10 Bears Takes: Caleb Williams improving, Gervon Dexter arriving, Defense dominating (2025)

Only time will tell, but Week 5 might be viewed as the turning point in the Chicago Bears’ 2024 season. Chicago was a four-point home favorite heading into Sunday’s game, but the Carolina Panthers appeared to have figured out their offense and looked like a tough out. After jumping out to an early 7-0 lead on the back of Chuba Hubbard’s 38-yard touchdown run, the Bears scored 30 unanswered points en route to a 36-10 blowout home victory.

Chicago has now won a league-best eight straight home games. They are (3-2) and will head to London in Week 6 for another winnable contest against the (1-4) Jacksonville Jaguars. A (4-2) start heading into their Week 7 bye week has always been the goal, and now, they are one favorable outcome away from that becoming a reality. Before we jump too far in the future, it’s time to dissect the Bears’ impressive 36-10 win in front of a home crowd at Soldier Field on Sunday.

1. Any game ending in a Tyson Bagent-led victory formation is a moment worth savoring.

Bears fans are not accustomed to victory formations over the previous three seasons. Even more rare: The backup quarterback coming in to take those final three snaps. Well, that’s exactly what happened on Sunday afternoon, on the tail end of their 26-point blowout win against the Panthers.

Heading into the game, I’m not sure many Bears fans were overly worried they’d lose. Even so, there was little reason to believe that they could come out and win the game without much doubt. The good news: is that’s exactly what they were able to do.

Despite an early 38-yard touchdown run from Hubbard, the Bears maintained full control for the majority of Week 5’s contest. The offense started with a three-and-out but still found a way to total over 400 offensive yards and 36 points. This was just the sixth time in 39 games under the current regime that they were able to eclipse the 30-point mark. Their rookie quarterback threw for 300 yards, and the offensive line gave up just one sack. They controlled both sides of the trenches and left no doubt in the turnover margin. All in all, it was complete domination from late in the first quarter until the end of the game.

Now, there are plenty of reasons to keep a level head throughout this type of victory. For one, the Panthers are awful. After winning just two games last season, things don’t appear to be going any better in 2024. Head coach Dave Canales is steering a rudderless ship that has already benched the 2023 No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young. Simply put, the quality of their opponent was not high on Sunday. Even so, this was the most complete game the Bears have played so far this season. Their defense dominated with three sacks, three takeaways, and only seven points allowed. Their offense moved the ball well and Tory Taylor only to punt the ball four times. There’s still plenty of room for improvement, but don’t be surprised if this is a game we look back on in a month (or two) as a turning point for the season. After all, Carolina’s offense averaged 30 points per game over their two previous contests and looked like a competent team. On Sunday, the Bears took most of the 60 minutes of game time to destroy any confidence they had built up.

2. Caleb Williams’ second 300-yard passing performance over his last three games should fuel every reason for hope that is needed for Bears fans. Things are different this time, and it’s time to embrace that.

Heading into the season, we knew the bar for Bears rookie quarterbacks was low. Frankly, the bar for all quarterbacks in Chicago is comically low. So, it should come as no surprise when I tell you that Williams has set a rookie record for passing yards through his first five NFL games. After all, he’s almost halfway to the team’s single-season passing yards record.

Despite throwing for just 93 yards in his NFL regular season debut, he’s averaging 218 passing yards and a touchdown per game. According to ESPN, he’s currently on pace to throw for 3,709 yards, 17 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a 62.9% completion rate. Fans would like the touchdown numbers to go up and the interception numbers to go down, but he’s on pace to rank third in franchise history in a single season and just 129 yards off Erik Kramer’s franchise record 3,838 yards in a single season. Jay Cutler got within 26 yards back in 2014 in one less game than Kramer’s 16-game season. Having a pair of 300-yard performances in your first five contests will do that for you.

More importantly, the former Oklahoma Sooner and USC Trojan’s week-to-week development has been evident. Although I’m not a huge fan of the quarterback rating metric, this tweet shows his growth in the opening five weeks of the season.

Especially for rookies, it’s rarely all about the numbers. Even so, it’s good to see Williams’ progress and development not only showing up on the All-22 but in the box score, as well.

Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron is off to a rocky start in Chicago. However, it should be noted that his last two games have been considerably better. It’s becoming apparent that for this offense to establish a consistent identity, they must successfully run the ball. While the overall numbers are still not where this coaching staff would want them to be, the combination of D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson is starting to gain traction. Either way, Waldron is putting a lot on the plate of the rookie quarterback. If you’ve watched a Bears game in detail this year, you’ll quickly notice the amount of work that Williams does at the line of scrimmage before the snap. That’s not something that most rookie quarterbacks are entrusted with, yet Williams has been doing it since Week 1.

This not only speaks to the confidence they have in their rookie quarterback but also how advanced he is from a mental standpoint in his first NFL season. He appears to be in full command of a complex offense and is getting better every week. Instead of being sucked into the constant comparisons of all three starting rookie quarterbacks, Bears fans could better spend their time enjoying watching their rookie quarterback develop at a rapid rate in front of their eyes.

3. Matt Eberflus’ choice to go for two in a game where he was up 26 points was an all-time petty moment in Chicago Bears history... And I’m here for it.

Some context for the decision is needed.

• The Bears have rarely gone for it on fourth down so far this year. So, this could have been as simple as wanting to work on in-game operations with a lead very much in hand.
• After Johnson’s final touchdown, a skirmish quickly broke out with Jaycee Horn throwing multiple punches at Bears offensive linemen. Unfortunately, Matt Pryor also threw a punch, which got Horn and Pryor ejected from the game. It would not surprise me if this was a move made with some sort of “screw you” motive behind it.

Either way, this is not normally something you see a Bears head coach even think about doing. Rewinding two years ago, Chicago had a chance to extend the lead on the New England Patriots in prime time. Instead, Eberflus opted to kneel the ball and gracefully walk out of Foxboro with the win.

It’s no secret that the McCaskey family values respectful (and conservative) leadership. It’s why we’ve seen the same type of general manager and head coach hired since the 1990s. Even so, this move felt like somewhat of a “screw you” move to the Panthers, and I’m here for it. The Bears’ defense has had an edge to it. At points, so does the offense. Very rarely has their head coach ever had an edge to him. It was nice to see, even if the intention was different. Like I said at the top, these types of blowout wins should be enjoyed. They don’t happen very often, especially for a team like Chicago, who hasn’t had a winning season since 2018.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

4. Gervon Dexter Sr. has arrived. At least as a pass rusher.

Heading into Monday night’s contest (Brian Bresee and Chris Jones have yet to play), Dexter is second in the NFL with four sacks as an interior defender. Regardless of how Pro Football Focus grades him, this has been quite the development for the Bears’ defense.

On Sunday afternoon, the former Florida Gator factored in on two sacks and four quarterback hits. Dexter’s pass rush arsenal is growing at a rapid pace, and so is his confidence. He does need to continue to get better against the run, but that argument can be made for everyone except for nose tackle Andrew Billings. Speaking of Billings, he had another monster game and notched his first sack of the season. He continues to be one of the unsung heroes on this defense.

The depth behind the two starting defensive tackles needs to improve. As does the usage of Eberflus’ rotations to keep players fresh. Chris Williams has struggled against the run, and teams are running right at him. Byron Cowart was signed to the 53-man roster, with Zacch Pickens continuing to struggle with injuries. Depth is a concern here, but the overall development of this entire defensive line has been impressive. They now have 14 sacks as a team through five games. They are considerably outpacing the same unit from a year ago. The four sacks today came against a quality offensive line that spent plenty of money on their interior during free agency. In total, this group has been much better than expected, and the depth on the edge has proven to be valuable. With a better-than-average group, this raises the floor of this defense considerably. The biggest pass rush threat so far has been Dexter, and that’s a development that everyone should be able to get behind.

5. Earlier in the week, DJ Moore said he wasn’t viewing Sunday as a “revenge game”. While he might have had the best intentions in saying that, going for 100 yards and two touchdowns against your former team has to mean a little bit more than a “normal” day at the office.

Much has been made about Moore’s body language and overall lack of production/success in the early going of the season. Heading into Week 5, the former Panther had just 22 catches for 189 yards and one touchdown. Coming out of Sunday, he has 27 receptions, 294 yards, and three touchdowns.

Similar to last year, it’s taking the veteran receiver a little longer into the season to start producing eye-popping numbers. Through Moore’s first five games in 2023, he had 26 catches for 361 yards and two touchdowns. The yardage is a bit down, but he has one more catch and an additional touchdown so far in 2024. As a reminder, Moore finished last year with career-highs in receptions (96), yards (1,364), and touchdowns (8). In short, there’s still plenty of time for him to start producing like the top-flight receiver he’s proven to be.

Speaking of last year’s numbers, he had just five catches for 58 yards in last year’s 16-13 victory against the Panthers on Thursday Night Football. When Moore was asked about Sunday’s game feeling more important than a normal game, the veteran said he got those feelings out of his system after last year’s victory. While that might sound well and fine during the week, it was clear that Week 5 against his former team still meant a little more than just your typical game. Understandably so, right? He signed a three-year extension with the team, despite how bad they had been since he was a rookie. Moore didn’t experience a single winning season during his five years in Carolina but signed a three-year, $61.884 million extension in 2022. He had every intention of playing out the majority of his career in Carolina before they used him as the headliner in last year’s draft trade for the No. 1 overall selection.

After just one year in Chicago, Moore was not only named a captain but he was rewarded with a four-year, $110 million deal with $43.65 million in new guaranteed cash. The extension seemed like a given, considering he was the headliner in a massive trade. Even so, it took a leap of faith for Moore to sign his rights away for an additional four years in Chicago, despite still having two years remaining on his current deal. It’s easy to criticize his body language and weird reactions on the field, but he’s one of the league’s top receivers and will be a valuable weapon for Williams for years to come. It was good to see him have his first 100-yard effort of the young season. I’d expect many more to come before January.

6. Teven Jenkins’ early exit lent an opportunity to an unlikely name: Bill Murray. What does that decision mean for the future?

For starters, Jenkins’ contract year has not started as planned. Earlier in the offseason, he was asked if his camp and the Bears had started extension talks. At the time, he said no conversations had taken place and later updated the media that general manager Ryan Poles had told his agent that they would revisit talks after the bye week.

Well... I’ve got bad news, Teven. The durability and consistency concerns that have plagued Jenkins’ NFL career have not gone away. If anything, his slow start has brought more questions than answers. When the former second-round pick is at his best, he’s one of the better guards in the league. He’s a much better run blocker than he is in pass protection, but neither “trade” has looked good outside of Week 1.

For the second straight week, Jenkins left mid-game with an injury. Last weekend, it was bruised ribs, and on Sunday, it was an ankle injury. Instead of shuffling Pryor over to left guard and bringing in Nate Davis to play right guard, Chicago opted for a one-for-one swap with the former undrafted free agent, Murray. Despite coming into the league with the New England Patriots as a defensive lineman, he made the move to the interior offensive line in 2022. On the first watch, Murray played well in his first NFL action in two years. The William and Mary product spent the entire 2023 season on the practice squad. He quickly caught the eye of the coaching staff during the preseason this year, and Eberflus mentioned him by name on two different occasions during training camp.

Only time will tell how it all plays out. A lot of that will depend on Jenkins’ long-term health. The Bears can open up the 21-day practice window for Ryan Bates as soon as this week. Bates is dealing with an arthritic condition in his elbow, and the hope was that being shut down for a month would help get him back on track. With the interior line still unsettled, do not be surprised to see Bates get a chance to start at some point this season. In the meantime, could Murray be in line for his first NFL start on Sunday if Jenkins isn’t healthy enough to play? We’ll see soon.

7. On Sunday, the Bears’ defense tallied their 11th straight outing of allowing 21 points or less. The defensive turnaround since the middle of last season has been an underrated storyline.

It’s easy to forget how bad the defense was under Eberflus for the first year-plus. In 2022, they gave up the fourth most yards per game and a league’s worst 27.2 points per game. They were abysmal against the run and were a unit in transition. At the start of last season, they gave up an average of 34 points over their first four games. After some improvements, they gave up 30 points to a struggling Los Angeles Chargers offense in Week 8, and then another 24 points the next week against the New Orleans Saints.

Then things changed. Outside of their Week 11 collapse, where they gave up 17 fourth-quarter points to the Detroit Lions, the Bears’ defense was on fire down the stretch. They gave up just 15.5 points per game over their final six contests last season. Through five games this year, they are averaging a similar total of 17 points per game. The biggest difference is that they are getting after the quarterback at a much higher rate. They’ve also maintained their high takeaway output, which rarely translates from year to year.

Eberflus and his defensive staff deserve a lot of credit. While I’m still not sold that Eberflus is a good head coach, he cannot be questioned as a defensive mind. After dismissing former defensive coordinator Alan Williams early last season, he’s taken over this defense, and they have not looked back. Despite hiring Eric Washington as the “defensive coordinator” this offseason, the team’s head coach has maintained the duties of defensive play caller. Washington’s presence has been welcomed, and I do not doubt that he’s playing a big part in the team’s vastly increased pass rush win rate. For the majority of last season, that was the one big thing this defense was missing. Although their ability to stop the run has taken a considerable step back so far this season, they appear to be a better unit overall. That’s not something many people saw coming after the first four games of last season. The ceiling for this entire team is considerably higher with a Top 5-10 defense. So far, that’s exactly what they’ve been.

8. According to general manager Ryan Poles, the Bears will charter their flight to London on Monday night.

According to Poles, they utilize their normal practice schedule (Wednesday through Friday). During head coach Matt Eberflus’ postgame press conference, he noted that they wanted to get to London earlier than usual to “get their clocks right.” It’s a sound plan, and it’s also hard to see much downside with it, especially considering that once they finish next Sunday’s game, they’ll head back home for a Week 7 bye.

Chicago’s history in London is brief, but they’ll be looking to improve their record to (2-1) with a win against the “visiting” Jacksonville Jaguars.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

9. NFC North Lookaround: The Minnesota Vikings’ (5-0) start, and the Green Bay Packers get back on track with quarterback Jordan Love under center.

I’ve said it a few times, and I’ll repeat it again: I was wrong about the Vikings. Head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores have this team playing like the league’s most feared juggernaut. On Sunday, in London, they jumped out to an early lead before losing running back Aaron Jones. Things started to get tight in the second half, but Minnesota ultimately shut down the comeback attempt in the late stages of the game en route to picking off Aaron Rodgers a total of three times.

In Los Angeles, the Packers started slow. Going into the half, they were down 13-10. Head coach Matt LaFleur was not happy with his team’s performance heading off the field at halftime but they figured it out in the second half. The Packers’ defense shut down Matthew Stafford and even picked him off. Their offense got going on the backs of Love and tight end Tucker Kraft. When the clock struck zero, they found themselves on the right side of a 24-19 score. This was Green Bay’s first win with Love at quarterback. They’ll head back to Green Bay to host a feisty Arizona Cardinals team who gave the 49ers all they could handle in San Francisco in a 24-23 upset victory.

The standings after Week 5:

1. Minnesota Vikings (5-0)
2. Detroit Lions (3-1)
3. Chicago Bears (3-2)
4. Green Bay Packers (3-2)

10. Week 6 look ahead: The (1-4) Jacksonville Jaguars, who just won their first game of the season.

If you’re a superstitious fan, the Jaguars’ 37-34 victory against the Indianapolis Colts was good to see. With Jacksonville’s home victory, they’ll head to London (as the road team) with a (1-4) record. It’s been a disastrous start for head coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Despite making the playoffs in their first season together, there hasn’t been a lot to write home about since.

Because of the division they play in with the Houston Texans, there’s a good chance they are all but out of the race in the AFC South. With three Wild Card teams, all hope is not completely lost, but they’ll need to string together multiple wins to get back into the early-season playoff conversation.

For the Bears, they’ll be facing their third-straight bad defense. Despite getting the win on Sunday, Jacksonville’s defense allowed Joe Flacco to throw for 359 yards and three touchdowns. Through five games, the Jaguars have had one of the league’s worst defenses against the pass and in points given up. Chicago will look to take advantage of that while stringing together their third-straight quality offensive performance. Their defensive front is much better than what they’ve faced over the last three games, but Jacksonville’s secondary is a mess. Don’t expect an easy win but rather a hard-fought game that might come down to the wire.