The Chicago Bears entered Sunday’s matinee against the Cleveland Browns fresh off a heartbreaking loss to their hated rival Green Bay Packers. A terrible first half and leaky defense led to the defeat despite a valiant comeback attempt. Against the Browns, the Bears’ defensive corps never allowed Cleveland’s offense off the ground, keying an overwhelming 31-3 win.
Injuries have hammered Chicago all season, especially in the secondary. Jaylen Johnson, the Bears’ best player, only returned to the team a few weeks ago. He is working to get back up to game speed, and that played a significant role in the loss to the Packers. Green Bay’s top wide receiver, Christian Watson, beat Johnson on several occasions, which ultimately proved the difference.
Chicago announced on Saturday that cornerback Kyler Gordon would be placed on Injured Reserve. This will keep him out for the rest of the regular season. The Bears’ linebacker unit has struggled to get its full complement back as Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and Noah Sewell have all missed time.
Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen likely feels like he is holding his defense together with baling wire and duct tape. Head Coach Ben Johnson has remade the team through emphasis on mental toughness, and his players have responded well to misfortune. Unsung names like Nahshon Wright have excelled in their opportunity. They have helped Chicago work through tough losses like the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.
Allen’s defenses are known for bringing intense pressure and forcing takeaways. The Bears are the top-ranked team in the game in all key turnover statistics. This has helped them overcome the injuries and complement a maturing offense. Against the Packers, Chicago only forced one takeaway and sacked Jordan Love once. He had ample time to throw in the pocket and picked the Bears apart, throwing for three touchdowns.
Allen needed his men to get back to what they do best. They did so in dominating fashion against Cleveland. Shedeur Sanders entered the matchup fresh off a breakout performance against the Tennessee Titans. He threw for 364 yards, three touchdowns, while running for 29 yards and a score. Chicago couldn’t take him lightly.
The Bears never allowed Sanders to get going. They made him uncomfortable all afternoon, bringing the consistent pressure that was lacking against Green Bay. Chicago sacked Sanders three times and could have easily gotten more. The key was not letting him build off his previous week’s momentum.
Sanders got jittery in the pocket for good reason, and this led to the Bears’ staple, forcing turnovers. He threw three interceptions and was fortunate not to have more, as a couple were dropped. His completion percentage plummeted to 18 out of 35 passes.
Chicago made an emphasis on limiting big plays and held the Browns offense to 192 yards. Cleveland’s running game never got going, ending the afternoon with 50 yards on 16 carries, a paltry 3.1 yards per carry. The Bears completed their best defensive performance of the season. They must carry the momentum into next week against Green Bay.
Chicago’s offense has been driven by its excellent running game, ranking among the NFL leaders in all key statistics. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai have developed into a strong 1-2 punch, something the Bears got away from early against the Packers. A terrible first half resulted, and it was ultimately too big to overcome.
Against the Browns and one of the top defenses, Chicago implemented the run early. Swift ran four times for 21 yards and found the end zone for a six-yard score. Monangai complemented Swift on the next drive as they helped guide the Bears to a seven-play, 80-yard series that culminated in another touchdown. Establishing the run early is essential to the team’s identity, and they must do so in next Saturday night’s showdown with Green Bay.
Chicago finished the afternoon by gashing Cleveland for 142 rushing yards and two scores. Swift nearly ran for 100 yards, finishing with 98 and two touchdowns. Monangai contributed 33 hard-nosed yards and ensured that the Browns’ tough defense couldn’t get off the field.
Caleb Williams must improve his completion percentage; it stood at 57.8% going into Sunday. Johnson set a 70% goal entering the season, knowing that for the Bears to be a viable Super Bowl contender, this is the benchmark.
Completion percentage aside, Williams has erased questions of being the team’s quarterback for years to come. He has excelled in the clutch, leading the Bears to five fourth-quarter comebacks and nearly doing so against the Packers. Green Bay’s defense admitted afterwards that no quarterback made them work harder this season. It praised his skill in avoiding sacks and making highlight plays.
Williams continued against Cleveland, complementing Chicago’s excellent defense and strong running game. He went 17 for 28 for 242 yards and two touchdowns. The completion percentage will get a critique from Johnson, but the 8.6 yards per pass and avoidance of turnovers will get high praise. Williams also did an excellent job of escaping sacks when the Browns seemed certain to get him.
The Bears have searched for a quarterback for decades that they could win because of, instead of spite of. They have that now in Williams, who is playing with confidence. He elevates his teammates’ belief that they can win no matter the obstacle. The comebacks are terrific, but stronger starts are a critical stage of his development. He helped Chicago do so on Sunday afternoon and ensured a Bears’ rare thing, an easy game.
Coming off a heartbreaking defeat to their hated rival, Chicago could have easily had a downer performance against Cleveland. The Browns, with an athletic rookie quarterback fresh off a breakout performance and a strong defense, weren’t a gimme win.
The Bears, instead, played sound in all phases and never allowed Cleveland a hope of victory. Chicago needs offensive consistency. There was a bit of a lull after Cairo Santos missed a second-quarter field goal. Overall, the team found quality play in all aspects. Johnson is striving for balance and finishing drives. He saw more of this against the Browns.
Can the Bears bring this back to Chicago against Green Bay next Saturday? They have a blueprint by using what they did against the Packers in last week’s second half and against the Browns today. Johnson now has a full game film of Green Bay’s defense against his team. His offense is one of the most difficult to prepare for, and knowing an opponent’s tendencies makes it an even more daunting task.
Chicago’s home crowd will have a game that they have waited years for. The Bears haven’t been one of the NFL’s top teams since 2018. It is even more rare for both Green Bay and Chicago to be great at the same time. Bears enthusiasts will have a matchup that has been ages in the making, and the energy will be indescribable.
Chicago knows it can perform against the Packers’ elite defense. Take a creative mastermind in Johnson and combine it with a rabid fanbase, and there is no limit on where the team can go. Undoubtedly, it will be another thrilling matchup. The defense will play better, and Williams will win the game with another round of fourth-quarter mastery.
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