With 136 games in the books and 136 remaining, the 2-7 Bears and 1-7 Panthers will officially kick off the second half of the season. And actually, these two franchises have a lot more in common than their dismal records.
Chicago exited the Jay Cutler era right after the 2016 season, when they compiled their worst record since 1969, and their second-worst record ever. Chicago went 2-8 in Cutler's final 10 starts with the club. The team reacted -- or rather, overreacted -- by trading up one spot in the 2017 draft to land Mitch Trubisky. That summer, I wrote on this page that it was a leap of faith. As it turned out, they could have sat back and snagged Patrick Mahomes. But they believed Trubisky would be their next franchise QB, and the decision set them back years.
The ensuing turmoil generated urgency around finding another potential franchise QB. Justin Fields fit the bill, and while he remains a work in progress, the 24-year-old -- if healthy -- could put it all together in 2024 and help lead this team back to the playoffs. The Bears were a trendy preseason pick to make waves. Didn't work out, in part due to injuries to key players like Fields. But there's a foundation for excellence, and surely they'll run it back next season before deciding whether Fields is "the answer."
Carolina exited the Cam Newton era right after the 2021 season, when they compiled their worst record since 2010 -- a few months before drafting Cam #1 overall. Incredibly, they lost his final 13 starts across four seasons, amplifying the rapid decline of their former star. In my opinion, the Panthers overreacted in the 2023 draft, trading up to land Bryce Young.
As I wrote when the Cards drafted Kyler Murray, there have been no "great" or even "very good" long-term NFL quarterbacks who stood 5'10" or shorter. Doug Flutie came closest, though even he struggled to latch on until his age-36 season, when the Bills signed the Canadian Football League legend after determining that 24-year-old former second-rounder Todd Collins wasn't the answer. They were right. Collins started only four more games the rest of his career.
The point is, diminutive quarterbacks are at a competitive disadvantage on professional football's biggest stage. It's not entirely fair, and it's also reality. Carolina is all in on Young, because they have to be, and presumably because they wholly believe in him. But like Fields, Trubisky, and every other expensive QB draft pick, there's a window of opportunity. Young has three or four years to prove he can elevate this franchise.
As of late Wednesday night, Fields appears doubtful for Thursday Night Football, though he hasn't yet been declared out. There's a chance he'll suit up. And if he does, he and D.J. Moore and Cole Kmet (the overall TE5, which is simply incredible in this offense) would be must-starts. And if you're in a deep league, I'd take a flyer on Darnell Mooney. Carolina's dealing with significant injuries on defense -- a unit that's surrendered the sixth-fewest QB fantasy points per game. So their injury woes could tip the scales in Chicago's direction.
Assuming Fields sits, things will get a bit more complicated. There are no must-starts with Tyson Bagent under center. While the rookie has at times played admirably, he's frequently overmatched. The good news is that Carolina has a sub-par pass rush. Moore would be a riskier top-25 WR, while Mooney would be a deep flyer. Kmet should be find regardless.
On the ground, Carolina's given up the second-most RB fantasy points per game. The problem is that no one knows how the backfield touches will be distributed. Khalil Herbert is officially questionable. If he's active and starting, then you're rolling the dice if you start him or D'Onta Foreman, with Roschon Johnson possibly mixing in. If you're short on RBs and happen to have Herbert and Foreman, then this is an ideal time to start both Bears (again, if Herbert's a full go), because I'm banking on 27+ points between the two.
For the Panthers, on paper Chicago should be a soft opponent. The Bears' D has struggled against the run and the pass, and while trading for Montez Sweat helped, there are still too many holes to fill. Still, we're talking about the Panthers. Young has exceeded 14.5 fantasy points only once, and he needed a season-high 41 throws to do it.
Adam Thielen is their only "safe" best. The ageless wonder is the only Panther to exceed 20 fantasy points in a game this year, and he's done it five times. While Chuba Hubbard or Miles Sanders or Jonathan Mingo could crack 10 points, it's a roll of the dice. There's room for randomness on teams with nothing to play for.
My final-score prediction is based on Bagent starting, which seems to be the most likely scenario. Bears 24, Panthers 19. Leave your prediction for a shot at bragging rights for the next 50 years.