Keys To The Game: New England Patriots
November 10, 2024, 11:40 AM CST
The Bears finally return to Soldier Field for the first time since their Week 5 win against the Panthers. Coming off back to back losses, they could really use a win this week. Luckily for them, they are facing the New England Patriots, who I had ranked last in my most recent power rankings. But with how the Bears have been playing in recent weeks, this isn't going to be the guaranteed win I thought it would be a few weeks ago. Here are my keys to a Bears victory as they look to get back above .500 heading into Green Bay week.
1. Caleb (and Offense in General) Bounce Back
Caleb Williams has not looked good the past two weeks, though a lot of the blame could be put on Shane Waldron's shoulders. If the Bears want to win today, though, they'll need Caleb on his A-game. The Patriots defense is pretty solid, the best we've faced in the past couple of weeks. There needs to be a good gameplan today to get the Bears into the endzone, something they've struggled to do coming out of the bye.
2. Feed Rome
Rome Odunze appears to be coming into his own the past few weeks. With DJ Moore struggling this year, and age appearing to catch up to Keenan Allen, Rome has to be the top guy today. He can be utilized in a multitude of ways, but he should be considered the top weapon and be fed the ball against this New England defense. I'm thinking he gets into the endzone today.
3. Return of Montez
The Bears run defense was atrocious last week without Montez Sweat, and while they did lose Andrew Billings for the season, Sweat's return should have a big impact on the line today. They'll need to get to Drake Maye and keep New England's offense from moving the ball downfield, and Sweat is going to be a major factor in that. Also returning today is Kyler Gordon, which is a major addition to the secondary that we desperately needed.
Score Prediction: Bears 16, Patriots 13
I'm thinking today is going to be a low scoring affair. Both teams have pretty good defenses and rookie QBs, but I'm giving the Bears the edge as it is in Chicago and the team is overall better than New England. It won't be pretty, with only one Bears touchdown today in my prediction, but it'll be enough to get the job done. They would have a serious challenge going into Packers week though if they can't get the offense going today.
Image Credit: CBS Sports
Bears Road Struggles Continue With 29-9 Loss to Cardinals
November 3, 2024, 8:14 PM CST
Yet another disappointing game for the Bears this week as the team completely failed in their attempt to bounce back from their heart-breaking loss to Washington last week. It just felt like the team had no care and wanted to get this game out of the way as soon as possible. It also feels like this is the beginning of the end for Matt Eberflus.
The Bears offense could do nothing this entire game, only being able to put up three field goals with all of them coming in the second quarter. It looked like they were going to go into half down 14-9 with a chance to take the lead out of the break, but then the defense let up a 53-yard touchdown run with less than 20 seconds remaining to completely kill the game.
Losing Montez Sweat had a huge impact on the team, as the run defense could not stop James Conner and co. at all. Kyler Murray didn't even have a good game throwing the ball, they just ran it and the Bears couldn't stop it. Such a disappointing game when the Bears desperately needed a win.
The trade deadline is on Tuesday, so we'll see if the Bears make any additions. I wouldn't want to continue to invest in a Matt Eberflus coached team though, as it now feels like he's a dead man walking after another incompetent game. We'll see if they try to salvage the season, but it's currently looking like the 4-2 start will lead us nowhere.
Image Credit: The Ringer
Keys To The Game: Arizona Cardinals
November 3, 2024, 2:27 PM CST
Today is a must win game for the Bears. After the disastrous heartbreak that was last week, the Bears are in need of a win over the Cardinals if they want to keep pace with the rest of the division. However, the Bears will be missing multiple key players with Montez Sweat, Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon all out as well as Tyrique Stevenson getting less reps due to his actions last week. It's not all doom and gloom for the Bears, but they're going to need some things to happen if they want to win.
1. Offense Bounce Back
The Bears were very lucky to even get in the spot to win the game that they were in until the hail mary last week. The offense was abysmal until the final two drives, when Caleb Williams turned it up and gave us a chance to win. The offense has to be better this week, from Caleb Williams to Shane Waldron. The Cardinals defense is not that good, so we have a chance to bounce back. Just need good performances from everyone to give us a shot.
2. Next Man Up
Not long ago, Montez Sweat was listed as inactive for today's game due to a shin injury. That's a huge loss for the Bears, one that may swing the outcome of the game today. It's next man up time for the Bears, with Jacob Martin, Darrell Taylor, DeMarcus Walker, Austin Booker and Dominique Robinson needing to make an impact. It's also going to be a big test for the interior, can they remain effective despite missing their best player on the line. The backups are going to need to step up in order for us to win today.
3. Better Situational Management
Matt Eberflus has been horrible with his situational managing as a head coach. Plenty of games have been lost because he hasn't quite known when to take a timeout and when not to take a timeout, or what else you need to do in crucial situations. Hopefully, he took a look at that this past week and focused on how to be better in those areas so that they don't make the same mistakes as last week, which ended up costing us the game.
Score Prediction: Bears 21, Cardinals 24
I had the Bears winning today until Montez Sweat was ruled out, because I think he makes that much of an impact. Along with everything else that happened this week, it brings us a recipe for disaster. I think they'll keep it close, but the Cardinals might get a late touchdown or field goal to give them the win.
Image Credit: Sports Illustrated
Bears Lose Heartbreaker To Commanders 18-15
October 27, 2024, 8:10 PM CDT
I'm speechless.
The Bears were about to wrap up a 15-12 win that they probably didn't deserve, and then they lose it on the final play. A play that only happens to the Bears. After plenty of holds and block in the backs on the hail mary, the ball gets deflected and, of course, finds Noah Brown's hands for the winning touchdown. Especially after the Bears almost had a winning hail mary against the Browns last year that was dropped, this one hurts. Tyrique Stevenson made a serious mistake on the final play as well, mocking Washington fans before being the one to tip it up to Brown for the score. Such a terrible way to lose the game.
That play was the only Commanders touchdown of the game, as their other points came on four field goals. The Bears scored two touchdowns, one by D'Andre Swift on a long end-around score that put us back in it, and a Roschon Johnson one-yard rushing touchdown with just over 20 seconds left that had presumably won us the game. Caleb Williams was not good through three quarters, but turned it up in the fourth to get us in the position to win. It was just a nightmare day for the offense, but a game we should've still came out on top with.
There are so many more people you can blame for this game, such as Shane Waldron with his poor play-calling or Matt Eberflus somehow messing up a hail mary defense, but I don't really feel like voicing my frustrations with them now and will instead do that at a later time. For now, we move on to the Arizona game next week absolutely needing a win. If we lose, you can pretty much kiss our season goodbye.
Image Credit: Chicago Bears
Keys To The Game: Washington Commanders
October 27, 2024, 1:16 PM CDT
Keys to the game are back! For the first time since Week 4, I am releasing my keys to a Bears victory today over the Commanders, though today I’m only doing three. Coming out of the bye week at 4-2, the Bears have a great chance to win their next three games before the hardest stretch of the season arrives starting with the Week 11 game against the Packers. Washington will probably be the toughest game before then though, so we’re going to need some things to happen if we want to continue our winning ways.
1. Get Caleb Cooking Early
The past three games for the Bears have all been against poor defenses, and Washington is no different. Caleb Williams has been settling into the league recently, and he’s improving every game. He can really establish himself today and prove why he was the number one pick over Jayden Daniels with a big game today. But you have to get him going early and get the offense rolling early.
2. Establish The Ground Game
After a poor first three games to his Bears career, D’Andre Swift has really stepped it up over the last few weeks and was among the league leaders in numerous rushing categories from Weeks 4-6. He needs to keep it up and prove it was not a fluke, as the offense has really opened up since he stepped up. Roschon Johnson will continue to get reps, and maybe we’ll see Khalil Herbert attempt to improve his trade stock as it appears he’s lost his place in the offense…for now.
3. Attack Jayden Daniels Aggressively
After a week of speculation, it has been confirmed by Commanders coach Dan Quinn that Jayden Daniels will start today barring a setback in warmups. Daniels has been widely regarded by the media as the top contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year and the best QB of this year's draft class. But there are worries that I have with him. His offense is a very simple, college-style offense that Kliff Kingsbury has commonly run throughout his time in the NFL. Typically, once teams begin to figure this offense out, it falls apart. And with one of the best defenses in the league coming to face that offense, it could be a tough day for Washington. Even with both Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker out, the Bears need to play aggressively, put pressure on Daniels, and force him to try and make plays. If they can get him to make mistakes, the Bears will win this game.
Score Prediction: Bears 31, Commanders 21
I have the Bears continuing their good form today with a 10 point win over the Commanders. Even though Daniels is playing, I think the Bears will make it tough on him and their defense, with potentially another big game from DJ Moore similar to his performance in Washington last year. The Bears can really solidify themselves as a playoff contender today, and I think they’ll get it done.
Image Credit: NFL.com
Bears Travel To London, Beat Jags 35-16
October 13, 2024, 1:42 PM CDT
The Bears made their first trip across the pond since 2019 to London in search of their third consecutive victory. And their third consecutive victory they got! The Bears took down the Jaguars 35-16 to move to 4-2 on the year heading into the bye week.
Caleb Williams impressed today, throwing four touchdown passes among his 23 completions, with 226 passing yards and an interception. He was pretty good on the ground too, with four carries for 56 yards. He flashed his duel-threat ability, an ability of his that often gets overlooked because he doesn't run it much. Speaking of running, D'Andre Swift had 91 rushing yards on 17 carries today, scoring a touchdown in the process. Since getting a lot of criticism for his poor performances early in the season, Swift has bounced back well. Cole Kmet had an all around great game today, catching five passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns. He also had to fill in at long snapper with Scott Daly going down with a knee injury, and he did a pretty good job. Keenan Allen finally found the endzone today as well, twice actually as he also caught five passes but for 41 yards. Williams almost had a fifth passing touchdown, but DJ Moore was ruled down at the one and Swift punched it in from there.
Defensively the Bears once again dominated. They forced multiple fumbles (including straight out of half) and sacked Trevor Lawrence four times. Josh Blackwell also picked off Lawrence, thus marking the third year veterans first interception in the NFL. Blackwell was only in the game due to numerous injuries in the secondary, showing just how good depth we have. The other third year depth corner, Jaylon Jones, looked solid as well and led the team in tackles.
Overall it was a successful trip to London, and the Bears will now get a break with their bye week before returning in two weeks to take on the Commanders. That game will be in Washington and will be broadcasted on CBS at noon, though I hope the NFL will consider flexing that to Primetime as Caleb Williams vs Jayden Daniels is a marquee matchup they shouldn't miss out on. Also, apologies for no keys this week, just didn't have the time yesterday or today to write them. They'll return for Washington, though!
Image Credit: The Florida Times-Union
Williams Dominates as Bears Rout Carolina 36-10
October 6, 2024, 5:47 PM CDT
Caleb Williams has arrived!
The number one overall pick dominated in the Bears win over the Panthers today, throwing for 304 yards, 2 touchdowns, and completing 20 out of 29 passes without a turnover. His favorite target was DJ Moore, who caught 5 of Williams passes for 105 yards and both of his touchdowns. The Bears added three more scores on the ground with two from Roschon Johnson and one from D’Andre Swift. Swift has done a very good job the past two games after coming under scrutiny in the first three games for a poor start. He carried the ball 21 times for 73 yards and caught two passes for 47 yards.
On defense, the Bears had yet another stellar performance. Andy Dalton was held to 18 completions on 28 passes for 136 yards, and throwing an interception with no touchdown passes. The only Panthers touchdown came on a long run from Chubba Hubbard, which put the Panthers ahead early before the Bears scored 30 unanswered points. The interception Dalton threw went to Kevin Byard, who has played very well this season and gets his first pick as a Bear. Gervon Dexter has two half sacks to bring his season total up to four, a breakout for the second year player who was drafted as a project player last year. Andrew Billings also got on the sack board for the first time this year, and Austin Booker picked up his first career sack late in the game. That Booker sack came on Bryce Young, the former number one overall pick in 2023 who was drafted with the pick the Bears traded to the Panthers in the now infamous trade that got us DJ Moore, Caleb Williams, Tyrique Stevenson, Darnell Wright, and more. Young came into the game in garbage time after being benched a few weeks ago, completing four of seven passes for 58 yards.
Caleb Williams definitely had his best performance as a Bear, showcasing his ability to make reads, scramble when he’s in trouble, and deliver accurate strikes to his receivers. His second touchdown pass to DJ Moore was a beauty, as he flicked it with almost no effort 30 yards to the endzone to extend the Bears lead to 27-7. He’s going to have the chance for another good game next week as they face the Jaguars in London. Luckily, the Bears leave tomorrow so they should hopefully be more ready for this game than they were in 2019 when they left for London late in the week and played a sloppy game against the Raiders.
Image Credit: Athlon Sports
Game Preview: Carolina Panthers
October 6, 2024, 11:34 AM CDT
Replacing Keys to the Game this week (mainly because I couldn't think of enough) will be a preview of what to expect from the Bears-Panthers matchup.
The 2-2 Chicago Bears will host the 1-3 Carolina Panthers for the second year in a row, with last years contest resulting in a 16-13 Bears win on a Thursday Night Football slugfest. The Bears are coming off a convincing 24-18 win over the Rams, while the Panthers will try to bounce back from their 34-24 loss to the Bengals last week.
The obvious storyline surrounding this game comes from the March 2023 trade between these franchises, when the Panthers sent a haul of picks and star WR DJ Moore to the Bears for the first overall pick in 2023, which they used on Alabama QB Bryce Young. Young has since been benched by Carolina after a bad first season and an abysmal start to this year. Andy Dalton, a former Bear, will be starting for them today after he took over in Week 3 and led Carolina to a strong win over the Raiders. The Bears will be led by rookie QB Caleb Williams, who was drafted with the 2-24 first round pick the Panthers sent to Chicago for Bryce Young. Also part of the trade was Darnell Wright and Tyrique Stevenson, and maybe even Keenan Allen if you extend the trade tree out a little further. The Bears will also receive a second round pick from Carolina this year, and they're hoping that pick turns into pick 33.
The Bears defense has been one of the best in football this year, with a breakout season from Gervon Dexter helping lead the charge on the D-Line. Dexter has 3 sacks in 4 games after having just 2.5 in 17 games last season. Andrew Billings has been a big help on the interior as he's been one of the best defensive tackles in football this year. And of course, you can't forget about the big names on the defense as well. Montez Sweat, Jaylon Johnson, Tremaine Edmunds, TJ Edwards. The defense is in good shape to shut down the Panthers today.
But what about the offense? They've struggled to get going this season, but last week was a step in the right direction. I think today will be the breakout game as the Bears cook Carolina. Caleb Williams will have his first huge performance, throwing dimes to DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, and Cole Kmet. I think Allen gets into the endzone today as well for his first as a Bear. D'Andre Swift has momentum after a statement game against the Rams, and I think he'll keep it up with the Bears continuing to work Roschon Johnson into the gameplan. Carolina hasn't had the greatest defense this year, and I think the Bears will take advantage of that and handle business as they prepare to travel to London next week.
Score Prediction: Bears 38, Panthers 14
Image Credit: Chicago Tribune
Bears Earn Convincing 24-18 Win Over Rams
September 29, 2024, 4:23 PM CDT
The Bears got their second win of the season today over the Rams, winning pretty convincingly despite the close scoreline.
In the Rams first trip to Soldier Field since 2018, they got off to a 6-0 lead after two field goals. Montez Sweat came up with a huge strip sack to give the Bears the ball in the red zone. They went three and out, however, the third play was called a pass interference on Tre’Davious White, setting the Bears up with the ball on the one yard line. This time, they converted as Roschon Johnson punched it in for his first TD on the season. The Rams went down the field, getting in scoring range before kicker Joshua Karty missed a 43 yard attempt, giving the Bears the ball right before half. They put together a quick drive, going down field in just 52 seconds to give Cairo Santos a chance to extend the lead before half. He hit the 40 yard kick to make it 10-6, and for the first time all season, the Bears went to half with the lead.
The Rams got the ball out of half, using 12 plays to go down the field, but eventually they were held in goal to go range and had to kick another field goal to make it 10-9. The Bears drove down the field on their first chance of the second half, and Caleb finally was able to hit DJ Moore in the endzone for the pair’s first touchdown. DJ had looked pretty lost before this play, so it was great to see him finally get a score this year. But it wasn’t home free for the Bears yet. The Rams quickly went down the field, and as it changed to the fourth quarter, Kyren Williams punched in a touchdown to make it 17-15. The Rams went for two, but Stafford overthrew his man and the Bears kept the two point advantage. They needed a big drive to regain their momentum, and that’s exactly what they were able to do. After completing a 22 yard pass over the middle of the field to Cole Kmet, D’Andre Swift ripped off his longest carry as a Bear, running 36 yards into the endzone to extend the Bears lead to 24-15. The Rams got a field goal on their next drive, then forced a three and out to get the ball back down one score. However, Tory Taylor sent a booming punt inside their own 20, and the Bears then forced a three and out and had the Rams punt from deep in their own territory. They had a chance to clinch the game, but they got stopped and had to punt it back to the Rams. Tory Taylor yet again punted the ball inside the Rams 20, forcing Matthew Stafford to have to go 92 yards in 1:08 with no timeouts to win the game. However, he was hit on the first play and threw an interception to Jaquan Brisker, sealing the Bears their second win on the year.
Huge props to D’Andre Swift, who was our best player today after having a poor first three games as a Bear. Caleb Williams didn’t have the game he had last week with the yards, but he was consistent, read the field, and didn’t turn the ball over. The Bears needed this breakout performance against a strong team, and they got it done. They’ll host the 1-3 Panthers next week before going to London to face the Jaguars in two weeks. If they win both games, they’ll get to 4-2 going into the bye. Let’s hope they can pull it off!
Image Credit: Chicago Tribune
Keys To The Game: Los Angeles Rams
September 29, 2024, 11:53 AM CDT
The Bears return to Soldier Field for the first time since Week 1 to take on the Rams. This will be the first time the Rams have been to Chicago since their 15-6 defeat on Sunday Night Football back in 2018 (a game I was at!). Both teams have drastically changed since that game six years ago. The Bears are looking to snap a two-game losing streak, so here’s what I think they need to do to pick up their second win of the season.
1. Feed Roschon
ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler reported earlier in the week that Roschon Johnson was going to get an “extended look” out of the backfield this week. Johnson had eight carries for 30 yards last week, his first offensive action of the season. D’Andre Swift has struggled mightily this year, so the Bears are going to give Roschon a chance to take the RB1 job for himself. The Bears need to get the run game going early, as they’ve failed to do that this season. Perhaps this will also open up Swift more on third downs as well.
2. Continue the Caleb to Odunze Connection
The promised Caleb Williams to Rome Odunze connection finally began to take shape last week, as not only did Caleb find Rome for 6 catches and 112 yards, but they also connected in the endzone for their first career touchdowns. They have to keep up that connection today and keep moving the ball downfield and get into scoring range and into the endzone.
3. Dominate the Redzone
Last week the Bears couldn’t do much in the red zone, especially when they got to the goal line and got stuffed on three straight plays in the second quarter. That cannot happen today. The Bears need to convert on their redzone chances. Feed Roschon, find DJ, Keenan, Odunze, Kmet, maybe even have Caleb keep it himself. Shane Waldron has to be aggressive in the red zone and score touchdowns, as the Bears only have three offensive touchdowns in three games.
4. Win Up Front
It’s no secret that the Bears O-Line has been one of the worst this season. On the flip side, their D-Line has been one of the best this season. Andrew Billings has been the unsung hero, and despite an injury keeping him out of practice on Thursday, he will play today. The Rams have a really good running back in Kyren Williams, and the Bears have to shut him down to keep the Rams from moving the ball, especially with both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua out today. The O-Line has to give Caleb more time to throw today, and create lanes for Roschon to run through. This could be the breakout game for the 2024 Bears, but they have to win in the trenches.
5. Lockdown Secondary
As mentioned, the Rams are missing both Kupp and Nacua today due to injury. The secondary has been lockdown this year, with Jaylon Johnson continuing to prove why he’s the best corner in the league on a weekly basis. Tyrique Stevenson is also having a breakout year. If the Bears lockdown the secondary and keep Matt Stafford from getting in rhythm, they should have a good game today.
Score Prediction: Bears 24, Rams 20
The Bears are due for a win after losing their last two games by just one score. The Rams got their win last week, so they don’t have as much pressure today as the Bears do to win. Behind the home crowd, I think the Bears pull this one off and move to 2-2 on the year.
Image Credit: Windy City Gridiron
Bears Fall 21-16 To Colts
September 22, 2024, 7:53 PM CDT
The Bears came close, but in the end, they could not win their second game of the season.
Traveling to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the first time since 2016, the Bears attempted to bounce back from their Week 2 loss to the Texans. Caleb Williams had his best game as a pro, completing 33/52 passes for 363 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Both touchdowns came in the fourth quarter as the Bears attempted to mount a comeback.
The game started off very slow. Cairo Santos missed a 56-yard field goal short in the first quarter, which was really the only scoring opportunity early. Andrew Billings was also robbed of an interception when the refs incorrectly said Anthony Richardson’s forward progress had stopped, but the play would be ruled Montez Sweat’s first sack of the year. The Colts would get the ball in goal to go range in the second quarter, but Richardson threw the ball right to Tremaine Edmunds in the endzone to give the Bears the ball back. Caleb Williams immediately found Rome Odunze on a deep ball for a 47-yard completion to set the Bears up nicely for the first score of the game. However, Williams threw a bad interception, and the Colts went down the field in three plays to score the first points of the game on a 29-yard Jonathan Taylor touchdown run. The Bears had a chance to respond immediately, getting all the way down to the Colts one-yard line. But Shane Waldron dialed up the worst play calls I’ve ever seen, failing to get a yard and even losing 11 on a speed option on fourth down from the one yard line. The Bears got the ball one more time before the break after stopping the Colts, and Caleb Williams completed a pass to DJ Moore on a hail mary, but he came up one yard short in a play very reminiscent of Kevin White’s hail mary catch against the Patriots in 2018. The Bears went into the break down 7-0, needing offensive adjustments.
The Colts got the ball back out of the break, but Anthony Richardson immediately threw an interception to Jaylon Johnson to give the Bears the ball. The Bears put together a quick field goal drive, with Cairo Santos hitting from 53 yards out to get on the board. After forcing a three-and-out, the Bears began to drive down the field to try and take the lead. They got some luck as they were forced to punt, but a Colts player hit Tory Taylor in the leg after the punt was sent and kept possession with the Bears. However, on the very next play, Caleb Williams threw a pass to Rome Odunze that bounced off him and somehow fell in the hands of Jaylon Jones (not the Bears Jaylon Jones) for what was his second interception of the day. Neither team would do anything on their next two drives, but then the Colts put together a nine play, 80 yard drive that ended in a touchdown for Indy after Trey Sermon appeared to be stopped, but the refs ignored forward progress and let the play run as Indy took a two-score lead.
The Bears would finally get in their endzone on their next drive, finishing in a play that will be historic for the franchise. After driving 70 yards down the field on 13 plays, Caleb Williams connected with Rome Odunze in the endzone for a one-yard touchdown, marking the two’s first touchdown as a duo and each’s first touchdown in the NFL. They failed the 2-point conversion attempt and the game remained at 14-9. After forcing a punt, the Bears looked destined to complete the comeback, however, Laiatu Latu got right around Cole Kmet and Marcedes Lewis to strip the ball from Williams and get Indy the ball back in the red zone. Jonathan Taylor would score four plays later, and the Colts got the lead back up to 12. A 12 play, 70 yard touchdown drive would give the Bears life, as Cole Kmet would cap off his nice game in the endzone, but it was not enough. Jonathan Taylor picked up a first down on the next possession, and the Colts kneeled out a 21-16 win at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet played great, with Rome catching 6 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown and Kmet grabbing 10 passes for 97 yards and a score. DJ Moore added 78 yards on 8 catches. The run game has to get going next week as the Bears head back to Soldier Field to take on the Rams, as right now D’Andre Swift is looking like a bust signing. The Bears are due for a win next week, and hopefully it happens.
Image Credit: Windy City Gridiron
Keys To The Game: Indianapolis Colts
September 22, 2024, 7:48 AM CDT
The Bears need to bounce back this week after their Sunday Night loss to the Texans in Week 2. They’ll head to Indianapolis as they look to get back above .500, though the Colts have even more pressure to win given their 0-2 start. I’m going to be at this game, and judging by the crowd here yesterday, there are going to be a lot of Bears fans in attendance. So, let’s see how the team can deliver for the fans who traveled down and beat the Indianapolis Colts.
1. Protect Caleb
The Bears offensive line has been horrific through two weeks. There appears to be some shakeup coming, as it was reported that Matt Pryor could get the start over Nate Davis today. If he plays better than Davis, that would be huge as Caleb Williams has been heavily pressured in the first two games. The Colts D-Line, especially with DeForest Buckner out, is not as strong as the Titans or Texans. The O-Line needs to protect Caleb today and give him time to throw.
2. Get The Run Game Going…Through Khalil Herbert
D’Andre Swift has not been good through the first two games. He has 24 carries for 48 yards, not good at all when he was your big name free agent signing this offseason. Khalil Herbert has only 4 carries this year, one of them being a touchdown. Travis Homer is out and won’t be taking snaps, so let’s change things up and make Herbert the lead back and Swift the third down guy. Sprinkle in Roschon Johnson as well, as he did not take a single offensive snap last week.
3. Simplify the Game For Caleb
The goal this week for Caleb Williams is to get the ball to his receivers. Don’t necessarily look for the big shot, and don’t play it too conservative. Rather, aim for something in the middle. Scheme the receivers open to different parts of the field quickly so Caleb can get the ball into their hands. Aim for something similar to the first drive of last week, when they were able to move the ball down the field as Williams got the ball to his receivers quickly.
4. Contain Anthony Richardson
Anthony Richardson can run. He’s eerily similar to 2022 Justin Fields as to the kind of player he is right now. He isn’t a great passer, but he can run around and get yards on the ground. The Bears D-Line has been one of the best in the league, but they have to contain Richardson’s scrambling ability this week and force him to throw some bad passes and keep their offense from getting going.
5. Defense Remain Consistent
Dating back to last year, the Bears have allowed less than 20 points in 8 straight games. That is currently the longest streak in the league, and even though they almost lost it last week, they still held onto it against a tough Texans offense. They need to keep that consistency going as they look to win this game. The offense may still have its struggles today, so it is important that the defense keeps up with how they’ve been to keep us in front.
Score Prediction: Bears 27, Colts 17
I am going to predict a Bears win in this game, and I think it’s going to be the game that Caleb takes a step forward. The defense will stay hot, and the offense will finally start to get going despite missing Keenan Allen. The run game should hopefully get going, which will open up more opportunities for passing. The Bears have only won with me in attendance twice, so let’s hope they get win number three today.
Image Credit: FanSided
Offense Struggles Again as Bears Lose 19-13 To Texans
September 16, 2024, 12:35 AM CDT
Well, the Bears finally lost a game this season. After going 4-0 in the preseason and winning against the Titans last week, the Bears dropped their first road contest of the season as the Texans defeated them by a final score of 19-13.
It was another poor showing from the offense. Cairo Santos hit two field goals, and Khalil Herbert had a rushing touchdown, but outside of that the Bears could not get the ball moving. Caleb Williams looked better today, but it still wasn’t great as he went 23/37 for 174 yards and 2 interceptions. DJ Moore led the team with 6 catches for 53 yards, and D’Andre Swift ran 14 times for 42 yards. The offensive line was horrific today, as Caleb Williams was sacked seven times as they could not stop the blitz to save their life.
Despite the poor offensive effort, the defense was once again elite. They were able to hold the Texans to 19 points, and just three in the second half. Only one of Houston’s scores was a touchdown, a 28-yard pass to Nico Collins in the second quarter. Kyler Gordon JUST missed a pick-six as he could not control the ball on the way to the ground before running it back to the endzone. That would’ve given the Bears the lead, but instead Houston maintained control of the game.
I am beginning to get concerned with Shane Waldron’s playcalling, but it’s still early in the year. We just have to hope the offense turns things around next week as they head to Indianapolis to take on the Colts. Keenan Allen will hopefully be back as well for that game.
Image Credit: Sporting News
Keys To The Game: Houston Texans
September 15, 2024, 2:11 PM CDT
It’s about that time again! The Bears will take on the Houston Texans tonight for their first Primetime game of the season as they look to improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2020. They'll also be wearing their orange jerseys today as the Texans are in their all-white uniforms. It’s going to be a tough game as the Texans are one of the best teams in the league. But, I think this game is winnable if we play it the right way. Here are my keys to a Bears victory tonight.
1. Get The Run Game Going
One thing the Bears were unable to do last week was establish the run game, as D’Andre Swift only had 30 yards rushing on 10 carries. The Titans do have arguably the best interior D-Line duo in the league with Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat, so it wasn’t hard to see why it was so difficult to run. But this week, they have to get Swift, Herbert, and Johnson going on the ground. This will help us move the ball downfield and open up opportunities for more impactful passing plays. Shane Waldron even admitted that this was something they needed to do this week, so I expect a lot of running early in this one.
2. Control the Interior
The Bears interior O-Line last week was horrible. Teven Jenkins had arguably his worst game as a pro, and Coleman Shelton was awful at Center. Nate Davis, though in limited action, was not bad at Right Guard and will play more today as Ryan Bates went on injured reserve yesterday. Jenkins and Shelton need a bounce back today if the Bears want to get going on offense. Defensively, Gervon Dexter and Andrew Billings dominated, which they will have to do again today.
3. Get Caleb Going
Caleb has to be better today. If he throws for less than 100 yards again, the Bears will lose. Opening up the run will help Caleb get into rhythm as he looks for his first NFL touchdown and the Bears search for their first offensive touchdown of the season. Keenan Allen will likely be out today, but Rome Odunze looks like he’ll play if he feels fine in warm-ups. Tyler Scott and Collin Johnson, who was elevated to the roster for today, should help as well. And of course, if all else fails, look for DJ. Caleb processed the game well on Sunday, but he has to lean on his weapons and not play superman.
4. Defense, Stay Hot
The Bears defense dominated last week, especially in the second half as they held the Titans to under 100 total yards of offense in the second half. They need to keep that up against the Texans if they want to win this game, especially if the offense can’t get going again. The Texans have some great weapons, but the Bears have a great secondary. Another good defensive outing could see the Bears pull off an upset.
5. The Ball
When Matt Eberflus had his introductory press conference, he introduced the HITS principle. The T in the principle stands for “The Ball.” In order to win this game, the Bears need to control the ball. They did that last week, winning the turnover battle by forcing Levis to try and make plays which cost them the game. CJ Stroud is a much better Quarterback than Levis, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go after him. Force turnovers, get the ball back, and keep Houston from moving the ball downfield. If the Bears can do that, they could have a good shot at winning the game.
Score Prediction: Bears 17, Texans 31
I would love for the Bears to pull off the upset tonight. And even though I think this could be a trap game for the Texans, I don’t see the Bears pulling off the win. I think the offense will struggle again early and have to play catch-up again, and unlike the Titans, the Texans won’t make as many mistakes and give this game away. Anything is possible, but I think the Bears will start the year 1-1 after tonight.
Image Credit: Yahoo Sports
Defense, Special Teams Power Bears To Comeback vs Titans
September 8, 2024, 4:06 PM CDT
What a game that was for the Bears. I'm going to coin this "The Bears Are Who We Thought They Were Part 2." The offense couldn't get anything going in Caleb Williams' debut, as they failed to put together a drive where they gained 50+ yards of offense. Especially in the first half it was looking bad. After some early three-and-outs from both teams, the Titans put together a touchdown drive capped off by a 26-yard Tony Pollard run into the endzone. On the ensuing kickoff, Velus Jones fumbled to set up a Titans Field Goal. After the Bears offense once again stalled, the Titans scored again as Chigoziem Okonkwo beat Tyrique Stevenson one-on-one in the endzone. DeAndre Carter, who took over on kickoff duties following the Velus fumble, returned the next kickoff to the Titans 34 right before the half to set the Bears up in scoring range. Keenan Allen should've caught Caleb Williams first touchdown pass, however, the ball went right through his hands and the Bears had to settle for a Field Goal to go into half down 17-3.
The Bears got the ball out of half and did nothing with it, losing yards on the drive and being forced to punt to Tennessee. The Bears defense, which started out great but began to crack after the second drive, got back to form and stuffed the Titans offense. On the Tennessee punt, Daniel Hardy got into the backfield and blocked the kick, and safety Jonathan Owens scooped it up and brought it back for the score to get the Bears into the endzone for the first time today. The defense just took over from here, with no Titans drive going for more than 22 total yards in the second half. The Bears would get two Field Goals from these defensive stops, with the offense putting together a decent drive to make it 17-13 and then a forced fumble by the defense set them up in great position to make it 17-16. The Bears were able to get it to a 3rd and 6 on the following Titans drive, and they sent pressure at Will Levis. Momentum was on the Bears side, the crowd was loud, and they got to Levis for what was about to be a sack, but then he got rid of the ball towards the sideline. However, Tyrique Stevenson was right in line of the pass, and he grabbed it and brought it back for a Pick-Six and the first Bears lead of the season. Williams found D'Andre Swift on a pass for the two-point conversion, and suddenly the Bears were on top.
The Titans would get two more chances, punting on their next drive before a Jaylon Johnson interception with 1:15 left in the game sealed it. The Bears win the game 24-17 to start the year off 1-0, getting their first win against the Titans since 2012. Coincidentally, that was the last time the Bears had both a Pick-Six and blocked punt returned for a touchdown.
Top Performers
The defense was lights out in this one. Andrew Billings dominated the interior both defending the run and pass. He's a dawg and was the MVP of the game for the Bears. Darrell Taylor was all over the field as well, with two sacks (including a huge strip sack), two TFLs and seven tackles as a rotational edge rusher. TJ Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds both played great games, and Jaylon Johnson was lockdown as always with the game-sealing INT to go on top of it. The interior O-Line was pretty poor, but let's not let the work of Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright go unnoticed as they both continuously won reps protecting their rookie QB. Travis Homer also made a lot of plays today, with some good blocks and runs. DeAndre Carter also made a huge impact in the return game, and should not only be full-time punt returner, but full-time kick returner as well moving forward.
In order to win next week, those guys will need to continue to perform, but the offense will need to come alive as well. It wasn't the game we wanted for Caleb's debut but it is still Week 1 and he will improve, as will Shane Waldron. Houston is going to be a tough game, and I do think they'll lose, but they have the chance to rebound and put together a good game as we look to pull off the upset.
Game MVP: Andrew Billings
Image Credit: Chicago Bears
Keys To The Game: Tennessee Titans
September 8, 2024, 11:42 AM CDT
We are back! After months of waiting Bears football has officially returned today as we get ready to face off against the Tennessee Titans, a team we have not beaten in the regular season since 2012. Caleb Williams will also make his official NFL debut today! While the Titans may seem like a weaker opponent, we definitely cannot underestimate them. Here are my five keys to beating the Tennessee Titans and starting out the year 1-0.
1. Neutralize Jeffery Simmons
Jeffery Simmons is going to be the biggest threat on the Titans defense. Yes they just acquired L’Jarius Snead this offseason, but Simmons is the guy to watch out for on the D-Line. We’ll need good games from the entire interior of the line, especially from Nate Davis as he faces his former team. Rookie T’Vondre Sweat will also be a threat on the line, but Simmons is the guy that really needs to be neutralized.
2. Lean on the Weapons
Caleb Williams played a lot of hero ball at USC, especially last season. Today, he should not have to be that guy. He’s got the elite receiving talent with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet. D’Andre Swift and Khalil Herbert will run a lot today, so Caleb might not have to throw too much. Williams just needs to lean on his guys and he will be good today.
3. Win the Turnover Battle
The Bears have a great defense, and they need to create turnovers today to keep Tennessee’s offense in check. Montez Sweat being active is huge, as once he came over from Washington the team turned it up in the turnover department. If Gervon Dexter, Darrell Taylor, and Austin Booker can get pressure on the QB, they should win in the turnover department, as long as Caleb Williams leans on his guys and plays well.
4. Get Into the Endzone
In the past few years, the Bears have struggled to convert redzone opportunities into touchdowns. This year, that needs to change. The Bears have the talent on offense to score, and score a lot. It is going to be hard to do against a pretty strong Titans defense, but I’m confident new Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron has designed a game plan that will help us get into the endzone today.
5. Don’t Get Too Sloppy
The Bears cannot slip up today. The Titans are a team that could capitalize on any slip ups from their opponent. That includes today, and the Bears cannot let today get away from them. Caleb will look to be the first QB drafted first overall to win in Week 1 since 2012, and I think he can do it. He’s in the unique situation that no Number One pick has really ever been in before with how good this team is. Just play good, clean football and get the win today.
Score Prediction: Bears 28, Titans 17
I have the Bears winning this one by pulling away in the fourth quarter. It should be competitive all throughout, but I think the Bears will get a touchdown late in the fourth to officially put this game away and seal a 1-0 start to the season! Savor this day Bears fans, it's the start of a new era in Chicago, one hopefully filled with success that we've never seen before.
Image Credit: Peoria Journal Star
Bears Secure Undefeated Preseason With 34-21 Win vs Chiefs
August 23, 2024, 12:11 PM CDT
The Bears have done it! For the second time in three preseasons under Matt Eberflus, the Bears have won all of their preseason games. The only difference is that we went 4-0 this time instead of 3-0, which makes us preseason champs this year. This game was mostly just about guys fighting for roster spots, as neither Patrick Mahomes nor Caleb Williams ended up playing in this game, along with most of the other starters. Two guys stood out the most on offense, Velus Jones Jr. and Tyler Scott. Scott, not in danger of being cut, had his best receiving performance of the preseason with 6 catches for 99 yards. He likely only played so long as a lot of receiver depth was injured. Velus ran the ball 13 times for 111 yards and a touchdown, flashing his brilliant ability in the open field on the touchdown run when he was able to get by numerous defenders. All three quarterbacks that played, Tyson Bagent, Austin Reed, and Brett Rypien, looked really good. Bagent has QB2 on lock so we'll see who the Bears decide to keep between Reed and Rypien. Defensively, Reddy Steward stole the show in the secondary with two interceptions, one of which he brought back for a touchdown. I'm hoping he makes the roster, he was great in camp and showed flashes in the preseason. Austin Booker was once again everywhere and I'm hoping he ends up with the starting job next to Montez Sweat. Aside from the Velus and Reddy touchdowns, the Bears got into the endzone two more times. Bagent scored on the opening drive by running it in from five yards out, and Reed found Tight End Tommy Sweeney in the endzone on the Bears first drive of the second half. Cairo Santos went 2/2 on field goals and 4/4 on PATs which ultimately brought the Bears a 34-21 victory. Final roster cuts will be made on Tuesday, so we'll see who makes the initial 53-Man roster with more moves to come after that through waivers and trades.
Image Credit: Chicago Bears
Williams Scores in Home Debut, Bears Beat Bengals 27-3
August 17, 2024, 9:45 PM CDT
It was a pretty uneventful start for the Bears offense.
Three straight 3-and-outs to start the game was just inexcusable. It was like a back to reality moment after the great start they had last week. And this was against backups. However, they really began to turn it up in the second quarter. Thanks to a great performance from the Bears starting defense, led by Kyler Gordon, they were able to hold the Bengals to 0 points as well. The momentum started with an interception by Amen Ogbongbemiga after Cincy QB Logan Woodside was pressured by Josh Blackwell. Williams led a great drive that ended in a Cairo Santos Field Goal. Rome Odunze caught his first pass on the drive, and the next Bears drive he would catch a 45-yard bomb as Williams rolled out of the pocket. You can clearly tell that Williams implements a lot of Rodgers and Mahomes techniques into his game. That drive ended in a backyard football-esque scramble drill that resulted in Caleb running in his first touchdown. The Bengals got a Field Goal to go into the half with a scoreline of 10-3 in favor of the Bears.
The Bengals received the ball out of half, but Terell Smith would snag an interception to give the ball right back to the Bears. Tyson Bagent took over and led a scoring drive, finding Dante Pettis in the endzone for a four-yard score. This was easily Bagent's best game of the preseason, and him and Pettis would connect twice on the next drive. First on a 24-yard catch, and then a 25-yard touchdown. The game would be pretty uneventful from there, though the Bears would force a fumble thanks to Daniel Hardy (and recovered by Keith Randolph Jr.), who has been really impressive in preseason and will make my next 53-Man roster projection. Cairo Santos hit a 51-yard Field Goal as it began to pour at Soldier Field, and that was pretty much that. The Bears sealed up their 3rd win of the preseason, and will look to complete the undefeated run on Thursday against the Chiefs. Unsure if starters will play as of now due to it being a short week, but we'll just have to wait and see.
Caleb Williams impressed in his first ever game at Soldier Field
Williams Impresses in Debut as Bears Win 33-6 Over Bills
August 10, 2024, 5:08 PM CDT
It wasn't a perfect start to the career of Caleb Williams, but it was certainly one that showed a lot of promise for the future of the Bears organization.
Caleb went 4/7 passing on the day for 95 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. Two of the incompletions were dropped passes, and the other one went over the endzone. Caleb also had one carry for 13 yards. He looked very poised in the pocket, not afraid to step up and rip it to DJ Moore for his first completion. He also had a great throw on the run to Cole Kmet, something that looked straight out of the Aaron Rodgers bag of devil magic. Caleb only played one quarter (two drives), but he gave us just a sneak peak at what's to come.
There was not a lot of scoring through the first three quarters of this contest. Both drives that Williams led resulted in field goals, and the Bills got a field goal of their own in the second quarter to go into halftime with a 6-3 Bears scoreline. The second half saw our first touchdown of the game, with a Velus Jones run into the endzone from four yards out. The Bills were able to answer with a field goal, and got the ball back down 13-6 in the fourth looking to tie the game. However, Micah Baskerville snagged an interception off of Shane Buechele, returning it to the house for a pick-six and a 19-6 Bears lead (after a missed Cairo Santos PAT). The Bears got the ball back three more times after this, with rookie Running Back Ian Wheeler scoring two late touchdowns to make it a final scoreline of 33-6 in favor of Chicago.
All this talk about the offense, but the defense played very well against the Bills, even the starters while missing key players such as Montez Sweat, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, and Jaquan Brisker. I already mentioned the Baskerville pick-six, but rookie edge rushers Austin Booker and Daniel Hardy each had 2.5 sacks. Booker is trying to win a starting edge rusher spot, so games like this are crucial while Hardy is looking to get a spot on the final 53-Man roster. Linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga made it hard on Baskerville to jump him on the depth chart, as he turned in a really good game with 8 tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection. Zacch Pickens and Khalid Kareem also got to the QB for a grand total of 8 sacks on the day for the Bears defense.
The Bears will welcome the Bengals into Soldier Field next Saturday at Noon for Caleb's first action in Chicago. There will be a joint practice held on Thursday with Cincy, so we'll see if the Bears will even play Caleb (I'm sure they will given he's a rookie). They could also play him and sit some other starters, we'll just have to wait and see.
Caleb Williams rolls out to throw in his debut vs the Bills
Bears Win Hall of Fame Game 21-17 Over Texans
August 1, 2024, 11:04 PM CDT
Bears football is officially back. While we didn't get to see Caleb Williams, or really any of the starters outside of Cairo Santos and Khalil Herbert play, it's at least a start. Today's game was all about the connection between Brett Rypien and Collin Johnson. Tyson Bagent started the game, though he really only got one series and mostly handed the ball of to Roschon Johnson. The Bears went down 10-0 before Rypien came in and immediately began cooking, leading an 8-play touchdown drive that ended in Collin Johnson's hands for a 20-yard score. Khalil Herbert rushed for 35 yards on the drive, helping get the Bears into that scoring range. From there, the game kind of slowed down. Houston scored another touchdown before Rypien led a 5 play, 72 yard drive in 58 seconds to score just before the half. Collin Johnson had a big time 27-yard catch, and eventually Rypien found Tight End Tommy Sweeney for a 22-yard score. The Texans went into half up 17-14 on the Bears, though we would receive the second half kickoff. Speaking of the kickoff, today was the first time we got to see the new kickoff rules in place. It was definitely different than what we're used to, and to be honest I'm not really a fan of it yet. Maybe that's because I haven't seen Velus Jones return one yet (he also did not play as Tyler Scott was handling the kick return duties for the most part), but it will take some time still before it really becomes normalized. It's also only a one year experiment for now, so we'll see if it sticks around. Back to the game, Rypien again led a touchdown drive to begin the half to give the Bears a 21-17 advantage. UDFA Tight End Brandon Bates became his favorite target on the drive, gaining 47 yards on two receptions. Collin Johnson again had a big-time catch, but a review ruled he didn't quite bring it in. It didn't matter as Rypien found him in the endzone again to complete the drive and give the Bears the lead. Houston would punt the next possession, and UDFA QB Austin Reed out of Western Kentucky took over for the Bears. He completed two passes for 10 yards, but a penalty knocked the Bears back and forced a punt out of Corliss Waitman, who was handling punting duties tonight instead of Tory Taylor (perhaps as a competitive advantage move as we play Houston in Week 2). Houston would punt their next possession, but Dante Pettis muffed the catch and the Texans got the ball back. After three plays that resulted in a loss of two yards, Ka'imi Fairbairn came on and shanked a 58 yard field goal attempt. After a longer than usual TV timeout, the broadcast came back announcing that the game was being suspended due to dangerous weather conditions in the area. It had been raining throughout the 3rd Quarter, but lightning made it unsafe, something that was feared could happen even before kickoff. If it was a regular season game, they definitely would've waited it out. But it's the Hall of Fame game, there really was no significance to it apart from getting bottom of the depth chart guys a chance to play. So, the NFL just cancelled the rest of the game a little bit later, and the Bears were declared the victors. A great start for sure, but these results won't matter until we get to Week 1. All it's about for now is getting guys reps and opportunities to land themselves on the final 53-Man roster. But hey, a win is a win, and we'll still take it.
Collin Johnson after scoring his first touchdown of the game