Following another dominant win at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears exit the first quarter of their regular season at 3-1. Although many will look at the box score and see a 23-12 final score, make no mistake: the Bears dominated this game from start to finish. If anything, they were their own worst enemy on Sunday.
With a quality start to the season locked in, all eyes will turn to the health of their starting quarterback heading into a big Week 5 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
Before we turn the page on their second-straight win, let’s take a deeper dive into Sunday’s game and what to expect next in Week 4’s edition of 10 Bears Takes.
1. After coaching on the same staff for four years in Detroit, the first matchup goes to Ben Johnson, and it wasn’t really that close.
It’s always hard to label an 11-point win as “dominant,” but that’s exactly what this team did on Sunday. From the opening whistle until the final kneel-down, the Bears dominated this game, and despite the score, it never felt relatively close.
Much was made about this matchup coming into the weekend, especially on a short week for Chicago. Conventional wisdom would have said that two head coaches who spent four years together on the same team would have made for a much closer matchup. Even if these two teams are in different spots at this juncture of this season, Johnson owned the matchup of his offense versus Glenn’s defense. Still, Dennis Allen also schooled Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich, despite some advantageous field position for the Jets coming off their two takeaways.
As I wrote about last week, it’s time for fans to ignore past troubles and embrace the fact that this is a very good football team. Even more encouraging, they’ve yet to come close to reaching their ceiling. Penalties, self-inflicted mistakes, and injuries have held this group back from playing their best football. All things considered, that’s pretty impressive considering they are 3-1 and exit Week 4 with a +47 point differential.
Maybe that’s why many, including myself, came away from Sunday’s game wanting more. Despite having more rush attempts (54) than the Jets had plays run (32), an 11-point margin of victory feels light. It took the Jets until the third quarter to break the 100-yard threshold, and outside of Geno Smith’s 58-yard bomb to Isaiah Williams late in the fourth quarter, the Jets offense managed just 109 yards on 31 plays. Let that sink in for a minute- the Bears had 153 yards over their first two possessions in the first quarter.
Simply put, the Bears controlled every aspect of this game (outside of the turnover margin), including 345 more yards and 57 more plays, to go with a heavily lopsided 25:30 time of possession advantage. Considering the dominance displayed on Sunday, it’s only a matter of time before the scores start reflecting it. For now, Johnson will gladly take Round 1 against his former coaching mate. Now, we wait to see if there will ever be a Round 2.
2. With Caleb Williams’ status still up in the air for the next few games, Ben Johnson might want to reevaluate the quarterbacking situation heading into a crucial Week 5 matchup in Green Bay.
If you look at the box score, you might have come away impressed with Tyson Bagent’s overall numbers. After all, he finished the game 25-of-34 (73.5%) for 268 passing yards, a 7.9 yards-per-attempt average, and the lone interception. That said, what didn’t show up on the stat sheet might warrant a more extensive conversation about who should start in Week 5, assuming Williams isn’t ready to go.
I don’t want this to sound like I’m dumping on Bagent, but evaluating his overall performance needs nuance. On the plus side, when Bagent was accurate and on time, he was responsible for multiple big plays downfield. Aside from the one sack he took earlier in the game, his protection was fantastic, and for the most part, Bagent’s footwork and overall mechanics looked good.
The bigger issue is that because of his lack of arm strength, when he doesn’t play on time or isn’t pinpoint accurate with his throws, the margin for error is much thinner than it would be with most starting-caliber quarterbacks in the league. Bagent had three interceptions that penalties would have wiped out, though one came on a “free play”. The issue is that he had a few other close throws that could have gone the other way, too.
Now, don’t get me wrong- Case Keenum was far from perfect last Monday night, and had a few passes that should have gone for interceptions as well. The difference is that, for the rest of the time, Keenum was extremely accurate and rarely late to his reads. Aside from age, Bagent and Keenum play similarly. They must have good protection, must play on time, and must be more accurate than most quarterbacks because of their lack of natural arm strength.
If the Bears decide to give Bagent another look in Green Bay, it’s best to trust the head coach. So far, he’s 2-0 in games started with backups, which is something he had yet to experience coming into the season. That said, it’s worth wondering if a veteran like Keenum would give them a better chance to win, especially in a big game on the road against their most-hated rival.
My hunch is it’ll be Bagent again (assuming Williams still isn’t ready), but I hope there are at least some honest conversations at Halas Hall this week before they decide.
3. After back-to-back games without a consistent run game, Johnson made a concerted effort to get things back on track. I’d say- mission successful.
Unlike Week 3, Johnson leaned on his run game early and often on Sunday afternoon. In fact, they ended up with a 54-36 run-pass split when the clock struck zero. Since 2025, the Bears have four games with 230-plus rushing yards, according to an NFL Researcher on X. No other team has more than two in that same time span.
Last week, it felt like the Eagles were able to key in on their run game without a mobile quarterback under center. This week, Bagent’s athleticism and early success allowed Johnson more freedom to grind the clock and bludgeon the opposing defense. In total, four runners combined for 232 yards on the ground, two touchdowns, and a 4.3-yard-per-carry average.
Even with D’Andre Swift being benched for his second-half fumble, the Bears’ two-headed monster combined for 204 yards and a quality 4.5 yards per carry average. Heck, even Roschon Johnson factored in on the 232-yard total. Both Swift and Monangai have proven to be very good players, but this scheme lends itself to maximizing opportunities, which is promising for this season’s prospects.
Even once Williams is back under center, expect this team to keep establishing the run and not get away from it. That’s not something we have been able to say in the past, but as we’re learning, Ben Johnson isn’t your typical offensive mind.
4. Despite dominating all but one series, their goal-line struggles and turnovers made this game look a whole lot closer than it was.
The “record” numbers have kept pouring in since the game ended, and they all heavily favor the Bears. Some of those examples:
- The Bears didn’t punt in a game for the first time since 2014.
- The play differential (+57) was the fourth biggest in a game since 1970.
- Their 89 plays were the most in a single game since 199,7 when they ran 90 plays against… You guessed it- the Jets.
- The Jets’ 32-play run was the fourth-fewest run by a team, according to Pro-Football-Reference.
- The Bears had more first downs (34) than the Jets had plays (32). This is just the second time this has happened in the Super Bowl era.
- The Jets had just 45 seconds of time of possession in the fourth quarter.
Although I’m sure there’s more, that’s what we’ve got so far heading into a new week.
With all those records (or numbers of note), how did the Bears score just 23 points and only win by 11? That’s where you can look at this one of two ways:
- They missed a big opportunity to hang an ugly number.
- Despite how convincing they’ve been, they still have so much more to clean up, which should be scary for the rest of the league.
Simply put, the Bears’ goal line struggles are their biggest concern right now. Going back to Week 2, they’ve missed multiple opportunities to score, not just points, but touchdowns. It started with Swift’s fumble against the Vikings and continued with Bagent not being able to complete the drive Williams was hurt on. On the final drive of the game, Bagent couldn’t get it into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. Right there, that’s a missed 13-to-21 points.
Against the Eagles, they failed on an opportunity inside the one after Colston Loveland was ruled short of the goal line. This week, the opening drive looked successful twice, yet they came away with no points. On the next drive, it still took until fourth down for Monangai to punch it into the end zone for the opening score. Over their last three games, there have been plenty of opportunities for touchdowns, and they’ve punched it in once and settled for a field goal in another spot.
Couple in the turnovers, similar to Week 2, and there’s just a lot of meat left on the bone that the Bears continue to leave. I’m going to look at this as more opportunity for this offense to improve, and chalk it up to early-season struggles. That said, we’ve seen these types of “yips” become a team’s identity, so they need to figure it out soon before it becomes a trend they can’t break.
5. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen deserves a lot of credit for the turnaround his defense has experienced over the last three games. Sunday was yet another feather in his cap, despite not being fully healthy.
Taking out Smith’s 58-yard touchdown pass when the game was already all but over, the defense gave up two field goals and 109 yards on just 31 plays. Yeah, I know I said that at the top, but it bears repeating, because that’s an impressive level of dominance for a defense that gave up 37 points and over 400 total yards in Week 1 against the Panthers.
Despite not forcing a takeaway on Sunday afternoon, this defense has continued to play at an impressively high level since that Week 1 breakdown. Over their last three weeks, they’ve allowed just two touchdowns and are averaging 9.33 points per game against and 217 yards per game. Considering they are averaging less than three sacks per game in that time and more than 4 yards per carry on the ground, it almost defies logic how dominant they’ve been.
We’ll see how they fare against better offenses down the road, and even next weekend against Green Bay. Teams who possess a lot of speed on the outside at receiver or have an elite running back are likely to give this group issues, but so far, Allen and his defensive staff have had a lot more answers than questions to open the season. That should get better once Kyler Gordon returns from PUP.
That said, keep an eye on teams like the Chargers, Cardinals, and maybe even the Buccaneers for potential defensive-line trade targets. If there’s one area where this unit still needs plenty of help, it’s in the trenches. Regardless of what the trade deadline brings, this defense has played much better than expected through four games, helping the team overcome starting backup quarterbacks in back-to-back games.
6. For a third straight week, the goal-line offense was a big issue– why Johnson and his offensive staff need to get things figured out soon.
By the numbers, the Bears have one of the best offenses in football. That’s despite starting three different quarterbacks and their three-point Week 2 effort against the Vikings. Between the 20s, you’d be hard-pressed to find another team that moves the ball better. Whether it’s the passing game or the run game, this group has put up over 490 yards twice and is averaging over 400 yards per game. One would assume that with those numbers, they would be averaging well over 30 points per game, yet they are not.
A big reason why is their struggles inside the red zone, namely at the goal line. Since Week 2, their struggles at the goal line have been pronounced. It started with Minnesota, where they were 1-of-4 in the red zone, including a failed fourth down from the half-yard line, another failed attempt that got down inside the five, and the game-ending drive that once again didn’t get into the end zone. Last week against the Eagles, they again failed to score on a throw to Colston Loveland, which landed just outside the goal line. They whiffed four different times and turned the ball over on downs early in the game. Luckily, it didn’t come back to bite them.
Fast forward to Sunday, and it was more of the same early in the game. Despite an impressive 93-yard drive and two different times they were originally ruled in the end zone, the offense failed to move the needle enough to gain a yard and score. Their second drive on Sunday almost ended the same way, but luckily, Monangai pounded his way in for the opening touchdown of the game. Although the Bears never looked back against the Eagles or Jets, the number of points left on the field over the last three weeks due to these issues is staggering.
Especially if they keep having to start backup quarterbacks against better teams, punching the ball in from inside the five-yard line is a must. I’m not sure what the “fix” is at this point, and three games isn’t enough to create a trend over 17 games. That said, if this doesn’t get fixed soon, it will turn into a trend, and against better competition, it will eventually cost them another game.
After all, how are they supposed to break the scoring record without being able to score from the goal line?
7. With Braxton Jones being placed on Injured Reserve, Week 5 might be the time we see Ozzy Trapilo seeing in-game snaps at left tackle.
To his credit, Theo Benedet has done an admirable job filling in as the starter since Jones went down mid-game last Monday night. That said, the Bears have made it clear on a few different occasions that they don’t see Benedet as a future starter at left tackle. Luckily for them, their second-round left tackle from last season is almost ready.
When Johnson was asked earlier last week, he made it sound like he was getting close. That said, we are just two games removed from watching Zach Bako-Bewele go down for the year after rushing back from a similar injury. The Bears will keep it safe, and if they need to use different options like Jordan McFadden as the backup for another week or two, they will. Even so, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Trapilo get some snaps in Green Bay on Sunday. Even if that’s a few series and then building him up from there, it sounds like Trapilo (and the team) are finally at a spot where they can start putting him into game action.
On a side note, it’s hard not to feel for Jones. He’s had some rough moments over his five-year tenure in Chicago, but for my money, he’s looked pretty dang good before going down with a knee injury last week. The good news is that it doesn’t sound like it’s a season-ending injury, but Jones will once again have to answer questions about his durability during free agency next March. Hopefully he returns to full health soon and provides quality depth for the Bears’ stretch run in November and beyond. For now, it’ll be Benedet. Don’t be surprised to see Trapilo get his first snaps of the season in Week 5, though. It’s just about that time, and assuming both sides feel comfortable, it makes sense to “ramp” him up before handing over the keys full-time.
8. Does D’Andre Swift’s fumble issue impact his snaps moving forward (at least in the short-term)?
The answer to that question might be entrenched in how serious Monangai’s hand injury is. After Swift’s second fumble of the season at a point where it could have completely flipped the game, Johnson opted to bench his newly extended running back. While fumbles have never really been a consistent issue for Swift during his time in Chicago, it’s clear that this offensive staff doesn’t have patience for those types of mistakes. His fumble on Sunday was especially egregious, primarily because the ball control was so loose.
Roschon Johnson got some run on Sunday, which included a nice 11-yard run. He had 16 yards on four rushes overall, but ideally, he’s not somebody who is a big part of the game plan, regardless of Monangai’s health status.
Only time will tell if this was a short-term benching for Swift or if Monangai’s 146-yard effort will earn him more playing time long-term. Coming into this game, Swift was leading the snap count by a 60-40 split. On Sunday, that result was flipped. Either way, this team needs both of their top guys healthy and productive, so hopefully Sunday’s fumble was a temporary speed bump that won’t lose Johnson’s trust moving forward.
9. NFC North Lookaround: The Packers hold on in Tampa Bay, the Vikings trounce the lowly Dolphins, and the Lions get to 3-1 after a nice win on Sunday Night Football.
The NFC West might be the best team in football overall, but the North is doing its best to keep pace. After another week of football, things stay as close as ever with all four teams earning victories on Sunday.
The Packers, despite being just 3.5-point favorites against a banged-up Buccaneers team, were able to take care of business, even if they weren’t able to cover. The biggest story of the day was the loss of linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. With Parson reportedly not expected back until November, the hill gets a little steeper for this struggling unit in the coming weeks. Offensively, the passing game remains explosive at points, and outside of a bad red zone interception, Jordan Love continues to look fine, all things considered. There’s simply something missing from this group, but the hope is that the added veteran presence with Kevin Zeitler and Laken Tomlinson will help solidify the trenches up front. At the end of the day, the Packers might have gotten back to .500, but their -32 point differential tells a different story through four games.
Despite hosting an 0-3 Dolphins team that will be challenging for the No. 1 pick in January, the Vikings’ offense once again failed to score a touchdown. The defense is elite, and so are the special teams. That said, quarterback Kyler Murray has struggled, and overall, they have had all sorts of issues finding the end zone since Week 1. This is a good team, and what they do well can take them a long way, but if they are going to be considered one of the top teams in the NFC, their offensive production needs to tick up soon. We’ll see how things look against a pesky New Orleans Saints team in Week 5 before their early bye week.
Coming into Sunday night, it felt like the Lions were catching Carolina at the perfect time in terms of injuries. Even in the game, the Panthers lost their starting right tackle and best edge rusher. Yet, in the end, the Panthers’ offense dominated, and when it mattered most, their defense got stops. There’s no question that the Lions’ offense is still very good. Maybe not to the level it was under Johnson, but still very productive. The issue is that their defense is one of the worst in the league through four weeks, and unless they get Brian Branch back soon, no help is coming. Detroit has a favorable schedule, but so far, they’ve only been able to go .500, which could have been a 1-3 start with a little bad luck. This group continues to struggle to find the success of 2023-2024.
Here are the standings after Week 4:
(4-0) Minnesota Vikings
(3-1) Chicago Bears
(2-2) Detroit Lions
(2-2) Green Bay Packers
10. Week 5 Look Ahead: Following a three-game homestand, it’s Packers week!
Last year, the two teams didn’t meet until December. In 2026, it’s a much earlier and (hopefully) more favorable early-season matchup for the Bears at Lambeau on Sunday afternoon. Green Bay leveraged a Baker Mayfield-less Buccaneers team on the road for a three-point win, despite controlling the majority of the game. For the Bears, the final score didn’t reflect their on-field dominance.
The Packers have had a tough start to the year, so coming into this game at .500 is about as good as anyone could have hoped for. Their offensive line is a mess, and even though they signed multiple veterans early last week, their chances of turning things around are slim. Defensively, they played better on Sunday against an undrafted free agent making his first career start. That said, they will be without Micah Parsons, who is still rehabbing a late-season torn ACL, and will also be without star linebacker Edgerrin Cooper for the remainder of the season, following a torn Achilles.
Green Bay possesses plenty of offensive weapons, but their offense has struggled to convert long drives into points. In terms of matchups, the Bears will need to be careful on the outside with the Packers’ speed at receiver. Both Christian Watson and Matthew Golden possess more than enough speed to take the top off any defense. The bigger issue has been the porous offensive line and a lack of a running game. Heading into Week 5, they are averaging just 58 yards per game on the ground, which is worlds behind every other team in the league.
If there’s been one weakness outside of Chicago’s deep ball coverage, it’s been their inability to stop the run consistently. While it’s been better as of late, they are giving up over 100 yards per game on the ground, and more than 4 yards per carry. Keeping the Packers one-dimensional will be a big key on Sunday afternoon.
On paper, this looks like a great matchup for the Bears, but as we’ve learned, any time these two teams play, you can throw out the record books or any previous tendencies. A loss doesn’t sink the Bears by any means, but a win gets them to 4-1 overall, 1-1 in the division, and puts the Packers in a deep early-season hole. We’ll see if this team can deliver a good performance and come away with a big win during their first road game since Week 1.
