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It’s Not All Doom and Gloom (Or is it?)





(Published on nwitimes.com)(September 25, 2016)

For reasons unbeknownst to rational thinkers, high-paid executives decided the Bears playing in front of a national television audience in two of the season’s first three weeks was a good idea.

It was not.

As far as bad ideas go, it ranks with writing a Bears blog in 2016 when so many other hobbies exist. I keep telling myself it's never too late to take up chess boxing. And yet, I slog on.

Admittedly, there was a certain satisfaction in knowing some jerk in El Paso was grimacing along with Chicagoans on Sunday night when the Bears were muddling through their offensive (and defensive) schemes. I hope he felt our pain ... although, since he's probably a Dallas Cowboys fan, that's unlikely. El Paso was a poor example.

I suppose, like our beloved Bears, I'm off my game.

It's difficult to maintain a clear mind and luminous demeanor when you root for one of the two worst teams in the NFL (along with, of course, the Cleveland Browns).

If there was any doubt about that prior to Sunday night, it became incontrovertible after the Cowboys' 31-17 victory dropped the Bears to 0-3. An 0-3, mind you, that could become 0-10 and beyond if drastic improvements don't take place, posthaste.

The problem with the Bears (where to begin?) is they aren't just a dreadful team, they are rudderless.

It's one thing to suffer a down year. It's another to be mediocre while building toward the future. However, when your team is designed to win in the present, has a limited amount of youthful assets and is a straight-up embarrassment, that's a disaster. When this season ends, the Bears' highlight video might as well be the Hindenburg crash on a loop.

One only needed to look across the field Sunday to see a franchise that is a stark counterpoint to the way the Bears do business. On top of the fact the Cowboys are the superior team right now, Dallas' future is also considerably brighter because the Cowboys feature young talent in key positions, which is something the Bears are loathe to do, evidently.

While Brian Hoyer was doing Brian Hoyer things (his crimes include being a 30-year-old journeyman quarterback who, you know, stinks) and the running game resembled a rusty car on cinder blocks, the Cowboys countered with a young, efficient quarterback (Dak Prescott) and a budding, exhilarating running back (Ezekiel Elliott).

Which fanbase do you think feels better about their team going forward?

As bleak as the landscape appears, Bears fans can take solace that it's not all doom and gloom (well, it is, but I'm an optimist at heart).

The Bears have been riddled with injuries as key defensive players like cornerback Kyle Fuller and linebackers Lamarr Houston and Danny Trevathan have joined quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Jeremy Langford in the infirmary.

Their loss is the gain of other, presumably younger players (paging Leonard Floyd), who could become impactful contributors after a bit of seasoning.

Add to the fact every defeat brings the Bears closer to a loftier draft pick that, in theory, will lead to a higher caliber of talent on the team next year, and perhaps the Bears' lack of a plan could lead to an actual plan. Which could lead to actual victories. Which could lead to actual smiles forming on our collective faces on Sundays.

Wouldn't that be nice?