Stock up, stock down: Bears-Rams

The Bears won their biggest game in years Sunday night and it was everything that fans have been hoping and wishing for.

Chicago beat the team that most widely considered the best team in the league. The team that was 11-1 and went toe-to-toe with the NFL’s other best in the Chiefs and the Saints.

There have been many doubters of the Bears and, even with the offensive shortcomings during the game, they shut up a lot of doubters Sunday night.

Are the Bears now the best team in the league? No, but they proved that they belong among the best and that when their defense is at their best, they can hang with anybody. However, as we’ve seen in each of their losses, they have flaws and make big mistakes.

They played their best defensive game Sunday and proved a lot, to even their own fans.

Be honest, how many people looked at this match up as a definite win? How many even thought it would be a win on their initial scan of the schedule back in April? I can’t imagine many.

Stock up

James Daniels, OG - How can you not mention the rookie left guard, who handled (with plenty of help from teammates Cody Whitehair and Charles Leno), Aaron Donald, and held the All-Pro DT to his worst statistical game since Week 9 at New Orleans. For a rookie, who has struggled, as recently as last week, and didn’t even earn the starting job until nearly halfway through the season, this was a remarkable performance.

Roquan Smith, LB - While we’re talking about rookies, we should acknowledge the Bears’ first-round pick. Smith had his first career interception and nearly had a couple of others. He finished with six tackles, 1 PD and that INT.

Eddie Goldman, NT - When Sean McVay went Bears-Twitter viral for naming “all 11 Bears starters” (that’s how it was billed), there was one name suspiciously missing. Eddie Goldman. The newly extended man made himself known to the Rams coach, and the NFL world at large, by registering a sack of Jared Goff for a safety. Goldman, by the nature of his position, doesn’t get talked about like teammates Akiem Hicks or Khalil Mack but he’s just as integral to the defense. He had that sack, a TFL and a QB hit.

Stock down

Mitchell Trubisky, QB - I don’t know if it was his worst game as a Bear, but it was right up there. He was sailing passes all over the place and making questionable decisions. Was it the weather? Was it rust from missing two games? Who knows. We’ve seen him bounce back from bad games, so I’m not panicking, but he’s earned this distinction this week.

Josh Bellamy, WR - Bellamy has generally earned himself the distinction of being that inoffensive core special teamer and occasional receiver. However, he’s turned into a walking penalty and Sunday night was no different. He was flagged for an illegal shift and a chop block.

Cody Parkey, K - Yes, he’s back on the down list for one missed kicked, but it was a clutch kick in crunch time that really would’ve put the game away for good. It’s more that fans aren’t able to just put the concerns about Parkey aside. Every time you think he’s turned the corner, something like this comes up again. If he lines up for a crunch time kick come January, there will be a lot of tight rear ends in Chicago.