The Chicago Bears had a Week 1 explosion that is almost certainly not sustainable. A team is not going to live at 59 points per game, and that means some of the players who popped on opening weekend are due for a little reality check.
A few Bears stood out because they played well above the level they’ve usually shown, and the early numbers suggest that won’t last forever.
Caleb Williams was one of the names that jumped off the page. He ran for 65 yards in Week 1, which was the second-best rushing total of his NFL career and his best since November of 2024.
Through the opening week, Williams is averaging 26.9 rushing yards per game. Last season, that number sat at 22.8.
He may be more dangerous with his legs now that he looks more comfortable in the offense, but expecting him to keep producing at that pace is a stretch.
D’Andre Swift was even more eye-catching. The Bears’ offense clearly suits him, and the team just extended him, so a big year would not come out of nowhere.
But Week 1 was still a monster outlier. Swift ran for 124 yards and added 10 more as a receiver.
His 66.7% success rate was well above his 49% career mark, and his 10 yards per touch in the opener dwarfed his career average of 5.9. Entering the season, his career-best yards per game was 67.9.
He could absolutely set new personal highs, but that opening performance was on another level.
Kalif Raymond also looked like a player who may have gotten a little too hot too early. He has been around since 2016, so putting up a career-high in catches in 2026 is notable.
He also finished with 84 yards, the fourth-highest total of his career. That kind of production is hard to bank on week after week, especially with the Bears not forcing things to Luther Burden and Rome Odunze.
Both receivers had solid but not spectacular outings, and both were dealing with some bumps and bruises during the week. That should mean more opportunities for them going forward, which will cut into Raymond’s volume.
Street is another name worth watching. He made an immediate impact in his Bears debut with a sack while lining up next to Grady Jarrett.
Even so, his track record suggests the sack numbers may not come in bunches. He has never had more than 3.5 sacks in a season, and his Week 1 strike already put him tied for the fourth-most sacks of his eight-year career.
The Bears should keep getting solid work from him, but the weekly sack production probably won’t stay this loud.
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Bears Week 2 Just Got Complicated By Minnesota's Quarterback Situation
Minnesotas Week 1 win over Green Bay already changed the early feel of the NFC North race, and it may have done so again for Chicago. The Vikings rallied behind backup quarterback Carson Wentz after starter Kyler Murray left with a concussion, leaving the Bears to prepare for a Week 2 opponent whose plan under center is suddenly less settled than it looked a few days ago.
Murray is still in concussion protocol and considered day-to-day, which means Chicago could be dealing with either Wentzs pocket-passing style or Murrays more mobile, higher-variance game. For the Bears, the difference matters: Wentz brings a steadier throw-from-the-pocket profile, while Murrays legs can change how a defense has to chase the game, even if his recent performance has raised questions. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Suddenly Have A Week 2 Problem Up Front
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Neville Gallimore also missed practice because of illness, while Grady Jarrett was held out for rest, and six other players were listed as limited. None of it is unusual for this point in the week on its own, but the accumulation of bumps and status checks gives Chicago a few things to sort through before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Defense Suddenly Has A Carson Wentz Problem
Sundays win over the Panthers gave the Bears a clean start in the standings, but it did not exactly quiet the questions around Dennis Allens defense. Chicago gave up plenty of yardage and points in that opener, the kind of performance that can be masked for a week but not ignored for long when a tougher divisional test is next on the schedule.
Carson Wentzs Week 1 showing for Minnesota only sharpens the concern. With Kyler Murray out, Wentz stepped in against Green Bay and threw three touchdowns, giving the Vikings an early jolt and a reminder that their offense can punish a defense that is out of sync. For Chicago, the timing is less than ideal, because the next matchup now looks like a test of whether the Bears defense can tighten up before a quarterback change turns into a bigger problem. [Read more 🡒]