Bears Escape with a Comeback Win: Signs of Hope, but No Room for Comfort

Defense and Special Teams shine, and the Offense struggles.

A win is a win. Starting 1-0 in the NFL is important, especially for Rookie quarterbacks. In the last 5 years, they are 0-7-1, with the last win coming from Sam Darnold in 2018. This was not a flashy win or even the game most Bears fans expected, but there is plenty to be excited about.

The game started slow on both sides. Caleb Williams was unable to connect with Keenan Allen on a double move during the first drive, and took a long sack on the second one. The Defense gave up yards on the ground in the first half and struggled to stop the Titans. Just before the half, trailing 17-0, the Bears drove down inside the 10 and a Keenan Allen drop in the corner on a great throw by Williams led to them going into the half trailing 17-3.

This is not the same old Bears. From the first snap of the second half, Chicago could feel a difference in the team. The tides changed quickly as newly signed safety Johnathon Owens scooped up a blocked punt and returned it for a TD cutting the lead down to 7.

The Defense looked like a top 5 unit the rest of the way. Newly acquired edge-rusher Darrell Taylor showed out, tallying 2 sacks and a forced fumble, showing once again general manager Ryan Poles is great at evaluating trade targets. While the line reigned down on Titans QB Will Levis all day, the Secondary made sure to make the most of their opportunities.

After the Offense moved the ball a bit, setting up Cairo Santos for his 2nd and 3rd field goals of the day, the Bears trailed 17-16 with about 10 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. The pressure got to Will Levis, forcing him to play hero ball, he threw a pick-six to Bears second-year corner Tyrique Stevenson. The Bears took a 24-17 lead after a successful 2-point conversion. Star Corner Jaylen Johnson sealed the game just minutes later picking off Levis again to give the Bears a win.

This was not the prettiest game for Williams as he went 14/29 for only 93 yards. The Bears failed to total 150 yards of offense in this one and will look to improve on that. This is Williams's first start, so hopefully this is his worst performance of the year. On a positive note, Williams did not seem to ver overly flustered by the offensive woes. He kept working, meeting with his teammates on the sideline trying to work out the kinks of opening day. He also protected the football, not turning the ball over is huge when you have the defense the Bears do.

There was one glaring hole. While most of the Offensive line played well, Center Coleman Shelton was miserable, costing the Bears in multiple situations. Defensive Tackles Gevon Dexter and Andrew Billings looked to have flipped a switch in the second half, after allowing the Titans to run inside repeatedly in the first half. Both were positions in question coming into the year and will continue to be for the rest of the season.

Looking ahead, the Bears are on Prime Time in week 2 as they head down to Houston to face CJ Stroud and the Texans. A battle headlined by young quarterbacks that hopefully won't disappoint. Houston is seen as a real Super Bowl contender. This is a great test for the Bears. There needs to be an improvement from Williams and the offense. If they can put on a show on Sunday night the whole league will start to see what is brewing in the Windy City.