Does beating a team in preseason 38-0 like the Bears did with Buffalo mean anything?
The Bears' 38-0 win over Buffalo kind of softens a bit when you consider they beat the same Bills 33-6 in preseason last year. Eventually Josh Allen and the Bills were in the AFC championship game and within a few points of the Super Bowl while the Bears were looking to hire a new coach.
Then again, that new coach is probably why their offense looked so sharp.
The Bears hadn't beaten anyone by more than 38 points in preseason since they blasted the St. Louis Gunners 59-0 in August of 1940, and that was a week after they beat the Calumet Indians 52-0.
So it's been a while. Even the team from the CFL they played in 1961 preseason, the Montreal Alouettes, stayed within 34-16.
I don’t wanna hear that this is “just preseason”. It’s what happens when you go from the outhouse to the penthouse with coaching and play calling. Bears fans should be energized!!!! https://t.co/FzUpB7bcka
— Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) August 18, 2025
Johnson and the Bears can't claim this as a perfect game when there was bad news in the end.
It's still better than the terrible offensive picture many of the national narratives have been painting after seeing one practice when there were some minor problems.
"I thought it was outstanding work from the joint practice and then the game tonight," Johnson said. "Our guys really took it to heart. They knew how important this stretch of the training camp was as a team. They came out and they competed hard on Friday (at practice). And then certainly tonight they came out and played their tails off as well."
Here's the good, the bad and the ugly from a Bears night when it's really difficult to find bad and ugly anywhere.
The leap in coaching is like going from the beginning of the evolution of man chart to the end of it.
People didn’t understand the Colts were going to fire Eberflus as their D coordinator before the Bears hired him. He was a complete and total liability on the sidelines.
— $nicklefritzPicks (@nicklefrit1375) August 18, 2025
Play design
Johnson's offense is just so pretty to watch, even when it doesn't work it's worth seeing.
Not to get crazy, but the Bills played probable one starter, Cole Bishop.
Cole Bishop is a second year player who has missed most of camp with injury.
— Palm Tr33s (@boomertang) August 18, 2025
Caleb Williams
Maybe the best thing wasn't even his 6-for-7 start en route to a 130 passer rating. It was the way he responded after the game when talking about what went wrong on the failed third-down pass to Rome Odunze to end the first-team offense's second possession.
“I think on that play, I think everybody did right except for me," Williams said. "I believe on that play I ended up flipping the protection, and I didn't have full belief. That's what it comes down to. "They had a blitzer come in an open gap and the back picked him up perfectly, did his job, and I didn't stand and deliver the right ball. Took a few too many steps, retreated back, trying to gain a little bit of ground instead of standing there delivering the ball. Everybody did their job, all 10 guys except for me, and that's delivering the ball to Rome for the first down.”
The Bears should definitely check in on this one. #DaBears #Bears https://t.co/0JlJqxIcpb
— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) August 17, 2025
As recently as earlier in camp, Williams might not have been so quick to fall on the grenade. Now he's learning to be the guy.
Running game
Ian Wheeler with 4.2 yards per carry and who could have expected 4.6 yards a carry from Brittain Brown, who has had about a week to learn the offense after signing. They might have to sign more backs if their luck keeps going the way it his, but Brown's ability to run with lean and refuse to lose is very impressive. Wheeler is looking like the back he was before his ACL tear.
Burden is playing backups, but dominating them, which is what you'd like to see.
The Bears might actually have 4 starting-caliber WRs. There's been plenty of years where they didn't even have 2.
— Johnathan Wood (@Johnathan_Wood1) August 18, 2025
Olamide Zaccheaus
Thank the Commanders for not keeping him. His 36-yard TD catch was on a big-time open-field move, looking a bit like Renaldo Nehemiah by hurdling over a tackle attempt before exploding for the score.
Luther Burden
Because of Zaccheaus, his reps might be limited. His three catches for 49 yards say it shouldn't be that limited.
Cole Kmet
His one catch for 29 yards pulled the Bears out of a hole and answered the questions about what the team could do in the passing attack with him when they have Colston Loveland on the field, as well.
Tyson Bagent
Leading three TD drives and a field goal march must firmly entrench Bagent as the No. 2 QB. Austin Reed followed him and Case Keenum was the odd man out. Bagent's 13 of 22 effort for 196 yards and a TD was made possible by his ability to move around and throw, as he seemed to borrow a page rom the Williams passing handbook.
"I've obviously been watching a lot of football the last couple of years," Bagent said. "Been seeing 18 (Williams) be a magician in that way. I would love to be able to be dynamic both on my feet extending plays, gaining first downs with my feet as well as in the pocket. I just try to keep my whole game open so no one can hone in on one thing.”
Cole Kmet continues to be good at catching the football when given the chance. pic.twitter.com/d4UGKwC2pu
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreeman05_) August 18, 2025
Austin Booker
Once again he got in a sack early, and really should have been given half a sack more on the one they gave Andrew Billings. He also tipped a pass.
Tyler Scott return man
Botching the attempt to field the opening kick definitely doesn't help Scott's bid to avoid being cut. The way he fielded the kick at the goal line would have been fine a couple years ago but now it must be returned if it wasn't already n the end zone. Fortunately for Scott, he made up for setting the Bears up from their own 8-yard line to start the game by catching three passes for 54 yards, including a 35-yarder.
My guy Tyler Scott!
pic.twitter.com/FVEggi5OmE
— Adam Rank (@adamrank) August 18, 2025
Injuries
This was more than ugly. It was terrible, especially for cornerback Terell Smith. He had been making a resurgence in battling for his cornerback job in recent practices, but Sunday he injured his knee and was carted off.
"Obviously Smitty's was the most concerning of that bunch (injuries) that didn't look good," Johnson said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with him going forward. "
They held out Devin Duvernay because of illness and Kyle Monangai because of a practice injury, and then it all quickly started to multiply.Running back Deion Hankins was out early. Defensive end Dominick Robinson followed. J.P. Richardson was another injury victim.
The most destructive one was to defensive end Austin Booker. With another sack and pass deflection, he is fitting in nicely and with four sacks this preseason is showing he can make the step up in his second year to provide relief help in the rotation. At least he did before he had a knee injury trying to stop a kick return of all things. Now they have another knee to worry about.
Prayers up for Bears DB Terell Smith. His teammates came to show him love before he was carted off the field. pic.twitter.com/fToCRPFZYG
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) August 18, 2025
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