Stock up, stock down: Silver linings from Bears-Vikings

There seem to be two postgame camps after the Bears lost to the Vikings Sunday.

One is that there was actually a lot to like as the Bears mounted an 18-unanswered-point come back and that the offense showed real progress and signs of life.

The other is Dan Wiederer.

I kid, but the Chicago Bears have a lot to be pleased with following their 29-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

There are things to like and some to not. As usual. But I was dreading having to look back and dig through this game when it was 21-3.

It felt like it was on its way to something disgusting, but, against the odds, the Bears turned it around.

Now, who did we like?

Stock up

Justin Fields, QB - Easy choice, right? He was better. A lot better. The progress has been incremental, but it’s happening and it’s real. If you were a “wins don’t matter in 2022, it’s all about Fields’ development” person this game was for you. Season-high is yards, completion percentage, and career-high QB rating.

Kindle Vildor, CB - I’m a week late because some of my loyal readers were saying I was wrong to leave him off last week’s stock up list, but here I am to rectify it. Vildor has turned into a solid starter, which I don’t think any of us would’ve said a year ago. He notched his first career interception to go with three tackles and a pass defense.

Velus Jones Jr., WR - I’m excited to see what he can do, especially if he starts taking snaps from some of the players I’ll mention below. He scored a touchdown on his first career reception. While it was a simple little pop pass, he had to dodge and weave through the defense and lunge to the goal line. Very cool.

Stock down

Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR - Even on a team with crap WRs, Smith-Marsette has lowered the bar. Obviously, his only catch and run, and subsequent refusal to run out of bounds, cost the Bears a few more chances to try and win the game. His hold call on Justin Fields’ insane touchdown run was so terrible. It might have been close, but when there is a hand on the nameplate, it’s going to get a flag every time.

Dante Pettis, WR - If you can’t catch the ball, why are you on the field? He was really bad, getting two targets and receiving no catches. He also couldn’t corral the two-point attempt.

Alan Williams, DC - How did the Bears defense come out and look like they’d never seen film of Justin Jefferson again? Look, they made some adjustments and got better in the second half. That said though, the defense isn’t looking like world-beaters right now and is still getting gashed in the run game.

Who did I miss? Who did you think was good and who did you think was down?