The Chicago Bears (0-4) were defeated by the Denver Broncos (1-3), 31-28, where Chicago dropped to 14 straight losses dating back to last season.
Pro Football Focus handed out player grades for those who took a snap in the Bears’ Week 4 loss (minimum 15 reps), and we broke them down by offense and defense, analyzing the three highest- and lowest-graded players on each side, as well as some other notable performers.
There were a few surprises — and then some not surprises — in terms of the highest- and lowest-graded players, both on offense and defense. Here’s a look:
Top 3 offense
- WR DJ Moore – 85.3
- RB Khalil Herbert – 85.3
- TE Cole Kmet – 83.8
Moore and Herbert were the highest-graded players on the Bears in this game — and there were several players on offense who earned high marks. Moore had his best game with Chicago with eight catches for 131 yards and a touchdown. Herbert had his best game of the season, after the offense utilized their ground attack. He had 18 carries for 103 yards and four catches for 19 yards with a touchdown. Kmet also had an impressive game, hauling in seven catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns.
Bottom 3 offense
- LG Cody Whitehair – 48.0
- C Lucas Patrick – 49.2
- FB Khari Blasingame – 50.1
Two of the lowest-graded players on offense were offensive linemen in Whitehair and Patrick. Whitehair allowed one hit, one hurry and two pressures while Patrick allowed one hit, two hurries and three pressures. Blasingame was credited with allowing one sack and one pressure on Justin Fields, who was sacked four times.
Top 3 defense
- DE DeMarcus Walker – 79.0
- LB T.J. Edwards – 76.6
- CB Terell Smith – 66.7
Walker was the highest-graded defensive player for the Bears, which wasn’t hard to accomplish. Walker had two tackles, including one tackle for a loss. He was productive against the run, although struggled in pass rush. Edwards tied for a team-high eight tackles and added two QB hits. He found success against the run and in coverage. Smith, getting the start in place of an injured Jaylon Johnson, rounded out the top three. He had five tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Like Walker and Edwards, he was productive against the run.
Bottom 3 defense
- S Elijah Hicks – 31.4
- DT Justin Jones – 32.9
- DE Yannick Ngakoue – 39.3
It was a brutal day for Hicks, the lowest-graded player, who got his second straight start in place of an injured Eddie Jackson. Hicks had three tackles on the afternoon, where he struggled both against the run and pass. The other bottom-graded defensive players were on the defensive line in Jones and Ngakoue. Jones, who had four tackles, also struggled against the run and pass. Ngakoue, who leads the team with one sack this season, got some pressure but failed to get home on Russell Wilson (or in the box score).
Other notables
- QB Justin Fields – 82.4
- WR Darnell Mooney – 65.8
- LB Tremaine Edmunds – 48.8
Fields had a career game against the Broncos, including a perfect first half, where he set a franchise record for consecutive completions (16) and his only incompletion was a Hail Mary at the end of the half. Fields recorded his first 300-yard passing game (335 yards) and threw a career-high four passing touchdowns. Mooney saw an expanded role with Chase Claypool inactive, where he hauled in four catches for 51 yards. Edmunds tied Edwards for a team-high eight tackles, including one tackle for loss. But he struggled across the board, especially given his high price tag this offseason.
