If the Bears had responded to the Hail Mary debacle against the Commanders with a supreme performance in a victory over the Cardinals, you know the general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus would have been to celebrate the character, culture, resilience and leadership of the team.

Well, it works both ways.

After a tumultuous week following a devastating loss – including the mystery over cornerback discipline Tyrique Stevenson — the game against the Cardinals was a defining moment for Eberflus and the 2024 Bears. Actions speak louder than boardroom interventions, and a three-phase failure told us where this team is headed at midseason . The answer: backwards.

This technical staff lost contact last week. When the tight end Cole Kmet played only 48% of offensive snaps in Week 1, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron responded by returning Kmet to his normal playing percentage (from 77% to 81% to 90% in the next three games) and Kmet became the factor everyone expected.

When Waldron was criticized for an ill-advised and unfortunate option play on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line against the Colts in Week 3, Waldron responded by placing reserve center Doug Kramer in the field fullback and the Bears. scored five touchdowns from the 1 in the next four games. When Keenan Allen Production became an issue, Allen responded with five critical receptions, including two touchdowns against the Jaguars in London.

But not this time. In a game focused on mental toughness, coaching, leadership and demonstrating that culture is more than just a buzzword after an agonizing loss last game, the Bears fell short in all three phases. Focused – once again – on a fast start, the offense failed to score in the first quarter. A week after giving up a Hail Mary, the defense allowed a 53-yard touchdown with four seconds left in the first half.

And with one last chance to show some grit, the Bears had no answers in the second half. They started with a three-and-out on offense… Caleb Williams was sacked on the second play – and that game was over. The season? We’ll see about that.

This organization overestimates its response to self-created adversity – the president’s raison d’être George McCaskey and president Ted Phillips stay with GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy after the 2020 season; one of the reasons why the Poles stay with Eberflus after last season; it was even a big part of Williams’ evaluation — the way he handled a three-interception low moment against Notre Dame last year. Nothing succeeds like failure at Halas Hall.

So here they are once again forced to climb out of a hole that they themselves dug. The difference this time? With six of their last eight games against their NFC North rivals – the Lions (7-1), the Packers (6-3) and the Vikings (6-2), the only way for the Bears to qualify for the playoffs after running this challenge is to become a good team. And with a formative offense with a rookie quarterback and a defense lacking key players, the Bears not only have to make it through the play, they also have to make it through the coach.

So with Eberflus’ fate hanging in the balance, once this season is over, if the answer isn’t a clear yes, it will definitely be a clear no.

2. Eberflus is the Poles’ guy until he’s not. But there’s nothing that can change a general manager’s mind like a franchise quarterback in decline. And while it was debatable whether the Bears had failed Mitch Trubisky And Justin Fields more than they failed themselves, the visual evidence seems clearer that this offense is dragging Williams down. If his arrow isn’t pointing upwards by the end of the season, change is almost inevitable.

3. Is Khalil Herbert the next Darnell Mooney? Like Mooney, Herbert was a late-round pick by Pace (sixth round in 2021) who was immediately productive before falling out of favor.

Mooney, a 2020 fifth-round pick who faded last season with the Bears, has thrived with the Falcons under former Sean McVay assistant offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.

Mooney has 41 receptions for 588 yards and five touchdowns this season – most catches and yards in nine games with the Falcons and Kirk Cousins than he did in 15 with the Bears and Fields/Tyson Bagent last season. Mooney has career highs in yards per catch (14.3) and yards per game (65.3). He is second in the NFL with 14 receptions of 20 yards or more (behind That of Justin Jefferson 15).

Herbert, who was traded to the Bengals (and former McVay assistant Zac Taylor) for a seventh-round pick in 2025, is in the Mooney mold. He averaged 95.5 rushing yards per game when he had 15 or more carries (205-1,051, 5.1 average in 11 games) and he led the NFL in rushing average (5, 7) in 2022, with 129 carries for 731 yards and four touchdowns. .

4. In consecutive games, the Bears allowed two demoralizing plays that rarely happen in the NFL.

The landing of the Hail Mary by the commanders was the first from team territory since 2015 (Aaron Rodgers has Richard Rodgers against the Lions). Emari Demercado’s A 53-yard touchdown with four seconds left in the first half is the only touchdown of 50 yards or more in the final 25 seconds of a half in the last 30 seasons.

This puts Eberflus in questionable company of weak moments. In 2014 under Marc Trestman, the Bears lost to the Patriots 51-23 and the Packers 55-14 in back-to-back games. This remains the only time since 1923 that an NFL team has allowed 50 or more points in consecutive games.

And in 2019 under Nagy, the Bears lost to the Saints by a franchise-low seven runs, then lost to the Chargers 17-16 when Eddie Pineiro missed a 41-yard field goal on the final play of the game.

5. The four teams beaten by the Bears this season, rank among the bottom 10 in the NFL in offensive or defensive scoring – or both: the Titans (28th in scoring, 29th in points allowed), the Rams (23rd/22nd), the Panthers ( 29th/32nd) and the Jaguars (21st/22nd). 29).

6. Red Flag Department: This is generally not a good thing when the focus in Week 10 is on running the ball and stopping the run.

“We’re working on exactly what we need to improve and it starts with the running game on offense, then defense and for me it’s all about that,” Eberflus said.

The Bears are 19th in rushing yards and 25th in rushing average (they were second and sixth in those categories last season). They are 14th in rushing defense and 23rd in rushing average (they were first/fifth last season).

7. Jim Harbaugh Watch: Harbaugh’s Chargers – without Keenan Allen, Austin Ekeler And Mike Williams – are 5-3 after a 27-10 win over the Browns. All of their losses are against the first place teams: the Chiefs (8-0), Steelers (6-2) and Cardinals (5-4).

Fun fact: The Cardinals attempted Emari Demercado’s pass-rush move against them in the first half of Week 7. Demercado gained 14 yards on third-and-16, the Cardinals punted and the Chargers responded with a land. goal at the end of time in the first half.

8. Quick Hits: Rome Odunze is the first Bears rookie with two 100-yard receiving games since Willie Gault, who had three in 1983. …The Bears have 29 pre-snap penalties, the second most per game in the NFL. … The Bears have allowed 200 or more rushing yards for the first time since 2022. They are 0-6 when allowing 200 or more rushing yards, losing by 19.7 points per game. … The Bears converted 3 of 14 third downs (21.4%) against a Cardinals defense that had allowed 45 of 76 (59.2%) third down conversions in its previous six games.

9. Former Bears Player of the Week: Chargers Edge Rusher Khalil Mack had a sack, a forced fumble and two tackles for loss in a 27-10 win over the Browns.

10. Bear-meter — 6-11: vs. Patriots (W); against the packers (L); against the Vikings (G); to the Lions (left); to the 49ers (G); at Vikings (L); against the Lions (G); vs. Seahawks (W); at Packers (L).