The Bears walked out of Soldier Field with a 26-14 win over the Saints, pushing their win streak to four and making the NFC North way more interesting than it should be. But let’s not sugarcoat this: some dudes played like absolute ass. Yeah, the defense showed up with four takeaways. And yes, the run game racked up 222 yards like it was 1985. But even in a solid win, a few Bears looked like they forgot what month it was. Time to call out the five biggest losers from Week 7 — because if this team’s going to keep rolling, these guys need to wake the hell up.
1. Caleb Williams
Caleb Williams has been earning plenty of praise lately, and for good reason — his early-season poise had fans hopeful. But Sunday wasn’t his day. He went 15-of-26 for 172 yards, no touchdowns, and threw an interception, finishing with a 61.7 passer rating in what was clearly a step back.
Williams looked skittish in the pocket, held onto the ball too long, and missed some wide-ass open throws. The interception? Ugly. The hesitation to run despite clear lanes? Infuriating. This was the kind of game that sets back Rookie of the Year campaigns.
Oh, and about that record chase? Williams is now off pace to break Erik Kramer’s single-season passing record. He’s tracking at 3,827 yards — 11 short of the mark. Not devastating, but it ain’t trending the right way. Self-awareness is cute, Caleb, but the Ravens don’t give a damn about your bounce-back quotes. Fix it.
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2. Tyrique Stevenson
Tyrique Stevenson had been balling the last few weeks without Jaylon Johnson. Then Sunday happened. Chris Olave cooked him like he was lining up against a JV corner, dropping a 57-yard bomb on his head that set up the Saints’ first TD. That one play gave up more yardage than Stevenson had allowed over the last month. Brutal.
To make matters worse, Stevenson exited the game with a shoulder injury right before halftime. The CB room is already in ICU, and now we might be rolling into Baltimore with Nick McCloud and Nahshon Wright as outside corners. Jesus take the wheel.
Stevenson’s day went from promising to disastrous real quick, and the Bears need him healthy ASAP — because if Lamar Jackson suits up — it ain’t gonna go easy.
3. Drew Dalman
Drew Dalman took responsibility for his snap nightmares — cool, but it doesn’t erase the fact that he nearly tanked the offense.
It started early: bad cadence, shaky grip, questionable IQ. But the lowlight? That fourth-and-goal horror show where he double-clutched the snap and drew a false start. What should’ve been a touchdown drive turned into a meek little field goal. That’s four points gone because your center forgot how to hike.
Yes, Dalman did grade well as a run blocker (PFF gave him a 76.8). But when you’re fumbling snaps in scoring range, no one gives a damn about your pancake blocks.
4. Rome Odunze
Odunze led the team in targets (six) but brought in just two. That’s not WR1 stuff — that’s “get your ass on the JUGS machine” stuff. For a guy drafted to be a big-bodied security blanket, Odunze played like he’d rather be blanketed.
His biggest issue? Contested catches. The very thing he was elite at in college is biting him in the ass now. At least two catchable balls slipped through his hands or got dislodged too easily. Drives stalled because he couldn’t finish plays. He’s posted just four catches over the last two games on 11 targets — that’s an 18.2% catch rate. You want a seat at the big boy table? Start making the tough grabs.
5. Theo Benedet
Theo Benedet had the worst PFF grade on the team (43.2), and it wasn’t even close. Chase Young treated him like a tackling dummy, racking up pressure after pressure and making Caleb Williams’ life hell. This wasn’t a bad day at the office — this was a full-blown security breach on the blind side.
Benedet also committed two false starts, just to add insult to injury. His run blocking wasn’t trash (53.7 grade), but it wasn’t nearly enough to outweigh his pass pro failures.
With Braxton Jones waiting in the wings, Benedet better clean it up fast. Ben Johnson doesn’t throw public shade without a reason, and his “inconsistent” critique on Monday felt like a warning shot.
Final Verdict
Yes, it’s good to win ugly. That’s what resilient teams do. But don’t let this Saints win fool you — the Bears had some straight-up clunkers on the field, and if they show up again against Baltimore, it’s going to be a bloodbath.
These five guys were the worst of the bunch, and the coaching staff needs to hold them accountable. The margins get tighter from here on out, and moral victories don’t mean jack in December. Clean up the slop, or the win streak ends at four.