Stock up, Stock down after Bears win over Panthers |
CHICAGO—After beating the Carolina Panthers 36-10 to get their eighth home win in a row, the Chicago Bears have a lot to be excited about. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams looked better than in his first four career games, while wide receiver DJ Moore finally had the performance this season Bears fans were hoping to see.
Caleb Williams - Stock Up He had 20 completions for 304 yards and two touchdowns, both to Moore against the Panthers. His completion percentage over the last two weeks is 71.2 percent, whereas his completion percentage in the first three games was 59.3 percent. That shows how much his accuracy has improved. Williams has also proved he can sling the ball as he has two games over 300 passing yards, which marks the most by any Bears rookie quarterback in history. In addition, his 1,069 passing yards are the most by a Bears rookie through five seasons in franchise history. Chemistry is important for any quarterback, and his chemistry with Moore was on full display. In addition, there is strong chemistry between him and rookie receiver Rome Odunze, who was the first Chicago receiver to have a 100-yard game this year. Every week, he continues to improve. The Bears are undefeated when the team does not have turnovers, and thus far, only Williams has turned the ball over. Therefore, Chicago’s success will certainly hinge on him keeping the ball safe. Luckily, the team Williams and the Bears are playing this coming Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars (8:30 a.m. / NFL Network), are tied for the fewest takeaways of any team in the league, with just two through the first five games. Keenan Allen - Stock Down After the second week of the season, it looked like the Chicago offense missed having veteran receiver Keenan Allen on the field. However, it seems all that needed to happen was growing chemistry with Moore and Odunze, improved play calling, and a running game. Allen's return does not appear to have done much for Williams and the offense. He was targeted six times with three receptions for 33 yards, which was a high for him in receiving yards thus far this year. His 19 receiving yards against the Los Angeles Rams in week four was the lowest since 2022 when he had two receptions for 11 yards. With the trade deadline coming in a few weeks, perhaps Allen could be on the market, especially with numerous NFL teams needing a talented receiver. DJ Moore - Stock Up Everyone knew Moore would eventually have his breakout game this season in Chicago’s new offense. It seems only fitting it came against the trade that traded him away. Moore led the Bears in targets (eight), receptions (five), and yards (105) against Carolina and recorded the only receiving touchdown of the game. It was just a matter of developing chemistry with Williams, which can take time. Moore is used to developing chemistry with young quarterbacks and has done it again. It clearly shows he is the No. 1 receiver in Chicago and should have another 1,000-yard season. Teven Jenkins - Stock Down Teven Jenkins is a good guard when he is healthy. The problem is he is rarely healthy. Of a possible 56 games, Jenkins has only played in 36 and started 29. In the past two games, he has had to leave because of an injury. First, it was a bruised rib. Now, it is an ankle injury. This year is critical if he wants a long-term contract, but injuries keep holding him back. Running Backs - Stock Up So, last week against the Rams was not a fluke. The running game truly has gotten going. Perhaps the best part for the Chicago Bears is that it is not just D’Andre Swift, although he did have another strong performance. Against the Panthers, he had 73 rushing yards coupled with 47 receiving yards and a rushing touchdown. In addition, running back Roschon Johnson scored two touchdowns and has three touchdowns in the past two games. Williams also contributed to the ground game with 34 rushing yards. Overall, the running backs for Chicago are finally holding up their end and giving the Bears a more balanced offense.
