Chicago Bears: Week 1 winners and losers vs Lions
Despite an ugly game, not many losers show up for the Chicago Bears
I want to call out the defense as a whole if I am being honest. The team struggled mightily at times, but when it came down to it at the end, the unit came together and put a stop (also got a little lucky) to the Lions offense. Instead of calling out the entire defense, I will focus on the biggest issue at hand.
The Chicago Bears front seven
This defense is supposed to be predicated on a pass rush that gets to the quarterback and helps generate turnovers. Turnovers through the air and honestly, turnovers by forcing quarterback fumbles as well. Instead, Matthew Stafford looked comfortable for 90 percent of the game. If the Bears front seven cannot generate more pressure upfront, then this season is going to be a long one. Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks specifically need to be better disruptors.
Hicks found himself with a sack on his stat sheet, but do not let that fool you. Had it not been for the Lions being the Lions, that sack would never have happened. The Lions chose a play call that had Matthew Stafford rolling out of the pocket to the right. This is not something he does and well, it is why Hicks was able to sneak through at the last minute.
Riley Ridley
Not many were surprised to see Riley Ridley become a healthy scratch for this game. His rookie season started out the same way. The problem is, this was his sophomore year and he showed flashes late in 2019. With the emergence of Darnell Mooney this season and the Javon Wims touchdown, Ridley’s future is not looking too good. He will need an injury to one of the other wide receivers to find playing time.
Next. Jaylon Johnson shines in rookie debut. dark
Eddy Pineiro
Well, similar to Riley Ridley, Eddy Pineiro is a loser in this game too. Cairo Santos did not have to make any long, difficult field goals, but he was a perfect 2-for-2 with a long from 35 yards. With Pineiro on injured reserve for another two weeks, Santos will have another two games to prove himself trustworthy. If Matt Nagy finds trust in Santos, which he already does if you listen to him speak about him in press conferences, then Pineiro’s time might be coming to a close in Chicago.