3 Takeaways from Bears' Week 18 Loss vs. Vikings
The Chicago Bears wrapped their 2022 season on Sunday with a loss to the rival Minnesota Vikings. It wasn't a particularly close game, which is unsurprising since blossoming quarterback Justin Fields (hip) was out of the lineup.
With Fields out, Chicago had a combination of Nathan Peterman and Tim Boyle under center. With those two running the show, the offense was largely lifeless, even against a terrible Vikings defense.
The result was a decisive 29-13 loss and a merciful end to what has been an underwhelming campaign. It also marks the start of of a difficult looming decision in Chicago. The Houston Texans' win leaves the Bears with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft.
Here are our three biggest takeaways from Chicago's Week 18 loss to the Vikings.
Velus Jones Jr. Goes Out on High Note
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There weren't many positives to take from a game in which Chicago was simply looking to finish. But a couple of highlights from rookie wideout Velus Jones Jr. should leave fans with one last reason to smile.
The 25-year-old, a third-round pick out of Tennessee, hasn't shown a lot for Chicago's offense this season. He's had a few bright moments on special teams, but he came into Sunday with only six catches for 79 yards and a touchdown to go with 61 rushing yards.
Jones easily had his best offensive game of the season in the finale, catching a 28-yard pass and scoring on this thrilling 41-yard reverse:
He was Chicago's first offensive player taken in the 2022 draft, but he hasn't flashed as much as the Bears' second-round picks, cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker.
On Sunday, though, Jones provided a look at the sort of offensive threat he could be next season and beyond.
For a rebuilding Bears team that didn't put many dynamic playmakers around its quarterback this season, that's promising.
Fields Sits, and His Future May Now Be a Little More Uncertain
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Though Chicago has allowed Fields to play with a lingering shoulder injury, it wasn't willing to risk playing him with a hip issue.
With the 23-year-old's mobility being one of his best attributes, this may have been a safe decision—or Chicago may have been hoping to back into the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft.
With Fields out, the Bears had no shot at beating a Vikings team still hoping to secure the NFC's No. 2 seed. They lost, and the Texans didn't. This leaves Chicago with a tough call to make at quarterback.
Over the second half of the season, Fields has shown a ton of promise as a dual-threat QB and a potential rising star. After being asked to play from the pocket early, he broke out as a scrambler and a terrific thrower of the deep ball. He finished with 17 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, more than 1,100 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
Once head coach Matt Eberflus figured out how to get the most from him, the Ohio State quarterback felt like one Chicago could build around in 2023.
However, having the No. 1 pick now means the Bears could also have their pick of quarterback prospects like C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young in 2023. And taking a signal-caller will get some consideration, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune:
"If Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles is in the hunt for the best player with a draft pick that will be no worse than No. 2 overall if they lose Sunday's season finale against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field, he's going to evaluate the quarterback class in the same manner every other position is scrutinized."
It feels unlikely Chicago will pull the plug on Fields this quickly, but his job is far from safe. This means the Bears' evaluation of his first two years in the NFL is nowhere near complete.
Will Anderson Jr. Would Look Good in a Bears Uniform
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If the Bears decide to stick with Fields for at least another season, they'll likely grab Alabama pass-rusher and blue-chip prospect Will Anderson Jr. at No. 1 in the NFL draft.
The top-ranked player on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's latest draft board, the 21-year-old appears to be as close to a "sure thing" as there is in this draft class.
"He's been considered the top player in this year's draft class since last January," Matt Holder of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.
Having an elite edge-defender who can fluster quarterbacks and stifle ball-carriers would help the Bears tremendously. Sunday's loss was another exhibition of just how lackluster their defense has been in 2022.
Even with the Vikings eventually inserting backups such as Nick Mullens and Alexander Mattison, Minnesota racked up 482 yards of offense, 27 first downs, 6.8 yards per play and more than double Chicago's point total.
The Bears defense, which came in ranked dead-last in points allowed, has been even worse since the midseason trades of Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn. It needs a massive influx of talent, and adding Anderson at the top of the draft would be a tremendous step in the right direction.
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