The Chicago Bears were defeated by the Denver Broncos, 31-28, in a Week 4 game that marked their 14th consecutive loss dating back to last season.
Chicago choked away a 21-point second-half lead as Denver scored 24 unanswered points en route to the victory. That blown lead tied for the largest blown lead in franchise history (2002 vs. the Patriots, 1953 vs. the 49ers), per ESPN Stats and Info.
Penalties, poor coaching and poor execution doomed the Bears. As did two Justin Fields turnovers on the offense’s final two series.
We’re taking a look at the studs and duds from the Bears’ Week 4 loss to the Broncos.
STUD: RB Khalil Herbert
Herbert shined on the ground, recording his first 100-yard rushing game with the Bears. Herbert led a rushing attack that gained 171 yards on the ground against a porous Broncos defense. Herbert had 18 carries for 103 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. He added four catches for 19 yards and a touchdown.
DUD: HC Matt Eberflus
The Bears blew a 28-7 lead to the winless Broncos, and this loss falls on the head coach Matt Eberflus. It marked the team’s 14th consecutive loss dating back to last season, and Eberflus is now 3-18 as Chicago’s head coach. Eberflus’ team made some of the same mistakes they did during his first season, with a worse roster. Nothing has changed, and nothing will until something is done. Eberflus needs to be fired after this game. But it won’t happen, which speaks to the incompetence of this organization.
STUD: WR DJ Moore
Welcome to Chicago, DJ Moore. That’s what it’s supposed to look like for your No. 1 wide receiver. Moore led the team with eight catches for 131 yards and a touchdown, which marked his second score in as many games. Moore came up with some clutch receptions from Justin Fields, including his impressive 29-yard touchdown reception in the end zone.
DUD: LT Larry Borom
With Braxton Jones on injured reserve, Larry Borom made his second consecutive start at left tackle for Chicago. It was a colossal failure as Borom was a liability on offense. He struggled to block defenders and accounted for several costly penalties. For what it’s worth, Jones (neck) is eligible to return in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
STUD: QB Justin Fields
Yes, Fields committed some costly mistakes down the stretch in this game, including a fumble that was returned for a touchdown and an interception to seal the game for Denver. But he had a career day for the Bears, including a perfect first half, where he completed 16 consecutive passes (a franchise record) and had a perfect passer rating. The second half wasn’t as pretty, but Fields recorded his first 300-yard passing game and set a career-high with passing touchdowns (4). He also made some impressive throws, which fans had been waiting for. Unfortunately, Fields couldn’t mount a comeback when the team needed it.
DUD: RT Darnell Wright
It was a rough day all around for Chicago’s offensive tackles, including the rookie Wright. While he’s been a solid pick so far, he did have some crucial mistakes, including a couple of penalties. Wright also played a role on the Bears’ fourth-and-one at the end of the game, where he had a critical error on a block on Khalil Herbert’s rush attempt that was stopped short.
STUD: TE Cole Kmet
Kmet was another standout on offense who had a multi-touchdown outing against the Broncos. Kmet had seven catches for 85 yards on nine targets and two touchdowns, both of which came in the first half. Kmet also had one carry for one yard — a direct snap on fourth-and-one where the offense moved the chains.
DUD: Third down defense
The Bears defense showed signs of life early in Sunday’s game, holding the Broncos to just seven points in the first half. But Chicago continues to struggle on third downs. They were already the worst team on third down, allowing teams to convert on 60 percent of third down attempts. Denver converted on 6-of-11 third downs (55 percent) against Chicago, where the Bears defense couldn’t get off the field on key plays in the second half, especially.
