On Sunday, the Chicago Bears earned their first back-to-back win of the Matt Eberflus era. They did so against the Detroit Lions, meaning the current two-game winning streak is against NFC North opponents.
The Bears are now 2-3 in the NFC North this season. The Bears are now 5-8 and will face the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, and Atlanta Falcons in their next three games. All three games are winnable, and winning them would set the Bears up for a potential Wild Card matchup against the Green Bay Packers in their final divisional matchup of the season in Week 18.
Would a .500 NFC North record and a Wild Card seed save Justin Fiends and Eberflus’ career in Chicago? I don’t foresee that happening, but that’s a major discussion on Bears Twitter after Sunday’s win.
Here are three studs and duds from the Bears’ win over the Lions.
Chicago Bears studs
DJ Moore
Moore earned his first rushing touchdown with the Bears on Sunday. He finished with six receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown as well. Moore continues to be the best playmaker on the Bears offense, and there aren’t many defenders in the NFL who can keep up with him.
Moore has shown he’s worth the first-round pick value the Bears asked for from the Carolina Panthers. Moore’s absence from the Panthers might be a key reason the Bears are picking number one in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Montez Sweat
Sweat has single-handedly changed the Bears pass rush. Offensive lines are having difficulty setting up their protection on his side, and it’s causing weaknesses on other parts of the opponents’ offensive line. Sweat finished with one sack and nearly had another.
The Bears finished with four total sacks, and much of the penetration for those sacks was due to the Lions’ offensive line trying to account for Sweat. When he came off the field, the Bears folded against the Lions a few weeks ago.
Ebeflus showed the staff that they learned their lesson in Week 14.
Justin Fields
Fields had a solid game for the Bears. He wasn’t perfect, but he played clean enough to keep the Bears a few steps ahead of the division-leading Lions. Fields finished with 223 passing yards and a passing touchdown. He added another 58 yards on the ground and added a rushing touchdown.
The most important statistic for Fields is that there were no turnovers on Sunday. Fields is getting one last run to play for his job in the next four weeks. Limiting turnovers (and staying healthy) will be his to staying in Chicago.
Chicago Bears duds
Braxton Jones
Jones is another offensive player who needs to show more before the end of the season. Jones struggled with his assignments against a fierce Lions offensive line. He gave up a sack in the second half, where he was badly beaten and stumbled to the ground.
The Bears must consider using one of their first-round picks on a left tackle this offseason.
Darnell Wright
Oct 22, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright (58) in the first half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
Wright struggled against the Lions’ pass rush earlier this season. He struggled against Aidan Hutchinson on Sunday, as the Bears rookie gave up a sack to the second-year defensive end. Wright will need to figure out how to be more consistent against speedy pass rushers.
Khalil Herbert
Herbert finished with eight yards on three carries. He hasn’t been the same runner after returning from injury this season. Herbert looked like he lost a step in Week 14.
D’Onta Foreman is the only running back who is consistently playing well for the Bears.
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