The Bears finally produced a report card to be proud of:
QUARTERBACK: A
Justin Fields (15-for-29, 282 yards, four TDs, no INTs, 125.3 rating) parlayed good protection and open receivers into another stellar performance and finished it off in style. Fields hit an open DJ Moore for a 56-yard TD and was on target on an 11-yard TD to Moore that made it 17-0. He even turned a bad snap into an eight-yard gain.
RUNNING BACKS: A
On a third-and-seven, Khalil Herbert (10 carries, 76 yards) dragged several defenders on a 16-yard run to the Commanders’ 17 — a gritty run that typified the night. With Roschon Johnson and Herbert injured in the second half, FB Khari Blasingame (eight, 26) closed it out.
RECEIVERS: A
Moore (eight catches, 230 yards, three TDs) was spectacular. He set the tone early with four catches for 126 yards and a 56-yard TD — in the first quarter. Moore also caught an 11-yard TD that made it 17-0 and added a clutch 32-yard catch in the third quarter. Cole Kmet (five, 42) had a four-yard TD reception.
OFFENSIVE LINE: A
Won the battle against the Commanders’ stout defensive line, giving Fields time to torch the secondary for downfield passes to Moore. Teven Jenkins came in at LG, with Cody Whitehair moving to center after Lucas Patrick left with a possible concussion. Ja’Tyre Carter briefly replaced Jenkins in the second half.
DEFENSIVE LINE: B+
Sam Howell was slippery, but Yannick Ngakoue and DeMarcus Walker sacked him in the fourth quarter. Justin Jones had a pass breakup that forced the Commanders to settle for a FG. Andrew Billings had a tackle for loss. Gervon Dexter had a pressure that led to an incompletion.
LINEBACKERS: B+
T.J. Edwards (seven tackles) sacked Howell to force a punt. Tremaine Edmunds (seven tackles) was beaten downfield for a
32-yard pass to Terry McLaurin. Good coverage by Edwards and Edmunds helped thwart a key two-point conversion in the fourth quarter that kept the Bears’ lead at 30-20.
SECONDARY: B+
Greg Stroman Jr. intercepted Howell — the Bears’ first pick against a starting QB this season. Stroman also had a sack for an 11-yard loss. Rookie Terell Smith forced a fumble and recovered it in the third quarter. Rookie Tyrique Stevenson was called for a 25-yard pass interference to the Bears’ 2, but it was 27-3 by then. Jaquan Brisker was burned for a 41-yard catch.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A
Cairo Santos didn’t have a lot to do early with the Bears scoring touchdowns, making a 22-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. He closed it out with field goals of 43 and 37 yards in the fourth quarter. Trenton Gill averaged 43.7 yards on three punts.
COACHING: A
Credit where it’s due: Matt Eberflus had his team ready to go from the start for the second week in a row, this time on the road on a short week. On three short-yardage plays, Luke Getsy went with QB sneaks from under center instead of a shotgun handoff, and all three worked. That’s progress.
