Making the grade: Assessing Bears' players, coaches in loss to Lions
QUARTERBACK: B
Rookie Caleb Williams (20-for-39, 256 yards, three touchdown passes, no interceptions, 97.8 passer rating) started slowly and had a tough finish but made it clear — again — that he’s not the problem. In fact, he’s the best thing the Bears have going for them right now. After completing 5 of 15 passes for 34 yards in the first half, Williams stepped up his game in the second half to spark a comeback that should have ended with a tying field goal, if not a winning touchdown. But this was another step forward.
RECEIVERS: B
DJ Moore (eight receptions, 97 yards, one touchdown) and Keenan Allen (5-73, two touchdowns) gave Williams the support the Bears’ brain trust envisioned — both coming up with clutch plays in the second half. Allen had an 18-yard reception on third-and-14 from the Bears’ 36 on the first drive of third quarter that started the comeback from a 16-0 deficit and capped the drive with a 31-yard touchdown catch. Moore added a 31-yard touchdown of his own to cut the Lions’ lead to 23-20 in the fourth quarter.
DEFENSIVE LINE: C
Unsung tackle Byron Cowart came up with arguably the key play of the day for the Bears’ defense when he stopped Lions running back David Montgomery for a one-yard loss on third-and-one from the Lions’ 39 to force a punt with 3:42 left and the Lions leading 23-20. The Lions had 33 carries for 194 yards, so it wasn’t a stellar day, but the Bears’ defense did hold them to 12 carries for 50 yards in the second half. Gervon Dexter (seven tackles) sacked Jared Goff to hold Detroit to a field goal and recovered a fumble in the first half.
SECONDARY: B
Tyrique Stevenson, who had a fumble recovery nullified by replay, made one of the biggest plays of the game when he forced Jahmyr Gibbs to fumble at the Bears’ 6-yard line, with Dexter recovering. The Lions were about to go ahead 23-0 at the time. Terell Smith had a nifty pass breakup against Jameson Williams. Safeties Kevin Byard (10 tackles) and Jonathan Owens (eight tackles) each had a pass breakup.
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COACHING: F
Matt Eberflus was moments away from a come-from-behind win over a Super Bowl-contending team that would have allowed him to claim that his team is making progress. Instead, he fueled the call for his dismissal with gross clock mismanagement in the final minute.