42 minutes the Vikings had the ball last week. Jefferson was targeted nine times but finished with a season low five receptions for 48 yards. We'll see if the Vikings can scheme him open for more action against Tennessee.

Key to Victory: Stop turning the ball over. Sam Darnold has been really accurate and efficient until he gets in the red zone. He's been intercepted five times in the last two weeks and three of them have come in the end zone. If Darnold hadn't made critical mistakes in the red area, the Vikings likely would've blown out both Indy and Jacksonville and resembled the dominant team that started the season 5-0.

Detroit Lions

John Maakaron, Detroit Lions On SI

This Week: Sunday hosting Jacksonville, noon

What to Watch: Za’Darius Smith is set to make his Lions debut on Sunday, which will add intrigue to the showdown with the Jaguars. While expectations have been tempered by the coaching staff, Smith is still expected to quickly become a valuable contributor on Detroit’s defensive line. Sunday will be the first chance for the home crowd to see what the team has in the 32-year-old edge rusher.

Key to Victory: The Lions can not allow the Jaguars to hang around. With Mac Jones set to start under center, there is a path for the Lions to win handily. Still, the Lions cannot let the talented weapons, such as Travis Etienne and Brian Thomas, to get going. If the Lions can stack up early scores and pair them with stops defensively, they have what it takes to win handily.

Green Bay Packers

Bill Huber, Green Bay Packers On SI

This Week: At Chicago Sunday, noon

What to Watch: Jordan Love threw five touchdown passes and zero interceptions in his two games against Chicago last year, picking up where Rodgers left off in his ownership of the longtime rivals. Love is the key to everything. He threw 15 touchdown passes but 10 interceptions during the first half of the season. Can he get back to how he played down the stretch last year, when he threw 18 touchdowns vs. just one interception during the final eight games?

Key to Victory: Chicago gave up nine sacks in last week’s loss to New England. Green Bay’s defense has one sack in each of its last two games and traded Preston Smith at the deadline. This is the ultimate weakness-vs.-weakness matchup. Green Bay had better win it because the Bears, while they’ve struggled on offense during their three-game winning streak, have some premier playmakers at receiver with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze.

Chicago Bears

Gene Chamberlain, Chicago Bears On SI

This Week: Sunday hosting Green Bay, noon

What to Watch: RB D'Andre Swift. He hasn't had less than 51 yards rushing and has averaged 82 in his last six games and has 20 receptions, yet every game it seemed former OC Shane Waldron hadn't relied on him enough to take pressure off of Caleb Williams and to set up the play-action game. 

Key to Victory: Giving Williams options in the passing game. The Waldron attack went with two and three receivers much of the time, all running down the field somewhere. He wasn't about the short middle of the field or crossing routes in the middle of the field. A rookie QB needs those routes, the kind Keenan Allen can benefit from, as well. It's going to be up to new OC Thomas Brown to make changes within the passing attack to scheme players open or have safety valves available.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.