Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears found their first victory of the season Sunday with a 31-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Quarterback Caleb Williams threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns, including a 65-yard flea-flicker to rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III.
The win moves the Bears to 1-2 ahead of a matchup with the Raiders (1-2) on Sunday in Las Vegas. Williams had his best game of the young season, and the defense created four takeaways to stifle the Cowboys.
Tribune Bears reporters Brad Biggs, Sean Hammond and Phil Thompson tackle five pressing questions facing the team after Week 3.
1. How much stock do you put in the offensive performance Sunday, or was this a case of the Bears taking advantage of a bad Cowboys defense?
Biggs: The Bears played really well with Williams taking a step forward and the offense excelling in key situations both in the red zone and on third down. The Cowboys are undermanned defensively and played poorly. All of the above can be true.
Hammond: A few months from now, we might look back on this game and think: Well, duh, that was the worst defense in the NFL. That’s not Matt Eberflus’ fault — the team traded his best player a week before the season. All credit to the Bears for taking care of business and looking good doing it. The passing attack was fantastic. One good game is a stepping stone; now the Bears need to build off of it.
Thompson: Can’t both be true? The Bears smartly took advantage of some very soft coverage, a minimal pass rush and occasional slip-ups by Eberflus’ defense. Micah Parsons is a great player, but in his absence, the Dallas defense is making him look worth double the money he received from the Green Bay Packers.
2. What was the most encouraging thing about Caleb Williams’ performance in Week 3?
Biggs: He continued to improve in the huddle, at the line of scrimmage and in the pocket with cleaner footwork, more patience and therefore better vision. Williams’ ability to advance as a pocket thrower is a critical element to this season, and with the offensive line playing better against a weak Cowboys front, Williams stepped up with the kind of game you should expect in start No. 20 for a former No. 1 pick.
Hammond: Williams was calm under pressure. Now, the Cowboys didn’t pressure him a whole lot. But still, the flea-flicker touchdown was a perfect example. Even with a bad pitch from his running back and defenders in his face, he didn’t hesitate. Sunday’s game was a good example of Williams’ ability to play from the pocket when he has time. The challenge will remain keeping the pocket clean against better pass rushes.
Thompson: Williams made great decisions with the ball. Even at times when he hadn’t been under duress, he had a tendency to force plays that weren’t there. That wasn’t the case Sunday. The most encouraging thing is you’ve seen growth over the last two weeks.
3. How concerned should Bears fans be about the lack of pass rush from the defensive line through three weeks?
Biggs: No doubt there are fair questions about the pass rush, but keep in mind it’s tied into the entire defense. The pass rush needs coverage on the back end to hold up as well. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen leaned a little more into a rotation up front, perhaps because the Bears held a comfortable lead in the second half. It will be interesting to see if Austin Booker’s improvement over the summer and preseason shows up when it counts. The Bears are hoping he’ll be activated from injured reserve in October.
Hammond: I’m usually level-headed when it comes to not overreacting to a small sample size, but the pressure hasn’t been there for the defensive line. It’s not just about the lack of sacks. The Bears rank 29th among 32 teams in pressure rate, per NFL Next Gen Stats, at 25% of quarterback drop-backs. Their average time to pressure of 3.06 seconds ranks 30th (both rankings before “Monday Night Football”) — and that’s after facing three quarterbacks in J.J. McCarthy, Jared Goff and Dak Prescott who were among the slowest to release the football through three weeks. While it’s not time to panic, it is cause for concern.
Thompson: Let’s give it at least another week. Week 1 against McCarthy was a mixed bag. In Week 2, the Bears barely touched Goff. On Sunday, they sacked Prescott twice, part of seven quarterback hits. Give Allen’s staff a chance to prove they’ve addressed some issues on the defensive line.
4. Is this a hot start or has Rome Odunze officially emerged as WR1?
Biggs: Odunze looked like he was Williams’ top target throughout training camp, and that has been confirmed through the first three weeks. DJ Moore has been used as more of a matchup piece who plays all over, including in the backfield, and Odunze is taking off as a boundary X receiver like the Bears envisioned when they selected him in the first round a year ago.
Hammond: This is more than just a hot start. Odunze was the offensive player who stood out the most during camp. The former No. 9 draft pick showed off impressive hands and an ability to make catches in traffic. Williams and Odunze have a strong connection, as evidenced by their 35-yard touchdown when Odunze changed his route and Williams didn’t miss a beat. Moore still will be a big part of this offense, but as of now I don’t know how you can say Odunze isn’t WR1.
Thompson: Sorry, DJ, but there’s no putting the toothpaste back in the tube. Odunze is playing incredibly smart in addition to his physical tools. And that unscripted touchdown play showed the mind meld he has with Williams.
5. What’s your confidence level in the secondary to hold up for an extended period without Jaylon Johnson?
Biggs: That will be a week-to-week proposition depending on the opponent, even when nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon returns from a hamstring injury. Allen relied on Cover-2 shells on 69% of passing downs against Dallas, and that could be a big part of the formula moving forward. Allen still will mix things up. The Bears did a nice job of limiting explosive plays by the Cowboys, and that must remain a major emphasis.
Hammond: Don’t underestimate how much CeeDee Lamb’s absence affected Sunday’s game. The Dallas passing attack looked one-dimensional after Lamb exited, with tight end Jake Ferguson the only reliable target. The Bears have asked a lot of backup corners Nahshon Wright and Nick McCloud with Johnson and Gordon sidelined. The sooner Gordon returns, the better. Allen hinted over the offseason that the Bears could use Gordon in more ways than just the nickel. Could that be a way to paper over Johnson’s absence?
Thompson: The Bears caught a huge break with the injury to Lamb. I don’t dismiss the secondary’s performance, but there will be other tests down the line. I’m not ready to say they’ll be just fine without Johnson.
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