Holy f*ck. If you didn’t see the Bears-Bengals game in Week 9, stop reading, go watch the highlights, and come back. Chicago pulled off a 47-42 win in what can only be described as a football fever dream: eight lead changes, three touchdowns in the final two minutes, and a walk-off 58-yard dagger with 17 seconds left. This wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. And five Bears made damn sure everyone heard it loud and clear.
Let’s break down the five monsters of the Midway who turned Paycor Stadium into their personal playground.
1. Colston Loveland
Stat Line: 6 catches, 118 yards, 2 TDs, including a game-winning 58-yard YAC special.
Loveland didn’t just break out. He exploded. When Cole Kmet went down, the rookie said, “Cool, I got this.” And he did. That game-winner? He caught it at the Bengals' 36, broke tackles from two DBs like they were junior varsity scrubs, and cruised to glory.
The 10th overall pick finally lived up to the hype, becoming the first Bears rookie tight end since 1999 to top 100 receiving yards. That’s a 26-year dry spell snapped like a twig.
Analytics Don't Lie:
- 19.7 yards per reception.
- 118 yards = 54.8% more than his previous best.
- The Bengals came into the game leading the league in missed tackles (94). They added 15 more. Loveland’s game-winner was the biggest gut punch of them all.
This wasn’t just good. It was legendary. Rookie tight ends aren’t supposed to do this. But Loveland said hold my beer.
2. Kyle Monangai
Stat Line: 26 carries, 176 rushing yards (6.8 YPC), 3 catches, 22 yards.
All he did was drop the biggest RB performance of the Bears season in his first career start. No D’Andre Swift? No problem. Monangai looked like a damn bulldozer with vision.
This wasn’t a fluke:
- 100 yards by halftime.
- 6.8 YPC against a Bengals defense that KNEW the Bears were going to run.
- 198 total yards. On a rookie’s first real shot. Are you kidding me?
Dig Into the Dirt:
- 2.5 yards before contact = elite line play.
- 1.8 yards after contact = Monangai’s bruiser mentality.
- Bengals’ D-line got graded a 42.5 in run defense. That’s not just bad, it’s hang-your-head embarrassing.
Monangai ran angry. Like he was personally offended to be a seventh-round pick. Keep feeding him Ben Johnson.
3. Caleb Williams
Stat Line: 20/34, 280 passing yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs | 5 carries, 53 yards | 2 receptions, 22 yards, 1 TD
Williams became the first player in NFL history to throw multiple TDs, catch multiple passes, AND score a receiving TD in a single game. The man’s a video game glitch in real life.
The Ice in His Veins:
- Down 42-41, 50 seconds left, no timeouts.
- Scrambles for 14, then lasers a 58-yard TD to Loveland.
- Final drive passer rating: 124.0. Clutch gene? Confirmed.
More Nerd Fuel:
- Pressure-to-sack rate down from 28.2% to 13.7% year-over-year. That’s massive.
- 114.8 passer rating = second-best of the season.
- Trick play receiving TD? Chef’s kiss. Caught a second pass later. Just for fun.
This was his "I'm HIM" game. And the league better take notice.
4. DJ Moore
Stat Line: 4 catches, 72 yards | 1 pass attempt, 2 yards, 1 TD | 1 rush, 17 yards, 1 TD
Touchdown passing? Check. Touchdown rushing? Check. Clutch receiving? Check. DJ Moore literally filled out the whole damn stat sheet.
Fun Facts:
- First non-QB Bear ever with a pass TD and a rush TD in the same game.
- Averaged 18.0 yards per catch.
- Bengals challenged his rushing TD. Lost. Because Moore did get in. Idiots.
You can line him up anywhere, and he’ll burn you. Ben Johnson’s using him like a Swiss Army knife dipped in gasoline.
5. Tremaine Edmunds
Stat Line: 9 tackles (5 solo), 1 INT (red zone killer)
Yeah, the defense gave up 42 points. But Edmunds was the only reason it wasn’t 56. His red zone INT on Joe Flacco was a game-saving moment — read his eyes, jumped the route, boom. Drive dead.
Quiet Killer Stats:
- 4 INTs this season already — matched his 2024 total.
- 9 tackles? Just another day for him. He’s hit that mark five of the last six games.
- Almost had a 96-yard pick-six, but it got wiped out on a BS "down by contact" call.
He’s not flashy. But he’s consistent, reliable, and always around the ball. That’s leadership.
Honorable Mention: Brittain Brown
Activated a day before the game. Scores his first career TD on a 22-yard gallop. Adds 37 rushing yards. That’s how you show up when your number’s called.
Final Verdict
This wasn’t just a game. It was a damn movie. 576 total yards. 283 rushing. 293 passing. Seven scores in nine drives. And two rookies playing like Pro Bowlers.
Ben Johnson is cooking with napalm. The offense is unpredictable, electric, and straight-up dangerous. Williams is evolving into a franchise QB before our eyes. Monangai and Loveland look like Day 1 stars. Moore’s versatility is being fully unleashed. And even when the D gets torched, Edmunds finds a way to make a play.
If you’re a Bears fan? Light a cigar. This is what progress looks like.
