The Chicago Bears defeated the Seattle Seahawks 27-11 in their second preseason game, where it was a dominant performance from start to finish.
Pro Football Focus handed out player grades for those who took a snap in the Bears’ preseason win, and we broke them down by offense and defense, analyzing the three highest- and lowest-graded players on each side, as well as some other notable performers.
There were a few surprises in terms of the highest- and lowest-graded players, both on offense and defense. Here’s how the Bears were graded by PFF:
Top 3 offense
- OL Lachavious Simmons – 90.6
- TE Cole Kmet – 90.2
- WR Isaiah Coulter – 83.8
Reserve offensive lineman Lachavious Simmons garnered the highest grade on offense with a 90.6 grade. Simmons received high marks in both pass blocking (82.1) and run blocking (86.3). Tight end Cole Kmet made his preseason debut, and he showed his potential in the passing game with two catches for 31 yards. Kmet’s chemistry with quarterback Justin Fields was on display, and it’s clear these two are going to be a pair to watch. Kmet earned high marks in passing (90.1) and pass blocking (70.2), but he was marked down for run blocking (60.0). Wide receiver Isaiah Coulter led the Bears in receiving with three catches for 39 yards, which explains his solid 82.1 passing grade. But Coulter earned a 61.8 run blocking grade.
Bottom 3 offense
- TE Jake Tonges – 47.3
- WR Dazz Newsome – 48.8
- RB Darrynton Evans – 51.2
Weirdly enough, the two players who scored offensive touchdowns were among the lowest-graded Bears. Tight end/fullback Jake Tonges, who caught a 2-yard pass from quarterback Trevor Siemian, received the lowest grade at 47.3. Tonges caught the lone pass thrown his way, yet he received a 55.6 passing grade. He did garner a solid pass blocking grade of 76.0. But his run blocking struggled with a 42.8. Running back Darrynton Evans had another solid outing with eight rushes for 39 yards and a touchdown, yet he received a 57.4 rush grade. He caught two passes for 7 yards, where he got a 38.4 passing grade. He did earn a solid 75.2 pass blocking grade. Wide receiver Dazz Newsome rounded out the bottom three with a 48.8 grade. He caught one pass for 14 yards, earning a 53.3 passing grade and a 35.7 run blocking grade.
Top 3 defense
- CB Jaylon Jones – 81.0
- LB Joe Thomas – 78.3
- DE Sam Kamara – 77.1
Cornerback Jaylon Jones led the defense with an 81.0 grade, where he earned strong marks in coverage (80.6), tackling (78.0) and run defense (71.4). His lowest mark came in pass rush (56.8). Jones totaled 3 tackles and 1 pass breakup. Linebacker Joe Thomas continues to push for playing time at strong-side linebacker with another solid outing. Thomas was tied for a team-high 7 tackles, including 1 tackle-for-loss. Thomas earned an 88.6 grade in coverage but struggled in run defense (42.1), tackling (54.5) and pass rush (60.0). Defensive end Sam Kamara had 2 tackles, including 1 for a loss, and 1 sack. He earned solid grades in run defense (83.2), tackling (71.7) and pass rush (64.6).
Bottom 3 defense
- DE Trevis Gipson – 26.2
- DE Robert Quinn – 46.4
- CB Kyler Gordon – 47.0
Three key starters in Chicago’s defense landed among the lowest-graded players. Rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon made his preseason debut at nickel cornerback, and he showed his speed, effort and potential in the most important position in Matt Eberflus’ defense. But PFF didn’t think so much of him. Gordon received a dismal 47.0 overall grade, including low marks in tackling (26.7), run defense (41.3), pass rush (55.7) and coverage (57.8). Defensive ends Robert Quinn and Trevis Gipson received the lowest marks with Gipson earning a putrid 26.2. Gipson earned low marks in run defense (27.8), pass rush (58.1) and coverage (60.0). Quinn was marked down in run defense (55.4), pass rush (54.7) and coverage (60.0).
Other notables
- OL Teven Jenkins – 63.9
- QB Justin Fields – 54.4
- DE Al-Quadin Muhammad – 53.6
- LB Jack Sanborn – 72.4
Teven Jenkins made his debut at right guard against the Seahawks, and he had a solid outing considering it was his first time playing the position. Jenkins made the transition from tackle to guard just this past week, and he showed he has the skillset to be successful in this scheme. Jenkins graded high in pass blocking with a 82.6. But PFF didn’t like how he did in run blocking, where he garnered a 57.4 grade. Justin Fields saw limited action, but we caught a glimpse of how the offense is catered to his strengths. He completed 5-of-7 passes for 39 yards, but he only garnered a measly 60.1 passing grade from PFF.
Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad recorded three tackles and one sack, and yet he earned a dismal 53.6 grade. While Muhammad recored a 72.4 tackling grade, he struggled in pass rush (52.6) and run defense (58.8). Coming off an impressive rookie debut, linebacker Jack Sanborn had another strong showing. It wasn’t as flashy as his two-turnover performance in the opener, but he was tied for a team-high 7 tackles.
