It’s not often that you obtain any true insight from a postgame press conference. Players and coaches alike typically put up an impenetrable shield and come equipped with their bag full of cliches and endless adages.
But after the Chicago Bears 23-16 win over the Carolina Panthers, Nick Foles provided fans and media alike an authentic assessment of the 5-1 team’s mindset.
A fired-up Foles said that they are not satisfied with their current offensive output.
“We want to improve. We want to get better. We want to have rhythm,” Foles said.
There’s no doubt that this offense will need to improve. Chicago’s defense can only carry this team so far. Eventually, the offense will need to pick up some of the slack.
Luckily for the Bears, despite being consistently inconsistent on offense the team is continuing to find themselves stacking up wins instead of losses.
And that’s that obvious room for refinement, enhancement, and overall improvement that really excites the Chicago Bears Quarterback.
“If we were winning these games and playing perfect, and they were this tight,” Foles said, “And we’re playing perfect, what do you do? Where do you improve?”
Foles makes a valid point. You don’t want to be playing to your full potential in October. You want to keep that for the months of December and into January.
It’s the same untapped potential that is frustrating Bears Fans.
Instead of harping on the could’ve and should’ve beens, Foles – who is only three starts into his Bears’ tenure – understands that these things take time, and that the Bears can fix their issues on offense. He added that it doesn’t happen overnight and that in the NFL it can take years for teams to figure it out.
Foles also ensured to mention that he does not believe the Bears are one of those teams. He believes the Bears can improve soon. Even though the Bears only have one loss on their record now halfway through October, they are not remotely satisfied.
Instead, they are taking every opportunity to discuss as a team on how they can continue to get better sooner rather than later. Players and coaches aren’t waiting to get back to Halas Hall, they are having these discussions as soon the game is over.
“We also know we’re going to improve because we believe in one another,” Foles said. “That’s what great teams do. Great teams find a way to win a game. Bad teams win with ‘prettiness.’”
There’s been nothing “pretty” about Chicago’s offense, but you have to believe Foles, a Super Bowl MVP, knows a thing or two about what “great teams” look like both on the field and behind the scenes.
And that belief in one another is important. Foles said without it, “nothing is possible.”
Foles continued on to express appreciation for his teammates, explaining how proud he is of this group for finding ways to win these close games. Reiterating yet again, “great teams” win just find ways to win.
And after watching and listening to Foles’ comments, it’s easy to believe what he said. This wasn’t the typical same old song and dance, Foles meant every word.
It hit different.
For an offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in both points and yards per game, there is room for improvement across the board. Foles knows that. In fact, he’s embracing the current situation, but is not near satisfied.
“I like where we’re at. I know we’re going to improve,” Foles said.
You better believe his teammates heard every word and that Foles’ passion was appreciated by the guys in the locker room.
Winning ugly has worked so far, but there’s going to be games this season where the offense will need to shoulder the load.
Foles’ confidence in this team was heard loud and clear. Now it’s up to the offense to accept his challenge and answer the call.
It’s not every Sunday where you get an authentic representation of the headspace of any player, but Foles’ genuine take (and the passion behind it) on the current state of his team displays the type of leadership needed for that offense to take that next step.
Did You Miss Our Bears-Panthers Postgame Show?
Give it a listen: Chicago Bears – Carolina Panthers Postgame Show: Defense Dominates, Offense Does Enough and Cairo Santos Shines as Bears Topple Panthers
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