Bears Report Card: High Marks for Pandemic Road Win

The Bears found a way to win and the bottom line is doing this during a pandemic will serve them no worst than it does during regular times in the NFL.

Grading on a curve takes on new meaning with the circumstances surrounding this Bears win.

It would be easy to chalk up their slow start to going on the road, outside their bubble, to Detroit and playing in an offense which seems greatly tweeked without benefit of a preseason.

It would be easy to see problems ahead for their defense if Robert Quinn is going to continue having injury problems and Khalil Mack, too, for that matter. And by the way, if you're counting, Leonard Floyd made a key sack in the last drive for the Rams against the Dallas Cowboys in a Los Angeles win.

It had to be easier to go on the road to an empty stadium.

So how do you score this type of effort.

There's no precedent. You treat the game and evaluation like any other season.

Running Game: A-

All the talk by offensive line coach Juan Castillo about fundamentals in blocking immediately showed as the line opened holes for all three running backs to do damage and keep the Lions defense off balance. The Bears will give us plenty of running from the I formation and from single back formation, with Mitchell Trubisky under center. If they can pull out 149 yards and have the backs average 5.2 yards a carry every game, they won't have to make comebacks all the time.

Passing Game: B

Add a dose of realism to this. The Lions lost two starting cornerbacks during the game and the Bears didn't face No. 1 draft pick Jeff Okudah, either. So they basically were playing against the second team at game's end, although the safeties were starters. With one sack allowed the line did it's share. Trubisky averaged only 5.8 yards per pass play, which won't get it done. But he did have an excellent 104.2 passer rating. He also needs to be more accurate on red zone and on third down, after they were 2-for-11 on third down. Too many high throws when low was needed, or not putting the ball on the running back's hands in routes of the backfield will usually mean disaster but the Bears got away with this. They need to continue to expand the downfield attack and gain more yards after the attempt.

Rushing Defense: C-

Allowing Adrian Peterson to ramble at times and gain 93 yards—a 35-year-old running back—is inexcusable. Bilal Nichols started the game with some impressive play at the nose but as it wore on the run blocking started to drive him out at the point of attack. If the Lions had used Peterson more in the fourth quarter instead of trying to pass, they might have walked out with a win. It wasn't one of Danny Trevathan's finer games, either. The stat keepers gave him seven tackles but they were quiet, while Roquan Smith's were more impactful. 

Pass Defense: B

The interception by Kyle Fuller elevated their grade somewhat. Jaylon Johnson predictably was picked on and held up surprisingly well at right cornerback with two passes defended including the final deflection to seal the game. They benefited by not having to face Kenny Golladay, but limiting Matthew Stafford to a 77.2 passer rating can never be interpreted as a failed day. Defensive backs outplayed the pass rush on this day. Khalil Mack was barely heard from and there was only marginal pressure until Akiem Hicks' big fourth-quarter sack.

Special Teams: B

A big 45-yard kick return by Cordarrelle Patterson seemed to snap the Bears out of their lethargy in the late third quarter and ignited a TD drive, while kicker Cairo Santos confidently drilled through two short first-half field goals. Tarik Cohen made at least one poor decision fielding a punt but the Bears got away with that one.

Coaching: A-

It's never easy facing unscouted looks and Detroit's defense confused the Bears by going against their M.O. by playing mostly zone coverage in the first half, but when they reverted to man-to-man coverage in the fourth quarter the Bears made them pay and were ready. The coaches kept the team together and avoided panic once they trailed by 17. Their running offense changes made by Bill Lazor and Juan Castillo showed great depth of imagination, and the execution indicated how well linemen have taken to Castillo's emphasis on fundmamentals. Matt Nagy's biggest flaw was failing to show confidence in Santos by giving him a shot at a 51- or 52-yard field goal in the first quarter and going for a fourth-and-7. He wants to be aggressive, but the three points then was important and being indoors it was like a 45-yarder outdoors.

Overall: B

Tarnishing the victory by calling the Lions an inferior opponent is being a bit too presumptive about the rest of this season. One thing is certain: The Bears will not be as successful in the future averaging only 5.6 yards a play on offense and by giving up 138 yards rushing on defense.

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