This was the bounce-back game the Chicago Bears needed to play, as they performed much better in the preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans than they did against the Cincinnati Bengals the previous week, beating Tennessee 24-15.
It was mainly the offense that was powered by the passing game and struggles on the ground. Defensively, they defended the run well, but still faced some struggles with the passing game.
There were some quick observations from the Bears’ preseason finale against the Titans. Here is everything that was noticed.
Initial reactions to the Bears’ preseason finale against the Titans
Zavion Thomas explodes with massive plays throughout the game
Bears rookie receiver Zavion Thomas is becoming everything that was advertised about him during training camp. He scored a 97-yard touchdown on the first pass of the game and got a 39-yard punt return. Chicago has no choice but to find a way for him to be on the field at all times.
Tyson Bagent was wheeling and dealing in the first half
Outside of the fumble, Bagent had as good a game as anyone could have hoped for from a backup QB. He completed 16-of-17 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns, adding another 21 yards on the ground. The Bears have known they have had their backup QB for a while, but wow, what a performance.
T.J. Edwards got a start and played well
Edwards missed time in training camp, so he needed reps in the game before the season started. He looked good with five tackles in the first half. It's safe to say he’s ready for the regular season.
Did Salvon Ahmed win the RB3 job?
A really interesting note before the game was that Roschon Johnson and Brittain Brown were the only backs who suited up for the Titans matchup. Ahmed played so well in the first two games that it's easy to understand how he might be looked at as the favorite for the RB3 job, and the team, quite frankly, didn't hide it well.
Bears fans can't forget about James Lynch
Everyone has been hyped for Bears rookie defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg, and they should be, but another DT is playing some good football right now. James Lynch has been terrific, and the stats may not show it, but his hit on Titans QB Will Levis almost led to an interception. Lynch needs to be in the conversation to make the 53-man roster.
The Bears’ wide receivers did not clear anything up
Chicago has an incredibly deep wide receiver room filled with all kinds of talent. Kaden Davis, Maurice Alexander, Ray-Ray McCloud III, JP Richardson, and more make up the group trying to force the Bears to keep a sixth receiver. They all played so well in preseason that it's too tough to pick any of them, so they all might not make the cut.
Read more: 5 winners (and 3 losers) from Chicago Bears' 2026 training camp
Bears’ secondary has come confusion of their own
Overall, it was a better day than Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals, but there's still some work to be done. Cam Lewis and Xavier Woods had good games, and either one could jump at safety and win the job. Concerns remain, but there's still hope this position will step up in 2026.
Add us as a preferred source on Google