1st-and-10: Bears return to the scene of the crime

The Bears are 2-2 under Ben Johnson, which is the same record they had after four games last year under Matt Eberflus. And their victories aren’t that impressive — over the Cowboys (2-2-1), who have beaten only the Jets (0-5) and Giants (1-4); and the Raiders, who lost to the Colts 40-6 on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium. 

But the eye test says they’re making progress and there’s tangible evidence to back it up: 

• The Bears are converting 45.5% of their third-down plays, which is sixth in the NFL. Last year they converted 32.9% of their third downs, which was 31st. 

• The Bears already have scored more points in the first quarter in four games this season (31) than they did in 17 games last season (27). They are fifth in first-quarter points this season — first in points per game (7.8); they were last in the NFL last season. 

• The Bears have scored two touchdowns on their opening drive. Last year they had none in 17 games. 

• Quarterback Caleb Williams has been sacked seven times in four games (1.8 per game). Last year he was sacked an NFL-high 68 times in 17 games (4.0 per game). His sack percentage has dropped from 10.8 per drop-back last year to 5.1 this season. 

• While still avoiding interceptions (two in 130 passes, 1.5% — slightly up from last year’s 1.1%), Williams’ yards per pass play is up significantly, from 6.3% last year (33rd among qualified quarterbacks) to 7.1% this year (16th). 

It will take a much larger sample size to confirm those improvements. But on Monday night against the Commanders at Northwest Stadium, the Bears will get a chance to make their biggest statement yet about the dawn of a new era — by exorcising a demon that exposed more coaching and roster-makeup flaws than they realized and destroyed their 2024 season. 

Johnson will say this week he wasn’t here for that game. The players will tell you they’ve moved on. But make no mistake, this isn’t just another game. From the Jordan Bulls to the ’85 Bears, championship teams have had a memory. And more often than not, developing teams get there by embracing moments of redemption instead of ignoring their failed past. 

The Hail Mary disaster against the Commanders and the aftermath — nine more consecutive losses — defined the 2024 Bears as a team that lacked heart and leadership as much as talent. General manager Ryan Poles tacitly acknowledged that when he implored his veteran players after the season to be more pro-active and say something if they see something. 

This is one of those games that can show they’ve made improvement in that department as well. They’re tired of hearing about the Hail Mary? The best way to mute that narrative is to redeem themselves. 

2. On that subject, this will be a big week for cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, the main culprit in the season-turning loss — and not just Monday night, but this week, when Stevenson figures to be the focus of media build-up for the game. 

The Bears would be well-advised to coach him up for that part as well, and remind Stevenson that his role in that game is a legitimate story — and his own doing — and he would be better off dealing with it like a pro than being combative. It’s part of the maturation process for a talented young player, and handling it responsibly makes a bigger difference than he — or anyone — might think. 

3. The game against the Commanders will be a key measuring stick for Williams, who is closing the sizable gap between him and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels from last season — and could pass him with a standout, winning performance. 

Last year against the Commanders, Williams was coming off three consecutive games with a 100+ passer rating (74.1% completions, seven touchdowns, no interceptions) — and a bye week. He completed 10 of 24 passes (41.7%) for 131 yards, no touchdowns or interceptions and a 59.5 passer rating. He had just 93 passing yards until the final offensive drive, when he completed a 16-yard pass to Rome Odunze and a 22-yard pass to Keenan Allen on what looked like a winning touchdown drive in the final 5:24 of the fourth quarter. 

Daniels wasn’t that much better against the Bears’ defense. He was 18 of 34 for 250 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions until his final drive boosted his passer rating from 76.8 to 92.7.

4. The quarterbacks in the 2023 and 2024 draft classes seem to be pushing each other to greater success. They’re 10-1 in the past two weeks, including 5-0 on Sunday with Daniels, the Patriots’ Drake Maye, the Texans’ C.J. Stroud, the Broncos’ Bo Nix and the Panthers’ Bryce Young all winning. (The only loss was by Young, in a 42-13 loss to the Patriots and Maye in Week 4.) They were 8-15 in Weeks 1-3 this season. 

5. For What It’s Worth Dept.: The Bears are 4-0 in Monday night road games following the bye week. The won in 2013 (27-20 over the Packers with Josh McCown, when Aaron Rodgers was injured in the first quarter), 2011 (30-24 over the Eagles), 1997 (36-33 in overtime against the Dolphins) and 1996 (15-13 over the Vikings). 

The 1997 game was not a Monday Night Football game, but a game pushed back a day because the Marlins were hosting a World Series game on Sunday night. 

6a. The bye in Week 5 is generally not ideal, but still useful for a formative Bears team playing under a first-year coach and with early injury issues. The Bears got an extra week of rest for cornerback Jaylon Johnson (who is on injured reserve), linebacker T.J. Edwards, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, right tackle Darnell Wright and rookie tight end Colston Loveland. 

The early injuries might be a red flag, but the Bears can accelerate the re-build by winning the NFL’s war of attrition. Already this season, the Ravens (1-4), Bengals (2-3, three straight losses without quarterback Joe Burrow) and Chargers (3-2, with back to back losses without starting offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater) have been devastated by key injuries. The Bears play the Ravens and Bengals on the road in Weeks 8-9. 

6b. The bye week was ill-timed last year under Eberflus — in Week 7 with the Bears on a three-game winning streak, including back-to-back victories over the Panthers (36-10) and Jaguars in London (35-16) when the Bears scored five offensive touchdowns in back-to-back games for the first time since 1956.

The Bears had the standard bye after playing in London (teams can decline, but usually don't) and lost their next 10 games. But let the record show that they had a credible performance against the 5-2 Commanders coming off the bye. They weren't sharp, but still held a Commanders offense averaging 35.4 points in its previous five games to 12 until the fateful Hail Mary — while rallying to take the lead in the final minute.

The Bears have lost 11 of their last 12 games after the bye (under four head coaches), but were pretty good after the bye under Eberflus. Prior to last season, the Bears beat the 9-3 Lions 28-13 at Soldier Field in 2023 — with Eberflus' defense holding Johnson's offense that came in averaging 30 points in its previous four games to 13.

In 2022, the Bears were on a six-game losing streak (and nine of 10) facing the 12-1 Eagles and lost 25-20 at Soldier Field — within four points (17-13) with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Justin Fields (247 total yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, 119.5 passer rating) was better than Jalen Hurts (376 total yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions, 64.6 passer rating) that day. So Johnson actually has a bar to reach in this game.

7. Cardinals running back Emari Demercado committed an unforgivable and infuriating football sin when he carelessly lost possession of the ball at the end of what should have been a 72-yard touchdown run against the winless Titans on Sunday. Instead of leading 28-6 with 12:40 to play, the Cardinals instead imploded after the touchback and lost 22-21. 

Not only has it happened too many times before for any player to commit that bonehead play, but it had happened the previous week, when Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell lost possession of the ball as he approached the goal line on an apparent 76-yard touchdown against the Rams — who rallied to win, 27-20. Mitchell played six snaps against the Raiders on Sunday after having played 54 against the Rams. It’ll be interesting to see how Cardnals coach Jonathan Gannon handles this one.

Fun Fact: Both Gannon and Colts coach Shane Steichen were coordinators for the Eagles under Nick Sirianni, who was a coordinator for the Colts under Frank Reich, who played in Super Bowl XXVII in 1993, when Leon Lett’s fumble at the hands of hustling Don Beebe on a fumble return became the symbol of football carelessness.That was a lesson learned — but not for everyone. 

8. Oh, the irony. It was the unsung Demercado who played a key role in the Bears’ implosion last season when he scored on a 53-yard run with four seconds left in the first half in the Bears’ game following the Hail Mary loss — popularly known as the "Hail Emari." That’s still the only touchdown run of 50 or more yards in the final 25 seconds of a half in at least the last 30 seasons. The Bears, trailing 14-9 at the time, never recovered in a listless 29-9 loss.

Demercado, by the way, has just 89 carries in the NFL, but runs of 71, 53 (touchdown), 49 (touchdown) and 41 yards. So Demercado has one 40-plus run for every 22 carries in the NFL. Of the 10 players with four or more rushes of 40-plus yards in Demercado’s three seasons, the next best ratio is Browns’ running back Jerome Ford (1:84). 

Demercado has gained 35.9% of his career rushing yards (214 of 596) on four carries. 

9. Josh McCown Ex-Bears Player of the Week: Niners kicker Eddy Pineiro kicked a 59-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and also a game-winning 41-yard field goal in overtime in a 26-23 victory over the Rams at SoFi Stadium. 

Special mention: Lions running back David Montgomery threw a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brock Wright out of the Wildcat and scored on an eight-yard run in a 37-24 victory over the Bengals. Montgomery had 18 carries for 65 yards and also a key six-yard pass reception on third down to keep alive an eventual touchdown drive.

10. Bear-ometer — 8-9: at Commanders (L); vs. Saints (W); at Ravens (W); at Bengals (W); vs. Giants (W); at Vikings (L); vs. Steelers (W); at Eagles (L); at Packers (L); vs. Browns (W); vs. Packers (L); at 49ers (L); vs. Lions (L).

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