At the midpoint of the NFL regular season calendar, and 5-3 entering today's contest, the Chicago Bears were a very interesting team.
To this point, they hadn't been great, given all of their injuries ravaging the defense. But they weren't exactly a team opponents were lining up to play against, either. The Bears have a good offensive line, an excellent run game, and an explosive pass game that isn't yet firing on all cylinders. Think of them as a better version of the Cincinnati Bengals -- ironically, whom the Bears beat 47-42 in a thrilling, see-saw affair last Sunday.
Competitive and fun. Everyone would've signed up for that in August.
The lowly but feisty New York Giants came to town today for a wintry showdown between big-market teams. It was the last "easy" matchup for the Bears before their schedule turned difficult. It was a great opportunity for Chicago to pick up another NFC win and pad their record to 6-3 in anticipation of a tough closeout.
In the end, the Bears fucked around for 3.5 quarters and found another way to win the game at the buzzer. A 24-20 escape and they move to 6-3. Lots to dislike, but also lots to like - namely, Caleb Williams' incredible performance.
I shared my in-game reactions, thoughts and observations from the game below. Follow me on X @DhruvKoul to continue the conversation.
Thoughts and Observations
1. A wintry game at Soldier Field is one of the most beautiful sights in sports. Through two offensive drives, I've loved what I've seen from Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze. Caleb should've had a touchdown toss to DJ Moore on the first drive on 4th down, but he couldn't keep his feet in bounds or hold on to the ball at the end. The Bears did turn away the Giants on their own 4th down near midfield, as Montez Sweat and Noah Sewell blew up Jaxson Dart for a sack.
And then Odunze and Caleb took over on the second drive, converting a few big third downs en route to a trucking touchdown run by Kyle Monangai. Through two drives, Caleb has been fantastic finding throws downfield and firing accurately. The other playmakers need to step up to carry the load. And Monangai pushed a pile from the three-yard line into the end zone. I love the way that kid runs.
2. Signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson was such a good personnel match by the Bears to take over Kyler Gordon's role while he's on IR. He's been lining up everywhere, as advertised, and has blitzed in the Bears' pass rush packages as well as I remember from his time in New Orleans. He has two sacks in two games for the Bears already. Always loved watching him play, and it's been fun to see him do the same in Chicago. Not to mention, drafted in NOLA when Dennis Allen was there -- it made perfect sense.
And the Bears have the coaching infrastructure in place to keep his extracurriculars in check, hopefully.
3. Well, when you don't step on a team's throat when you're dominating in the first quarter, things will come back to bite you. The Bears were only up 7-0 on NYG after the first, despite a decided edge in total yardage, TOP, and opportunities to score. Not being able to pull ahead further seemed ominous after the Giants' final play of the first quarter was a miracle catch by Darius Slayton on a bad throw from Jaxson Dart to put NYG at midfield.
Lo and behold, Tyrique Stevenson lost his man in coverage to open the second quarter for another 38-yard completion to put NYG in the red zone (another bad throw from Dart). And the Giants scored three plays later on a Dart keeper.
All of a sudden, tied 7-7. Fairly classic unfolding after the Bears continue to play with their food early in games.
4. Bears have been in FG range twice today and have opted to go for it on 4th down (DJ Moore end zone drop/non-catch) and punt (!). Cairo Santos has limitations, but in a weather game of this magnitude, he's REALLY limited, huh?
Meanwhile, the Bears escaped humiliation after Jaxson Dart's 4th down heave was broken up in the end zone by Jaquan Brisker. Dart and the offense had really gained some nice momentum and had the Bears' defense completely lost - some really nice scheming by Brian Daboll against Dennis Allen. But the break-up preserves a 7-7 tie when it looked certain the Giants were threatening.
5. Another turnover on downs in plus territory... I'll just leave this here... second half needs some major adjustments, IMO. But it only matters if the Bears can keep the Giants within a score after two upcoming possessions.
6. It's 10-7 Giants at halftime, and the difference in the game is five drops on offense and two drops on defense -- including a Nahshon Wright dropped INT in the end zone two plays before NYG went ahead on their field goal.
There's a real risk of an upset at Soldier Field because the defense is getting lost against Daboll's scheme and the offense can't stop making mistakes. A clunker so far from Chicago in a game where they want to establish themselves as a fairly serious team.
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7. Making a one-read and run QB like Jaxson Dart look competent on the road is pretty embarrassing stuff. The Giants open the second half with an easy touchdown drive, capped by a 24-yard QB keeper by Dart where Chicago lost the edge. It's been a really rough game for the defense since Kyle Monangai's TD run. And now the offense really needs to respond given it's a multiple-score deficit now.
8. Man, just when it looked like the Giants were driving to bury the Bears, Gardner-Johnson stripped Dart on another big run and the Bears recovered at their own 16. The defense has been on their heels for much of this game but that's a big play with the Bears down 10 still.
The Bears moved the ball nicely - the big play a beautiful over route to Colston Loveland and a DPI vs. Odunze to set the Bears up with goal-to-go, but it fizzled out for a FG attempt. 17-10 Giants. Just an annoying football game as we head towards the fourth quarter.
9. One of the worst plays of the season is a Noah Sewell missed tackle in the backfield on third down that lets NYG pick up 41 yards en route to another FG to extend to 20-10. What would've been a punt became points to make it another two-score game. The Bears can't help beating themselves, and today, it looks like it'll result in a horrific home loss instead of Ben Johnson pulling them out at the last minute again. Very disappointing day for the whole team.
10. Goodness. An outside-zone run (why?) on 3rd and 1 loses two yards and Williams fires high to Swift on 4th down (with a lane to run available) and they turn it over on downs again.
Just have to throw the tape out from this game. Nothing to be learned. Just be better.
11. Unbelievable turn of events. Jaxson Dart leaves the game with a concussion and the Bears force a punt on Russell Wilson.
Then Caleb put on his Superman cape and willed the Bears to a touchdown to put them down 20-17 -- escaping about 100 sacks on the way.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson came on another blitz on 3rd and 7 and sacked Russell Wilson to give the Bears the ball back, and a shanked punt put Chicago starting near their own 47. The Bears legitimately have a chance to win another game they probably don't have business winning? Let's see...
And no matter what, Williams has been flat-out excellent today.
12. Three plays later, Caleb takes it himself for a touchdown. A big pass to Luther Burden set them up in the red zone, and then Caleb took it himself. Unreal. Bears up 24-20 and now have to hope the defense can keep Russell Wilson out of the end zone. In any case, what a comeback.
13. Two uncalled intentional groundings on Russell Wilson -- and it didn't matter. A unique set of blitz packages from Dennis Allen, including one on 4th and 10, and the Bears escape the Giants to move to 6-3. Truly a heroic performance from Caleb Williams today. He keeps ascending. It's beautiful.
14. I am of the belief the Bears have five wins this season that they find a way to lose in past years. They keep finding ways and it's beautiful. They are resilient and they continue to find ways. Can't ask for much more.
15. The Bears travel to Minnesota next week to take on the Vikings. I'm sure Chicago would like to avenge their Week 1 heartbreaking loss at home to the Vikings against the hometown kid J.J. McCarthy, but they have other problems after fucking around with the Giants and almost losing. Lots to clean up, but the Vikings are reeling themselves after a big loss to the Ravens. Can the Bears avenge?
Early prediction: Bears 23, Vikings 20.
