Stock Up, Stock Down: Bears-Giants

The Bears are 2-0 for the first time since 2013, but that doesn’t mean much since that season they still ended up 8-8. That’s not being pessimistic, it’s just stating there’s a lot of football left to play and lot that can happen.

Keep in mind that their last 2-0 start began with two tight, come-from-behind victories.

The Bears might be better than that 2013 squad, they might be worse, but my point is that we just don’t know yet.

There is plenty to like from Sunday’s game though. The running game looks good, the offensive line played pretty well, and the defense only allowed 13 points.

But it still doesn’t feel like this team has been dominant, because they haven’t. They’ve gone quiet on offense, allowed long drives on defense and turned the ball over at bad times.

The Bears will have a big test this Sunday with the Atlanta Falcons, who appear to have a potent offense but suspect defense. If the Bears once again can’t put in a whole game we’ll be talking about an entirely different thing.

Before that though, let’s look back at Sunday.

Stock up

David Montgomery - I don’t think anyone really thought Montgomery was bad after his rookie campaign, but there were some that weren’t sold on him, while others defended him and complained about the lack of running lanes. Montgomery hasn’t had a dominant game, but he’s averaging a healthy 5.0 YPC after two games and on Sunday he broke off some nice runs, especially later in the game to try and salt it away. As a receiver he showed his skill and moves on his 28-yard catch and run on the game’s opening drive.

Jaylon Johnson - Yes, Johnson was here last week, but let’s give credit where credit is due. I know Johnson will probably be down some weeks this year — such is life as a rookie — but he was great again Sunday, deflecting two passes to bring his total to five through two games.

Robert Quinn - If there was any hang-wringing about the amount of money the Bears paid Quinn this offseason only to see him pop up on the injury report with a somewhat mysterious ankle injury and that was after he missed time with his “personal issue” that caused him to miss some of camp. But one snap in the game Sunday and it was clear that all of that is in the past. A forced fumble, a sack and a QB hit while playing just 38 percent of the defensive snaps as they kept his load light coming off the injury. He’s going to fun to watch with Hicks and Mack.

Stock down

Allen Robinson - Wanting new paper or not, this was not his best game. As Robert and I discussed on the postgame podcast Sunday night, Robinson was at least partially at fault for both of Mitchell Trubisky’s interceptions. Not to say Trubisky is completely absolved either, but Robinson didn’t play the first ball very well, leading to a deflection and a touchdown and the second one just kind of got taken from him, which just isn’t something we see very often from A-Rob.

None of this changes my feelings about him getting a new contract though. I’m still very much team Extend A-Rob.

Anthony Miller - Much like his quarterback, Miller is mind-numbingly inconsistent. In week one Miller was solidly in the Stock Up category but this week I’m not sure anyone could argue he should be anywhere but here. Targeted three times and had two hit his hands and none were catches. Last year Miller was complaining he was open and his QB was letting him down, but I don’t think he can have that same complaint this year.

Cairo Santos - This is probably a cheap one, because really, can you count on a guy who is 8 of 18 from 50+ in his career? No, but his miss late in the game made the end of the game that much more nail-biting for Bears fans and didn’t do anything to calm a fanbase that is still recovering from from several years of up and down kicking, including the Eddie Piniero roller coaster a year ago.

Who did I miss? Who do you think should have been up or down? Where did you have Trubisky this week, since that’s all you want to talk about anyway!! :-P