Just because your team isn’t playing in Thursday Night Football, that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved in the action. The Chicago Bears can speak to that reality.
Week 14’s TNF contest featured the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots, both of whom were fielding backup quarterbacks. That meant Mitchell Trubisky, the man supposed to be the face of the franchise in the Windy City, found himself front and center.
Needless to say, things did not go well. Not only did he and the Steelers lose, but his mere presence was enough to leave Bears fans at home catching a stray shot from Al Michaels.
But, given how the evening ended, an insult was well worth the price of admission for those in Chicago. On the night, the Bears collectively took another step toward prime draft position.
Let’s break things down.
A Chicago Bears helmet is pictured after the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 25, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. The Bears took a step closer to the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night. Nic Antaya/Getty Images
Michaels Raised the Spector of Chicago’s QB Struggles
When you think of the Bears, a strong defense (and maybe a certain mustachioed coach) springs to mind. In the modern NFL, though, strong quarterback play is a key part of success. And while the organization has tried to find a star under center, the team haven’t quite struck gold.
Al Michaels made sure everyone remembered that on Thursday.
As mentioned above, Trubisky was thrust into the action as Pittsburgh’s starter. The QB started his career in Chicago, but the second-overall pick of the never quite pulled it together. He spent four years under center and, despite an 11-3 2018 campaign, eventually lost his grip on the starting job.
When the signal-caller entered the fray on Thursday night, Michaels made sure the viewing audience remembered that reality.
Al Michaels with an early shot at the Bears when introducing Mitch Trubisky: “He was going to be the next Sid Luckman. Something Chicago has been looking for since the 17th century.” — Josh Schrock (@Schrock_And_Awe) December 8, 2023
In fairness to Trubisky, he didn’t post a disastrous stat line against New England, completing 22 of 35 passes for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception. At the same time though, he didn’t exactly step up in the team’s hour of need and deliver an important victory either.
The Bears Still Scored a Draft Win
With that being said, though, there was still a silver lining to Thursday Night Football for Bears fans. A Patriots loss makes the draft order look that much sweeter.
Chicago, of course, holds Carolina’s 2024 first-round pick, and, as of now it looks like they’ll be picking first overall. The Patriots, struggling through an awful campaign, looked like a competitor for that top spot, but a TNF win changes the calculation.
Another winner tonight: the Bears.
With just 5 games remaining, the Panthers now have at least 2 fewer wins than every other team in the NFL.
Chicago’s grip on the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft just grew that much stronger. — Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 8, 2023
With New England’s victory, they moved to 3-10. Carolina, who is in the cellar at 1-11, now has a clear, two-point cushion in the loss column.
And given the impact that a top draft pick can have on an organization, solidifying that position is massive.
That advantage in the race to the bottom looks even stronger when you consider the upcoming schedules. The Patriots will face the Buffalo Bills, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Denver Broncos, but close the year with a winnable contest against the New York Jets.
Carolina, on the other hand, will face the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Green Bay Packers, the Atlanta Falcons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the New Orleans Saints. Those are all losable games and, even if a result goes the opposite way, the two-game buffer provides Chicago with a bit of insulation.
Who knows, maybe the 2024 draft will be the moment when the Bears can find their first franchise quarterback since the 1600s. If that’s the case, all of the insults suffered this year will be well worth it.
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