The Chicago Bears, who lost to the New York Giants 20-12, put on an all-around terrible performance on offense, defense, special teams, and coaching staff.
This was the kind of defeat that makes you seriously begin to think the Bears are the worst NFL team. Because the disappointing Giants team, when nothing seemed to work, outcoached and outplayed them. Although nobody anticipated Chicago to be a contender this season, there are reasons to be concerned about the coaching staff’s ability to nurture young players.
Here are some highlights from the Bears Week 4 loss to the Giants, including some goods (yes, there were some) and some bads:
GOOD: WR Darnell Mooney
The lone receiver to catch a ball from Justin Fields in this game was Darnell Mooney, but it wasn’t because he was the only target. In this game against the Giants, Mooney more than tripled his output from the first three games. Mooney had 27 receiving yards before Sunday’s game. Mooney caught four passes for 94 yards in total (he had five targets). He was the only receiver Fields had in this game who he could count on.
BAD: OC Luke Getsy
Luke Getsy, the offensive coordinator, performed dreadfully once more, this time against the Giants. His play calling is still being closely scrutinized, and this offense as a whole has suffered because of his cautious style. Getsy handled a lot of things incorrectly, but let’s concentrate on the most crucial. With less than five minutes remaining and the Bears behind by eight, Getsy ordered three runs and one throw before Chicago punted close to midfield. While it’s true that Matt Eberflus made the punt call, the sequence leading up to it was another example of Getsy’s cautious play calling, which has backfired this season.
GOOD: S Eddie Jackson
In an otherwise unimpressive Bears defense, Eddie Jackson stood out, and he is now once again a takeaway generator for Chicago. Tyrod Taylor, the Giants’ backup quarterback, was intercepted by Jackson in the fourth quarter, giving him three interceptions in four games this year. Unfortunately, the Bears offense immediately went three-and-out, ending Chicago’s streak of going 12-0 after a Jackson interception.
BAD: Bears OL
The Bears offensive line struggled throughout the Giants game on Sunday because they were unable to handle the pressure that New York put on Justin Fields. Six times total, including five in the first half alone, Fields was sacked. They were mediocre at run blocking, but once again, their pass protection was awful. It serves as a reminder that Ryan Poles still has a lot of work to do before the next season.
GOOD: K Michael Badgley
Due to Cairo Santos’ absence with personal matters, the Bears signed Michael Badgley on Saturday, and he played against the Giants on Sunday. Chicago’s sole offensive contributor, Badgley, scored all 12 points on four field goals, including one that was long by 40 yards. In his Bears debut, Badgley was great and it’s sad to see him be released days later.
BAD: WR Velus Jones Jr.
Velus Jones Jr., a rookie wide receiver, played against the Giants after sitting out the previous three games. He didn’t have the best outing, unfortunately. His 19-yard punt return in the second half, where he displayed his speed and vision, was undoubtedly the high point of this game. However, his final play was where his inexperience was most evident. With just over two minutes left, and the Bears trailing by eight points, Jones muffed a punt, which the Giants recovered, all but guaranteeing New York the victory.
BAD: CB Kyler Gordon
Kyler Gordon has had a bad start to his rookie campaign, and the top pick of the Bears draft once again had a terrible game against the Giants. You only need to consider one third-quarter series during which Gordon amassed 46 penalty yards. Gordon was called for pass interference on three consecutive plays, allowed an illegal contact penalty, and allowed Daniel Jones to gain 19 yards running.
Hoping Kyler Gordon will improve through the season.