Bears come back to earth in prime-time loss to Chargers

The Chicago Bears are coming off two wins in a three game stretch and are playing one of the most cursed franchises in the NFL. The broadcast is highlighting the Cinderella story of Chicago’s UDFA rookie backup quarterback, and Chicago lost the coin toss.

What could go wrong?

Box Score

Moon shot on the first play of the game!

After a conservative game plan in Tyson Bagent’s first start full of short passes, Bagent made a statement with the Bears first play, connecting to Darnell “Moon Bear” Mooney on a beautiful deep pass.

Fields can do it. Bagent can do it too

By “it,” of course, I mean execute an ill-advised fake handoff on an obvious passing down to allow the untricked defense time to reach him before he has a chance to move or throw the ball, resulting in a drive-ending sack. It looks like a quarterback-proof play call.

PFF doesn’t seem fond of the Bears defense

With the exception of Jaylon Johnson, who is apparently their number two corner. When the broadcast displayed the PFF ranks, several Bears were in the bottom 10% of their rankings, and most were in the bottom 50%. Some Bears didn’t have a ranking, which I can only assume falls into the “if you don’t have anything nice to say” category of omissions.

The Bears defense looked decent the last couple weeks

So far tonight, they’ve given up two touchdowns on two drives, and Justin Herbert hasn’t had an incomplete pass. Let’s say the jury’s still out?

Update: On the Charger’s third drive, the Bears ended Herbert’s streak at just 15 consecutive completions and held the electric Chargers offense to three points. Jury’s back in, baby!

Roschon Johnson seems to like the look of D’Onta Foreman’s scepter

Foreman was famously crowned the week 7 “angry run” winner and gifted the coveted scepter. Johnson came out this week running with a fury of his own, and the rookie looked good dragging defenders for extra yards. Just make sure you secure the handoff first, buddy!

Bagent’s gonna want that one back

The Bears’ third offensive drive ended with a Tyson Bagent interception. I’m not sure what Bagent saw there, but he presumably didn’t see the Charger’s defender exactly where he was throwing the ball.

Could there be a crack in the glass slipper of this Cinderella story?

Velus, buddy

That touchdown drop was rough. We all feel your pain.

I didn’t have Khalil Mack covering Tyson Bagent on my bingo card

Good heads-up play by Darnell Mooney to recognize the trick play didn’t work and run it for a few yards instead of throwing into Mack’s terrific coverage.

Is effective tackling helpful in American football?

Asking for 11 friends.

Be careful, Bears!

In the third quarter, Gervon Dexter Sr. and Tremaine Edmunds collided, sending both Bears off the field. My heart is prepared to handle a Bears loss. I’m not prepared to lose multiple Bears to injury. Be safe!

Bears got 6 penalties before the Chargers got their first

I don’t think this was bad reffing, though one can certainly never rule that out. These Bears seem to be making a lot of mistakes in the second season of the Flus era.

The Bears defense got a 3 and out!

With 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. We’ve got momentum now...

The Bears 4th down conversion rate doesn’t feel good

By that, I mean I feel like it’s objectively not good, but also, it doesn’t feel good as a Bears fan to watch them run 4th and short plays.

The Bears defense got a 4th down stop!

Early in the 4th quarter. NOW we’ve got the momentum...

It was fun seeing our team win last week. It was fun watching Tyson Bagent win his first start in the NFL. But this is not a winning team, and it’s not a team on a winning path.

The Chargers did us a favor by playing well enough to show the Bears who they are.