10 Bears Takes: Is this déjà vu? What’s next? More questions than answers

Expectations versus reality. That's the conundrum Chicago Bears fans seem to face each year after the first few games into the season. On the one hand, fans should expect a playoff-caliber football team. After all, this is Year 3 of a rebuild in which the front office had a historic level of resources at their disposal. Yet, it's easy to have that "here we go again" feeling with how the first three games of the season have played out.

Losing to the Houston Texans on the road last Sunday night was expected. Barely beating the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 with no offensive touchdowns could be written off Week 1 rust. They are still, looking as unprepared and uneven as they have after Week 3. Unacceptable.

The season is far from over. Sure, you'd like to see them have a better start and have that warm and fuzzy heading into a favorable Week 4 matchup. We saw a team that started (0-4) last year and found themselves in the playoff mix in mid-December last year. There's still plenty of time but the answers need to come quickly. For more on Sunday's loss and what to expect moving forward, let's dive into Week 3's installment of 10 Bears Takes.

The new-look, freshly-bearded Eberflus was a fun offseason story. Couple that with the amount of positive changes made during the acquisition period and it was easy to see why most were willing to forget about this coaching staff's inability to win games through the first two years. After all, they brought in a proven playcaller with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, and things were supposed to be different with this rookie quarterback!

Through three games, it's been too much of the same old, same old. Disappointment is an all-too-familiar feeling for Bears fans. "Winning" the offseason only goes so far when it rarely translates to winning on the field. For this regime, the good vibes of the offseason have rarely translated to the regular season.

Sure, the players need to play better. The offensive line comes to mind as the prime suspect in that department. Even so, why does it always feel coaching is the team's biggest downfall? Whether it's starting games unprepared or the coaching not putting their players in the best position to succeed. The story remains the same, despite the players and opponents changing.

In the moment, Waldron felt like the right hire. Maybe, in the end, he'll prove to be exactly that. Right now, this offense looks as disjointed as it did under Luke Getsy in the previous two seasons. The tale as old as time continues to be their biggest Achilles heel: The defense more than does its job but the offense can't reciprocate. After all, this is usually what happens when a team hires a defensive-minded head coach without a stable quarterback situation in place.

Maybe things get better and we're talking about a playoff team at the start of January. In the meantime, this season has not started as hoped, and there are plenty of fingers pointing at this coaching staff, which should give fans plenty of ammo to pull an early "I told you so" when it came to not firing Eberflus and starting fresh with a rookie quarterback. All someone has to do is watch what division rival coaches have done so far this year. Namely Matt LaFleur and Kevin O'Connell (who was hired the same year as Eberflus). Oh, and in case you have forgotten, Chicago didn't even interview O'Connell.

I feel like I've said it a million times since 2017, but I'll say it again: Quarterback development is not linear. It's easy to fall into traps of overreacting too quickly or to different quarterbacks from the same class. The reality is quite simple, nothing else matters except for what is going on with Williams and this offense.

Now, this isn't meant to be any sort of victory lap. Despite dropping back to throw 56 times, he still had a pair of interceptions and some deep misses that can't happen. His internal clock is a work in progress. His first interception and two sacks were a prime example of that internal clock. Even through all the bad, the No. 1 overall pick managed to outplay his counterpart. As of Sunday's results, Williams' performance ranks second in the NFL for passing yards in a game. He held the top spot until Dak Prescott eclipsed him with 379 yards in the late timeslot.

There's no denying that the offense needs work. A lot of work. The offense line has been thoroughly dominated in all three games and their running backs are averaging less than three yards per carry on the young season. In many ways, the offense's first three games have been nothing short of a disaster. Things should get better but when?

That makes what Williams was able to do even more impressive. Again, he needs to be better. There's no denying that, but he's a rookie. The rookie quarterback rollercoaster is a wild ride. That's why teams with them, rarely make the playoffs. The Bears weren't your typical No. 1 overall pick team, but that hasn't stopped everything around him going wrong. All Bears fans can hope for is that Williams rises above the imperfect situation and his talent wins out. After all, most believe that star quarterbacks would be that way, regardless of how it all starts. Only time will tell, but Week 3 was a big step in the right direction and should give fans a glimpse into a possible future with a star quarterback.

For starters, Williams' 52 pass attempts, rank third all-time in franchise history. He trails the two-time combination of Shane Matthews and Cade McNown in 1999, who hold the top two spots. The rookie tied Brian Hoyer for the most completions in a single game. His 363 passing yards ranked 18th all-time and the most for a rookie in a single-season game. That surpassed Trubisky's 314 passing yards against the Cleveland Browns .

What Williams was able to accomplish in Week 3 might not have felt like much, but in many ways, it was a sign that Chicago is finally diving into a 21st-century passing offense. Sure, you'd like to see them win games. It's also not sustainable for any quarterback to throw the ball that much each week. Still, it took Justin Fields 31 games to register his first 300-yard passing performance (also a loss). Balance will be needed moving forward, but Williams showed an ability to jumpstart the passing offense. That'll be needed as this offense progresses into being a formidable group.

Some of this might be a byproduct of the offensive line struggling. Most of it is the lack of production from their $8 million per year running back. D'Andre Swift was inconsistent enough in Detroit that they traded him for a Day 3 pick last offseason. Sure, he produced well in Philadelphia behind an elite offensive line but the metrics were never on his side. His vision has always lacked, and despite having some burst, it's hard for him to get into the open field.

Waldron would be smart to adjust his running back philosophy. Similar to Nate Davis, a sunken cost is exactly that. Maybe he'll figure things out and produce at a later date, but the time for change is now. Their running backs are averaging less than three yards per carry. The lack of run game is putting the offense in deep second and third down holes, and it's keeping things unbalanced. At some point, reality needs to be accepted. This was supposed to be a "get right" game for the running game and it turned into a big reality check.

To properly support their rookie quarterback, they need a balanced attack. A big part of that will be the threat of a rushing attack. Roschon Johnson might not be a long-term solution (primarily due to availability), but his performance today was worlds better than anything we've seen from Swift. Adjusting on the fly is something that both Eberflus and Poles lauded Waldron for during the interview process. It's time to see that in action.

Through three games, Chicago's defense is tied for 10th in points allowed (19), ninth in total yardage, and third with six takeaways. All of this, while the team's offense has scored three offensive touchdowns and turned the ball over five times (six in total with a special teams blunder).

By all accounts, the Bears' defense is a Top 10 unit, despite being put in many unfavorable spots throughout their first 180 minutes of action. So, why can some find a way to blame them for Sunday's loss? The margin for error (as noted above) is small. When one unit isn't pulling its weight, it puts a microscope on the other side of the football. That's exactly what is happening in Chicago right now. Sure, they gave up a pair of second-half touchdowns. One of those came on a nine-play, 80-yard drive. What the box score doesn't clearly show is that on that 80-yard drive, the defense was able to get off the field on third down. It was a neutral zone infraction that allowed the drive to continue. The second touchdown given up was on a four-play, 16-yard drive made possible by an offensive turnover.

Again, the margin for error with this defense is small. Despite ranking in the top 10 in most categories, unrealistic pressure is being put on this unit. With a league-average offense and half as many turnovers, the majority of fans and national pundits are viewing this as an elite unit. Don't get me wrong, it would have been nice for them to get off the field on the final drive of the game but even then, that would have left the offense with no timeouts and around a minute left to drive the length of the field for a game-winning touchdown. As fun as hypotheticals can be, that's a tall task for any offense, especially one that has scored three touchdowns in as many games. The defense deserves much more credit than criticism so far. This is on the offense (and coaching staff) why they are sitting at (1-2) heading into Week 4.

Going into April's draft, there was plenty of focus on the top three receivers in the class. Marvin Harrison Jr. was always going to be the top receiver off the board but through three weeks, Malik Nabers looks like the next star receiver. That's not a knock on Harrison Jr. or Odunze, that's just an early reaction based on how impressive the LSU product has been.

For Odunze, he's getting an opportunity that wasn't expected earlier in training camp. He was always a big part of the future in Chicago, but the general expectation was that he would be brought along slowly. Especially behind both DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. Unfortunately for the 32-year-old Allen, a foot injury has forced him to miss the last two games. Because of that, the No. 9 overall pick has been thrust into a more important role.

Through Odunze's first two games, his performance left a lot to be desired. His drop in the end zone last Sunday night was the tip of the iceberg. Sure, at times he was getting quality separation. Most of the time, he and Williams just weren't on the same page. Not all of that was on the rookie receiver but it appeared that the Washington product was the one not on the right wavelength.

In many ways, that changed in Week 3. Odunze was the team's leading receiver with six catches for 112 yards and Williams' first career passing touchdown. Even then, he was targeted 11 times and one of those targets was credited as an interception to Williams. Odunze has been known for his ability as a 50-50 possession receiver, but he was out-muscled for the ball, and it ultimately led to Williams' second interception. On a few other occasions, Williams was targeting the rookie receiver at a different point (or decision) in the route. Odunze "guessed" wrong on one and stopped running on another.

Again, these are all things that fans should expect from a rookie receiver in his third NFL contest. But these are all the aspects of Odunze's game he must clean up. The playmaking ability is there, as is the route running. The next step is becoming more reliable and getting on the same page with his quarterback. Either way, it was an impressive third game and one that should help build a connection in Chicago for the next 10-plus years.

Also... Who gets the touchdown ball?

The sobering reality for this team through three games is clear. Their defense is more than good enough. Their special teams (for the most part) should be a net positive. Their offense? Well... That's the issue... Again.

Outside of one year in the Marc Trestman era, the story has continued to be the same for the Chicago Bears and offense for the better part of three-plus decades now. It's simply not good enough. The only saving grace in this situation is that Caleb Williams has looked the part more often than not. At least, in my opinion. He's processing well, and despite a bad offensive line and no run game, he hasn't lost the confidence in his arm or overall abilities.

With that being said, this team's ceiling might not be nearly as high as many, including myself, had once believed. Without a run game and consistent pass protection, this is a unit that will struggle with consistency most of the season. Within their division, they'll face defenses that can exploit a rookie quarterback. Even against lesser teams like the New England Patriots , they'll struggle to move the ball and score points. We've seen this story play out before. A good— if not, great— defense can only take a team so far with a bottom 5-10 offense. That's where Chicago currently resides.

Can things improve? Absolutely. This same defense was giving up an average of 34 points per game through the first four contests of last season. Over their final 13 games, they gave up 24 points or more three times. Some of that improvement was helped out by the addition of Montez Sweat. But there wasn't a single player on the depth chart who was solely responsible for getting things turned around.

Here's where reality comes in, though. The chances of the Bears going from a bottom-five offense to a top-10 unit by the end of the year are highly unlikely. Barring a drastic change in performance from the offensive line and Williams playing at a C.J. Stroud-like level, the best fans can hope for is a middle-of-the-road offense. Even that would be a drastic improvement and should be good enough to get them into the double-digit win category. If we're being honest, even league average feels like a stretch, if not a miracle.

At this point, fans might be better off hoping for individual improvements. If Williams can continue to progress and cut down on the turnovers, that's a monumental step in the right direction for the long term. If Rome Odunze can become a viable No. 1 threat, even better. It's just hard to imagine there's a miracle upcoming for this group and that's something fans should be prepared for. That doesn't mean they can't finish over .500 or even challenge for a playoff spot. But without drastically improving the trenches, the ceiling is limited.

The New York Giants , Indianapolis Colts , Denver Broncos , Carolina Panthers , Baltimore Ravens , and Los Angeles Rams gave their fanbases a renewed sense of hope coming out of Week 3. Only the Tennessee Titans failed to win, out of these seven teams. On Monday night, another pair of winless teams will have a chance to change the course of their season. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals will look to leave the Titans as the only winless team heading into Week 4.

For some, maybe that'll soften the blow for Bears fans after their 21-16 loss on Sunday afternoon. My overall point is that heading into Week 4, the amount of parity around the league is at an all-time high. Teams like the Panthers and Giants were the most surprising outcomes but only one of Sunday's teams finds themselves further than one game back from a playoff spot three weeks into the season.

We'll see how things play out over the next few weeks. Like most seasons, the cream usually rises to the top, and teams that have had slow starts usually find a way to pick it up. On the opposite side of the spectrum, bad teams that had a lucky (or surprising) win early in the season, usually fade by the time Week 8 rolls around. Bears fans are hoping their favorite team will rise above the slow start. For now, we'll just have to wait and see how things play out.

Minnesota Vikings are for real. The Green Bay PackersDetroit Lions aren't far behind.

Coming out of a rebuild to the entire division looking like world beaters isn't exactly what anybody would call "ideal timing". The Vikings are (3-0) and have destroyed three straight teams. Including a pair of projected playoff teams. The Packers, without Jordan Love, have bounced back from their Week 1 loss with a pair of impressive victories. The Lions gave the Arizona Cardinals a bit of a reality check with a dominating 20-13 that wasn't as close as the score would leave many to believe.

Then there are the Bears. At (1-2) and losers of two in a row. Despite the other three team's offenses firing on all cylinders, Chicago has more offensive turnovers than touchdowns. Even with a top-end defense, the Bears don't stand a chance without a serious correction in the coming weeks. The good news is that they don't face a divisional opponent until Week 11. The bad news is that they are two games off the divisional lead and currently in last place.

The Packers will host the Vikings in Week 4, which should be the return of Love. That'll be a heavyweight matchup and one that should provide plenty of entertainment. The Lions will host the (3-0) Seattle Seahawks in one of two Monday Night Football matchups. A win for the Bears in Week 4 is damn-near a must.

San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

The Rams are down to half of their starting depth chart, and yet, they've shown more fight than some of the better teams in the league. A lot of that can be attributed to one of the league's best head coaches, Sean McVay, and a very good quarterback with Matthew Stafford. Unless the Rams can get healthy in a hurry, it's hard to imagine them competing for a playoff spot in 2024, but this will not be a game that Chicago can take for granted.

The Rams have five sacks as a team and are in the midst of life without Aaron Donald. Even so, they have plenty of fight and boast a good offense. If the Bears hope to get back to the .500 mark, they are going to need a complete game. This should be yet another game to get the passing game going, but they'll need to find a way to establish the run. It's a good matchup for the Bears but one that they cannot take for granted or come out and take lightly. They open up as 2.5-point favorites.