Sep 8, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) rushes the ball against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
Monday night didn’t go how anybody wanted. After a strong start, quarterback Caleb Williams went cold for most of the second half. Though he rallied the team within three in the final minutes, the Chicago Bears ran out of time to complete the comeback. It was a frustrating night. Williams missed some premium opportunities for big plays, often as a result of inaccurate passes. Onlookers saw a quarterback unsettled in the pocket and not trusting his eyes. While he avoided any turnovers, there were some mistakes that cost the team points.
However, not all of it was bad. Something else popped up from the game. He was only sacked twice, which seemed shocking given the number of times it looked like Minnesota got penetration on the line of scrimmage. A closer look saw Williams doing a good job of avoiding sacks, keeping plays alive with his feet, taking checkdowns, or throwing the ball away. Too often, he wasn’t doing those things last season, leading to the absurd 68 sacks he took. If this is a trend, the Bears are already in better shape.
Caleb Williams struggled as a passer Monday night, but he did a much better job avoiding sacks.
In 2024 he was sacked on 10.8% of dropbacks (NFL avg. ~7%) and 28% of pressures (NFL average ~18%).
truly excellent sack avoidance on top of a large chunk of plays where he made the right read and decision. Couple of times he turned down an open player, but his scrambling and checkdowns made sense seeing how the backend was playing out. https://t.co/K7FowHP1GT
he was the only thing working for an offense and finish right in the middle of the pack statistically, so not sure what worst QB performance is coming from. Like 75% of QBs would have ended that night with 5 or more sacks. https://t.co/9Ugr2FtWnM
Caleb Williams won’t face many opponents like that again.
The Vikings featured a combination of big, strong defensive linemen and a hyper-aggressive attack. It is difficult to block, especially when you can’t run the ball. Several opponents the Bears will face moving forward don’t have that much firepower or near-suicidal aggression. Caleb Williams will be able to lean on the run game a little more and set up the play-action fake Johnson is famous for. That is when we should start seeing the quarterback play with more poise and composure. Managing to avoid sacks like this suggests he’s been getting some good coaching and that he’s been listening. He isn’t just running around for the sake of it anymore. He has solutions, and he’s using them. It isn’t perfect, but the progress was pretty clear.
Aug 17, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson on the field before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
Whispers have intensified in recent weeks, painting a clear picture of shifting dynamics inside Halas Hall. First, Sport Mockery’s Jeff Hughes and then Tyler Dunne of Go Long reported that Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson appears to have more personnel power than people realize. Ryan Poles is still the general manager, and the team hasn’t indicated he’s lost the final say on roster decisions. However, the evidence and indications behind the scenes are that Johnson is now calling the shots.
That was reinforced this week. A source informed SM that Poles delivered a new directive to his scouts as the college evaluations continue. They are to focus heavily on three position groups: offensive tackles, edge rushers, and running backs. Other positions will be scouted, but those three are a priority. While Poles was the one to deliver the message, many in the building believe the directive came from Johnson. The head coach isn’t happy with the state of those positions and fully intends to attack them next spring.
Ben Johnson doing this shouldn’t be a surprise.
Just look at what happened in the opener against Minnesota. Braxton Jones allowed six quarterback pressures at left tackle. D’Andre Swift averaged 3.1 yards per carry at running back. Montez Sweat only had one pressure as their primary edge rusher. All three spots were crucial to the Bears’ loss. It doesn’t help that two of them are probably the two most important non-quarterback positions on the team. If you want to win in the NFL, you need good players at those spots. Even if Sweat plays better in the coming weeks, the team still needs more depth on the edge. Jones clearly isn’t 100% and may have already hit his ceiling. Swift isn’t a true workhorse back and is also a bad fit for this offense. Ben Johnson will want to bring in guys who fit his vision for the team. That mission is already underway.
Nov 9, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chicago Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins answers questions from the media during the MLB GM Meetings at The Conrad Las Vegas. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports
Depending on how you feel about Carter Hawkins, then this could definitely be an exciting development for the Chicago Cubs. According to a couple reports, the current GM for the Chicago Cubs has interviewed with the Washington Nationals for their top baseball gig.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale first reported that Hawkins was on the Nationals’ short list for their open GM position and then followed up by reporting that Hawkins had indeed interviewed. Nightengale called Hawkins one of the finalist, saying the Cubs’ GM interviewed last week.
Carter Hawkins is a finalist after interviewing last week for Nats’ GM job. https://t.co/NIAh5TFVoj
Meanwhile, The Athletic also wrote about the Nationals’ GM search and in addition to Hawkins being one of the finalists for the job, a few others were also named.
As the Washington Nationals look for a new head of baseball operations, the club has contacted Chicago Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins, Arizona Diamondbacks executive Amiel Sawdaye and Los Angeles Dodgers senior vice president Josh Byrnes, according to league sources briefed on the search.
The Cubs hired Hawkins following the 2021 season. He previously worked in the Cleveland Guardians organization from 2009-2021, serving as a scout and eventually served as the team’s assistant general manager for five years.
This is the part that has annoyed some Cubs’ fans both during free agency and at the trade deadline. This is how his hiring was described in The Athletic.
The Cubs wanted that disciplined, small-market perspective when they hired Hawkins away from the Cleveland Guardians after the 2021 season. Hawkins, who played college baseball at Vanderbilt, spent 14 seasons with Cleveland, an organization that has remained consistently competitive despite its limitations.
Jed Hoyer seemingly operates in that similar mindset, so it’s probably best to have someone else who presents an aggressive approach to balance out Hoyer’s safe style of risk taking. Hawkins just isn’t that guy.
We’ll see if the Nationals hire Hawkins and if so, then the Cubs will need to hire a new GM. Hopefully it’s one who can provide a fresh perspective in the front office across the table from Hoyer, who received a contract extension back in July.
Sep 7, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Grant Taylor (31) pitches in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Grant Taylor entered Wednesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays with a chance to record a save. Instead, his outing lasted only seven pitches.
Taylor issued a six-pitch walk to the first batter he faced, then missed badly with his next offering to Tristian Gray. Moments later, the White Sox training staff jogged to the mound to check on him. He walked off the mound with what the team is calling a right groin strain. Of his seven pitches, only two were strikes.
Taylor is being further evaluated on Thursday with an MRI, but his current status is listed as day-to-day.
Wikelman Gonzalez, who was part of the four-player return for Garrett Crochet over the offseason, replaced Taylor and proceeded to walk Gray. After Chandler Smith moved the go-ahead runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, Gonzalez recorded the second out of the inning by striking out Yandy Diaz.
With left-handed hitter Brandon Lowe due up and runners still on second and third, manager Will Venable turned to Tyler Gilbert out of the bullpen. Gilbert locked things down for the White Sox, getting Lowe to strike out on an 82 mph sweeper.
“A tough spot, you know, second and third with one out, with a really good hitter and a really good contact hitter up, and Wikelman did a great job. When you’re put in that spot where you have to adjust and be flexible, these guys did a great job stepping up,” Venable told reporters after the 6-5 victory.
As for Taylor, the groin injury threatens to cut short what had been a promising debut season. The 23-year-old LSU product posted a 31% strikeout rate and averaged 98.7 mph on his fastball, ranking among the 97th percentile of MLB pitchers. Despite owning a 5.58 ERA on the season, Taylor’s expected ERA is just 3.01. This is thanks in part to a 55% ground ball rate, with opponents only owning an expected batting average of .223 against him.
Across 31.2 innings this season, he has racked up 44 strikeouts and recorded four saves. While he has served as a reliever in the back end of the bullpen for most of the season, the White Sox view him as a potential starter long-term, which is why the team may err on the side of caution with Taylor’s injury this late in the season.
Sep 8, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
It’s been a few days since Monday night’s meltdown. I’ll admit—the Bears should be 1-0 heading into Detroit. While it was a brutal loss, they have a real opportunity to turn things around quickly.
They’re on the road against the Lions, and a win would put them at 1-1 while dropping Detroit to 0-2 in the division. Sure, 2-0 would have been ideal, but splitting the first two divisional games is still something many would have taken to start the season.
Caleb Williams spoke to the media Wednesday evening, saying he plans to put the loss behind him and focus on Detroit. This game is also a chance for a statement win for Ben Johnson against his former team.
The Bears offense scored 17 points against a strong Brian Flores-led defense, leaving at least six points—or more—on the field. If Chicago can win on Sunday, calm the storm, and have Williams and the offense perform consistently beyond a single quarter, everything could start to click.
But a loss on the road against Johnson’s former team, starting 0-2, could make things ugly fast. Historically, teams that start a season 0-2 have a very low chance of making the playoffs. Simply put, the Bears need to win. It’s game two, and yes, it’s already a “must-win” in Chicago—especially with the pressure on Williams and the noise surrounding the team. The opportunity is there for a strong road performance to quiet the critics and get back on track.
The Chicago Bears have one winning season since 2013. People often say the 1970s were the darkest period of this team’s history. This one may have it beat. It’s one thing to be losing all the time. It’s another to endure the cavalcade of gutpunches along the way. It’s the Rodgers 4th down heave, the Zach Miller touchdown that never was, the Double Doink, the Darnell Mooney dropped Hail Mary, and the Tyrique Stevenson tipped Hail Mary. Executives, coaches, and players alike have drawn blame for this team’s inability to find success.
One Bears staffer sees it differently. He thinks the fans are responsible for this. No, it isn’t because they criticize the organization and are too outspoken about its mistakes. It is because they continue rewarding it despite these problems. Tyler Dunne of Go Long had the details.
In Chicago, fans will always gobble up season tickets. Off a 5-12 season, McCaskey raised ticket prices 10 percent.
“They could go 0-16,” says one source on the support staff, “and they’re still going to make a ton of money. The McCaskeys are never going to run out of revenue. The incentive to win — to more closely monitor their operation — I’m not sure what it is. Money is falling out of the sky.”
Many don’t mention this point. Many owners in professional sports have the mentality of, “We’re making plenty of money as is. Why should I feel the need to spend unnecessarily to win?” The McCaskeys can say they’re committed to winning, but their actions over the years tell a different story.
Chicago Bears fans can absolutely impact ownership decisions.
In 2019, the team’s home attendance that season was 495,000 people. By 2021, as frustration over the Matt Nagy-Ryan Pace era peaked, that dipped to 486,000. That dip led the McCaskeys to fire both men and bring in Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus. If you think this ownership doesn’t pay close attention to attendance figures, you’re dead wrong. This team is their only source of revenue. Fans are the ones who control the purse strings. They’re just too loyal to realize it. That is the sad reality of sports. Fans don’t control the fate of an organization. The owners do, and many of them are interested less in winning and more in making money. The McCaskey family never got into the business for football reasons. That is why the Chicago Bears haven’t looked like a model franchise for decades.
Jan 5, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright (58) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Let’s be real: the Bears lost Week 1, and it sucked. They gave up a lead, the offense stalled late, and the defense got cooked when it mattered most. But just because the team flopped doesn’t mean everyone wore a clown suit out there. A few guys balled out — legit difference-makers — and it’s time we gave them their flowers (before the media buries them under Caleb headlines).
Here are five Chicago Bears who showed out in Week 1 against the Vikings, loss be damned.
Let’s start with the obvious: Darnell Wright was a damn beast. He posted an 86.0 pass-blocking grade and gave up zero pressures on over 40 pass-blocking snaps. That’s not just good; that’s top-tier tackle play.
Forget the box score. Wright passed the eye test and the analytics test. If Caleb Williams wasn’t running for his life on every other snap, you can thank Wright for that pocket. While the rest of the line was folding like lawn chairs, Wright played like a grown man.
And before you bring up the penalty — yeah, he had one. Maybe two. But one was questionable, and it sure as hell doesn’t erase the fact that Wright was dominant all day.
With T.J. Edwards sidelined, Noah Sewell got thrown into the fire — and damn if he didn’t torch expectations.
Sewell racked up 9 total tackles (7 solo) and looked like a man possessed. That’s more than he had in all of 2024. He flew sideline to sideline, filled run lanes with violence, and played like someone fighting for a permanent role.
Yeah, his coverage wasn’t perfect — but that’s not what they needed from him this week. He brought physicality and presence in the box that gave the Vikings problems early.
Down Jaylon Johnson? No problem. Nahshon Wright stepped in and delivered the defensive play of the game — a 74-yard pick-six that gave the Bears a 17-6 lead in the third quarter.
He read J.J. McCarthy like a children’s book and jumped the route like he had the script. It was a perfect blend of anticipation and acceleration. That play should’ve been the momentum swing that sealed it — too bad the rest of the team forgot how to finish.
Even with an early PI flag that gave up 40+ yards, Wright’s splash play mattered more. Big moments define careers, and Wright delivered one.
This dude caught flak all preseason. But when the real bullets flew, Dayo Odeyingbo looked like a legit edge threat.
He recorded 1 sack, 2 QB hits, and was consistently collapsing the pocket against Minnesota’s backup tackle. He didn’t just win matchups — he disrupted rhythm, made J.J. McCarthy uncomfortable, and showed why Chicago brought him in.
No, he didn’t rack up eye-popping stats, but anyone watching the trenches saw the impact. For a unit that’s been allergic to sacks for years, Odeyingbo was a welcome jolt.
Veteran linebackers don’t always show up on highlight reels. But if you want to understand how the Bears defense didn’t completely collapse, look at Tremaine Edmunds.
He tallied 7 tackles (3 solo), added a key pass deflection, and played with poise when the younger defenders started unraveling. With the defense only on the field for 49 snaps, Edmunds’ tackle rate was solid.
He didn’t freelance. He didn’t panic. He played clean, smart, and led by example. That’s the guy you pay $70 million for.
Final Verdict
The Bears coughed up a winnable game, but these five guys earned a W individually. Whether it was Wright stonewalling edge rushers, Sewell breaking out, or Nahshon flipping the game — there were real flashes of what this team could be if the coaching staff gets out of its own damn way.
They might not be in the win column yet. But you better believe these five made their case for more playing time, more attention, and more damn respect.
Sep 17, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) share a laugh before the game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Plenty of people jumped all over Caleb Williams for the Chicago Bears‘ loss in the opener on Monday night. After a great start to the game, he went ice cold for most of the second half, misfiring several passes. He looked frenetic, rushed, and way too amped up. It felt like an uncomfortable reliving of what Williams went through as a rookie last year. The fact he still hadn’t gotten over those poor tendencies felt like a major red flag to people watching. Some compared it to Mitch Trubisky’s demoralizing performance in the 2019 opener against Green Bay, when it became clear he wasn’t the guy.
While Williams deserved criticism for his performance, some people have quickly pointed out that it wasn’t nearly as bad as it looked. Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner argued he played much better than initial reactions would have you believe. Perhaps the most interesting name to pop up is Bruce Arians. The Super Bowl-winning head coach built a reputation as one of the best QB experts in NFL history. He helped develop names like Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and Andrew Luck.
As he explained on The Pat McAfee Show, he feels that not enough people saw that game in its proper context.
"Brian Flores is a mastermind and he started throwing blitzes at Caleb Williams..
Caleb Williams is not the first young QB to feel that pain.
Brian Flores has made young quarterbacks uncomfortable for years. Bryce Young, Brock Purdy, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, and C.J. Stroud were some of the names who looked rough against his complex, aggressive defense. Add in the fact that Caleb Williams was playing his first game in Ben Johnson’s new offense, which is notorious for being detailed and complicated, and you can understand a little more why the quarterback looked a bit rattled at times. Arians, having worked with young quarterbacks before, recognized the challenge.
He’s not alone. While Williams does need to figure things out, another Super Bowl-winning coach urged fans to be patient with him.
People forget that Jared Goff, a veteran, didn’t master Johnson’s offense right away. In 2022, people forgot how uneven he was through the first half of the season. Five of the eight games he played in that stretch saw him finish with a passer rating of 80 or lower. It wasn’t until November that you started seeing things click. Williams deserves at least that long before passing judgment.
Nov 23, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) on the field before the game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Few things can determine the outcome of an NFL season more than health. Injuries are a killer if they hit the right areas. The Chicago Bears have already been on the mercy of such setbacks. They went into Monday night with three of their best defenders, including their two best cornerbacks. Unfortunately, that ended up costing them in the 4th quarter. Thankfully, they didn’t come away with any further losses in that game, meaning they should be at least at the same strength going into a pivotal road game in Detroit.
Here is where the news starts brightening. For one, Jaylon Johnson returned to practicing in full. That is a good sign for his availability on Sunday. T.J. Edwards also returned to practice in a limited fashion, offering hope he can bolster their linebacking corps. It gets more interesting when you look at the Lions’ situation. Two key players did not practice on Wednesday.
Losing Jack Campbell hurts enough with Detroit’s run defense. The idea of not having Taylor Decker after how much Detroit struggled protecting Jared Goff last week is a serious concern. On top of that, news broke that the Dallas Cowboys will be without All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland for the next few weeks from a foot injury. The Bears play them in week three.
The Dallas Cowboys could be without cornerback DaRon Bland for a couple of weeks because of a right foot injury suffered in Monday’s practice, according to multiple sources.
The Chicago Bears must take advantage of this upcoming stretch.
Detroit is always tough. They swept this team last year. Still, the Chicago Bears already know they can play the Lions tough in that building. Having Johnson in charge should give them an edge since he knows that team so well. Dallas’ defense was already questionable after losing Micah Parsons before the season. Now they won’t have Bland either. If the Bears can win those games, they’ll face the Las Vegas Raiders with a chance to hit the bye week on a win streak. After that, things get much tougher with Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Washington looming. Injuries alone won’t hand this team victories. They merely provide an opportunity to take advantage. That isn’t something the Bears have been good at in years past. We should know a lot about where this team is headed by the end of September.
Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (10) is sacked by Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith (55) on Sept. 5, 2019. Mjs Packers06 Packers 01132
It was supposed to be the dawn of a brighter era for Chicago Bears football. Caleb Williams finally had the coach he needed. Ben Johnson was an offensive guru who’d worked wonders in Detroit. The team had surrounded the quarterback with better protection and more weapons. It was time to show everybody why he was the #1 overall pick. Instead, he showed many of the same problems that haunted him as a rookie. His feet were frenetic and all over the place. He sailed way too many passes out of reach for his receivers. Lastly, he still held the ball too long at times.
He seemed to have learned nothing in the past several months despite Johnson’s strict guidance, which was a red flag to many of the people watching. Many experts who cover the team evoked the mention of one of the darker moments in recent Bears history as a comparison: Mitch Trubisky’s disastrous opening night performance in 2019. After making a Pro Bowl and winning the division, expectations were sky high going into that game against the Green Bay Packers. Trubisky imploded, completing less than 58% of his passes with a game-ending INT, five sacks, and only managing three points. Many watching felt that was when they knew Trubisky wasn’t the guy. Bill Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron is now getting the same vibes from Williams after Monday night.
It is impossible to ignore the signs.
In the moment, the second half last night felt like week one of the 2019 season.
Maybe it won’t age the same way, but in the moment, that’s what it felt like.
Pure dread.
Last night might have broken me. Things need to improve and improve quickly.
Here I am, holding my breath on another Chicago Bears’ quarterback. Here we go again.
I left last night's game feeling about Caleb the way I did about Mitch after Week 1 2019. (That's the day I was out on Mitch.)
I'm not sure I'm there yet with Caleb, but I'm close. He was inexcusably bad in the second half.
Caleb Williams risks falling into the same trap Trubisky did.
The worst thing a quarterback can do is lose the faith of the head coach. Matt Nagy wasn’t the one who drafted him. He arrived a year later and agreed to take over Mitch’s development. It worked well at first. However, over time, it seemed like the head coach cooled on the quarterback more and more. That night at Soldier Field was probably a decisive moment. Their relationship went downhill in the following weeks.
Johnson inherited Caleb Williams. Like Nagy, he agreed to take over the development, recognizing the young quarterback’s obvious potential. However, coaches never truly know if somebody has it until they get in the building together. Johnson has said good things about Williams for months. However, he’s also made it clear the Bears quarterback has a long way to go. Was Monday night a revelation for him, as it was for others?
If things don’t improve in the coming weeks, we may get an answer.
