Making the grade: Assessing Bears' players, coaches in loss to Vikings
QUARTERBACK — C
Caleb Williams (18-for-31, 191 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, 86.9 rating) struggled to lift the offense out of its recent rut, as the Bears relied on the run and resorted to a short-passing game to combat the Vikings’ pressure in the first half. Williams had better luck in the second half, including a 26-yard pass play to Keenan Allen and a 29-yard pass to Rome Odunze.
OFFENSIVE LINE — D
Rookie Kiran Amegadjie, making his first NFL start, had a night to forget. Amegadjie was beaten for a strip-sack on third-and-nine by linebacker Jonathan Greenard, with Blake Cashman returning the fumble 17 yards for a 32-yard loss in field position. He was also called for holding Greenard on another third down and had a false start. Backup Doug Kramer forgot to report as an eligible receiver, nullifying a one-yard touchdown run by D’Andre Swift.
DEFENSIVE LINE — B
DeMarcus Walker was quietly effective as he often is. He led a workmanlike effort with four quarterback hits, including a near sack that led to an incompletion and forced the Vikings to settle for Will Reichard’s 52-yard field goal. Walker also had a tackle-for-loss and a quarterback hit that led to a punt. Chris Williams (two quarterback hits) had a sack. Montez Sweat (two tackles, one TFL) also sacked Sam Darnold, but was called for being offside on the play, negating the sack.
SECONDARY — D
It’s hard to tell who was covering Justin Jefferson on his seven-yard touchdown in the first quarter, because no one in the Bears’ secondary was even close to him. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (two pass breakups) just can’t win — he intercepted Darnold in the second quarter, but it came on fourth down and resulted in an eight-yard loss in field position. He intercepted Darnold again in the end zone in the fourth quarter but was called for pass interference.
COACHING — C
The Bears were scoreless in the first half (down 13-0) for the third consecutive game (outscored 53-0 total) but still had a chance in the second half against an 11-2 team on the road. Thomas Brown rolled the dice on the team’s first possession and went for the first down on fourth-and-one from the Bears’ 39, but Swift was stopped for no gain on a pitchout. Swift also was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-one at the Vikings’ 29.