CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears have been stuck in a bit of turmoil over the last week. After dropping a very winnable game in Indianapolis last Sunday - one where Shane Waldron and his offense came under heavy fire - the urgency was on to right the ship.
It started with a "Leadership Council" meeting between Waldron and several players: Caleb Williams, Cole Kmet, DJ Moore and Marcedes Lewis. Essentially, the players giving Waldron the go-ahead to be more assertive in his quest to turn this around.
With NFC games starting this week at Soldier Field, it was imperative that the Bears figure out a way to keep this season from spiraling -- especially against a team with an All-World head coach and quarterback, but with several key pieces sitting out with injury.
Win, and the rest of the Bears' season is all in front of them with renewed hope. Lose, and it's officially panic time for Matt Eberflus & Co.
And in the end, the Bears took advantage of a few gifts to survive the first half and thrive in the second half to win the game against a pesky Rams team.
I shared my in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the game below. Follow me on Twitter (or X, I guess) @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation!
Thoughts and Observations
1. Well, through the first quarter, it appears Shane Waldron has learned nothing. A five-and-out to start the game included a WR (Rome Odunze) blocking on a bubble screen to the TE (Kmet) that was stopped short. The second drive started with a PA-screen to DJ Moore that was stopped immediately en route to another punt. Much of the same and quite, quite ugly.
So far, the Bears' MVP in this game is Tory Taylor.
The good news is, sandwiched between those two rough drives, a Gervon Dexter sack ruined an easy drive for Matthew Stafford and the Rams, who needed to kick a field goal. Dexter is really having a nice start to the season.
2. This Bears team has seven penalties for 60+ yards in the first half. First half. And they are at HOME. The coaching staff should be under fire for producing what seems to be an unprofessional team at this point. Just some horrific mental mistakes against a team that is playing more intensely and more physically than they are. It's a truly disastrous spectacle along the lakefront so far.
3. Just as I say that - Montez Sweat ripped through to sack and strip Stafford. Kyler Gordon recovered to set the Bears up well. A beautiful DPI on the Rams on 3rd down set the Bears up at the 1-yard line, and an actually professional play call found the end zone to put Chicago ahead.
The Bears' offense has been a disaster so far but hopefully that sparks something.
4. McVay is really eating Eberflus' lunch with some of his zone beaters - they're quite beautiful. And Stafford is finding the zones rather easily. They're lucky to have held the Rams to two FG attempts on drives where it was clear they were marching to the end zone.
Luckily, the Rams' kicker sailed his FG attempt wide left before halftime to keep it 7-6 Bears.
5. A mixed results two-minute drive for the Bears' offense to end the half. Before the red zone, Caleb did a good job getting the ball out to his veterans - hitting Keenan Allen a couple times, as well as getting big production from D'Andre Swift. The dump off for 27 yards was a huge gain and showcased Swift's speed and shiftiness.
But when it got to the red zone, Caleb overshot Odunze on first down (had him for a TD), then missed Swift in the flat as he took a sack -- could've gained several yards there. On third down, he had DJ Moore open on another out-n'-up down the sideline but fired a laser beyond Moore. It looked as though Moore may have slowed down, but still, you HAVE to hit those plays. Bears take a 10-6 lead into halftime.
I will say, Braxton Jones has been struggling with Jared Verse today. Verse has walked him back a few times (pocket pushers have given Jones trouble in the past). They may need to help him out in the second half - Verse got very close to sacks several times in the first half.
<HALFTIME>
6. Some bully ball by both offensive lines to open the second half. The Rams moved the ball at will on the ground en route to a field goal to make it 10-9. Not great for the Bears' defense but they did well to hold in the red zone.
And then the Bears methodically moved the football down the field - relying on some beautiful runs and good OL play to keep them ahead of the chains - for a touchdown. Some downhill running, timely throws and decisions from Williams, and a beautiful throw and catch on 3rd and 6 to Moore for a touchdown made it 17-9 Bears.
That was easily the Bears' best offensive drive of the season. Easily. And you have to hope Waldron continues to go back to the well that worked.
7. Man, what a response from the Rams. Chunk play after chunk play against a defense seemingly willing to give it to them. Stafford is really special to watch. The hope is Caleb can rise to that level of reliability, certainty and confidence some day.
(They didn't hold to a FG, but they did survive the two-point try to retain a 17-15 lead early in the fourth quarter.
The offense really needs to pick up the slack here and a) burn some clock and b) try to score. No getting cute or conservative here.
8. Now THAT is how you respond. What a drive from Caleb Williams - a nice job finding Swift in the flat to pick up a first down, a rifle shot to Cole Kmet over the middle to get them into Rams territory, and then Swift did the rest, hopping over a defender and motoring to the end zone. Bully ball from the OL and TEs there. That was beautiful. Keep it up, Shane Waldron.
9. Stafford is sensational, man. Just ripping this defense to shreds. But a timely sack on a blitz from Jaquan Brisker led to another FG try. Timely plays today have helped contain an explosive QB just a bit (like Dexter's sack in the first quarter).
It's 24-18 and the offense now needs to play closer.
10. (Narrator... they could not.) A rough Kmet false start on a 3rd and short backed them up to a long third down try, and a blitz sacked Caleb.
Shoutout to Tory Taylor though - completely flipped field position. LA takes over at their own 8-yard line. That's TWO 60+ yard punts today - what an investment.
It's time to bite nails.
11. The Bears picked up one crucial first down before a beautiful punt (again) by Taylor put LA at their own 8-yard line again.
And then Brisker got his revenge on the wiped out INT in the first half by picking off a Stafford floater as he was getting hit. Ballgame. Darrell Taylor with a beautiful play to get the pressure - and while he certainly was bailed out by not being flagged on a roughing call - it was nonetheless effective.
HUGE, HUGE win.
Coaching staff with a hugely effective set of adjustments in the second half to win the game overall. That's a major sigh of relief for Chicago.
12. The Panthers come to Soldier Field next week as Andy Dalton gets another revenge game opportunity. What should've been a battle of #1 overall picks and a "Poles Decision Bowl" between Bryce Young and Caleb will instead by Caleb against Dalton. This win today provides much more confidence that they can handle their business next Sunday.
Early prediction: Bears 23, Panthers 17.
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