In sports, sometimes a loss can be very telling. The Bears’ Monday night massacre in week 7 underscored the mismanagement and lack of communication we already knew existed. But in week 8, the Bears took a step in the right direction. The Bears lost their second game in a row to the New Orleans Saints 26-23 in overtime, but more good things came out of this loss than bad.
The Bears’ running game had been abandoned this season, but against the Saints, head coach Matt Nagy didn’t give up on the running game. RB David Montgomery had his first 20 carry game of the 2020 season, and the team had one of its most productive days. They rushed for 96YDS for a 4.2AVG. Even with injuries all across the offensive line, this should be the norm going forward. If the Bears want a chance to get back into the winning column, this team needs to run games to help the passing game flow.
The kicking game has come around for the first time since K Robbie Gould. K Cairo Santos has been bouncing around the league for the past four seasons but has proven himself to be a reliable kicker for the Bears in 2020. He went 3-3FG and 2-2XP with a fantastic 51-yard field goal that sent the Bears into overtime. They ended up falling to the Saints, but with this kick, Santos verified he could be clutch in a colossal moment in week 8.
The Bears are never too far behind in any game, with less than seven points deciding most games this season. The Bears trailed 23-13 with 9:57 left in the game, but they fought through the fourth quarter and were able to take the Saints into overtime. This will prove very beneficial for these close games as the season wears on and will hopefully push through the Bears’ playoffs.
The Bears still have significant lapses in judgment and discipline. They will have to deal with an ever-changing offensive line but their gameplay in week 8 brought me hope that the Bears are working things out internally.
The Bears go up against week 9 against the Tennessee Titans. Both are ”grind it out” kind of teams. Both teams are desperate for a win after suffering two losses in a row, so it should be a battle to the end.