The Chicago Bears tried to get back on top of a news-heavy day on Wednesday with multiple figures speaking including general manager Ryan Poles and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.
Getsy’s offense has been a prominent topic. Both for quarterback Justin Fields’ comments and because Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David said after his defense knew what play was coming on Fields’ interception that Shaq Barrett returned for a touchdown.
Asked if Fields’ comments were in a similar vein as his comments after a Week 6 loss to the Washington Commanders last season, Getsy said the two instances are completely different. He also pointed to the task ahead.
“I don’t think it has anything similar to that at all,” Getsy said. “Justin is a passionate guy. He wants to win as much as anybody in this building. And, I think it’s just we’re on to the next step, we’re in a new phase, we’re in a new part of our partnership now than we were a year ago then, too. So, I feel really confident about what we have going.”
Bears OC in ‘New Phase’ With Justin Fields
Justin Fields Speaking Out Affects Change for Bears
The Bears fell versus the Commanders 12-7 at home on Thursday Night Football. After the game, Fields was asked how he motivates the team through amid their offensive woes.
His answer sparked the Bears’ offensive turnaround in the latter parts of the season.
“We always get told that we’re almost there, almost there,” Fields said last season. “Me, personally, I’m tired of being almost there. I’m tired of being just this close. Feel like I been hearing it for so long now. But at the end of the day all you can do is get back to work.”
The Bears still did not win, getting their next game against the New England Patriots before losing their final 10 contests. But they seemed to figure out how to use Fields. They went from averaging 15.5 points per game over those first six games to 21.1 points over their final 11 contests. That would have been the difference between being the NFL’s lowest-scoring offense and its 19th in 2022.
Even if there are no similarities in the eyes of Getsy, fans have to hope this sparks some positivity like last time.
From The Insiders on NFL+: On #Bears QB Justin Fields and all that happened yesterday… pic.twitter.com/YKnn8q1bRy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 21, 2023
GM Ryan Poles Backs Justin Fields, Coaching Staff After Chaotic Day
As is his job as general manager of the Bears, Poles also met with the media on Wednesday and presented a demeanor as calm as one could imagine in the face of such turmoil within the organization.
On top of the team’s slow start and various injuries on both sides of the ball, Fields voiced his frustrations about trying to fit his game into the instructions he’s been given leading to some overthinking, and the resignation of defensive coordinator Alan Williams stole headlines on the first practice of Week 3.
“First and foremost, to hit it straight on, we have adversity right now, “ Poles said. “Slow start, 0-2, not where you want to be.
“We’ve dealt with life issues, We’ve dealt with injuries and that’s all real.”
The Bears already had two starters – Kyler Gordon and Teven Jenkins – on injured reserve coming into Week 3. They placed left tackle Braxton Jones on the list with a neck ailment leaving arguably the most critical unit in flux.
“That’s a part of what we do, and what we gotta deal with,” Poles continued. “The beautiful thing about our philosophy here, our organization, is we’re solution-oriented. We work together to find these solutions and solve our problems to get everything back on track. … No one in our building is panicking. No one’s flinching at any situations.”
Poles re-iterated his faith in head coach Matt Eberflus as a leader and as a defensive play-caller.
He did not elaborate on Williams’ sudden resignation but did shoot down rumors of a raid.