Rome Odunze didn’t leave Ben Johnson much room for doubt.
After the Bears coach publicly brushed off the need for a private conversation following Odunze’s ugly drop against the Eagles in Week 3, the message was plain enough: “I don't say a word to him,'' Johnson said. ''He knows to catch the darn ball, and we keep it moving from there. Nothing needs to be said in that regard.''
Johnson wasn’t interested in making a scene over one mistake, but the point landed anyway. Six days later, Odunze responded with one of his most productive games of the season against the New York Jets.
Tyson Bagent looked his way early and often on Sunday, starting with a 21-yard completion on the second pass attempt of the game. That play came with a near-fumble that would have invited more scrutiny, but Odunze steadied himself from there. A couple snaps later, he added another short catch, then kept building from there.
By the end of the day, Odunze had hauled in six of seven targets for a team-high 94 yards. Three of those receptions went for at least 20 yards, and the Jets’ secondary had no real answer for him. He also absorbed a heavy hit at the end of one catch and still secured the ball cleanly.
For a Bears passing game with plenty of options, Odunze stands out because of the combination he brings: size and speed. The question has never been whether the talent is there. It’s been about the drops, the near-misses, and the consistency that has so far stayed just out of reach.
That’s what made Sunday matter. After a week in which Johnson’s blunt “catch the darn ball” line hung over him, Odunze answered with a performance that showed he heard it.
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Bears Let An Ugly NFL Streak End At Soldier Field
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Minkah Fitzpatrick was the one who made it happen, and he did it soon after returning from a groin injury. For a Jets defense that had gone far too long without a pick, the play ended one of the longest active droughts in recent NFL history and offered a small but notable defensive lift in Chicago. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Johnson Sent A Clear Message About The Bears Quarterback Room
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Bagent finished 25 of 34 for 268 yards and an interception, a line that fit the way Chicago wanted to play in a game where the defense and run game carried plenty of the load. The choice to start Keenum for a play and then move quickly to Bagent was hard to miss, especially in a win where the Bears were able to dictate terms while the Jets struggled to generate much without Breece Hall. [Read more 🡒]
Tyson Bagent Faces One Bears Test That Could Decide Everything
Tyson Bagent is set to make his first start since the 2023 season in Week 4 against the Jets, with Caleb Williams still out because of a hamstring injury. Bagent has been handling most of the first-team reps in practice, and this week has become a real test of how the Bears want to function with a different kind of quarterback in place.
For Chicago, the question is less about asking Bagent to be a hero than about what a workable game plan looks like around him. His style gives the Bears a chance to lean into what he does well, but the bigger issue is whether the offense can stay on schedule and avoid forcing him into spots that dont fit his strengths. [Read more 🡒]