The Chicago Bears (2-5) defeated the Las Vegas Raiders (3-4), 30-12, on Sunday. It marked the team’s first home win since Sept. 25, 2022, and their second victory in three weeks.
Pro Football Focus handed out player grades for those who took a snap in the Bears’ Week 7 win (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
- TE Marcedes Lewis – 85.2
- WR DJ Moore – 75.2
- QB Tyson Bagent – 74.5
Lewis remains a vital extension of the offensive line with his blocking prowess, and he added a 16-yard catch-and-run against the Raiders. He earned strong marks in passing (81.7), run blocking (71.0) and pass blocking (66.5). Moore led the Bears with eight catches for 54 yards on nine targets. He earned strong grades in the passing game (81.7) and run blocking (76.8). Bagent was efficient in his first NFL start, completing 21-of-29 passes for 162 yards with one touchdown and no turnovers. He added three carries for 24 yards. Bagent earned strong marks in passing (66.2) and rushing (82.6).
Bottom 3 offense
- RT Darnell Wright – 45.0
- TE Cole Kmet – 45.8
- LG Cody Whitehair – 49.2
The Bears offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, where the run game thrived and Bagent was sacked just once. Surprisingly, there are two offensive linemen among the lowest-graded — the biggest surprise being it’s not Larry Borom. Wright was marked down in pass blocking (29.8) and was decent as a run blocker (58.5). Although, Wright held his own against game wrecker Max Crosby. Whitehair made the switch from center to left guard, and the improvement was noticeable (although not apparently to PFF). Whitehair was marked up in pass protection (75.6) but marked down in run blocking (45.0). Kmet wasn’t targeted for the first time since his first NFL start back in 2020. He earned solid grades in pass blocking (73.9) and run blocking (62.2).
Top 3 defense
- CB Jaylon Johnson – 85.0
- S Jaquan Brisker – 84.9
- DT Gervon Dexter Sr. – 71.3
- CB Kyler Gordon – 71.3
Johnson is making his case for a contract extension from the Bears with another impressive outing against the Raiders. He had three tackles, two pass breakups and two interceptions, including a pick-6 that sealed the game. Johnson earned an impressive marks in coverage (87.0) and tackling (76.0), and he was only marked down in run defense (59.6). Brisker had a solid outing with a team-high 10 tackles and one pass breakup. He earned high marks in coverage (77.6), run defense (75.4) and tackling (69.2) but was marked down in pass rush (57.3). Dexter had just one tackle on the afternoon, but he had a big impact along the defensive line. He earned solid marks as a pass rusher (71.1) and against the run (58.8). Gordon, who had seven tackles and one QB hit, was credited with one pressure. He earned solid marks against the run (74.1), coverage (67.1), pass rush (66.1) and tackling (57.2).
Bottom 3 defense
- DT Zacch Pickens – 40.3
- CB Tyrique Stevenson – 43.2
- DE Dominique Robinson – 48.5
Stevenson faced a daunting task defending Davante Adams, but he held his own against the All-Pro. Stevenson recorded six tackles and three pass breakups, two of which came against Adams. He didn’t get a warm PFF welcome, though, earning low marks in run defense (39.7), coverage (44.9) and tackling (54.5). Pickens, who recorded one tackle, was the team’s lowest-graded defender. He earned a solid grade as a pass rusher (63.7) but was marked down in tackling (22.5) and run defense (32.1). Meanwhile, Robinson, who was held out of the box score, earned so-so marks in run defense (60.0) and pass rush (54.6).
Other notables
- RB D’Onta Foreman – 70.3
- RG Teven Jenkins – 67.7
- LB Tremaine Edmunds – 59.4
- DT Justin Jones – 53.9
Foreman was the MVP for Chicago in their second win of the season, and he graded among the top five players on offense. Foreman had 16 carries for 89 yards with two touchdowns. He added three catches for 31 yards and a score. Foreman earned strong marks in pass protection (74.0) and rushing (70.6) but was graded a tad lower in passing (58.6) and run blocking (60.0). Jenkins was the highest-graded offensive lineman among a unit that had an impressive showing against the Raiders. They contained Maxx Crosby, protected Bagent and allowed the run game to flourish. Jenkins was strong both in pass blocking (72.9) and run blocking (63.6).
It’s surprising to find Edmunds and Jones graded among the bottom half of the defense considering their strong outings. Edmunds, who had eight tackles, two pass breakups and an interception, earned solid marks in tackling (82.9) and run defense (72.8) but was marked down in pass rush (51.9) and coverage (55.4). Jones had three tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, one pass breakup and one QB hit. He earned a strong tackling score (69.8) but was marked down in run defense (50.2) and pass rush (58.8).
