LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Jaylon Johnson expressed his frustrations clearly when discussing the Chicago Bears’ current situation, showing little interest in silver linings for the struggling team.


“I’ve been in slumps four, five years in a row now,” Johnson stated, indicating a long history of disappointments. “At the end of the day, I don’t look for, ‘OK, what is going to be better in the future?’ … It will be better when it’s better. So, right now, it’s not better. That’s all I can go off of.”


The Bears hold a record of 4-7, placing them at the bottom of the NFC North. Their most recent match ended in a 30-27 overtime loss against the Minnesota Vikings, marking their fifth consecutive defeat. They had a late-game comeback, erasing an 11-point deficit within the last moments of regulation, but were ultimately unable to secure the win, with a last-second field goal from the Vikings sealing their fate.


This loss marked the third close contest during their current losing streak. Earlier in the season, the Bears suffered a heartbreaking defeat with a Hail Mary loss to Washington in Week 8 and had a late-game field goal attempt blocked by Green Bay in another tough matchup in Week 11.


Players have started to voice their doubts about the coaching strategies. Just before the game against Green Bay, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was let go, and following the recent game with Minnesota, coach Matt Eberflus faced criticism for his management style during critical moments.


During the third quarter, with the team down 17-10, confusion arose on a fourth-and-4 at the Vikings’ 27-yard line. Eberflus admitted that he could have communicated better regarding the decision to attempt the fourth down conversion. This led to a chaotic moment when kicker Cairo Santos and long snapper Scott Daly rushed onto the field only to be sent back as a lineman waved them off. Quarterback Caleb Williams, trying to align the team quickly to avoid a delay of game, ultimately misheard the play call and ended up throwing an incomplete pass.


Receiver DJ Moore commented that the team had not received any clarification regarding that play from Eberflus. The Bears planned to hold a team meeting later that day to address the situation. “That moment was just like, like a ‘what is going on’ moment that we could have avoided,” Moore said.


In terms of performance, the passing game showed improvement. Williams has appeared increasingly confident since Thomas Brown took over as offensive coordinator, throwing for 340 yards and two touchdowns during the game against Minnesota. This performance marked his fourth consecutive game without a turnover and his fifth in a row without throwing an interception.


However, one area that still needs attention is field goal protection. Following a blocked field goal against Green Bay, Santos faced another setback against Minnesota, where a 48-yard attempt was also blocked, again from the same part of the line. Eberflus emphasized the need for better technique in front of their kicker. “It’s getting your foot down, bracing up there, staying lower. … We just have to do a better job there with that,” he stated.


Santos has now experienced three blocked kicks this season, matching the highest number for the Bears in a single season since 2012 and highlighting a significant area of concern.


Receiver DJ Moore has seen increased involvement in the offense, catching a season-high seven passes for 106 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings. His performance added to his total of 14 receptions for 168 yards over the past two games, standing in stark contrast to his totals of 13 receptions for 104 yards over the prior four games. Johnson also contributed with a crucial catch that set up Santos’ tying field goal during the final moments of regulation.


In contrast, running back D’Andre Swift had a difficult outing with only 30 yards on 13 carries, although his performance may have been affected by a groin issue, alongside facing off against the NFL’s top-ranked run defense.


As for injury reports, there were no issues noted from the game.


A critical statistic from the season shows the Bears’ struggles in close games, where they hold a record of 5-18 in one-possession matches during Eberflus’ nearly three-year tenure, with a 2-5 record for this year. Overall, the team has a record of 14-31 since he took over.


Looking ahead, the Bears will face a challenging matchup against the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. Detroit boasts a strong record of 10-1, having won nine games in a row since their loss to Tampa Bay earlier in the season.