The Bears lost 6-3 to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, a crazy-low, touchdown-less score line that doesn’t happen often.

The Bears have lost by that score twice in their history, once in 1999 and again in 1971. Those didn’t extend long losing streaks reaching double digits or highlight shocking offensive ineptitude despite a talent cast of skill players.

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That plummets the Bears into further despair with, mercifully, just one game left on the slate.

There were plenty of calls to fire even more folks despite the fact that canning Matt Eberflus and Shane Waldron haven’t improved results. In fact, the Bears have gotten worse since Eberflus left.

That has pushed for dismissal even higher on the org chart, including surprising chants for a legacy franchise to hand the keys over to a new driver.

Let’s break into all that in this Week 17 overreactions.

Bears ownership really should “sell the team”

Overreaction: Completely

As a terribly unentertaining game progressed, fans who weren’t all that happy upon entering Solider Field were beyond frustrated with the product on display. The Bears couldn’t score or even orchestrate their offense well.

Pockets of fans started chanting “Sell the team! Sell the team! Sell the team!” and it grew louder as other sections joined the chorus. It picked up real steam down the stretch, when the Bears failed to score a go-ahead touchdown or even attempt a game-tying field goal.

Encouraging ownership to sell a legacy franchise has to have gotten back to those in charge, but there’s no way in heck a family like the McCaskey’s with direct ties to the Bears founder, George Halas, are letting go of anything.

Their connection to the franchise is strong, maybe unbreakable. While some decisions on coaches, general managers and quarterbacks haven’t gone well of late, making a voluntary decision to let go of the franchise that has been in the family for so long is just crazy and I’d imagine not even on the table. The Bears must be better as an organization. The football product must improve right away, and that effort starts with an ever-important offseason where the Bears must get the head coach right. Ownership will try to usher in that new era, entrusting those hired to make the right moves at the right time.

Ryan Poles should go, too

Overreaction?: Yes

We’ve weighed this topic several times in recent weeks, since Eberflus’ firing has put general manager Ryan Poles as the next in line to draw criticism. He has been widely praised for the Bryce Young trade, drafting Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall, some sound contract extensions and smart salary-cap management.

His roster is clearly deficient and well behind others in the NFC North, opening himself up to criticism about his role in this terrible season. There’s also a matter of alignment with a new head coach. They’ll probably be on different contract cycles, which may make some top coaching candidates jumpy. If Poles is gone next year, a new GM may want to hire his own head coach and cut the new guy’s tenure short.

Those are all factors in the decisions that come next, but team president and CEO Kevin Warren made it clear that Poles will be around as GM. There’s no reason to think that he has changed his mind on Poles, and could put speculation to rest by putting Poles in front of the media as soon as the season ends to talk about the next head coach search.

Bears won’t see the postseason for more than two years

Overreaction?: No

Our Andy Martinez spotted this one on social media, and we thought it a good over/under line for whether the Bears can get things turned around in a flash. It might be interesting to set it at 2.5 years.

It’s hard to imagine a turn from a four-win season to a playoff berth considering who else is in the division and the stability of the Lions, Vikings and Packers at important positions. They all have top head coaches and GMs, most of them have stable quarterback situations and have drafted well.

Getting past three franchises like that is going to be tough, but the right head coach could make a quick ascent. Sean Payton’s a good example in Denver. So is Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles. Those guys got things turned around pretty fast. If the individual who steps in can get Caleb Williams going strong, then the Bears could be pretty good. Every starting defender is under contract next season. And with some smart upgrades along both fronts, the Bears could at least be competitive again.