The Magnificent 7

Seven players who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 31-3 victory over the Browns on Sunday at Soldier Field:

1. Caleb Williams

He didn't take a giant leap but avoided disaster (the only way the Bears could lose this game) and was productively — if modestly — efficient in a workmanlike performance. Williams completed 17 of 28 passes for 242 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 112.5 passer rating. That's the second-highest rating against the Browns' defense in the past 10 weeks (only Drake Maye's 135.8 has been better). Two particular areas of progress: Williams completed more than 60% of his passes for the first time in seven games (60.7) and incorporated DJ Moore (four receptions, 69 yards, two touchdowns) in the offense with Rome Odunze out.

2. DJ Moore

With the focus was on Moore this week after he was unproductive with Odunze out last week, Ben Johnson and Williams (and Moore) responded against the Browns. With Odunze a game-time scratch after aggravating a foot injury in warm-ups, Moore had four receptions for 69 yards and touchdowns of three and 22 yards. It's only the third game this season Moore has scored a touchdown, but his second two-TD game in four weeks. You could tell Williams was focused on finding Moore when he made an ill-advised throw on the run and somehow avoided an interception to connect with Moore in the back of the end zone for the 22-yard touchdown.

3. D'Marco Jackson

The defense had the easier task against a Browns offense with rookie Shedeur Sanders operating with a makeshift offensive line (and lost right guard Teven Jenkins to injury in the third quarter) – and was discombobulated from the start. But Jackson made a big play with a deflection and interception at the Browns 22 with the Bears leading 14-3 in the third quarter. On the next play, Williams threw the 22-yard touchdown pass to Moore and it was all but over. Jackson, starting for injured linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, also had a sack and seven tackles – typifying the depth that has sustained if not carried the Bears' defense all season.

4. D'Andre Swift

Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai are a particularly good tandem because of their complementary running styles — it's difficult for a defense to focus on stopping one without the other getting loose. It was Swift's turn to star Sunday, with 18 carries for 98 yards (5.4 average) and two touchdowns. He looked as agile as Swift and as tough as Monangai on a 17-yard touchdown through traffic that gave the Bears a 28-3 lead in the third quarter. The Browns contained Monangai, who had 11 carries for 33 yards. But the Bears' duo still combined for 29 carries for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

5. Myles Garrett

The NFL sack leader has been on a such a roll (16 sacks in the Browns' previous seven games) that you knew he was going to be a factor in the game — and he was with 1.5 sacks — but the Bears minimized it by taking an early lead and being able to play comfortably on offense instead of having to worry about Garrett making a game-turning play. Garrett beat Bears rookie Ozzy Trapilo for his first sack in the second quarter — leading to Cairo Santos' missed 35-yard field goal. But by then the Bears led 14-0. He added a half-sack against Williams in the fourth quarter, with the Bears leading 28-3.

6. Jaylon Johnson

He's still not in prime form after missing 10 games earlier this season, but he made a play that was a reminder of his impact when he gets in that groove. Three plays after Johnson was beaten for a 47-yard pass play from Shedeur Sanders to wide receiver Isaiah Bond, Johnson made a nifty — and fortuitous — interception of a Sanders deep ball at the goal line with the Bears leading 21-3. It looked like Jerry Jeudy had a touchdown with a catch inside the Bears 5-yard line. But Jeudy was unable to secure the ball and Johnson wound up with it. The Bears responded with a nine-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to put the game on ice at 28-3.

7. Luther Burden

The rookie wide receiver is a big play waiting to happen with his instinctive ability to turn any catch into much more. Burden led the Bears with six receptions for 84 yards (14.0 average), including a 40-yard reception where he quickly turned and gained 22 yards after the catch to the Browns' 8-yard line. Three plays later, Williams threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Moore for a 14-0 lead. Burden finished with 62 yards after catch, but suffered an ankle injury on a six-yard reception in the third quarter. In back-to-back games without Odunze, Burden has 10 receptions for 151 yards — his best production in consecutive games this season.

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