It only took three weeks, but the Chicago Bears finally found themselves in the win column for the first time this season. It wasn’t always pretty, but the offense hung 31 points, and the defense held its own when it mattered the most. With just one more game before the bye week, can the Bears get to (2-2) before a soft reset? We’ll dive into all of that and more in Week 3’s 10 Bears Takes.
1. Better late than never, right? Congrats to Ben Johnson for getting his first win as an NFL head coach. Maybe
it’s finally time to smile?
Similar to every offseason, expectations were sky-high heading into the season. Their second-year quarterback was primed to take a big step forward after the hire of Johnson and his offensive staff. Training camp and the preseason were uneven, which made fans wonder. Even so, Week 1 was going smoothly until the fourth quarter occurred. All of a sudden, that dominant defense couldn’t stop a nose bleed. That strong offensive start had quickly faded into a penalty-filled disaster. When the clock struck zero, the Bears found themselves on the wrong end of another thrilling Week 1 comeback win.
Then came Week 2. It was an early homecoming for Johnson, yet it was a game surrounded by cautious optimism after how poorly the Lions played in Week 1. Over the course of that three-hour game, it became evident that the Bears weren’t nearly as “close” as some had hoped. Although the quarterback play looked better, nothing else did.
To say that Week 3 was a must-win was about as accurate as that statement can be this early in the season. The Bears needed to deliver to save their season, and that’s precisely what they did.
Most expected this to be an offensive shootout, but it was fair to wonder if the Bears could come out on top. It was a back-and-forth first half, yet Chicago was the one who pulled away when it mattered. I’ve long said that this is a team that needs to learn how to win. The majority of this roster has seen nothing but losing. No matter how many seasoned veterans they acquire, the young core teaching how to have games like this is the most critical factor to their future success. With the ever-elusive first win out of the way for Johnson, we’ll see if he can continue to build offensive momentum in the coming weeks.
2. Quarterback Caleb Williams was two yards short of a 300-yard performance, and there was a lot to like on Sunday.
For starters, and most crucially, Williams was not sacked. I don’t care how you cut it, that’s a massive development worth feeling very good about. A big part of that is Caleb playing on time, and the rest is the offensive line finally starting to gel. That was the first time in his NFL career that he went a whole game without being sacked.
Another positive note (before we get to Williams’ big day)- The Bears didn’t have a single pre-snap offensive penalty.
Alright, now onto Williams’ big day. The second-year quarterback finished the day 19-of-28 (67.8%) for 298 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. Even more impressive, he averaged 10.6 yards per throw and finished with a 142.6 rating. Both were career-best marks.
In many ways, it was a career day for the former No. 1 overall pick, especially with tying his career-high four passing touchdowns. Over the last two games, we’ve seen a completely different quarterback. Before last week’s game got out of hand in the second half, Williams was playing with good timing, staying in the pocket, and looked decisive. That’s not something we could say a lot of in Week 1, especially after the first drive.
It’s clear that it’s starting to click for the young quarterback, and although they dug themselves an (0-2) hole, the progression for Williams in this new offense is extremely promising. Johnson has noted on multiple occasions that things would take time to gel. Without an offense that is consistently shooting itself in the foot, we saw that they can be explosive and put up points. Much of that hinges on the quarterback, but it’s all starting to come together. The next step in Caleb’s progression needs to be making some of the easier throws. While he’s continued to take the “easy” throw when nothing else is open, he’s still missing throws he needs to hit. If he’s able to get that cleaned up, things are going to continue to point in the right direction, and the overall perception of him will be very different at the conclusion of Week 18.
Heading into Week 4, Williams’ numbers are impressive: a 63.4% completion rate, 238.33 yards per game, seven touchdowns, one interception, a 107.6 rating, and a top-10 QBR of 67.2.
3. Following a 52-24 blowout in Detroit, Johnson challenged his team to practice harder. The results speak for themselves.
There’s no real way around it. Week 2’s 28-point blowout loss was an embarrassment for everyone in the building. Despite being able to hang in for the majority of the first half, it was clear that the Bears were outmatched. The intensity wasn’t the same, and frankly, there were far too many mistakes on both sides of the ball. It’s clear that Johnson is a prideful person, and going back “home” and getting blown out was not something he wanted to experience.
As a result, his comments to the media about his team were very pointed all week. He started by questioning their intensity, and then he subtly called out the veterans. He made it clear that some of the rookies would be more involved in the offensive plan, and it showed. We’ll get to that more in a bit, but there was a clear shift in philosophy heading into Sunday’s game at Soldier Field.
Far too often, we’ve been accustomed to hearing about them having “good” weeks of practice, only to hit the field completely unprepared. One of the biggest knocks on Matt Eberflus’ coaching staff was the lack of accountability and the inconsistent messaging. From the start, Johnson and his staff have been clear about what the standard would be. Through the first two weeks of the season, it wasn’t being met.
That’s why, in many ways, it was refreshing to see Johnson’s stern personality show during last week’s press conference. Instead of sugarcoating a poor start, he took it head-on. He indirectly called out veterans for not living up to the standard, while also realizing that he needed to get his highly drafted offensive weapons more involved. It can be challenging to balance so many weapons, and Johnson has said as much on multiple occasions. Either way, it was nice to see the challenge, and even more relieving to know the coaching staff followed through. We’ll see how many of these changes stick, and who gets washed out as the season goes on.
4. Ben Johnson said he wanted to get the rookies more involved, and he followed through on his word in a big way.
It became evident early in the game that both Colston Loveland and Luther Burden would be heavily involved in the Bears’ offensive game plan. Unfortunately for Loveland, he exited Sunday’s game early with a hip injury and did not return. Even with a limited snap count, the No. 10 overall pick was targeted three times in two series. He had one catch for 31 yards, but frankly, he should have had all three if not for better throws.
The bigger story on Sunday was the team’s 39th overall selection. Burden eclipsed 100 yards for the first time in his career. Even more impressive, he did it on three targets. The former Mizzou product finished the game with three catches for 101 yards and his first career touchdown. It’ll be interesting to see what the snap counts look like on the offensive side of the ball, but it’s easy to see a path to much more playing time moving forward. After all, it seems clear that Rome Odunze is the designated WR1 in this offense.
Last week, I questioned the coaching staff’s plan for their highly drafted rookies, and this week, they delivered. Shemar Stewart was active for the first time this season, and from what I could tell, played a fair amount of snaps. Now, if they could get Ozzy Trapilo on the field, we might feel a lot better about this rookie class, especially when considering that they had four picks in the first 62 of April’s draft.
5. Hopefully, the defense’s performance against a top-tier offense will get them back on track.
It wasn’t always pretty on Sunday, but in the end, they gave up 14 points and forced four takeaways. The injuries on the defensive side of the ball have mounted, and because of that, their performances have not lived up to expectations. The biggest concern, at least for me, is their inability to get after the quarterback consistently. Outside of the first two quarters in Week 1, it’s been a struggle to generate any sort of pressure. With a healthy secondary, that’s much less of an issue. The problem is that they’re missing their top two cornerbacks and one of their starting linebackers.
Sunday was far from a banner performance, but in the end, they performed considerably better than anyone would have expected. Many of their issues are likely to be at the forefront and have started. Despite the resources they’ve invested up front, one could argue that they have one of the worst defensive lines in football. No matter who the defensive coordinator is, there’s not going to be a lot of consistent success. Couple that with a banged-up secondary, and you get exactly what we’ve seen so far.
At this point, they have to hope that Tyrique Stevenson can continue to ascend after a big day, and that Kyler Gordon will come back at some point soon. The good news is that their bye week is coming up, which should allow them to get Austin Booker back on the edge. For now, we’ll just have to hope that they build some sort of momentum heading into Week 4 and can find a way to get to .500 heading into their Week 5 bye.
6. Flipping back to the offensive side of the ball, the offensive line finally lived up to expectations, allowing zero sacks on 28 pass attempts.
The offensive line was never going to get to be a cohesive unit heading into Week 1 of the season, which is why facing a daunting defensive front like the Minnesota Vikings was always a tough ask. Even so, the first few weeks didn’t produce a great product, especially from some of their new additions. Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman, namely, were the two who stood out the most in a not-so-good way. Left tackle Braxton Jones was another player that had really struggled through two weeks, but it was a little more explainable, considering he was coming back from a season-ending leg injury.
Although this group still has a long way to go, Week 3 was a sizable step in the right direction. For example, Jones didn’t relinquish a single pressure on Sunday, after giving up a team-high 12 between Week 1 and Week 2. Both Jackson and Dalman seem to have settled in as the season has gone on, and Joe Thuney has been as reliable as ever.
As I noted above, the offensive line didn’t have a single pre-snap penalty. Darnell Wright’s “holding” call was almost as questionable as last week. He’s been their second-best lineman through three games, which is a positive development, even with the mental lapses.
Outside of the Bears, the Cowboys have arguably the worst defensive line in the league, so this is also worth taking in stride. Even so, this is the type of performance that can build confidence. Most importantly, Williams’ pocket presence has drastically improved over the last two weeks, which might say more than any other stat could.
Next up: Get the running game going. Some of that is due to the talent in the running back room, but this group is still getting beaten up front too much before the play even has a chance to develop. We’ll see what happens on Sunday against Maxx Crosby and company.
7. Just thinking out loud: Could DJ Moore end up being the odd man out in this offense as the season progresses?
Through three weeks, Moore ranks second in both receptions and receiving yards. Although, through three games, it’s clear that Rome Odunze is the team’s WR1. We’ll need to see what happens in the coming weeks with snap counts, but it seems clear that Olamide Zaccheaus is the “starting” slot receiver, and has gained more trust than any other pass catcher on this roster. So, how do the Bears continue to expand Luther Burden III’s role, while keeping their top three receivers on the field? Some of that might depend on the health of Loveland, but in reality, Johnson likes to use his Top 3 receivers a lot. Considerably more than the fourth receiver ever sees the field.
At some point (assuming no serious injuries), this situation will come to a head. Odunze is here for the long haul, and it’s clear that Zaccheaus is held in high regard, even if it’s as a role player. That means that Moore and Burden might be the two players fighting for snaps. Considering the team spent a high second-round pick on Burden back in late April, it stands to reason that he’s going to be in the team’s long-term plans moving forward. So, what does that mean for Moore?
Earlier last week, Johnson made a subtle, yet clear call out of a few unnamed skill position players. In my view of the All-22, the primary player who fit into that category was Moore. I was not alone in that thought, either. On Sunday, Moore had four catches for 21 yards and a touchdown on five targets. He wasn’t schemed up on any of their big explosives, and he saw almost as much action in the backfield (three rushes for seven yards), as he did as a receiver. Odunze’s seven targets led the team, but that shouldn’t be a surprise at this point.
This isn’t me advocating for a trade by any means, but I do wonder what this offense looks like going into late October. If Moore is WR3 or WR4 by that point, and Burden has proven himself as the player they believed they were drafting, it could make sense to deal him at the deadline while his value is still high. Again, this is more of thinking outloud, but it’s something that worth monitoring over the next month or so.
8. Week 3 Second-Year Quarterback Check In.
The injury epidemic that has taken the league by storm has not been spared when it comes to quarterbacks, or the host of second-year first-round signal callers. Of those injured who did not play in Week 3 were Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy. Daniels should be ready to come back soon, while McCarthy’s situation is a bit more complex. McCarthy has had one good quarter of football in two games. The other seven have been borderline unplayable, even for a player that missed his entire rookie year. If Carson Wentz continues to play well, and the Vikings continue to win games, it might be hard for head coach Kevin O’Connell to justify a switch back.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how this group has looked through the first three weeks.
Caleb Williams: 63.4% | 238.33 YPG | 7 touchdowns | 1 interception | 107.6 rating | 67.2 QBR
It’s been an uneven start to the season by last year’s No. 1 overall pick. Still, the arrow has been pointing up since his underwhelming Week 1 performance against a vaunted Minnesota Vikings defensive front. As Bears fans know, Williams had arguably his best game as a professional on Sunday, which helped push a lot of his numbers over the top.
Jayden Daniels: 59.7% | 216.5 YPG | 3 touchdowns | 0 interception | 90.8 rating | 38.8 QBR
Daniels’ first two games of the season were a mixed bag. He did what he needed to do in Week 1 against an overmatched Giants squad, but the Packers’ defense put him in hell in Week 2. The former LSU product missed Week 3, but should be ready to return as soon as this weekend. We’ll see if he can start putting together stronger performances once he returns.
Drake Maye: 72.6% | 261.67 YPG | 5 touchdowns | 2 interception | 101.3 rating | 57.5 QBR
For my money, Maye has been the most impressive of the second-year quarterbacks so far. Maye’s Week 1 was a bit underwhelming, but his last two performances have been remarkable. Similar to Williams, the former Tarheel has needed some time to settle into a brand new offense. The offensive line remains an issue in New England, but Maye has been able to overcome those shortfalls and is well on his way to becoming one of the league’s top young quarterbacks.
Michael Penix: 58.6% | 201.67 YPG | 7 touchdowns | 1 interception | 107.6 rating | 67.2 QBR
Following a strong Week 1 performance, Penix has been in a downward spiral over his last two games. He did enough against the Vikings’ defense, but was entirely out of sorts against a Panthers team that isn’t known for a strong defense. He finished Sunday’s game 18-of-36 for 172 passing yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. Atlanta being shut out was one of the bigger surprises of the weekend.
J.J. McCarthy: 58.5% | 150.5 YPG | 2 touchdowns | 3 interception | 67.2 rating | 20.6 QBR
As I noted at the start, McCarthy’s struggles have been far too regular to be comfortable with. He was awful for three quarters in Chicago before hanging three touchdowns in the final quarter. Then against Atlanta, he was back to looking like he had no clue what he was doing en route to a two-interception performance. He was quickly ruled out with a high ankle sprain for Weeks 3 and 4. Assuming Wentz plays well, Minnesota is likely to take their time with re-entering him back into the offense.
Bo Nix: 64.2% | 178.33 YPG | 5 touchdowns | 3 interception | 83.4 rating | 41.8 QBR
Following Week 1, I made a joke about Nix being the next Mac Jones. Through three weeks, I can’t help but wonder if that prophecy is becoming true. Nix’s numbers are OK, but his play has been very underwhelming in Week 1 and Week 3. Sean Payton’s offense is tailor-made for him, but they will need a lot more if they plan to return to the playoffs and become a true Super Bowl contender.
We’ll conduct another check-in within the next few weeks, but as of now, both Maye and Williams have led the pack, which should be encouraging for both fan bases.
9. NFC North Lookaround: The Browns beat the… Packers?
Yeah, you read that right. The Browns beat the Packers. I’m just as surprised as anyone. Green Bay’s defense was once again dominant, but a series of ill-advised mistakes late in the fourth quarter ultimately did them in. Jordan Love’s interception-less streak is over, and so is their perfect season. I’m not going to read too much into this game, but with Jayden Reed going on Injured Reserve, that offense is going to have to find new weapons to get involved. Matthew Golden needs to be that guy, considering his draft status.
The Vikings bounced back in a big way after not being able to get going last Sunday night. Wentz, who was recently signed, made the start, played well, and led them to a 48-10 victory over the Bengals. Well, if we are being honest, Minnesota’s defense (37 fantasy points) led the way with a pick six, fumble recovery for a touchdown, and five total forced fumbles. There’s no question that the Vikings are a talented team with a great coaching staff, but quarterback play is going to dictate how their season goes. At (2-1), they are off to a good start.
The Lions don’t play until Monday night, so there’s no true update there, but it’s worth noting that the Ravens will be down multiple key players, which could favor the Lions, even on the road.
Despite the (0-2) start within the division, the Bears are just one game back of the division heading into Week 4, so there’s that. They’ve still got an uphill climb ahead of them, but all they can do is stack wins and get healthier in the process.
10. Week 4 Look Ahead: A quick trip to Vegas before a much-needed Week 5 bye to face the inconsistent Raiders.
A disastrous (0-2) start or not, the Bears have a real chance to get to .500 heading into a much-needed bye. They’ll head out on the road to face a (1-2) Raiders team that came back down to earth on Sunday in a sobering 41-24 loss to the Washington Commanders without Jayden Daniels at quarterback. What’s even more impressive for Washington is that they had more rushing yards (201) than passing yards (199). Quarterback Marcus Mariota was efficient on 21 passing attempts, averaging 9.9 yards per pass, with one touchdown and no interceptions.
Offensively, the Raiders are putting up numbers, but it hasn’t translated into many points yet. Quarterback Geno Smith had 289 passing yards and three touchdowns, but he has an even split of 4 touchdowns and interceptions on the young season. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty has struggled to get going behind a foul offensive line. He’s averaging less than four yards per carry and has just 144 rushing yards on the year. Las Vegas’ defense is gettable, but their offensive line is a point where the Bears must attack. Through three games, Smith has been sacked 12 times, including five times for 28 yards on Sunday.
This is a very winnable game for the Bears, but they must build on their accomplishments from Sunday against the Cowboys. On paper, Dallas is the better team, but it doesn’t mean that things will go the same way on the road. Getting to (2-2) heading into the bye week needs to be the goal. Once they are in the bye week, they can make some adjustments and gear up for a “second-half” run over their remaining 13 games.
