LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- What the hell happened at Halas Hall?
There's no other way to sum up Wednesday, a day in which the unfortunate start to the Chicago Bears' 2023 season took so many twists and turns that all the cars on the ride flew off the tracks.
There's a good chance that when the early obituary is written on the 2023 Bears, Wednesday, Sept. 20, will be the lede.
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What started as a typical day for an 0-2 team searching for answers ended with everyone's head spinning like a top.
Quarterback Justin Fields opened the day by sitting down at the dais, ready to explain the reason for his struggles. Fields was honest, straightforward, confident, and deliberate in comments, taking ownership of the issues while giving a detailed view of what had gone wrong.
Fields opened by saying he felt "robotic" in the Bears' 27-17 Week 2 loss to the Bucs and that he needs to think less and use his instincts. When asked why he felt he played robotic, Fields shined a light on some apparent differences of opinion between him and the Bears' coaching staff.
“You know, could be coaching I think," Fields said. "At the end of the day, they are doing their job when they are giving me what to look at, but at the end of the day, I can’t be thinking about that when the game comes. I prepare myself throughout the week and then when the game comes, it’s time to play free at that point. Thinking less and playing more.”
Fields explained that he is trying to be too perfect on gameday, wanting to do everything the precise way the staff wants, leading to him not playing the game as he is used to. He's not playing free and loose, finding himself bogged down by all the information the staff gives him.
The 24-year-old quarterback went on to say he doesn't think the Bears are trying to make him something he's not, but the staff's focus on keeping him in the pocket is leading to plays like the strip sack against the Bucs. Fields felt his internal clock go off and should have gotten out of trouble, but he tried to hang in and follow his coaching points. The results were disastrous.
"Exactly. I’m leaving. I’m gone. Time clock, I’m gone out of the pocket," Fields said. "That’s why that happened because they wanted me to work on staying in the pocket during the offseason, which, there’s times where you do, but when that internal clock goes off, that’s when you need to get out and extend the play, make a play. So yeah, it’s just kind of like taking their coaching, and then there’s always going to be...you don’t always have to...it’s not going to work out perfectly every time.
"Yes, there’s times where I could have stayed in the pocket but in that play specifically, I was in the pocket for a long time. I’ve got to extend the play, get out of the pocket, extend the play and do something with it. Make something shake. That’s kind of what I’m talking about though in getting back into my game and becoming more of a football player than such a thinker on the field."
Fields' message was clear. He didn't torch the staff, but he went to the podium with a plan to let everyone know that what the Bears' staff wants him to do and what he's good at don't align perfectly. Changes are needed.
The 24-year-old franchise quarterback critiquing the staff and the game plan would have made for a noteworthy day in itself.
But we were just getting started.
Next up was head coach Matt Eberflus, who opened his availability with the news that the Bears had placed left tackle Braxton Jones on injured reserve with a neck injury, and there was no timetable for his return. Eberflus refused to answer questions about defensive coordinator Alan Williams, who left the team for personal reasons last week.
Eberflus said he had a productive meeting with Fields and wants the quarterback to play free. However, Eberflus said the strip sack was "a mixture" of Fields not seeing things downfield and him being coached to a T.
After practice, Fields called reporters over to his locker to issue a statement about his previous apparent critique of the staff. The quarterback was unhappy with the characterization of his comments and wanted it known that the blame for his struggles starts and stops with him.
“I’m not blaming anything on the coaches," Fields said. "I’m never going to blame anything on the coaches or my teammates. Whatever happens in the game, I will take everything. If it’s a dropped pass, it should have been a pass. It’s on me. Put it on me. Never will you hear anything come out of my mouth to where I will blame it on someone else, this organization, my teammates, never will you hear that. Just wanted to clear that up. I need to play better. That’s what I should have said in the first place."
Fields' clarification or walk back is not unheard of, but it also wasn't needed. He didn't torch the staff, but he thoroughly explained why things have gone wrong and how they can get better, with coaching points and Fields' own desire to be perfect playing a starring role.
Two games in, and the star quarterback is distancing himself from staff to take ownership of his career isn't how the Bears drew up the start to what was supposed to be a season of optimism.
But a bizarre day in Lake Forest wasn't finished.
With rumors around Williams' absence swirling, the Bears released a statement that the defensive coordinator had officially resigned for health and family reasons. Due to rumors on Twitter, a Bears spokesperson had to clarify that there had not been an FBI raid at Halas Hall, nor had the police been there in any connection with Williams.
The Bears' statement on Williams' departure was as follows:
"Alan Williams submitted his resignation as the team’s defensive coordinator this afternoon."
That's it.
Even when teams fire or let go of underperforming employees, they usually release a statement thanking them for their service and wishing them well.
There was none of that Wednesday regarding Williams.
Eberflus called the defense in Week 2 and plans to do so going forward. At least, that's the plan for now.
BEARS ANALYSIS
Nothing has gone right for the Bears over the past month. Half a season's worth of turmoil took place over the course of six hours Wednesday at Halas Hall.
There were so many twists and turns it's easy to forget that safety Eddie Jackson didn't practice with a foot injury, and backup quarterback Nathan Peterman was released, clearing the way for undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent to be QB2.
When the story of this day is told years from now, most of us will find ourselves wondering where to begin.
That's the same place the Bears will be tomorrow as they try to patch things together and move on from a day that will likely define their season -- no matter how it ends.