It wasn’t pretty and often painful to watch, but the Chicago Bears found themselves at (1-0) after their 24-17 victory at Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon. Not to pat myself on the back, but I did correctly predict the final score. I had no idea that’s how the Bears would arrive at that final score, though.

To put it bluntly, the offense was horrendous. Despite starting with an advantageous field position on their first two drives, they failed to score points. Following those drives, the Tennessee Titans hit their stride. They jumped out to a 17-0 lead before a last-minute Bears field goal got them within two touchdowns heading into halftime. The true game-changing play came on Daniel Hardy’s blocked punt that cut the lead in half. Later in the game, Tyrique Stevenson sealed the game with a pick-six, off an ill-advised throw from quarterback Will Levis.

Similar to their thrilling Week 1 victory against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 back in 2022, the product might not have been easy on the eyes, but that first “W” in the win column is all many will remember by the end of this season. For more on the Bears’ season-opening win, let’s dive into our first regular season installment of 10 Bears Takes.

1. Caleb Williams’ NFL regular season debut fell somewhere in between Mitchell Trubisky’s (2017) and Justin Fields’ (2021). One big difference? They won.

Earlier in the week, I highlighted two noteworthy performances in the troubling history of Bears first-round quarterbacks making their first NFL start. For Trubisky, it was lackluster but nothing that stood out as overly troubling. He was 12-of-25 for 128 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception.

Fields’ debut might have been one of the worst-case scenarios when it comes to a rookie quarterback in their first start. The Cleveland Brown terrorized the young quarterback, sacking him nine times. As a passer, he was 6-for-20 for 65 yards.

This brings us to Williams’ NFL debut. I won’t sugarcoat it. It wasn’t pretty. While he had some moments, the majority of his day will be remembered for his inaccuracy, dropped passes, and a lack of time in the pocket. The No. 1 overall pick finished the game 14-of-29 for 93 yards. He didn’t have a touchdown or interception. If it weren’t for Keenan Allen’s dropped touchdown, his numbers would have looked slightly better. Even then, he took two sacks and made many bad throws.

Simply put, the entire offense has to be better. More importantly, the Bears got the win. We’ll dive more into the specifics of the win here in a bit, but they’ve got six days to get things figured out before heading out on the road to take on a very good Houston Texans team. Oh, did I mention it’ll be in primetime on Sunday Night Football? We’ll see what type of adjustments they can make before Week 2’s marquee matchup.

2. This was not a game the Bears would have won over the last two years.

I’m not going to dive too deep into Chicago once again coming into a big game unprepared and how that related to head coach Matt Eberflus’ tenure in Chicago. Only time will tell if this is the type of game that will be momentous in their overall turnaround.

Instead, let’s focus on the improvements this team has made over the last three offseasons. After watching general manager Ryan Poles operating during the 2022 offseason, it was clear they wouldn’t be a good team. Even so, there weren’t many fans who expected them to land the top pick in the 2023 draft.

In 2023, expectations had grown, but the bar was still relatively low. Many hoped for a finish right around .500. If it weren’t for an (0-4) start, maybe they would have met those expectations. Within last year’s 10 losses, they blew three big fourth-quarter leads. All of which resulted in losses.

So when I say that the Bears wouldn’t have won a game like this in previous years, it’s easy to see why. They weren’t a complete team. They lacked experience and true winners. Their fourth quarterback comebacks were more scarce than their combined win total in the previous two seasons. In the past, all the talk was about the quarterback and how he blew the game. Or even failed to make the proper plays for a comeback win. On Sunday, their quarterback play was poor but that didn’t stop them from scoring 24 unanswered points to erase a 17-0 deficit and ultimately come out with the win.

Overall, it wasn’t a pretty game. They failed to gain 200 yards of total offense, and at times, the defense was gashed. When Tennessee went up 17-0, it appeared that Chicago was dead in the water. After a late field goal going into the half, it felt like a “now or never” moment opening up the third quarter. Instead, they couldn’t muster any offense, and hope was all but lost. That was until Daniel Hardy blocked a punt, which led to a touchdown. A few field goals later, it was easy to feel like the Bears could complete the comeback. On a 3rd down, the Bears’ defense got pressure on Will Levis. Instead of taking the sack, he tried to pull a Patrick Mahomes with a side arm toss, and it went back the other way for a pick-six. After a two-point conversion, it felt like Chicago was in full control.

Again, this is not a scenario we would have seen play out in Years 1 and 2 of this regime. Now, they’ve got more talent and depth. All three phases of this team have NFL-caliber players that can help change a game. Despite the offense struggling throughout the majority of those 60 minutes, the defense and special teams stepped up and won the game. In many ways, this type of win shows growth that I wouldn’t have expected to see this early in the season.

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

3. Velus Jones Jr.’s role as a return specialist needs to be over.

Any time a player has a combination of six muffed punts and kick returns, it’s probably not working out. What makes it more difficult with Jones is that he was one of the better kick returners in the league last year. Even so, the time for self-inflicted mistakes costing them wins is over. While Super Bowl aspirations might be too lofty, this should be a group competing for a playoff spot come December. The only way that can happen is if they have the best players in the right roles.

Jones is a former third-round selection. That can be hard for a general manager to give up on. Especially when considering that he’s from Poles’ first draft class. Even so, there’s a limit to every leash. With Jones, that leash should be reeled completely in. If they want to use him as a gunner, great. A change of pace running back? Great! Him as a return specialist in any shape or form? It’s over.

When asked about it postgame, Eberflus was noncommittal but did say that they’ll put the best guys out there for the job. Right now, that DeAndre Carter.

4. The acquisition of Darrell Taylor paid immediate dividends. More on the defensive line’s performance against a rebuilt Titans offensive line.

After failing to secure veteran Matthew Judon through a trade in August, it was fair to wonder what the Bears had in store off the edge. They could have re-signed Yannick Ngakoue but opted for more upside with Taylor. All it cost them was a 2025 sixth-round pick.

The former second-round pick’s scouting report was clear. A good pass rusher that struggles against the run and over-pursues on occasion. More importantly, his motor always runs hot and brings energy to an already very good defensive group. Taylor rewarded the team with a two-sack performance, including a strip sack. In total, he finished the game with eight tackles (two for a loss), two quarterback hits, and those two sacks.

Simply put, Chicago needs pass rushers. As a whole, the defensive line played better than expected. Andrew Billings might have been their best defender. He had a pair of tackles-for-loss and was a factor as a pass rusher. Montez Sweat didn’t factor in a sack but was disruptive. Gervon Dexter Sr. had some moments, including a sack. Even Demarcus Walker got in on the fun against his old squad.

This defense appears to have picked up where they left off. The only real concern has been in the trenches. Tennessee’s offensive line was in a similar spot to Chicago last year but they’ve made three big investments in the last two years. It was a quality first test for this Bears defense and as a whole, I’d say they passed.

5. One of the hardest attributes a team can transfer from year to year is forcing takeaways. Through one game, Matt Eberflus’ defense appears primed for another lucrative season of game-changing plays.

After the first half, it would have been easy to get down on this defensive group. The Titans had found their running game, and Levis found success as a passer and runner. Then things flipped. Not only did Chicago not give up another score, but they also forced three turnovers, including a pick-six to seal the game. Their coverage tightened up, and they ramped up the pressure on Tennessee’s second-year quarterback.

One of this unit’s best redeeming qualities in 2023 was its ability to force turnovers. They were tied for fifth with 28 takeaways last season, and most of those came in the second half of the season. It would have been easy to write off their strong second-half performance of last season by saying their turnover luck wouldn’t replicate in 2024. So far, that doesn’t appear to be the case. In total, the Bears forced three turnovers, with two of those being interceptions. One of those interceptions included a pick-six, and the other sealed the game. The strip sack helped with field position and should have resulted in points.

Eberflus’ defenses have never been known for extraordinary pressure rates. Even with someone like DeForest Buckner in the middle. What those defenses have prided themselves on has been the ability to consistently take the ball away. Although it’s only one game, they are well on their way to matching that productivity in 2024.

6. The interior offensive line should be a sizeable concern in the short term. Especially with a rookie quarterback under center.

The team’s offensive line’s overall performance was one to forget. Neither tackle played at a high level, but the interior was a much bigger issue. Teven Jenkins had a rough game, but I have no doubt he’ll figure it out. Nate Davis and Ryan Bates rotated at right guard. Neither guy played well, but Bates looked better (to me) on first look. Then there was Coleman Shelton.

Shelton might have had the worst game of his career on Sunday. Second-round rookie T’Vondre Sweat dominated all game long and most of that was against the Bears’ center. Jeffrey Simmons also played well. Maybe it was just a bad game, but this type of performance on the interior should not inspire confidence moving forward. The biggest issue: They don’t have many options to shuffle things around. If these performances continue, they could move Bates back to center and maybe someone like Matt Pryor or Bill Murray at right guard.

Week 1 is no time for overreactions but things need to improve in a hurry. Their rookie quarterback’s development might depend on it.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

7. In a last second decision, Justin Fields got the start in Pittsburgh and came away with the win.

The former No. 11 overall selection in 2021 earned his first non-Bears win on Sunday after completing 17-of-23 for 153 yards. He also added 57 yards on the ground. While he didn’t account for a touchdown, he only took two sacks and was largely accurate in his Pittsburgh Steelers debut.

Fields received the start after Russell Wilson re-injured his calf. Wilson’s injury goes back to the beginning of camp, which cost him valuable time and ultimately made the quarterback job a competition. Despite that, the former Seahawk and Bronco won the job before having to sit out on Sunday.

For Fields, this was his opportunity to impress. While I fully understand that the Steelers are trying to win and win now, I’m not sure that Wilson gives them a much better chance to win each week. It’ll be interesting to see how things play out this week, but seeing Fields hold onto the starting job would not be a surprise. Head coach Mike Tomlin has long been a fan of Fields, and Pittsburgh represents his best chance at a new start.

For the Bears, if the former Ohio State product plays 51% (or more) of the team’s snaps this year, Chicago’s conditional sixth-round pick will move to a fourth in next year’s draft. There’s plenty on the line for all parties involved, but most importantly, it would be nice to see Fields succeed outside of Chicago. So far, so good.

8. Week 1 Thoughts: Around the League.

Week 1 will always be home to plenty of upsets and overreactions. With that in mind, a handful of playoff-caliber teams are born each season. This is a short way of saying that it’s far too early into the season to know which results of a fun weekend were a fluke and which teams might surprise.

Biggest Surprises:

1. The New England Patriots

Before each year, I mock the season after the new schedule is released and another following the conclusion of the preseason. The idea behind the timing for me is simple. I want to take my initial thoughts on each team and see how that translates following the preseason slate. Most of the time, my projections don’t change much. The Patriots were one of those teams where no matter how hard I tried, I had them coming away with one of the league’s worst records. While that still could end up being the case, they had an impressive 16-10 victory against a Cincinnati Bengals team I have projected to push for a Super Bowl this season. Joe Burrow finished the game 21-of-29 for 164 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. He was also sacked three times and didn’t challenge down the field much. I figured New England’s defense would still be good but handling a good team like the Bengals is noteworthy. They’ll firmly fall into the “Who are they really?” category until we see the next few weeks play out.

2. Minnesota Vikings

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not high on the New York Giants this year. I have them finishing with a Top 5 pick. With that being said, the Vikings (and Sam Darnold) dominated them. The 28-6 final score was a direct reflection of how badly Minnesota outplayed New York. Darnold played well, throwing for 208 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Former Packer Aaron Jones averaged 6.7 yards per carry. Daniel Jones was sacked five times and picked off twice. It’s easy to wonder whether or not Jones’ confidence is destroyed, especially after the Giants’ in-season stint on Hard Knocks revealed how badly the franchise wanted to move on from him.

They Are Who We Thought They Were:

1. QB Deshaun Watson

Somehow, the Browns were a home favorite on Sunday, and that did not end well for them. A big reason why: Watson’s continued fall from grace. The former MVP-level quarterback continues to struggle since returning from his hiatus. He finished the game 24-of-45 for 169 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was also sacked six times and fumbled once. The Browns are still on the hook for the remaining $200 million in future cap hits. All of that is fully guaranteed. Their ceiling has been severely limited by quarterback play and unless Watson can find his old form, this is going to end badly for all who are involved.

2. Carolina Panthers

Yikes, man. That’s all there is to say at this point. After handing the Bears the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, they followed up their (2-15) campaign with a 47-10 blowout loss on the road to the New Orleans Saints. Derek Carr looked like Tom Brady, and Bryce Young’s struggles continue. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick threw a pair of interceptions, including his first throw of the season. He finished the game 13-of-30 for 161 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. The organization’s choice to sit him during the preseason looked ill-advised at the moment and, somehow, looks even worse now.

9. NFC North Look Around: A near perfect weekend for the Black and Blue division.

The Green Bay Packers opened up the NFC North’s season in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday Night with a thrilling 34-29 loss. It was a back-and-forth game. Green Bay’s defense looked good in the first half but fell off hard in the final 30 minutes. Their offense looked as good as expected but took a big blow when quarterback Jordan Love went down late in the game with what is being classified as an MCL sprain. His initial timeline for returning to action is three-to-six weeks but most expect him back before the back-end of that estimation. Green Bay’s next four games include: vs Colts, At Titans, vs Vikings, and at Rams. Staying afloat should be their primary focus.

As noted above, the Vikings dominated their Week 1 matchup against a lowly Giants team. Darnold looked the part and the defense looked vastly improved. It’ll be interesting to see how they look against better competition but if you’re looking for a Week 1 overreaction, the Vikings might not be as bad as I had originally believed.

Finally, the Detroit Lions picked up where they left off on Sunday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams. It was a close game, but they controlled the pace for the majority of regulation. Once things got to overtime, the offense (led by running back David Montgomery) was able to put things away with an impressive 70-yard touchdown drive. To nobody’s surprise, the Lions are going to be good again this year. It’ll just be a matter of how improved their secondary proves to be.

10. Week 2 Look Ahead: A Sunday Night matchup against the upstart Houston Texans.

The Texans are coming off a thrilling 29-27 victory against the division-rival Indianapolis Colts. Both teams took quarterbacks in the Top 5 of last year’s draft, and so far, C.J. Stroud continues to be the best of the bunch. Anthony Richardson had some impressive throws but finished just 9-of-19.

Houston’s revamped defensive line had just two sacks on Richardson, with Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson being shut out. While that might give Bears fans some hope, remember that Richardson is highly athletic and is built like a Greek God. The chances of Chicago having similar luck in the pass protection department will fully depend on how well they can protect their rookie quarterback.

The Texans’ offense is dangerous but that was to be expected. Stroud picked up where he left off. After adding Stefon Diggs, it’s easy to see them averaging close to 30 points per game this season. Chicago’s defense will have their work cut out for them on Sunday night, but this will be their first early litmus test to see how they stack up against perennial playoff contenders.

The Bears open up as 6.5-point road dogs, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see the line move even more toward the Texans. After a lackluster offense performance in Week 1, Chicago will have to prove they can hang with the NFL’s elite teams.