5 Takeaways from the Bears-Bucs Game

1. Luke Getsy's annoying obsession with screens needs to stop. I get it; we have a weakened, developing offensive line and some awesome YAC threats at receiver and running back. But when you have a dynamic young dual-threat QB with an awesome arm who finally has someone he can throw it to downfield, and you proceed to run 10+ screen plays a game in back-to-back weeks, it shows both a lack of creativity and a lack of trust in your QB and his weapons. On top of that, a defense with Vita Vea, Anthony Nelson, Shaq Barrett and Lavonte David is absolutely not a defense I'd expect to be fooled more than maybe once with a screen (and they proved it), and I know Chris Jones and the Chiefs will have a field day with an offense run like ours was today.

2. Justin Fields looks like the real deal, but the stats and score won't show it. Two picks in the last 3 minutes of the game and being sacked 6 times might look like problems, but both of our starting guards are still inactive and neither of the interceptions were on Justin (Pick 1 was 100% Getsy being an idiot and calling back-to-back screens, Pick 2 was just unfortunate). I missed the first quarter, but what I saw from Justin as a QB in the rest of the game gives me a lot of hope for him and this offense once Jenkins and Davis come back from injury and Getsy finally gets himself together.

3. The Bears' defense is at least respectable, but still needs work. Mike Evans killed us; Tyrique Stevenson looked lost whenever Evans went past 5 yards downfield, and I'm kind of shocked that Baker didn't give him a Justin Jefferson-sized workload because of that. But Stevenson is a rookie, and Evans is 6'5" and one of the best X-receivers in the world. Outside of that (and Baker making some Baker plays), I'm actually really happy with how our defense looked today. It'll definitely help to have Eddie and Kyler back, and it would be really nice to have a dominant presence off the edge (#Verse2024), but at least we have something back there for now.

4. Baker Mayfield is an above-average NFL starting QB when healthy and stable. I won't say much; give Baker an oven and let him bake.

5. The Bucs are a legitimate threat in the NFC. Think about it: The Niners are struggling with the Rams right now, and the Eagles and the Bucs both beat the Vikings by one score. Convinced yet? Just keep watching.