Chicago Bears: Losers from Week 5 versus Raiders

There were not many duds in the Chicago Bears Week 5 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. There were only two players that I would label as losers coming out of this week. While it might not be great for the article, I would happily run into this problem every week. It was not a blowout, but the Bears showed grit and pure heart, and effort to come out of Vegas with a win, and most players are winners for this week.

The Chicago Bears had a couple of players who did not perform as well as the rest of the team.

Week 5 Loser No. 1: Eddie Jackson

Not to say that Eddie Jackson has been bad this year, but he certainly has not played up to the level of being one of the highest-paid safeties in the league. He has no interceptions on the year after being dubbed a ball hawk. While the other players on this defense have flourished in the Sean Desai scheme, Jackson seems not to be featured as a focal point. This could be because of the scheme or because he is not as good as his 2018 season and contract extension.

Jackson is still a vital player on this defense and contributes as a leader and with his skill set, but he continues to look lost in coverage too many times, and he struggles to tackle to prevent big plays. He did not do anything to stand out against the Raiders in terms of poor play, but you would like to see him get into his grove and start making plays.

As one of the highest-paid safeties in the league, Eddie Jackson has to be better. Whether it is in coverage, tackling, or communication, he needs to improve as the secondary leader. He has been dubbed a quarterback due to how well he sees the field and read a quarterback, but we have not seen that since a few years ago. Hopefully, he can get it going against the Packers.

Week 5 Loser No. 2: Mario Edwards

Mario Edwards was a pleasant surprise last year and played his way into a rotational pass rusher role, especially when Akiem Hicks was injured. This year, after missing the first game, he looked good to start but took a step back against the Raiders.

After two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and an all-around rough game, he gets dubbed a “loser” because he needs to step up when the Bears are missing Hicks. He is a veteran and should know not to do the dumb things that give the opposing offense a free fifteen yards, especially when the rest of the defense is playing well. With Trevis Gipson and Angelo Blackson on the rise, there is a good chance Edwards sees a decrease in playing time as a rotational pass rusher due to his erratic play against the Raiders.

The Chicago Bears gave a gritty and much-needed performance against the Raiders and earned a win to show for it. Still, some players need to step up to keep this team successful, especially with the injuries hitting them right now onto Green Bay.