After the 58-yard game-winning touchdown by rookie tight end Colston Loveland, the Chicago Bears (5-3) have won five out of the last six games. Head coach Ben Johnson and the Bears have put themselves in a position for a chance at first place in the NFC North.
Heading into their week ten matchup against the New York Giants (2-7), the Bears are tied with the Detroit Lions. They are half a game behind the first-place Green Bay Packers. For the first time in recent memory, the Bears are actual contenders to take the North.
Offense finally clicking
In the game against the Cincinnati Bengals, it appeared the Bears were on track for a comfortable win. They led 41-27 with only five minutes left. Quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense finally looked like they had found the rhythm in Johnson’s system.
The Bears’ offense didn’t look fazed despite the defense letting up an onside kick and 15 points in under than a minute. After throwing a bullet to Loveland, Williams had 280 passing yards and three touchdowns. This stat line gave him a 65.7 QBR, which is the second-highest this season.
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Williams’ ability to maneuver around the pocket has started to prove beneficial. Multiple times throughout the game, it has saved the offense from getting off the field with no points.
The big stars on Sunday were the rookies. Along with the game-winning touchdown, Loveland has finally come into his own. After not seeing the ball much in the first four games of the season, Loveland is becoming a reliable receiver option for Williams.
Loveland ended the game with six receptions, 118 yards and his first two touchdowns of his career.
Another rookie who has come to light is runningback Kyle Monangai. The Bears may have found a gem in Monangai. He not only did his job to establish the running game, but also ran for 176 rushing yards. Monangai took over the role as the starter when running back D’Andre Swift was ruled out with a groin injury.
It is clear that the Bears’ first objective in any game is to win the run game battle. That has allowed the passing offense to open up even more. Last season, the Bears averaged just over 100 rushing yards per game. Now, the Bears are averaging 144. With the uptick in rushing yards, the Bears’ run game is now a threat to opposing teams’ defenses.
Defense needs to wake up
As for the defense, there is a glaring red flag that popped up Sunday. The Bengals were able to go down the field easily and take the lead late in the game.
The Bears’ defense gave up 495 yards of total offense. The primary reason for this is the lack of ability to stop the run. So far this season, the Bears have given up over 1,000 rushing yards, putting them as the tenth-worst run-stopping team.
Aside from the run, to get into the position of winning the North, the Bears need to get quarterback pressure. The Bears 17 sacks this season rank among the worst totals in the league. The ability to get to the quarterback would help the secondary avoid getting beaten in coverage and letting up big yardage plays down the field.
Although there are some problems, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The Bears lead the league in forced turnovers. With 13 interceptions and six fumbles, the Bears are making plays that flip the field. Knowing that they do have the ability to force turnovers created some anticipation to get another interception or fumble, and causes some fundamental mistakes.
In the end, for the Bears’ defense, there are some bright spots, but there are so many more things that need to be cleaned up for them to take the North and to be a force to be reckoned with.
“So you’re telling me there’s a chance…”
Right now, there is a possibility that the Bears go into week 11 as the best team in the NFC North. The Bears would need to win their game against the Giants. They also need help from the Philadelphia Eagles to force a loss on the Green Bay Packers.
The Detroit Lions would have to lose to the Washington Commanders, who will not have Jayden Daniels. Even if the Lions win, the Bears would be tied with the Lions for the best record in the division, but would not be in first place because of the week two loss. So, to respond to the words of Jim Carrey, there is definitely a chance at No. 1.
