Windy City Gridiron
When the schedule was released back in May, it was easy to see how a Week 5 bye could be a much more significant issue than something that helped the Chicago Bears. After seeing how the first four weeks of the season played out, their bye couldn’t be timed any better. Even better? The Bears are heading into that early bye week with a (2-2) record, despite losing their first two games of the season. It was far from pretty on Sunday in Las Vegas, but in the end, the Bears got what was most important, and that was a victory. Before we gear down for Week 5, let’s take a look at Sunday’s game, what to expect during the bye week, and how things are shaping up coming out of it. All of this and more in Week 4’s installment of 10 Bears Takes.
1. Following an impressive Week 3 showing, the first half of Sunday’s game was… Uninspiring.
If we are being honest, the majority of their 60-minute performance was uninspiring. The team’s defense forced three first-half takeaways, and they came away with just six points. Three of the Bears’ first four drives started inside the Raiders’ 30-yard line. Most teams would find a way to get at least 17 points out of that. Instead, Chicago went into the half down 14-9.
On paper, Dallas’ defense was considerably worse. Their lack of pass rush and injuries in the secondary made for a good matchup for the Bears at home. In Vegas, Maxx Crosby single-handedly ruined multiple drives, including three batted passes and an interception. We’ve seen this story play out before. The offense starts slowly and never gets going. Frankly, it was easy to see that exact scenario playing out in the second half. Although things were never pretty, the offense managed to score 25 points. Although that figure was aided by four defensive turnovers, in the end, it’s still almost seven points per game better than the offense’s average last season.
It’s impossible to deny that this unit still has a long way to go. It would also be naive to believe that the defense will be able to keep them in games against better offenses consistently. Ultimately, if the Bears are going to find success, it will be tied to the offense, with the occasional quality performance on the defensive side of the ball. It might not always look pretty, but the ceiling for this offense has yet to be reached. These types of performances (and wins) build character. It helps a brand new offense form its identity. Things need to improve, and consistency will be key, but these are the types of games that can help define a young team’s season. That’s what fans should be hoping for moving forward.
2. The Bye Week is coming at the right time, especially from a health standpoint.
There’s just no other way around it; injuries have been highly impactful for the Bears in the early going. Jaylon...
