Cassie's Bears standout players vs. Miami | Chicago Bears Postgame
The first in-game action for the Chicago Bears finally came and went.
In a Sunday matinée, the Bears and Miami Dolphins tied 24-24 at Soldier Field. Neither team could make that last play to get into field goal range. Both the Bears and Dolphins had chances to get into field goal range in the final minute.
No dice. The end result wasn't as much of a disappointment, as much as it was just "to be determined."
Here are four thoughts on the Bears after their preseason opener on Sunday.
'Everything felt right':
No. 10 overall pick and rookie tight end Colston Loveland had perhaps the best big-picture quote after the game.
The Bears have had some physical practices. Last Tuesday was one that stood out among all the reporters in attendance, and it carried over into Friday's joint practice. If you're still wondering if Loveland was at 100 percent after shoulder surgery limited him in the offeason and at the beginning of training camp, he answered those questions.
"Everything felt right," Loveland said. "I wish we came out with a win obviously, but I think there's a lot of good stuff there on the tape to watch and get better."
No more worries about injuries with Loveland, which is a boon for the Bears. He's been getting more reps in practice which have been showing on the practice field.
Still, the team wanted to ease him into his first live action since last November. Injuries can pile up quick, just look at Sunday's game.
Linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga left with a shoulder injury, running back Travis Homer left with a calf injury, defensive back Major Burns left with a knee injury, cornerback Terell Smith left with a groin injury and offensive lineman Luke Newman has entered concussion protocol. Still, hearing Loveland say everything felt right should ease some concerns about a player that's expected to have a massive part in the Bears' offense this year.
Hello, Jahdae Walker:
The Bears have a deep receiver room, and Sunday just made it more difficult to comb through.
Undrafted free agent Jahdae Walker had a fantastic game as a receiver. He wasn't perfect, but he made up for his mistakes when it mattered most. Plus, he showed off perhaps the best touchdown dance on the team, hitting the Jubi Slide after catching a 14-yard touchdown from quarterback Case Keenum.
Keenum said he almost joined Walker's touchdown dance until he saw the moves. They were a little too much for Keenum.
This caps a fantastic week for Walker who made plays from the start of the week in Tuesday's physical practice to Sunday, catching red-zone touchdowns. What's helped Walker the most, he told me, was how he doesn't dwell on the past. Even if the past was good for him.
"It's a short-term memory," Walker said. "Past in the past. It's the new week, new opponent, prep starts over, just take it day by day.
Still, Keenum took note of the past. Since camp started, Walker has been building a rapport with the quarterback room that's not gone unnoticed.
"I really trust Jahdae in the short time I've gotten to know him," Keenum said. "I thought he played really well today. He’s got a great release off the line. Just had to give him a chance."
That worked paid off on Sunday with a touchdown, which Walker said was surreal.
"It was like a surreal moment. It was definitely everything I dreamed it would be," Walker said. "It was just fun just being in the moment, just being present in the moment."
TBD results:
The Bears would have won Sunday with better execution.
They had the ball at midfield with less than a minute to go, and one completion into field goal range most likely won them the game. But, instead we had a 24-24 tie.
"You just don't know how to feel when it ends up being 24-24," Johnson said. "It doesn't matter, preseason or not, you go out there, they're keeping score, and you're playing to win."
It'll take time to know if this was a good or bad result. The Bears and Johnson will use this as a bench mark for their offense going forward. The defense is fine, as evidenced by the six sacks, four forced fumbles and two turnovers in the afternoon.
The offense still needs fine-tuning. This game could go a long way to kick start that fine-tuning process, which Johnson will take into account immediately. The mentality is already there.
"I thought at times we played with the physical nature that we keep talking about and we've been practicing towards over the course of camp," Johnson said. "At the end of the day, it comes down to making some plays there at the end of the game."
'The game matters':
Johnson's first game as Bears' head coach exemplified everything the Bears hoped they would get in the heavily sought-after head coach.
"He's intense. He's demanding. He's committed. He's intelligent," Bears chairman George McCaskey said on Friday. "You can see the respect that the players have for him. They know he knows ball, and they know that he can make them better."
That understanding was made clear after Sunday's game. Johnson's messaging to the team was simple.
"What really stuck out to me was that the game doesn't count, but the game matters," quarterback Tyson Bagent said. "I thought that was a good way to put it."
If the Bears lost on Sunday, that wouldn't have mattered much. What mattered was the Bears put plenty on tape to dissect and discuss. The Bears did that.
They had a goal-line stand on the Dolphins' first-team offense where Johnson flexed at the defense after linebacker Noah Sewell's fourth-down stop. He also let his excitement flow when he was calling all aspects of the game.
Bagent mentioned how Johnson threw some extra words that couldn't be repeated in a press conference setting when he was calling for the Bears to go for it on fourth and goal. Johnson attested to that intensity.
"I was told today was family day and we had a lot of kids," Johnson said. "Probably good they couldn't hear me sometimes on the sidelines."
It's becoming something the Bears gravitate towards.
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