The Chicago Bears said all summer that they felt the offense was clicking at an excellent level. They were practicing well. Everybody was locked in. Confidence was so high that head coach Ben Johnson even said his goal was to score the most points in NFL history. It felt grandiose at the time. Maybe it wasn’t. The Bears immediately sent a message to the rest of the NFL by hanging 59 points on the Panthers in Carolina. It was spearheaded by quarterback Caleb Williams and running back D’Andre Swift, who combined for 7 touchdowns.
Swift just secured a lucrative contract extension from the Bears mere days before the game. He certainly rewarded them with one of the best performances of his career. The running back didn’t seem surprised by the outcome. Right after the game, he spoke to the media, who asked him about the 59 points. Swift stated that Carolina should be grateful.
Grateful it was only 59. Why? He feels the offense played a sloppy game. They were hit with 12 penalties in the afternoon, which played a big role in keeping them from putting up even more.
D’Andre Swift likely saw the same thing everyone else did.
The Bears managed to post 59 points with little contribution from arguably their best player. Tight end Colston Loveland failed to make a catch in the game, though he was excellent as a blocker. It was pretty clear that Carolina deployed a game plan meant to neutralize him as much as possible. It worked, but that focus gave others a chance to shine. This game belonged to Swift and the rushing attack as they piled up 291 yards. This marks the third time in 18 regular season games dating back to last year that the Bears have cracked at least 280.
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If this is the kind of performance the Bears can achieve without all cylinders firing, just how much more terrifying can it get? Head coach Ben Johnson even said it after the game.
“This is the worst we’re going to look this season.”
D’Andre Swift senses the same thing. Obviously, the Bears won’t score 50+ points every week. Much better defenses await on their schedule. Yet the implications can’t be ignored. This offense has no weaknesses. They have studs at every position, including the most important one. If guys stay healthy, this group could rewrite the record books. They’ve already claimed the honor of scoring the most points in a single game of any Bears offense in history. Much bigger mountains remain to climb.
This version of Swift isn’t likely going anywhere.
Don’t forget he only carried the ball 18 times in his game. Johnson did a great job of not leaning on him too much. Without having to endure a full workload every week like some other backs, Swift should stay fresh for the entire season. If he stays at the level he just performed in Carolina, he’s on track for a second straight career year. That would certainly make the Bears’ renewed investment look even smarter. It’s also becoming clear how high the confidence is inside that locker room.
Swift has never been known as the brash type. His comments after the game didn’t come from bravado. Not entirely, anyway. It was simply a statement of fact. If the Bears had been more efficient, they could’ve aimed for 70 points. This is not the same old Bears. This team is the antithesis of what we’ve witnessed for the past half-century. These Bears can hang with anybody. If they can get even average defensive play this season, those Super Bowl aspirations are no longer crazy.
