Biggest Takeaways from Chicago Bears' Week 15 Loss
The Chicago Bears fell to 5-9 on the season and out of playoff contention with their 38-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium in Week 15.
Chicago began the game with great starting field position following an impressive return from Deonte Thompson, but the offense stalled on its first drive and was forced to punt the ball. The Vikings scored on their first possession of the game and never looked back.
It has been a disappointing season for the Bears, but fourth-year receiver Alshon Jeffery vowed after the game that 2016 will be different.
"I’ll tell ya one thing: Next season it won’t be nothing like this, I can tell you that," Jeffery said, per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Bears struggled to get into a rhythm on offense against Minnesota, and the defense struggled to slow down the Vikings offense all game long.
What are our biggest takeaways from Chicago's Week 15 loss to the Minnesota Vikings?
Inside Linebackers Struggled
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Before Sunday's game, inside linebacker Christian Jones was one of just five Bears who had started every game on defense this season, but the second-year man out of Florida State was a healthy scratch against Minnesota.
John Timu, an undrafted free agent out of Washington, made his first career start alongside veteran Shea McClellin in Week 15. Timu appeared in three games earlier in the year on special teams, and he flashed at times as a starter on Sunday. He led the team with nine tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.
Timu did a nice job of attacking ball-carriers downhill, but he struggled at times when asked to make plays in the passing game. The young linebacker has a lot of upside and will be someone to watch in the final two games of the year, but Chicago's other inside linebackers—McClellin and Jonathan Anderson—struggled against the Vikings.
McClellin finished the game with eight tackles and recorded just his second tackle for loss of the season. Despite his high tackle totals, he failed to make key stops in the open field.
The former Boise State Bronco struggled in pass coverage throughout the game and failed to bring down quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for sack in the second half when he shuffled his feet as he approached the young signal-caller instead of attacking the ball.
"Not sure why Shea McClellin broke down his feet as he closed in on Teddy there," tweeted the Chicago Tribune's Rich Campbell. "Missed a chance to disrupt that 3rd-and-7 pass."
The former first-round pick has the athleticism to play the position, but he lacks the instincts needed to be an effective starter in the NFL.
Anderson came in for Timu in the team's nickel package, and the former undrafted free agent out of TCU finished the game with two tackles and one quarterback hit. He is another linebacker who possesses above-average athleticism for the position, but he needs to do a better job of playing under control.
Timu and Anderson have both flashed at times this year, but the Bears will need to upgrade the position during the offseason if they hope to show improvement on defense in 2016.
Adam Gase's Offense Was Predictable
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Offensive coordinator Adam Gase was one of the NFL's hottest coaching candidates this offseason, but after failing to secure a head coaching job, he landed with the Bears.
Chicago's offense has shown flashes of its potential under Gase this year, but the unit has become predictable in recent weeks.
The Bears gained just 293 yards of total offense against the Vikings, and the offensive line struggled to protect quarterback Jay Cutler. The veteran quarterback was sacked a season-high five times, and he turned the football over twice.
Cutler's first turnover came on sack by Brian Robison early in the second half, and the former Vanderbilt Commodore was later picked off by defensive end Justin Trattou on an attempted screen pass to running back Matt Forte.
Penalties and poor execution played a part in Chicago's struggles on offense, but Gase's offense was often predictable. The team relied on draws and delayed runs on third downs, and the young coordinator leaned heavily on the screen game.
Gase failed to move Cutler out of the pocket despite the amount of pressure Minnesota was getting up the middle, and he failed to dial up many shots down the field to his receivers.
Cutler threw for just 231 yards—his lowest since missing the second half against the Arizona Cardinals because of an injury in Week 2—and the offense seemed out of sync all afternoon.
Deonte Thompson Is Becoming a Reliable Kick Returner
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Chicago signed return man Deonte Thompson to its practice squad in September and elevated the former Florida Gator to the 53-man roster in early November.
Thompson took over return duties on kickoffs from veteran Marc Mariani in Week 11 against the Denver Broncos, and he returned two kickoffs for 54 yards. He had a big return for 37 yards against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving night, and he has proved in recent weeks to be an effective weapon on special teams.
On Sunday against Minnesota, Thompson returned five kickoffs for 153 yards—including a 49-yard return on the opening kickoff.
The young return man is a fearless runner who displays good vision and has a good feel for his blockers. He hits the hole with speed and has the ability to cut either to the inside or the outside depending on how his blocks are set up.
Mariani struggled with his decision-making on kickoffs, but Thompson has been a breath of fresh air since taking over return duties last month. The Bears have struggled in all three phases of the game in the last three games, but Thompson has been a bright spot.
If the 26-year-old continues to produce in the last two games of the year, there is a good chance he returns to Chicago next season.
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Running Backs Matt Forte and Jeremy Langford Were Both Effective
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Even though Chicago's offense was predictable at times on Sunday, running backs Matt Forte and Jeremy Langford both had productive days.
The two running backs have been splitting time in the backfield since Forte's return from a knee injury in Week 12 against Green Bay. The veteran back out of Tulane carried the ball eight times for 47 yards, while Langford ran the ball 11 times for 46 yards.
In total, the Bears averaged 4.7 yards per run on 20 carries against the Vikings.
Langford was targeted three times in the passing game and hauled in just one ball for 11 yards, but Forte was targeted seven times by Cutler and finished the game with six catches for 57 yards with one touchdown.
Forte has spent his entire career in Chicago as the team's primary running back, and even though he has been forced to split carries with Langford in recent weeks, he has not allowed that to change his approach.
“I just go out there and play my hardest,” he said, per Kevin Fishbain of ChicagoFootball.com. “As I was growing up, my father always told me to play every down like it’s my last, so that’s how I play.”
Both running backs are good in space, and Forte proved on Sunday he still has the ability to pick up tough yards. Forte (6'2", 218 lbs) is strong and powerful between the tackles, while Langford (6'0", 208 lbs) is a strong, shifty back who can bounce the ball to the outside or can drop his head and power forward for extra yards.
Forte is set to become a free agent at the end of this season, but he and Langford have proved to be an effective one-two punch in the running game in recent weeks.
Willie Young Continues to Produce
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Not many things went right for Chicago's defense on Sunday, but outside linebacker Willie Young added to his sack total in Week 15.
Young notched his 6.5 sack of the season in the first half against the Vikings, and he became the third Bear to record a sack in five straight games, according to Eli Kaberon of the team's official website.
The veteran pass-rusher struggled to acclimate himself to outside linebacker early in the season after spending his whole career as a 4-3 defensive end, but he has been a bright spot for Chicago's defense over the course of the last five games.
"It's amazing how Willie Young has found himself in this defense. Wasn't supposed to be a fit, but has been," tweeted 670 The Score radio host Laurence Holmes on Sunday.
While Young is not exactly an ideal fit at outside linebacker in Chicago's 3-4 scheme, he has been making the most of his opportunities this season.
“I think me being a professional, coming out of college I was always a defensive end. Once I got to the NFL I ended up having to be versatile,” he said late last week, per Fishbain. “I think me just being the athlete that I am, blessed with the talents that I’ve been given, I’m just able to adapt to whatever the situation might be.”
On Sunday, Young finished the game with two tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one quarterback hit. He is still at his best when rushing the quarterback out of a three-point stance, but he has proved in recent weeks that he can be an effective 3-4 outside linebacker.
In addition to making plays against the pass, he has also done a nice job of setting the edge in the running game, and he has shown the ability to drop back in coverage in certain situations.
Even though he is better suited playing defensive end in a 4-3 scheme, it looks like Young will be an important part of Chicago's defense next season.
Statistical information courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.
Matt Eurich is a Chicago Bears featured columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.
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