The Chicago Bears have a long layoff from Thursday to their next game on Monday night.
And since they were the first game of the NFL weekend, it’s fair to wonder if they’ll be overlooked in this week’s rankings.
It was quite a splashy weekend of headlines. Two undefeated teams fell, the Buccaneers showed up in a big way, the Rams aren’t dead and the Lions showed some defensive teeth.
Where will the Bears land after their 30-24 win over the New England Patriots?
Let’s take a look.
WCG – Aaron Leming
7.
Chicago Bears (5-2)
Quarterback Progress Report: Caleb Williams (A)
The marriage between head coach Ben Johnson and Williams has gone about as well as hoped through a season and a half. In Year 1, Williams made plenty of big leaps, but through four starts in Year 2, he looks like a Top 5-7 quarterback. He’s continued to limit turnovers while taking more of what the defense gives him. That has led to a completion rate over 70%, yet he’s still taking plenty of accurate shots downfield. There’s still growth to be had, but he’s been night and day from what we saw in his rookie campaign.
The Athletic – Josh Kendall and Chad Graff
5. Chicago Bears (5-2)
Last week: 8
Thursday: Beat Patriots 30-24
Something spooky: Caleb Williams’ arm
The Patriots got a lot of pressure on Williams, but he was routinely able to sidestep defenders and make some incredible off-platform throws downfield. And don’t look now, but Williams is completing 71 percent of his passes while averaging 8.2 yards per attempt. Things are looking up in Chicago.
NFL.com – Nick Shook
9. Chicago Bears (11)
The Bears won a Thursday nighter by simply making more key plays than the opposition. The screen to Luther Burden III for a touchdown was a treat to watch unfold, and Caleb Williams remains one of the most captivating watches in the entire league. His third-and-long pass to Rome Odunze, fired from the shadow of his own goal post, made my jaw drop. It might still be on the floor.
ESPN/NFL Nation – Courtney Cronin
7. Chicago Bears (5-2)
Week 7 result: Beat the Patriots 30-24
Week 7 ranking: 9Best offseason addition: S Dillon Thieneman
Thieneman and fellow rookie DB Malik Muhammad II have nearly identical stat lines this season, but the No. 25 pick gets the nod here for how he has handled the highest snap percentage of any Bears defender (97.58%). Thieneman is No. 1 or tied for the team lead in total tackles (47), passes defensed (five) and interceptions (one). He also has 1.5 sacks and three QB hits. Thieneman has had his share of learning moments, but the stability he has provided can’t be overstated for a secondary that has dealt with moving parts since the start of training camp. — Courtney Cronin
CBS Sports – Pete Prisco
8. Chicago Bears (13) Caleb Williams is playing the best football of his career right now. But the best news for this team: The defense has made strides.
Yahoo Sports – Frank Schwab
5. Chicago Bears (5-2, LW: 6)
The Bears have scored 30 or more points in three of Caleb Williams’ four starts. The fourth was a surprising three-point effort against the Vikings, which probably says a lot about how good Minnesota’s defense is this season. Chicago’s offense might be just as good as Ben Johnson said it would be.
One thing that had been a question about Williams coming into the season was him missing too many passes. His completion percentage was 58.1% last season. He was one of two quarterbacks with on-target percentage of less than 70% last season, according to Pro Football Reference, and the other was J.J. McCarthy. This season, that has flipped. He has a completion percentage of 71%, just off the league lead. His on-target percentage is up to 79.6%, third in the NFL. He has gone from one of the most inaccurate quarterbacks to one of the most accurate in his third season. Williams has played just four games this season, but it appears he has arrived as one of the NFL’s best QBs.
Profootballtalk – Mike Florio
8. Bears (No. 10; 5-2): The NFC Championship matchup we almost got in January happens on Monday night.
USAToday – Nate Davis
2. Chicago Bears (4): QB Caleb Williams has been lights out since his return. But after failing his Week 2 test against the Vikings, he’ll try to pass this week’s against Seattle’s equally formidable D − and on the road this time.
What do you think of where the Bears are ranked this week? Is the top 2 too high?
