Despite it ending with a loss, the Chicago Bears put on a show vs. the San Francisco 49ers and in prime time, nonetheless.
Quarterback Caleb Williams played one of the best games of his career, and even though Chicago came up empty, there were plenty of positives to talk about in this one.
Namely, the performances of rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III were stellar. After the game, head coach Ben Johnson had this to say about the two of them:
"Some good performances there, notably by our rookies. Luther (Burden III) had a huge game for us. Colston (Loveland) had a big game for us."
There were plenty of folks who criticized general manager Ryan Poles for drafting Loveland in the first round, but the rookie tight end finished with six receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Burden had the best game of his young career, catching eight passes for 138 yards and a score.
Ryan Poles deserves credit for Colston Loveland and Luther Burden, but with a caveat
You've got to give credit where credit is due, and Poles absolutely deserves kudos for drafting both Loveland and Burden. The seasons they have had, the moments they have had ... they've been phenomenal, each in their own right.
But, when also looking at the grand scheme of things in that loss to San Francisco, Bears fans have every right to get angry with Poles over one specific area that continues to haunt this team.
It was evident, all night long, that the Bears still had no pass rush. And, while Austin Booker is a fun story and he's had some good moments, he shouldn't be outshining the likes of Montez Sweat, whom Poles invested heavily in.
Sweat has largely been a disappointment. Occasionally, he'll show up once per game, but otherwise he has not been a difference maker.
On the season, the Bears have 32 sacks which is closer to the bottom half of the league than it is the top. For perspective, the Denver Broncos lead the league with 64 -- twice as many as Chicago.
Poles has continuously failed to bolster this position, offseason after offseason, and it could come back to bite them in the playoffs. Just taking a look at last year's Super Bowl winner, the Philadelphia Eagles were able to sack Patrick Mahomes six times in that game.
At this moment, the Bears still don't have a Super Bowl-caliber defense and, more specifically, pass rush. And that is squarely on Poles.
Read more: Luther Burden's injury overshadowed by rookie making Bears history on SNF
So, while he gets credit for the Burden and Loveland pick, Poles is still far from a finished product.