Three Takeaways from Bears win over Commanders |
It took 347 days, but the Chicago Bears finally won another football game, shocking the world on Thursday night. While the win was ultimately the most important part of the night, how this team won stands out the most, as their offense was on fire right from the start while the defense finally showed signs of promise.
That makes two incredible games for Justin Fields in back-to-back weeks, and just maybe Luke Getsy is finally starting to see what handing over the keys to Fields looks like. While the final score indicates a blowout win, it didn't come without adversity, as the Bears nearly let a massive halftime lead get away again in the fourth quarter. Thankfully, a missed field goal and their ability to capitalize on that was the difference, as the Bears would not let this one get away. Now, with a mini-bye week standing in front of them before getting the Vikings in week 6, the entire Bears organization has seen the dark cloud pass by, and now they can enjoy some time off before getting back to work.
When the Bears traded away their No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers this spring in exchange for DJ Moore and more picks, there were a lot of mixed feelings about the deal. From the surface, the Bears needed a No. 1 WR, and Moore is undoubtedly a No. 1 option. However, with Jalen Carter and Will Anderson Jr. in this year's draft, many felt that trading away that pick was a missed opportunity for the defense and could come back to bite them down the road. Not only has that trade worked out in the Bears' favor so far, but Moore is even better than what people realized, as this is starting to look like a home run for Ryan Poles. Not only has Moore emerged as a legitimate No. 1, but following his eight-catch, 230-yard performance on Thursday, he is quickly emerging as one of the top WRs in the NFL. For a team that hasn't had much WR success in the past, that is crucial as Moore has a shot to be the best Bears WR in history, depending on how long he stays around. For a team to be successful, you need to get the ball into the hands of your playmakers, and Moore continues to show he is a playmaker. DJ Moore - 361 receiving yards over the past two weeks .@ChicagoBears v @Commanders @justnfields to @idjmoore for 3TD’s and an impressive Bears W. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/7gFp7ZlXBb
One of the biggest questions surrounding the Bears this offseason was where would the interior pressure come from? Coming off a season where they had just 20 sacks as a team, good for dead last in the NFL, the Bears knew they needed to address that part of their defense and thus went on to draft several pass-rushing players. Adding Yannick Ngakoue this offseason also helped, but with just two sacks through four games, it was starting to look like more of the same for this team. Then came Thursday's game, where the Bears dialed up pressure and got after Sam Howell, sacking him five times in the game while forcing two turnovers. No one is asking or expecting this team to pick up five sacks every week, but if they can get after the QB and put some pressure on, the secondary is good enough to make some plays. You have started to see that recently, but last night is a clear example of what can happen if your defense can get after a QB.
As if trying to end a 14-game losing streak wasn't enough motivation for this team, perhaps finding out that Chicago Bears great Dick Butkus passed away would be. One of the top three Bears players of all time, Butkus was drafted the same year as Gale Sayers as Chicago occupied the No. 3 and 4 picks that spring. Following that, both joined the Bears in the 1960s-70s and put together some of the greatest careers in franchise history. When you talk about a player with toughness and having the inspiration you look up to, Butkus comes to mind, as everyone loved playing with him. He had an intimidation factor that no one seems to have anymore, and he wouldn't take crap for anyone. While this was a win for the Bears on Thursday, you could make the case that this was a win for the entire City of Chicago and all of Bears nation as they mourned Butkus and will now focus on the rest of the season. DJ Moore - 361 receiving yards over the past two weeksDJ Moore is worth every penny
The most in a 2-game span by any Bear in NFL history 💪 pic.twitter.com/3tsiPma9Dy
See what happens when you pressure the QB
Remembering a legend
The most in a 2-game span by any Bear in NFL history 💪 pic.twitter.com/3tsiPma9Dy
