5 best things about the Chicago Bears through five weeks

The NFL regular season is a long and difficult one, stretching 18 weeks from September through January. For Chicago Bears fans, the 2022 campaign was excruciating, as they endured one of the worst seasons in franchise history en route to a 3-14 record and the first pick in the NFL draft.

After a similarly dismal beginning to this season, fans were beginning to resign themselves to another agonizing few months, but with a win this past Thursday against the Washington Commanders, things may finally be looking up.

Perhaps it's the afterglow of the Bears' first win in nearly a year, but it feels like there is a lot to like about this team, even while acknowledging that there's a long way to go. Here are the five best things about the Bears through five weeks.

Chicago Bears Observation No. 1: Justin Fields and his deep ball

Chicago's signal caller hasn't yet enjoyed the rushing success that he had last year, but his deep ball has been one of the most potent weapons in the NFL.

The first three weeks of the season had some Bears fans looking ahead to the possibility of drafting Caleb Williams in next year's draft, but Fields has looked like the long-term answer at the game's most important position these past two weeks, throwing for four touchdowns against both the Broncos and Commanders.

Fields was good when throwing deep last year, too, but with a lackluster receiving corps and an offensive line that nearly led the league in sacks allowed, the Bears lacked for explosive plays. With D.J. Moore and first-round pick Darnell Wright now in town, Fields finally has a game-changing playmaker and a chance to stay upright long enough to let it fly.