Football is back! This week the Chicago Bears found themselves hosting the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field, marking their first preseason game of the 2023 season. On a beautiful day in Chicago, the Bears kept the sunny outlook going by pulling through for a 23-17 victory. While it is important to take preseason stats with a grain of salt, it is difficult to not feel great about the team following this performance. The team won. The starting offense was explosive. The defensive line was creating pressure. Let’s dive into it.
What Went Well?
Starting Offense
The explosiveness of the starting offense was undeniable. While the Titans chose to keep many key defensive players on the bench, the Bears offense did what it should be expected to do. Justin Fields finished his two series boasting 129 yards and 2 touchdowns while completing all three of his pass attempts. He looked crisp, calm and composed. Noticeably, he never pushed the ball downfield. He did all that he needed to do, which was to get the ball into his playmakers’s hands. They did the rest.
Khalil Herbert flashed his abilities with 50 yards after the catch on his touchdown in the first quarter. Moreover, DJ Moore’s burst displayed during his 62 yard touchdown is something that the Bears offense has been lacking for years. The luxury of being able to score 7 points on a simple wide receiver screen can not be overstated.
Pass Rush
In addition, the Bears defense accounted for a whopping 8 sacks! This is something that Bears fans will be ecstatic to hear. Last season, the lowly Chicago defense finished 32nd in PFF‘s pass rush metric. They recorded the least sacks (20) over the course of the season, per ESPN.
It took the team’s pass rush weeks at a time to accomplish what they did today. Many new faces were involved. Third round draft pick Zach Pickens got the Bears started by taking down Titans quarterback Will Levis on a 3rd down early in the game. This opened up the floodgates, most notably for Trevis Gipson, Terrell Lewis and Jalen Harris.
Trying to build off of a subpar 2022 campaign, Gipson had great game. He generated three QB hits-one thanks to a slick swim move- and one sack. Lewis, an offseason signing, made a name for himself by forcing a strip sack fumble. He later impressed by getting around a Titans tackle with speed for his second sack of the day. Lastly, Jalen Harris, an undrafted free agent out of Arizona, made a case for himself with today’s performance. He accounted for two of the team’s sacks and did a great job putting pressure on the Titans quarterback on a massive goal line 3rd down with the game on the line.
What Went Wrong?
Slick Ball in August?!
Though the positives outweighed the negatives this week, the game was far from mistake-free. This included several instances of players dropping the football. Punt returner Velus Jones Jr. picked up right where he left off last year, muffing a punt in the first half. There is still over a month before the Bears host the Packers in Week 1, but Jones Jr.’s unpredictability on the field dating back to last season is certainly concerning and something worth keeping an eye on. Enter rookie WR Tyler Scott, a player who is fighting for the punt/kick returner spot alongside Velus Jones Jr. Unfortunately, he had similar issues, fumbling the ball shortly after securing his first reception as a Bear. This can be chalked up to first-game jitters. Even the defense also got involved in the ball-dropping fiasco. Rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson positioned himself perfectly for an interception in the first quarter, only for the ball to bounce off of his outstretched fingertips. Truthfully, it was still a great pass-breakup by the young defensive back, but could have been a game changing play.
Player of the Week
Kyler Gordon
Yes, Jalen Harris recorded two sacks. Yes, Trevis Gipson racked up three QB hits. And yes, Justin Fields quite literally averaged a ridiculous 43 yards per attempt. Those are the easy answers. Kyler Gordon stood out today. Judging by his phenomenal 88.2 coverage grade, PFF agrees.
Drafted in the 2nd round in 2022, Gordon had a roller coaster rookie year. The Bears asked him to step into the nickel cornerback position. In Matt Eberflus’s Cover 2-based defense, this is an extremely difficult position to play. There are countless different checks and reads that he is expected to make within seconds, all while trying to keep up with quick, shifty slot wide receivers. Needless to say, growing pains were expected. All word surrounding him out of training camp this fall has been glowing. In limited action today, Gordon backed it up. He was flying around the field, grabbing three tackles and recording one pass pass defended (ESPN).
However, it was the manner of his tackles that stood out. “Spider-man,” as his teammates have dubbed him, looked like a battering ram on the football field. His timing was impeccable, helping him deliver several massive hits. Gordon certainly stood out today, and could give this Bears defense a massive boost if keeps playing with confidence and relying on his “spider-man” instincts.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, this should have been an extremely enjoyable Saturday for Bears fans. The offense flashed what it has a chance to be this season. DJ Moore showed fans what he can bring to the team. Justin Fields looked crisp in his limited snaps. There were no serious injuries suffered (Rookie Gervon Dexter Sr. was shaken up but later returned to the game). Even the edge rushers showed real promise today, prompting the idea of a potentially competitive training camp battle. All in all, preseason Week 1 was encouraging and exciting.