Chicago Bears take on the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, August 17, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois.
Americans love underdogs. It’s kind of been a thing ever since the Revolutionary War. There is a certain delight in watching somebody come from nowhere to achieve their dream. The Chicago Bears have seen their share of great underdog stories over the years. One has been quietly unfolding this season, but it feels like fans haven’t taken proper notice of it. That is Theo Benedet. The young offensive lineman arrived as an undrafted free agent last year. He looked in line for a roster spot, but an injury knocked him out of training camp, ending his chances.
He returned this summer, starting from scratch with a new coaching staff. Benedet battled his way into the left tackle competition and eventually secured the primary swing tackle job. He got his first real playing time last Sunday against Dallas when Darnell Wright briefly exited with an elbow injury. Well, it appears that ailment is still giving the Bears’ right tackle problems. Based on how things are progressing, there is a chance Benedet could get his first NFL start in Las Vegas against the Raiders. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune suggested as much.
Chicago Bears right tackle Darnell Wright missed his second consecutive day of practice Thursday after suffering an elbow injury in Sunday’s 31-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
If Wright isn’t ready to play this week against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Bears could turn to backup Theo Benedet to fill in. Wright, a 2023 first-round draft pick, has missed only one game in two-plus seasons.
Benedet is an ultra-rare breed for the Chicago Bears.
Undrafted offensive linemen don’t typically do much in the NFL, which is built primarily with high draft choices. There are few exceptions. What makes Benedet’s case even rarer is that he’s from Canada. America’s northern neighbor doesn’t send many good players south. That is especially true for offensive linemen. The fact that Benedet has established himself as a quality backup who could start on Sunday is really cool stuff. Everything depends on the Friday injury report. If Wright practices, it may signal he intends to try playing. If he doesn’t, that’ll be a dead giveaway that he will sit. In such a case, Benedet gets the nod with rookie Ozzy Trapilo backing him up. People should appreciate what the young man has gone through to reach this point.
Sep 21, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) makes a touchdown catch against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
For whatever reason, people were quick to dismiss Rome Odunze as a lost cause when he didn’t explode out of the gate last season with over 1,000 yards like other rookies did. Notching 700 yards in a tumultuous season where the coaching staff constantly changed deserved more consideration. Alas, fans don’t often think that way. Still, going into 2025, there were concerns about whether Odunze could realize the vast potential he showed at Washington. Three weeks into the season, he already eclipsed the number of touchdowns he had as a rookie (4) and is on track for well over 1200 yards. One person not surprised by it is Antwaan Randle El.
People will roll their eyes at this. Randle El is the wide receivers coach. He’s naturally inclined to believe Odunze would figure it out. However, the story goes much deeper than that. This is something the coach has seen coming for well over a year. He revealed to CHGO that he did a deep study of the 2024 receiver class leading up to the draft for the Detroit Lions. While he knew they would never get the chance to draft any of those guys, he still submitted his rankings of who he thought was the best of the group.
When Bears receivers coach/assistant head coach Antwaan Randle El was done evaluating a loaded receivers draft class last year as a member of the Detroit Lions’ staff, his final opinion differed from the outside consensus and later the eventual selections.
In order, his top three receivers were:
1. Rome Odunze
2. Malik Nabers
3. Marvin Harrison Jr.
“I thought from a route running standpoint, like he was the better route runner of the three,” Randle El said. “That’s what I kind of look at. You know, speed (and) agility. Is the speed real speed or is it just they give him the ball right away and that kind of deal? But he was running and he was coming out of his breaks much better than the other two guys. That’s what I saw. That was one of the biggest things. He was definitely a route runner and knew how to run routes.”
Antwaan Randle El proved again to know what he’s talking about.
He was with the Lions when they drafted both Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. GM Brad Holmes gets credit for those picks, but Antwaan Randle El obviously had input. He knows what to look for. Size, speed, and strength are all important factors in scouting the position. However, the coach understands that those who excel have a certain knack for route running. Odunze showed that ability lots of times at Washington. Throw in that he’s 6’3 with 4.4 speed, and you can understand the appeal. Now you’re starting to see everything come together. His connection with Caleb Williams is growing. So is his confidence.
The scary part is that defenses can’t concentrate on stopping him. Doing so would present one-on-one matchups for guys like D.J. Moore, Cole Kmet, Luther Burden, and Colston Loveland. It’s a pick-your-poison situation, and the Bears are taking advantage.
Auburn Tigers defensive end Keldric Faulk (15) blitzes as Auburn Tigers take on Ball State Cardinals at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. Auburn Tigers defeated Ball State Cardinals 42-3.
The Chicago Bears have played three games. There are 14 to go. It is too early to determine which direction they will go next off-season. Plenty of things can change in that amount of time. Still, fans aren’t naive. They can usually tell which area of the roster will be a problem before a season begins. Sure enough, their concerns regarding the pass rush seemed well-founded. They have five sacks in three weeks, with only two in the past two games. Montez Sweat has sometimes looks invisible, while Dayo Odeyingbo isn’t forcing defenses to account for him. Gervon Dexter has looked good, but Grady Jarrett has not.
Anybody with common sense can tell the pass rush will be a central focus for the Bears next spring unless Austin Booker has a breakout season once he returns from IR. That feels unlikely. The good news is that early indications suggest the 2026 draft will be rich in talented rushers. Insider Charlie Campbell of Walter Football believes there is one name the Bears may already have eyes on. It certainly fits with the new profile they prefer under Dennis Allen.
Keldric Faulk,, DE, Auburn
In 2025, Faulk had 10 tackles with two sacks and one pass batted thus far. Faulk was a beast for Auburn in 2024, with a big-time presence behind the line of scrimmage. He had seven sacks, 45 tackles, and one forced fumble. He has shown speed and power as a pass rusher while being a big-bodied lineman to defend the run. The 6-foot-6, 288-pounder has upside to develop as he gains experience. Faulk would be a great fit in Dennis Allen’s defense.
Faulk does fit what the Chicago Bears prefer.
Even before Allen arrived, it was evident the team targeted bigger, stronger defensive linemen with good length. Sweat and Dexter are two such examples. Signing Odeyingbo was the latest sign. Faulk has the physical profile that checks every box they look for. He isn’t the most explosive athlete, but experts say he’s a stout run defender with the quickness and first step to beat tackles as a rusher. He finished with seven sacks and 11 tackles for a loss last season. He already has two sacks in four games this year. Both came on the road against quality programs like Baylor and Oklahoma. Faulk seems to bring his best against top opponents. That is something head coach Ben Johnson will love.
The key will be where the Chicago Bears end up picking in the 1st round and whether Faulk decides to go pro. He is a junior this season.
Bears left tackle Ozzy Trapilo goes through drills in training camp.
Fans can often have a knee-jerk reaction to draft picks when they don’t contribute immediately on the field these days. In years past, young players often took two or three years to fully mature in the pro game. Yet the immediate success of some prominent names have raised the bar to unreasonable standards. That is what is happening to Ozzy Trapilo. The Chicago Bears drafted the young tackle out of Boston College in the 2nd round. They loved his size, athleticism, and maturity as a blocker. However, the Bears already had a right tackle in place with Darnell Wright.
Initially, Trapilo was thrown into the left tackle competition against Braxton Jones and Kiran Amegadjie. However, Ben Johnson chose to end that experiment and moved him back to right tackle. Since then, he’s remained inactive on gamedays. That could be about to change. The latest injury report on Thursday wasn’t a welcome one. Five players didn’t practice, including Wright, who is nursing an elbow problem. If he can’t go, it means Trapilo will suit up for the first time this season.
Five high-profile DNPs today.
The Darnell Wright absence may be the most significant at the moment for this week’s matchup. pic.twitter.com/mXpRc0Th7g
Ozzy Trapilo is one step closer to his opportunity.
Now, there is a chance Wright may still try to play. He did finish the game against Dallas last Sunday despite suffering the injury midway through it. The Bears might be giving him time to rest. If they decide to shut him down, they will likely go with Theo Benedet at right tackle with Ozzy Trapilo as the primary backup. Benedet replaced Wright in the game against the Cowboys and played well. He’s earned the chance. If he struggles, though, the coaches may look to Trapilo. Reports are that he was far more comfortable and effective once he moved back to right tackle in practice. He’s had time to acclimate to the new offense. This is one of the reasons the Bears drafted him. They probably knew their depth would be tested at some point.
Jun 10, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs third base Matt Shaw (6) against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Chicago Cubs’ rookie third baseman Matt Shaw missed Sunday’s series finale against the Cincinnati Reds to go to Charlie Kirk’s funeral in Arizona. The team didn’t make his absence known before the game and fans were confused in the ninth inning, when Craig Counsell did not use Shaw as a pinch-runner for Moises Ballesteros, who walked to start the final frame in a 1-0 game.
Shaw’s absence was revealed after the Cubs were swept in Cincinnati. The loss for Chicago clinched the NL Central for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Craig Counsell said Matt Shaw was attending the funeral of a friend today. He’s expected to be back by Tuesday.
Shaw and Kirk had become friends as they met each other this past offseason in Arizona. They both lived in the same apartment complex. Prior to Tuesday night’s series opener against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field Shaw spoke to reporters and explained his decision to leave the team and attend the memorial.
Kirk’s wife, Erika, reached out to Shaw asking if he would come to the memorial, which he attended with his wife, Danielle.
Shaw said he spoke with president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and manager Craig Counsell about leaving the team for the memorial and discussed the situation with four or five Cubs veterans because he felt turmoil over whether to go. He asked those unnamed teammates what he should do and said they gave him a lot of support and really good advice in those moments.
“I made sure that everybody I talked to, I had their support, that they knew why I was going, that I wasn’t leaving just to leave, that it was something that was really important to my faith,” Shaw said. “It was really nice to see how everyone was able to support me in that moment.
“I felt as though it was something that was really important for me to do. … I was very thankful for how the team responded, allowing me to do that was really special.”
MLB gives teams the opportunity to place a player on the bereavement list to give them 3-7 days off for a death or serious illness in their immediate family, allowing for that player to be replaced on the roster. Shaw’s absence to attend Kirk’s memorial did not qualify, so he needed permission from the Cubs to leave on Sunday.
On Tuesday night, Mets’ play-by-play man Gary Cohen brought up Shaw’s decision to not play on Sunday for the Cubs and characterized the situation as weird. Fill-in color man Todd Zeile, who played 16 years in the majors, discussed Shaw’s decision and said it was unusual and unprecedented, specifically because it wasn’t known until after Sunday’s game was over for the Cubs.
Gary Cohen wasn't sold on the way the Cubs and Matt Shaw handled his absence to attend Charlie Kirk's memorial.
"I don't want to talk about any of the politics of it, but the thought of leaving your team in the middle of a race for any reason other than a family emergency,… pic.twitter.com/D5av7DMJyg
Cohen has received the brunt of the backlash since those comments.
"Matt Shaw saw his friend get shot and killed…his wife requested that he be there and Gary Cohen’s got a problem with that because the Cubs are in a pennant race?" – Gregg Giannotti took issue with Gary Cohen questioning Matt Shaw attending Charlie Kirk's memorial service pic.twitter.com/QEXL3iktsn
As for Shaw, he’s not too worried about any of the criticism.
Asked whether he is concerned about backlash because of the politics involved, Shaw said, “I’m not concerned at all.”
“My connection with Charlie was through our faith, that’s something that drives me every day,” Shaw said. “That’s the reason why I’m able to do what I do every day, and that’s something I’m extremely thankful for. I know without my faith and without the many blessings I’ve been given in my life that I wouldn’t be here, able to talk to you guys, able to help this team eventually go and win championships. So that’s something I feel really, really blessed about.
Shaw said he had not followed Kirk’s content, which includes podcasts and videos, because he hasn’t had any social media accounts for the last four years. He was then asked if he had heard anything since Kirk’s death about his content.
“I think that he talks about a lot of really big questions, I think that everyone thinks about a lot of things like you’re asking, and the reason Charlie and I connected so close was because of our faith, and that’s something that drives me every single day,” Shaw replied. “That’s something that I think about all the time.
“So if people are wondering who I am and what I stand for, I’d say that my faith and the many blessings I’ve been given is why I’m able to be here, and I just want to make sure that I can give that back to people, that I can support people around me, that I can love people around me the same way that I’ve been blessed and the reason I’m in this situation, and I’m very thankful for that.”
Shaw helped the Cubs win on Wednesday night, going 3-for-4 with a home run in Chicago’s 10-3 win over New York.
Jun 3, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton (22) throws to the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images
The Chicago Cubs are getting closer to clinching home field advantage for their Wild Card series that will be against the San Diego Padres, but fans are holding their breath, waiting to see the results from Cade Horton‘s MRI results.
The 24-year-old starter has had an amazing rookie season for the Cubs and thanks to his second-half success Horton was lining up to be the team’s Game 1 starter in the postseason. He made Tuesday’s start against the New York Mets, but was pulled after only three innings. The Cubs eventually revealed that Horton was removed as a precautionary measure because of tightness in his back.
After the Cubs blew a 6-1 lead and lost the series opener 9-7, Craig Counsell said Horton had been ill leading up to Tuesday’s start. The initial hope was that Horton’s back issue was related to the illness.
#Cubs Craig Counsell says Cade Horton has been battling an illness this week. They believe the tightness in his back is related to that but not totally sure. They’ll monitor him in coming days.
Horton hasn’t simply been the best starting pitcher for the Cubs during the past few months, the rookie right-hander has been the best starting pitcher in MLB since July. Following the worst start to his young career, a four-inning outing against the Houston Astros on June 28, when he gave up seven earned runs, Horton has recorded a 1.36 ERA in his last 14 starts.
The numbers become historic following the All-Star break as Horton posted a 1.03 ERA in 12 starts. The Cubs’ rookie has not allowed more than two earned runs since July 9.
Losing Horton, even if it is only for the Wild Card series, would be a major blow to the team’s chances advancing past the Padres. Is it the end of the world for the Cubs? Certainly not, but there’s no denying that the team is better when Horton is on the mound.
At this point I think the best-case scenario is that Horton isn’t sidelined, but needs a few extra days to recover, so if needed, he’ll pitch Game 3 in the Wild Card series. We’ll find out soon here what those MRI results revealed.
Sep 21, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson talks with quarterback Caleb Williams (18) against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
When Ben Johnson became head coach of the Chicago Bears, he accepted a monumental challenge. He was inheriting a team that had endured over a decade of near-constant losing. When that happens to an organization, it can be difficult to pull it out of the mud. Several men have already tried. John Fox failed. Matt Nagy failed. Matt Eberflus failed. Johnson is the latest in that line. He knew that he’d need to be hard on guys to accomplish such a goal. They had to understand that the status quo is what got them into this mess. Unless they were willing to work, the misery would continue. Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady understands that mindset.
After all, he experienced it for 20 years during his epic run with the New England Patriots. Bill Belichick was notorious for being harsh with players on everything. He didn’t care who you were, be it the star quarterback or third-string linebacker. If you didn’t do things correctly, expect an ass-chewing. Johnson is built the same way. He isn’t afraid to make every player uncomfortable. Brady believes that is the best path to getting better. A coach willing to get in the face of even the stars tells everybody else that accountability is limited to no one.
Tom Brady wanted Johnson for a reason.
It wasn’t just because the young coach is an offense wizard. There is a strong probability that the former quarterback had strong connections in league circles, telling him the type of coach Johnson was. Tom Brady knew immediately that was the kind of guy he wanted guiding the Las Vegas Raiders. It didn’t work out. Chicago closed the deal and got their man. Early signs suggest it was the right decision. Johnson has the Bears playing harder and smarter lately than at almost any time in the past decade. There is a long way to go. It took Belichick a year to drag the Patriots out of their mediocrity. Johnson deserves at least that long. Brady believes he is headed in the right direction, which is never a bad sign.
Jul 7, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Miami Marlins outfielder Derek Hill (3) high fives teammates after scoring on a sacrifice fly out hit by shortstop Javier Sanoja (not pictured) in the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
The White Sox claimed Derek Hill off waivers to serve as a replacement for the injured Mike Tauchman.
Tauchman was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right knee meniscus tear and is expected to undergo surgery. Hill was designated for assignment by the Marlins earlier in the week before being claimed by the White Sox.
Though born in Des Moines, Iowa, Hill played his high school ball in Elk Grove, California, where his play earned him a first-round selection by the Detroit Tigers in the 2014 Draft, 23rd overall. Things haven’t clicked for Hill since entering the big leagues. Since 2020, the 29-year-old has suited up for five different teams over the last six seasons, all while bouncing between the minor league level.
Hill logged 95 games across three seasons in Detroit and 13 more with Washington in 2023. The following year, he saw action for three teams, playing 16 games with the Texas Rangers before getting DFA’d, five with San Francisco after a waiver claim, and 32 with Miami to close the season.
Hill began the 2025 season in Miami but was cut loose after batting .213 with a .606 OPS and 32.6% strikeout rate in 127 plate appearances. Hill has never been a significant offensive threat. In 617 career plate appearances, he owns a .228/.276/.348 slash line with 14 home runs, 54 RBIs, and a 30.6% strikeout rate. While his offense has been lacking, Hill has managed to find opportunities due to his speed and defense.
While his stolen base numbers don’t jump off the page, he has been efficient, swiping 23 bags in 28 attempts. This includes going 7-for-7 on stolen base attempts this season. Defensively, he has +9 Outs Above Average in 1,369 innings played across all three outfield positions.
Hill is viewed as a temporary placeholder. He will be arbitration-eligible for the first time in his career, so the White Sox will likely non-tender him once the season ends unless they think he can be a useful depth piece next season.
Sep 14, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes the ball against the Detroit Lions during the first quarter of the game at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Let’s not sugarcoat it — the Chicago Bears are sitting at 1-2 through three weeks, and while that record looks mediocre on paper, the truth is way more complicated. Ben Johnson’s first year as head coach is already a rollercoaster: parts of this team look playoff-caliber, parts look like a tank job, and all of it feels like Chicago football in a nutshell — heart attack-inducing, infuriating, and just enticing enough to keep you hooked.
The Bears are a mix of brilliance and dysfunction. Some stats scream “contender,” others scream “fraud.” So let’s break it down: what they’re nailing, what’s killing them, and what this actually means for Caleb Williams’ first real shot at proving he’s the guy.
What the Bears Are Doing Right
1. Red Zone Execution
The Bears are heating up in the red zone. Let that sink in. 86% efficiency. Seven trips, six touchdown. That’s not just better than the Bears of old — that’s #3 in the entire NFL. Last year this team couldn’t buy a red zone touchdown if Soldier Field started selling them at halftime. Now? Ben Johnson has flipped the script.
And a huge reason? Rome Odunze. The kid is already Caleb Williams’ security blanket. Two red zone TDs so far, and more importantly, he looks like the type of wideout the Bears haven’t had in decades — reliable, physical, and flat-out dangerous inside the 20. Johnson deserves credit here, too. His play designs don’t scream “rookie QB panic dump.” He’s mixing personnel, spreading defenses out, and then slicing them up with surgical precision.
Offensive Red Zone Trips and Trip Touchdown Rates, Weeks 1-3 (2025), per @fball_insights.
2. Wideout Revolution
Let’s keep it real: the Bears’ rookie wideouts are saving this offense. Odunze has already made history — four touchdowns in his first three games, something no Bears receiver has ever done. He’s Caleb’s No. 1, and his Week 3 PFF grade (77.8) tells you he’s not just racking up cheap catches; he’s playing elite ball.
But Odunze isn’t even the full story. Luther Burden III came in like a damn sledgehammer in Week 3. He put up a 93.0 PFF grade — the highest of any wideout in the NFL that week. And that flea-flicker touchdown? Absolute filth. A 65-yard bomb, the longest pass of Williams’ young career, and the kind of play that makes you double-check if you’re watching the Bears or a Madden sim.
Together, these two look like the foundation of a passing game that could actually terrify defenses. For a franchise that’s spent decades trying to convince itself that guys like Bernard Berrian, Anthony Miller, or Kevin White were “the answer,” this is a revolution.
What the Bears Are Doing Wrong
1. Pass Rush? More Like a Gentle Breeze
Here’s the ugly truth: the Bears’ pass rush is a damn embarrassment. Their pass rush win rate is a putrid 23.3% — 30th in the NFL. That’s not just bad, that’s bottom-feeding. Five sacks in three games, tied for 5th-fewest in the league. Opposing quarterbacks are chilling back there with 3.06 seconds per dropback — third-worst in the NFL.
Translation: the Bears aren’t even making QBs uncomfortable. And without pressure, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has been neutered. He wants to play aggressive man coverage, but when your corners are banged up (Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon both missing time), you’re forced to sit back in zone and just watch opposing offenses pick you apart.
Look at Gervon Dexter. Zero pass rush wins against Detroit. Zero. Nada. That’s supposed to be your interior disruptor. Instead, he was a tackling dummy. To be fair, outside of that game he has played well, but with a D-line this weak you simply can’t have games where you disappear. And the trickle-down is brutal: Chicago is giving up 31 points per game (28th in the league). You don’t win shootouts when you’re not Buffalo.
2. The Run Game Is Broken — And It Makes No Sense
If you only looked at the offensive line stats, you’d think the Bears had a juggernaut ground game. They’re #1 in Run Block Win Rate (78%) per ESPN. Elite. Dominant. Except… the backs are doing jack with it. Chicago ranks 28th in EPA per carry (-0.15). That’s the definition of wasted opportunity.
D’Andre Swift is the poster child for inefficiency. He’s rocking a brutal -0.25 EPA per carry, 44th out of 47 qualifying RBs. He looks hesitant, indecisive, and allergic to daylight. And rookie Kyle Monangai has been even worse, dragging a -0.55 EPA per carry on his limited touches.
This kills Ben Johnson’s preferred offensive balance. When the run game stinks, defenses sit back, daring Williams to win without play-action. That’s not sustainable, especially when your QB is still learning how to handle NFL defenses.
The Caleb Williams Watch: The Arrow Is Pointing Up
Now let’s talk about the only thing that really matters: Caleb Williams. And here’s the good news — the kid is progressing faster than expected.
Week 2: Small bump up to 63.3% completions, rating 91.9.
Week 3: Boom. 67.9% completions, passer rating 142.6, and 0.61 EPA per dropback — best in the NFL that week.
That’s not incremental growth. That’s a quarterback settling into an offense designed for him. He wasn’t even sacked against Dallas, and surprise surprise — his best game followed. Protect him, and you see why he was the No. 1 pick. His connection with Odunze and Burden is the Bears’ ticket out of offensive purgatory.
Caleb Williams Weekly Performance Progression, Weeks 1-3 (2025).
Defensive Silver Lining: Takeaways
The Bears’ defense is leaky as hell, but they’re opportunistic. 1.67 takeaways per game, good for 8th in the NFL.Tremaine Edmunds is a damn machine — 15 tackles and two picks against Dallas. He’s the only reason the defense didn’t give up 50.
But let’s be real: turnovers can’t cover for a nonexistent pass rush forever. This defense needs Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon back yesterday, or else it’s going to keep bleeding points.
The Road Ahead: Fix the Obvious, Build on the Breakthroughs
Here’s the truth: the Bears aren’t a disaster. They’re also not a contender yet. They’re stuck in that in-between zone where you can see the potential but also feel the problems.
The good news? Their biggest issues are fixable:
Pass rush: Add a body via trade, scheme up more pressure, or pray someone wakes up. Something has to give.
Run game: Ben Johnson himself has mentioned the run game can take time to gel, so the hope is it starts clicking soon. But if Swift can’t figure it out, then next year’s draft needs a heavy focus at RB. Find someone who can actually capitalize on this O-line.
The foundation is there. Williams is improving weekly. Odunze and Burden are already legit. The red zone efficiency is elite. This isn’t the same old Bears, even if the record says otherwise.
But unless the defense learns how to breathe on a quarterback and the run game stops wasting elite blocking, this team is destined to hover around .500. The playoffs are possible, but right now, the Bears are playing with fire — and it’s only Week 3.
Final Verdict
The 2025 Bears are basically a giant “choose your own adventure” book. Do you focus on the exciting young passing attack, or do you dwell on the defense that looks allergic to sacks? Either way, this team is in transition. But for the first time in forever, transition doesn’t feel like purgatory — it feels like the beginning of something real.
People are already making excuses for the game Caleb Williams played last Sunday. It was the Dallas Cowboys. Their defense sucks. Playing well against them means nothing. They ignore how Jalen Hurts, a supposed top 10 quarterback, barely managed 150 yards against that defense two weeks earlier. No touchdown, either. Williams only threw five more passes but ended up with 148 more yards and four more touchdowns. A great performance is a great performance, period.
Yet people don’t truly understand what makes it so frightening. Having followed Williams’ development and understood Ben Johnson’s offense, Adam Hoge of CHGO pointed out something people don’t realize.
Everyone wants to jump to conclusions on these young, highly-drafted quarterbacks, but this is a process. I bet Williams hasn’t even mastered 20 percent of Ben Johnson’s offense and that’s probably even generous. He’s still just scratching the surface, which is what makes his performance against the Cowboys so exciting.
Think about that. Williams had one of the best games any quarterback has played this season, despite not yet fully grasping a quarter of Johnson’s system. It just makes you wonder how much more dangerous he can become once the full playbook is open to him. This is why having patience is so crucial.
Caleb Williams isn’t even benefiting from the core of Johnson’s offense.
That is the running game. The coach’s best work in Detroit was fed by a strong ground attack. Few in the NFL are better at weaponizing play action. Unfortunately, the Bears are only 15th in rushing, and much of that is thanks to Caleb Williams’ ability to scramble. Despite his obvious talent, D’Andre Swift hasn’t provided them with a reliable enough presence on the ground. Still, it hasn’t stopped Williams from continuing to progress rapidly. Things are slowing down. His feet look calmer. His eyes are going to the right spots, and he’s starting to throw with more timing and rhythm. Johnson’s influence is obvious. The head coach made it clear how happy he was with Williams’ progress. To think he still has so much room to grow. It’s kind of terrifying.
