Bear Digest

Bears Players Search for Their Own Answers in Three-Game Slide

D'Andre Swift and T.J. Edwards tried to shift fingers of blame from the coaching staff to their own execution on the field, in games and in practice.

Gene Chamberlain

D'Andre Swift looks across the line for running room during Sunday's 19-3 loss to New England.
D'Andre Swift looks across the line for running room during Sunday's 19-3 loss to New England. / Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images
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While the Bears coaching staff aligns, players did soul-searching for their own answers to the team's rapid downturn.

Three straight losses, an offense struggling to find the end zone and a defense giving up points at the end of each half are no way to finish the easier portion of their schedule. Now comes the hard stuff, as in six NFC North games and a road game with San Francisco.

"It comes down to detail, execution, little things that's all correctable," running back D'Andre Swift said. "We just need to execute better as a unit.

"It's tough when we're in the position that we are in when the defense and the special teams unit have been playing how they've been playing all year, and we can't really help them guys. So we need to figure out a way to come out on the other side of that and be an asset for this organization."

The Bears are next to last in the NFL in third-down conversion rate (28.69%), yards per play (4.3), avoiding sacks (43), passing completion percentage (60.54%) and while they're a respectable eighth in the red zone they are next to last at actual trips to the red zone per game (2.3) —they get in once they get there but they just can't get there. Toss in their 30th ranking in average passing yards per game (170.2) and it's not difficult to see they need to alter something. Losing three straight to defenses not regarded among the league's best says it better.

Swift sees effort as acceptable even if verdicts are not.

"I feel like everybody is out there playing hard," Swift said. "I'm not about to say anyone has piss-poor effort or anything like that.

"It's NFL-caliber guys on the other side of the ball, as well. So, you're going to win some, you're going to  lose some. It just comes down to pride in your work. That's what I feel."

Swift thinks their communication between the coaches and players is sufficient, as well.

"I feel like that's a good thing," Swift said. "Shane has been great in that aspect. I'm always one to never put anything on coaches or anything like that. They’re not out there with no helmet or shoulder pads on.

"So I feel as though, whatever they call, us as players and the ones that have a job with these helmets and shoulder pads on need to go out there and execute."

As far as what exactly is on the players to do, it's what they do every week, Wednesday through Friday. It's being better in practice.

"We can do a better job of focusing on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday," Swift said. "We can't just expect it to click on Sunday without seeing it done on those work days leading up to it.

"We just got to be more intentional in our work throughout the week and come here every day with a purpose."

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Waldron isn't the only coach under scrutiny, although at the moment he seems to be the only one being discussed within the Bears' ranks. Matt Eberflus is taking a beating within the media, on social media and among fans for a team in regression after they had won three straight.

"I mean, we're frustrated because we want to win," linebacker T.J. Edwards said. "Just like everyone else, right? Especially being here in this city, a prideful city. It's a city that wants to win, where players want to win. This is how we feed our families, right? This is what we want to do to leave a legacy, be successful. We want to win, so that's all it is.

"It's also understanding that division starts now. So with these games are very important and we got to go put our best foot forward for sure."

Eberflus' pride and joy was the HITS principle, which he began talking about from the time he came in the door: Hustle, Intensity, Takeaways or avoiding them and Smart play. The players grading system is based on this.

After the way the team's fortunes have turned, it would seem the impact of this is failing.

"I don't think so," Edwards said. "I mean it's literally what we start our days with is understanding that's how we're being graded, that's how we run our team.

"So, I don't think that is it at all."

The play Sunday when Montez Sweat didn't get back on sides just before halftime and a Patriots field goal was 5 yards closer due to his offsides penalty in the two-minute drill was an obvious example of not hustling

"I think that's a play where, you know, Tez is just slow getting up (off the ground)," Edwards said. "That's kinda how it happens and then they're quick on the ball. You know it's tough and they ended up executing well, you know.

"But that's something that we're based on and that's how we play. That's the energy we play with."

The complementary football the Bears displayed beating the Rams, Panthers and Jaguars has totally vanished.

"We have to do our job as a defense to try to create turnovers and do those things because we pride ourselves on that, and getting three-and-outs and those things, giving it to the offense and we know the offense will get into their rhythm," Edwards said. "We're confident in that and we're not gonna double back on anything we've done. We've put in a lot of hard work and we know it's gonna crack for sure."

Some would say the Bears themselves appear to have cracked, especially after the loss by Hail Mary to Washington to start the losing streak.

"A loss is a loss in the NFL," Edwards said. "All of them are tough, whether it's the Hail Mary or this last one or Arizona. That's kind of how it goes. All we can do is figure out a way for it to look better going forward. We have to. There's a sense of urgency and we understand that."

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.

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