Nothing about the Bears’ 31-7 loss to the Packers in Week 5 worked, but the quarterback play made the whole thing feel even uglier.
Tyson Bagent was front and center at Lambeau Field, and a week after defensive penalties had helped him survive multiple interceptions against the New York Jets, Green Bay gave him no such cushion. The result was the kind of outing that belongs in the “burn the tape” category once the Bears finish sorting through it.
His day was so rough that it’s fair to say his perceived trade value took a major hit. If a Day 2 draft pick was ever available last offseason, Ryan Poles should have taken it and moved on to another backup plan.
Now the focus shifts to Caleb Williams, who has missed the last three games and appears to be trending toward a Week 6 return against the Atlanta Falcons. Everyone around the team would welcome that move.
One stat drives home the Bears’ need for Williams more than anything else.
According to Jacob Gibbs of CBS Sports, using Fantasy Points Data, the players with the lowest catchable target rates in Week 5 were identified, with a minimum of five targets before “Monday Night Football.” Unsurprisingly, given what happened with Bagent - and, to be fair, Case Keenum afterward - three Bears pass catchers showed up on the list.
Rome Odunze drew nine targets, but only four were deemed catchable. He finished with three catches for 40 yards and also lost a fumble.
Colston Loveland kept frustrating fantasy managers, finishing with two catches for 19 yards, and only two of his five targets were considered catchable.
Luther Burden had four catches for 47 yards against Green Bay, and Fantasy Points credited four of his six targets as catchable.
Put those numbers together, and half of the 20 targets Odunze, Loveland, and Burden saw against the Packers were ruled catchable by Fantasy Points Data. The other half were not. Tape reviews from the day after the game also showed Bagent either missing or passing on chances to get the ball to Loveland, Burden, or Odunze.
That’s the reality of life with a backup quarterback. Some of it is going to be messy. But Bears fans have long since worn out the novelty of Bagent, and his performance against Green Bay only reinforced why.
If Williams can’t play in Week 6, Keenum should be the starter over Bagent. Keenum knows his limitations, and that matters.
In Other News...
Jaylon Johnson Just Put The Bears Secondary Under A Harsh Spotlight
Chicagos defensive struggles in Week 5 put the Bears secondary back under a harsh spotlight, and Jaylon Johnson was right in the middle of it. The veteran cornerback has not shown the kind of impact the Bears hoped for this season, with Pro Football Focus grading him poorly and his ball production still absent, leaving the outside of the defense looking far less stable than expected.
For a team already dealing with limited answers at outside corner, the bigger issue is that there is no easy fix waiting around the corner. Johnsons contract makes any drastic move unlikely, so Chicago is left trying to coax better play out of a spot that has become one of the most visible concerns on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Offense Suddenly Has One Massive Caleb Williams Decision
Ben Johnsons update on Caleb Williams offered the Bears a little more optimism after an offense that has looked noticeably out of sync without its starting quarterback. Williams was injured late in the previous game, and Chicago has felt his absence in the way the unit has sputtered and struggled to find any rhythm. Johnson said Williams is trending in the right direction, which at least keeps the conversation centered on when, not if, the quarterback can get back in the huddle.
Atlanta now looms as the next checkpoint, but the Bears have every reason to be measured with the most important player in the system. His status for Week 6 is still the key question, and the teams approach suggests it will not rush him back just to meet a calendar date. For an offense that has already shown how thin the margin is without him, the decision on Williams could shape more than one game. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Loss To Packers Created A Defensive Problem They Can't Ignore
The Bears 31-7 loss to the Packers in Week 5 did more than expose problems on the scoreboard. It also left Chicago dealing with a defensive injury pileup at a time when the unit was already under strain, with the team trying to sort through a growing list of unavailable players before the next round of games.
Tyrique Stevenson, T.J. Edwards, and Dayo Odeyingbo all left with hamstring or quad injuries, adding to the uncertainty around a defense that has been trying to hold together through attrition. With more than one starter affected and other defenders already sidelined, the Bears may have to keep adjusting their plan on the fly just to get through the coming weeks. [Read more 🡒]