The Chicago Bears played two games in one on Sunday when they faced off against the Minnesota Vikings. The first half felt like going back in time to the Marc Trestman days as the Vikings drove up and down the field, playing perfect offense to score 21 points and seemingly bury the Bears 21-3 late in the first half.
But Chicago dug out of a deep hole, clawing their way back to make things interesting thanks to a rejuvenated offense led by Justin Fields and a defense that finally clamped down on the Vikings. The Bears scored 22 unanswered points to lead 22-21, but a late Vikings score and a costly turnover ended any hope of sealing the comeback win. Minnesota won 29-22 to improve to 3-1 while the Bears fell below .500 for the first time this season at 2-3.
It was a roller coaster of a game that elicited strong emotions, both positive and negative. Here are our takeaways from Sunday’s game.
1
The offense finally looks competent
Would you believe that the Bears only punted the ball two times during the entire afternoon against the Vikings? Sure, part of that can be explained because of the Vikings and their long, sustained drives. But don’t discount what the Bears offense was able to do when they had the ball. It’s taken some time but things are starting to finally look competent.
The passing game is taking more chances as Fields is pushing the ball downfield to his receivers. The running game, while not nearly as effective as its been in previous weeks, received a jolt with the return of David Montgomery. And players like Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet are finally beginning to show something and get open. It’s by no means perfect and it’s still probably not good being that they only totaled 271 yards, but the offense looks competent at the very least. You have to start somewhere, right?
2
Justin Fields is showing significant progress
Two weeks ago following the victory over the Houston Texans, I defiantly claimed Fields was regressing in his development. That game appeared to be rock bottom because since then, the second-year quarterback has taken significant steps and is now building on his performances.
Fields went 16-of-21 for 208 yards with one touchdown and zero picks. In fact, he may have only had three passes that were off target in the entire game as the the receivers struggled with drops at times. Fields is showing he can recognize coverages, beat blitzes, and hang in the pocket to deliver an accurate throw. Of course he still has the threat of his legs, but he wasn’t as willing to bail on the pocket like in previous games.
The protection was spotty once again, but Fields handled it much better. The signs are there and if he can stay healthy, the next couple of weeks could be paramount towards becoming a really solid quarterback.
3
Matt Eberflus' change in aggressiveness is a breath of fresh air
Fields wasn’t the only player showing significant development on Sunday. Head coach Matt Eberflus seemed to finally take the restraints off his headset and embrace a more aggressive mindset when it came to coaching decisions.
After taking the momentum early in the second half with a scoring drive, Eberflus decided to put his foot on the gas and attempt an onside kick. The attempt failed, but when your team is mounting a comeback and the opponent is already on their heels, why not test your luck? He also showed faith in the offense by going for it on fourth and four inside Minnesota territory. The drive stalled, but it gave the Bears a better chance at a field goal, which they converted.
It feels as if Eberflus finally is trusting his team, or at least knows what they’re capable of doing in certain situations. That’s growth from a first-year head coach and decisions like that can strengthen the trust between coaches and players, even in a loss.
4
Dante Pettis' services are no longer required
We’re a long way from the Bears-Browns preseason game back in August when Dante Pettis put on a show to secure a roster spot. Since then, the veteran wide receiver has had just one notable moment, where he was wide open on a broken play to score a touchdown in Week 1. Since then, it’s been nothing but disappointment from the former 2018 second-round pick.
Pettis had two key on Sunday, both of which came on third downs. It does need to be noted that Pettis’ second drop, coming on a deep pass, would have been negated anyway due to holding, but it’s the principle that he’s simply not performing up to standards when called upon. The Bears wide receiver room is still pretty baron but Pettis has to be on the chopping block sooner or later. Even with crisp routes, his hands have always been suspect and it’s costing the Bears opportunities to move the ball.
It’s time to take a page out Pettis’ book and drop him.
5
Ihmir Smith-Marsette's fumble was poorly timed, but understandable
The biggest takeaway from Sunday’s game has to be the game-changing fumble from Ihmir Smith-Marsette. Down by one score with a minute to go, the second-year receiver caught a pass from Fields and managed to clear the first down marker, but instead of ducking out of bounds, he continued to plow ahead and attempt to gain extra yards with defenders in front of him. That decision cost him as he was stripped from behind, giving the Vikings the ball and sealing the game.
The decision to try and extend the play to get more yards was the wrong one, but understandable. This Bears offense has had a tough time moving the ball all season long. Now a young player gets a chance to make a play and he wants to do everything he can to put the team in position to win. When getting yards and scoring points becomes such a chore, you scratch and claw to get every yard you can. It was the wrong decision for sure, but understandable when you take a step back and remember how putrid the offense has been this year.
Hopefully Smith-Marsette has a chance to make things right in the next week or two. He still has potential to be a productive receiver on the team.
6
Kyler Gordon and Kindle Vildor finally had their moments
If you look at just the box score, you might be a bit apprehensive to praise the Bears defensive backs. But make no mistake, there were positives that came from both Kyler Gordon and Kindle Vildor. Both players made impact plays that finally allowed them to have their respective moments.
Starting with Vildor, he’s rebounded in a way many didn’t think was possible. After a rookie season with a few flashes, Vildor was picked on repeatedly last year and couldn’t play any worse than he did. This year, however, he’s played much better in coverage and finally came away with his first career interception at a crucial point of the game.
Gordon, meanwhile, has been picked on all year long. But he’s taken steps the last couple of weeks and had the best game of his young career. He’s shown to be a sure-fire tackler and blocked a field goal attempt for his first signature NFL moment. He’s also showing better instincts in coverage and reading quarterbacks more effectively to break up passes.
The Bears secondary is improving as a while (minus Jaylon Jones) but when Jaylon Johnson returns, the cornerbacks have a chance to become a real strength of this team the more they gel together.
7
The Bears' defensive vets aren't getting the job done
While the younger players are stepping up to the moment, the same cannot be said for some of the veterans. Robert Quinn has been a no-show for much of the season and didn’t even register a statistic on Sunday, despite playing 50 snaps on defense. His most notable moment was jumping offsides for a free Vikings play.
The other veteran who has disappeared the last couple of weeks is Roquan Smith. When is the last time we saw Smith not finish in the top three Bears players in tackles? He was fifth with eight total tackles, but looked slow far too many times trying to take down ball carriers. It’s not a great look for someone trying to earn a $20 million contract next offseason and it’s hurting the Bears defensively. Both players are captains, it’s time they consistently play like captains.
