The Chicago Bears didn’t just beat the Saints on Sunday — they bullied them. A 26-14 win that looked closer on paper than it ever felt in real time. From the opening drive, the Bears dictated every inch of the game. They punched New Orleans in the mouth, ran them over for 222 rushing yards, and made Spencer Rattler look like a rookie (even thought he's not) thrown into a cage with wolves. Soldier Field was rocking, and for once, this team looked like it had a damn identity.
Let’s break down the five biggest winners from a game that announced — loud and clear — that the Bears are done being a punchline.
1. D’Andre Swift
D’Andre Swift has officially taken over the Bears’ offense. The man’s running like he’s got a vendetta against anyone who doubted him. Against the Saints, he racked up 124 yards on 19 carries (6.5 YPC) and added another 14 through the air. That’s 138 total yards from scrimmage — and every single one of them felt earned.
Here’s the kicker: Swift did it all while playing through a groin injury. Most guys in that situation play hesitant. Not Swift. He kept hitting the hole hard, staying patient, and churning out consistent 6- to 7-yard gains. No fluky 60-yard run padding the stats — just pure, efficient, downhill violence.
Swift averaged 2.3 yards before contact — 12th best among backs this week — which tells you he wasn’t relying on perfect blocking. He’s seeing the field better than ever, and when the Bears’ line ranks #1 in the NFL in Run Block Win Rate, that combo is lethal.
His 11-yard touchdown in the second quarter put Chicago up 13-0 and effectively ended any delusions the Saints had of competing. Three rushing TDs on the year, back-to-back 100-yard games, and a clear message: this is D’Andre Swift’s offense now.
2. Kevin Byard III
At 32 years old, Kevin Byard is playing like he found the cheat code to reverse time. He picked off his fourth pass of the season Sunday, tying him for the NFL lead with Devin Lloyd. But it wasn’t just the interception — it was the timing of it. The Saints were clawing back, down 20-7, trying to make something happen. Byard said, “Nah,” and snatched Rattler’s soul right out of the air.
Rattler tried to extend a play and go deep to Rashid Shaheed. Byard read it like a bedtime story, tracked the ball, and got both feet down before anyone knew what happened. Cold. Blooded.
Byard’s now the first Bear with four picks through six games since Tim Jennings in 2012. He also helped extend the Bears’ streak of three-plus takeaways in four straight games, a mark no other defense in football can claim. And get this — Chicago leads the league in turnover margin (+11) with just six games played.
Byard isn’t just intercepting passes — he’s setting the tone for a defense that’s hunting again. He’s the old head every young secondary dreams of: smart, loud, and always in the right damn place.
3. Kyle Monangai
Seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai might’ve just gone from “roster depth” to “real threat.” He had 13 carries for 81 yards and his first career touchdown, doubling his season total in one game. The Rutgers kid ran with purpose, confidence, and zero hesitation.
That 24-yard scamper in the second quarter? Straight-up art. North-south explosion, decisive cuts, and balance through contact. And when he plunged in from one yard out to make it 20-0, you could feel the energy shift — the Bears weren’t just winning, they were imposing their will.
Monangai averaged 6.2 yards per carry — nearly identical to Swift — and the two backs combined for 205 yards and two scores. That’s a Detroit-style thunder-and-lightning combo Ben Johnson knows how to weaponize. The rookie didn’t just look capable; he looked trusted. Those 13 carries weren’t garbage time — they were real, drive-sustaining touches.
Chicago might have finally found its long-term RB duo.
4. Montez Sweat
If you blinked, you might’ve missed Montez Sweat wrecking the Saints’ game plan. From the jump, he was everywhere — four tackles, two for loss, one sack, and a forced fumble that set the tone for the entire afternoon.
On the Saints’ second offensive play, Sweat hunted down Rattler, stripped him, and Gervon Dexter pounced on it. Boom. Field goal. 3-0 Bears. From that point forward, Chicago’s defense was in full predator mode.
Sweat’s impact went beyond the stat sheet. He was consistently blowing up run plays, setting the edge, and forcing Rattler into bad decisions. That fourth-down stop sequence in the second quarter — where Sweat and Tremaine Edmunds stuffed Kamara twice — was pure dominance.
Chicago notched four sacks total, their season high, and held Rattler to 1-for-5 passing with four sacks and a pick under pressure. That’s called ruining a game plan. Sweat may not have gaudy sack numbers, but he’s collapsing pockets and dictating protections every single week.
This was the game where Montez Sweat looked like the alpha rusher Chicago paid for.
5. The Offensive Line
You can’t run for 222 yards without the big boys up front eating. And make no mistake: this offensive line feasted.
Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney were bulldozers inside, Darnell Wright was rag-dolling edge rushers (even if he did get flagged again), and Drew Dalman rebounded from some sketchy snaps to absolutely dominate in run blocking. The Bears are now officially the best run-blocking team in football per ESPN’s Win Rate metric.
The line’s performance didn’t just open lanes — it defined the game. Chicago controlled the clock (36:19 to 23:41), bullied the Saints’ front seven, and gave Swift and Monangai all the daylight they needed. Pass protection? Still a work in progress. Caleb Williams got rattled more than you’d like. But in terms of setting the tone physically, this group did their job and then some.
Ben Johnson’s system thrives when the line can move bodies, and Sunday was a masterclass in trench warfare.
Honorable Mentions
- Tremaine Edmunds: 9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception — the dude’s putting together a Pro Bowl campaign quietly but efficiently. He’s the glue holding the middle together.
- Nahshon Wright: Another week, another pick. His 38-yard return swung field position and showed that Chicago’s DB depth is legit.
- Jake Moody: 4-of-4 on field goals, cool as ice. He’s made 8 of 9 since stepping in for Santos. If the kicking game’s solid in Chicago, you know things are changing.
Final Verdict
Yeah, it’s time to say it: the Bears are good. Not “good for the Bears,” not “a fun story” — good, period.
They’ve won four straight for the first time since 2018, sit at 4-2, and have found a formula that actually travels: run the damn ball, take the ball away, and hit the quarterback. Caleb Williams doesn’t need to be Superman when the defense is generating four turnovers a game and the ground game’s chewing up 200+ yards.
Ben Johnson’s offense is evolving, the defense looks violent again, and the locker room actually believes. As they head to Baltimore next week, this win over the Saints feels like more than another tally in the win column — it feels like a declaration.
The Monsters of the Midway are back, and they’re starting to look hungry.
