5 Things on the Bears If all goes right, Bears heading to playoffs next season

The Bears are going to make the playoffs next season.

There. I said it.

Bold predictions are always dangerous, but this really doesn't feel like going out on much a ledge.

Think about it. The Bears, while a miserable 3-11, just went toe-to-toe with the 13-1 Eagles on Sunday and lost just 25-20. That's the best team in the NFC and a serious Super Bowl contender.

They also had 16-3 and 19-10 leads over the Packers before collapsing; lost by just 3 to the Falcons; blew a 24-10 lead vs. the Lions; and had chances to beat the Dolphins, Vikings and Commanders in the waning moments.

“Yeah, we're close,” safety Deandre Houston-Carson said. “We've got to figure out how to finish 'em out though.”

That should happen next season as long as Justin Fields stays healthy and GM Ryan Poles adds a few key pieces.

Last year, the Jets (4-13), Giants (4-13) and Lions (3-13-1) were all abysmal. Now look at them: The Jets are 7-7, the Giants 8-5-1 and the Lions have won six of seven to get to 7-7.

Are they world beaters? Not yet. But that's some serious improvement in just one season.

This will be the Bears next season — but even better. I'm saying 9-8 and maybe even 10-7.

Clip and save, and we'll see if I'm right.

Butterfingers:

Velus Jones Jr. saw a season-high 40 snaps Sunday and looked really good running routes in the early going. On the second drive, he used his blazing speed to get open deep, and then was wide open on a crossing pattern on third-and-10. Justin Fields didn't see him on the first play, then was under too much pressure on the second.

Jones' speed was more than apparent as he ran these routes, and it makes you think he could have a bright future.

Of course, ball security has been a big issue. We saw that again Sunday when Jones fumbled at the Eagles' 42-yard line midway through the third quarter. Philly recovered, killing an excellent chance for the Bears to take the lead.

“I don't like that. I don't like it,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “I don't like when guys lose the football. It's not good.”

Jones received words of encouragement from fellow WRs Dante Pettis and Byron Pringle on the bench.

“That's my guy. That (expletive) happens in football,” Pettis said. “There's a lot of ups and downs in football. A lot of ups and downs. ... I've been there, so being able to just be there and tell him, ‘That's not the end of the game. We're coming back for you.'

“And he does a good job of being resilient and being able to stay locked in. I just wanted to remind him to let that one go and make sure you hang onto the ball.”

Poor preparation:

On the opening kickoff Sunday, the Bears — who were receiving — were called for illegal formation. On the second and fourth plays from scrimmage, Ryan Griffin and Braxton Jones were whistled for false starts.

Then came missed blocking assignments, alignment confusion, and guys running wrong pass patterns.

And all of this after a bye week, no less.

“I don't think it was very crisp out there at all,” TE Cole Kmet said.

Of course, the O-line lost Teven Jenkins and the WR corps lost Equanimeous St. Brown to injuries on the first drive. WR Chase Claypool was also inactive.

So can the Bears use all of that as an excuse? No way, Kmet said.

“A lot of guys (are) coming in and out, playing different positions that they weren't practicing at during the week,” Kmet said. “But that's the NFL. We have to do a better job of being able to go plug and play.”

Championship habits:

At this point, it's difficult to say what kind of head coach Matt Eberflus will become when he's blessed to have a playoff-caliber roster. Right now, there's no pressure. What will happen when the lights get really bright?

Having said that, Eberfuls does deliver convincing messages during many of his postgame pressers. It was no different Sunday after his team dropped a seventh straight contest.

His most impressive response came after he was asked what the goal is for the coaching staff with just three games remaining.

“I would just say championship habits,” Eberfuls said. “I put that in front of the guys every week. Doesn't matter win, lose or draw — we want to see championship habits from the individual. That means the minute you come into the building you are laser focused on the job at hand (until) the minute you leave.

“And afterward you're studying to make sure you're going to perform at a high level. Each guy we challenge to play at an A-plus game every week. It is based on practice and how you play in the game. Guys are rotated in and out based on that production. ...

“We're getting better. ... It's important for us. Every one of these plays, every one of these games is real important to us going forward to look at everybody and really also the morale of our team.”

By the numbers:

• Cole Kmet has 39 catches for 433 yards and needs 2 receptions and 61 yards to pass Darnell Mooney to become the team leader in both categories. He has an excellent chance to become the first tight end to lead the Bears in catches since 2009 when Greg Olsen had 60.

He also could be the first TE to lead in receiving yards since the strike-shortened 1982 campaign when Emery Moorehead had 363 in nine games. The last TE to lead in receiving yards during a full season was Mike Ditka in 1963 (794 yards).

• The Bears rank last in extra point percentage at 82.8%. Cairo Santos has missed 5 on the season. Washington (86.4) and Minnesota (86.8) rank 31st and 30th. Eight teams have hit 100% of their PATs.

• The team's single-season rushing record still figures to fall as the 2022 Bears have now amassed 2,616 yards on the ground. They must average 119.66 yards in the final three games to pass the 1984 squad (2,974).