NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bears found yet another way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I’m not even mad. I’m impressed.
FINAL: Detroit Lions 31, Chicago Bears 24 (ESPN Box Score)
Thoughts on another Bears loss
Bears Highlights
We’ll dig in on the defense later this week. For the moment, I’d like to give them some props. We can start with Montez Sweat’s first sack as a Bear:
It was part of a stat-line filler day for Sweat, who also contributed one tackle-for-loss, one quarterback hit, and was instrumental in a handful of plays made by others. There is something about a good defensive lineman whose presence dictates extra attention from the offense to the point it leads to other playmakers cleaning up that warms the coldest parts of my football heart.
WATCH: Justin Fields Drops a DIME to DJ Moore
This Jack Sanborn sack brought a smile to my face:
I don’t think the Bears had been using Sanborn well this year, but he was looking good in place of Tremaine Edmunds while he was out with an injury. Maybe there is room for him in this three-headed linebacker monster.
CHECK IT OUT: Tyrique Stevenson, TJ Edwards Get Their First Bears Interceptions
I’ll admit I’ve been hard on Tremaine Edmunds. This isn’t to say I’ve not thought he was a good player. He is. It’s just that he has yet to live up to the contract he has signed. That is just a gift and a curse of being a high-profile free agent signing. With that being said, not only did Edmunds suit up despite being questionable after missing two practices (and being limited during his only availability this past week), he also made a splash play:
Could the Bears have gone in a different direction with the money spent there? Yes. But is this team getting the most out of Edmunds? Up until the point of that interception, I’d say no. There is untapped potential here and I’d like for this defensive coaching staff to lean into it before the year is done.
VIDEO: D’Onta Foreman scores the Bears’ first touchdown
Three Bears
Justin Fields was everything we wanted him to be. He completed 69 percent of his throws, averaged 7.3 yards per attempt, didn’t throw an interception, posted a 105.2 passer rating, and even added 104 rushing yards in a mix of designed and improvised runs. That game-sealing fumble sucked. But for the most part, Fields was decisive and convicted with his moves — both running and passing. What else could you want? I mean, save for the obvious.
DJ Moore better be getting an Angry Runs scepter for this effort against the Lions:
Moore finished with 7 catches, 96 yards, and 1 touchdown after having 8 catches and 102 receiving yards in his last two games combined. Do you think he was happy to have JF1 back and slinging it?
Cole Kmet received the second-most targets on the day (4) while hauling in 3 passes for 20 yards. No, Kmet wasn’t getting the volume of targets that Tyson Bagent was giving him. But Kmet made some nice grabs and was tough to bring down. I think we can stop worrying about him now.
WHAT’S NEXT: Monday, November 27 — at Minnesota Vikings, 7:15 on ESPN
Oh, goody! We get an extra day to ruminate on this one. And then we get to re-hash it in front of a nationally televised audience while also watching the Bears play the Vikings.
We had a spirited postgame show, to say the least:
Please be sure to subscribe to the Bleacher Nation NFL YouTube channel! We’ll be back tomorrow with some more thoughts on replacement coaching candidates, reviewing quarterback play, and more.
