The Chicago Bears got sent right back to reality with an ugly loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. This could have been expected in many ways, and the Bears have to think about the draft position at this point anyway. So, while the days are dark in Chicago, there is a good reason to find a bright spot every once and a while. Who are the only players who showed up ready to play?
3. The Chicago Bears are getting the best out of Jaylon Johnson
One player who has been valuable all season for the Bears' defense is Jaylon Johnson. Justin Herbert hardly threw any incompletions to start the game, but a lot of that was because he targeted the running backs, tight ends, and Tyrique Stevenson. Essentially Herbert was going after everyone besides Jaylon Johnson. When he was going after Johnson, Johnson was excelling. He had a key pass breakup in the end zone and was one of the few Bears who were tough to complete a pass on all night.
Johnson is an interesting spot with the team. He is playing really good football right now. He missed some time when the Bears defense looked it worst, and his last two games are some of his best efforts. Johnson doubled his career total in interceptions last week and was the best defender this week. It is no surprise he is playing this way with a contract on the line. Johnson will be a free agent after this season. The Chicago Bears would be wise to extend him because, at his age, he is not close to falling off, and his position is too valuable to let him go.
2. Darnell Mooney is starting to play better for the Chicago Bears
He is still not quite back, but it is clear that Darnell Mooney is playing better football right now. In the first five games of the season, Mooney was held out of the scoresheet three times. He averaged 20.8 yards per game in that span and looked a step slow. He was shut out of the Washington game but was more open that week than any of the first four games. Since then, he has started to come along.
Mooney had 121 yards in the last three games, averaging 40.3 yards per game now. That is not quite at his 45.4 yards per game average for his career, but he is much more in-line with expectations now. He only caught one pass on Sunday, but it was a 41-yard bomb that was out a bit ahead of him, but he impressively hauled it in. These were the passes that Mooney had not brought in just a few weeks earlier.
He is going to get healthy just in time for the stretch run, and we should expect to see him even better in the coming weeks. This is good and bad for the Chicago Bears. It helps them evaluate their quarterback, but the Bears are going to lose Mooney. He was so bad early in the year that they cannot trade him, and now he will be good enough that another team will pay him more than Chicago wants to in free agency. They will likely be losing him for nothing. Fans should at least enjoy the next few weeks and hope that he can continue his pace for the last three games.
1. Teven Jenkins continues to excel for the Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears continue to move Teven Jenkins around, and he continues to excel. First, they moved him from right guard to left guard. Jenkins missed the first four weeks with an injury and came in off of the bench because the team did not want to throw him in there. Still, he was one of the best linemen in week five and helped the team get their first win of the season.
Then, Nate Davis went down due to an injury. The Bears asked him to move back to right guard. It led to the best running performance of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders. On Sunday, he was the only lineman to play a complete game. The right side of the line with Teven Jenkins and Darnell Wright looks solid. Jenkins was out in space in the run game, and he was the best in pass protection.
In a game where Larry Borom, Cody Whitehair, and Lucas Patrick had countless issues, it was nice to see that there was someone on the line that the Bears could trust. The issue is that the team will likely be moving him back to left guard in a few weeks when Nate Davis returns. They are asking a lot of him, and he keeps proving his value.