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The Chicago Bears delivered a dismal performance against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, easily their worst showing since Ben Johnson took over as head coach, including his questionable decision-making. The entire team was handed a humbling defeat, and it was well-deserved. This game served as a necessary wake-up call, as no NFL team is flawless, and the Bears sometimes carry themselves as if they are better than their track record suggests.
Would the outcome have differed if Caleb Williams had been healthy? Absolutely. The gap between starters and backups in the NFL is enormous, and the Bears can't expect to remain undefeated without him—they were perfect until this loss—but that doesn't justify being blown out by their bitter rivals.
Offense: F
This was the poorest offensive display the Bears have produced under Ben Johnson. While the absence of their star quarterback provides some cover, the weather was ideal, unlike their earlier game against the Minnesota Vikings. Apart from D'Andre Swift's fourth-and-goal touchdown run, no other playmaker stepped up, and both Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum struggled mightily under center. It doesn't get much worse than this in the NFL.
Defense: F
The Bears' defense had no solutions for the Packers' attack. Green Bay put up 31 points, and the total could have been higher if not for missed field goals and extra points. The Packers identified a vulnerability in Chicago's secondary and exploited it relentlessly, generating six plays of 30 yards or more. Even when those deep attempts failed, they kept coming back to them. The Bears must address this issue before the Atlanta Falcons catch on.
Special Teams: D
Zavion Thomas prevents this unit from receiving an F and saves the Bears from a clean sweep of failing grades. His fourth-quarter kickoff return injected a spark, even in a lopsided game. It was encouraging to see someone give maximum effort on a play that didn't matter, purely out of pride. That kind of dedication can translate to future contests. Cairo Santos missed his only field goal try, which proved to be the game's turning point. Once that kick sailed wide, the Bears lost the momentum that had hinted at a possible comeback. Typically, special teams just need to avoid mistakes to earn a decent grade, but that demoralizing miss hurt the Bears' chances.
Coaching: F
Ben Johnson and his staff have accomplished impressive things since arriving in Chicago, and the hire already looks like one of the best in franchise history. However, this was an utterly pathetic showing in Green Bay. The Packers' coaches outmaneuvered them from the opening kickoff, and it felt personal. The inability to stop deep passes repeatedly was embarrassing. Scoring just seven points? From the play-caller who envisioned the greatest offense ever? That's humiliating, even without the starting quarterback. It's even worse considering they managed only three points against the Vikings in Week 2. The one silver lining is that anything can happen in a heated rivalry game. The Bears can discard this performance and return to form next week against the Atlanta Falcons. It's up to Johnson and his staff to move past this, have a strong week of practice, and prepare for a Falcons team that is seething after an overtime loss on Sunday night.
Originally reported by yahoo.