Chicago Bears: Which players deserved Week 3 MVP awards?
By Evan Bruner
The Chicago Bears fell to the Cleveland Browns 26-6 in Week 3. There may not have been many, but there were still some notable performances. Alright, well at least on the defense and special teams.
Chicago Bears Offensive MVP: N/A
I hate being this pessimistic, but I couldn’t bring myself to give this award to anyone. This game served as a friendly reminder to Chicago Bears fans the offense has far more problems than just at quarterback.
Considering the fact Chicago had 47 yards of total offense, it was just a poor performance as a whole. The offensive line was completely outclassed by Cleveland, the run game was ineffective, and other than a couple of short passes, Justin Fields wasn’t able to do very much. I’m still somewhat hopeful that the Bears’ offense could turn it around, but Sunday was nothing short of a disaster for Matt Nagy and company.
Chicago Bears Defensive MVP: Robert Quinn
After a disastrous 2020 season, it seems like Robert Quinn may finally be figuring it out in his second year in Chicago. Quinn has been a consistent bright spot through his first three games, recording a total of four sacks, which doubles his 2020 total. Quinn made his presence felt throughout the day and finished with 1.5 sacks and several pressures on Baker Mayfield.
Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn could be a dynamic pass-rushing duo
It may have taken a season, but the Bears are finally getting what they expected from Quinn after they signed him to a massive five-year 70 million dollar contract in the 2020 offseason. Having a productive pass-rusher on the right side takes some pressure off Khalil Mack and adds depth to the defense.
Chicago Bears Rookie MVP: Khyiris Tonga
Due to the absence of Eddie Goldman, rookie, seventh-round pick, Khyiris Tonga got some serious playing time and was able to make a difference for Chicago. Tonga finished the game with five total tackles (three solos).
Being 25 years old, Tonga likely doesn’t have as high of a ceiling as some of the other rookies, but any time a seventh-round pick is making a difference in games this early, it is a really good sign. It looks like Pace may have found a quality player in his last pick in the 2021 draft.
Chicago Bears Special Teams MVP: Pat O’Donnell
It is never a good thing when a punter wins this award, and for the second straight week, that’s exactly what has happened for the Bears. Pat O’Donnell was able to average 56.7 yards per punt over seven attempts. The Bears’ offense being unable to sustain drives had O’Donnell often punting deep in his own territory. Coming into this week’s game, O’Donnell was only averaging 41 yards per punt, so seeing him able to consistently boot the ball downfield was a good thing for the Bears