Coming off a devastating loss against rival the Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Bears could have suffered a letdown. Many other teams would have stumbled. The Bears did not. This team dominated the Cleveland Browns in every facet of the game. Chicago got key contributions from many players on the squad, but Caleb Williams and Austin Booker were the stars of the show.
Here is how my five expectations for the Bears versus the Browns played out on Sunday:
Caleb and Shedeur both put up big numbers
“Cam Ward and the Titans had great success against the Browns last week. The Bears should be able to replicate that success and right the wrongs of last week’s loss. The Bears’ offense is showing it is turning the corner, but this week, I think it gets unlocked, and the Bears post up 30 points. That will be behind a stellar Caleb Williams performance. Even with it being freezing cold, I still think Caleb will deliver multiple great passing touchdowns and have a very efficient day. Shedeur Sanders is coming off a great showing, and while this Bears defense is elite at getting takeaways, they still give up too many big plays. Shedeur has been great at creating big plays for the Browns, and I think he will have success against the Bears’ defense.”
I was only 50 percent right on this prediction. Shedeur Sanders did not hold up his end of the bargain as he struggled mightily against the Bears’ defense. Not all of his struggles were his fault, but he did not play a part in making a bad situation look any better. Caleb Williams delivered and played his best game of the season. The Bears’ offense was very impressive, and it was directly due to how great Caleb was.
Both rookie tight ends have big days
“To start this season, all the talk was about how great Tyler Warren was. Warren did get off to a phenomenal start, but now the talk has been about Harold Fannin Jr. and Colston Loveland. Harold Fannin Jr. had a slow but steady start to the season, and he is coming off his best performance of the year last week with 8 catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. It seems like him and Sheduer have a nice connection, and he is currently the leading receiver for the Browns. I think he will be the playmaker who gives the Bears’ secondary the most fits, especially given the injuries at the linebacker position. Would not be surprised if he pops off for 100 yards receiving and a touchdown. Colston Loveland is also a matchup nightmare for linebackers, and even the best of the best corners have trouble handling him. He has surged as of late, and I think he posted big numbers against Cleveland. Given that most likely Rome will miss another week, Caleb will need a replacement target. I could see Caleb getting the ball out quickly to Loveland, resulting in a 100-yard performance from him as well. Along with two touchdowns, too.”
Shedeur targeted his number one weapon as much as he possibly could, and ultimately, it did not lead to a successful outing for Harold Fannin Jr. Fannin Jr. had modest numbers, but given his 14 targets, he should have had one of his best performances of the season, not just 7 catches for 48 yards. Colston Loveland reeled in 4 of his 5 targets for 63 yards on the day. That is really good production for the Bears’ rookie tight end, and each of his catches made an impact. Loveland was the better tight end in this game, and Fannin Jr., for the most part, was held in check.
Ozzy Trapilo and Darnell Wright will hold Myles Garrett to just one sack
“You do not play football with the goal in mind to give up any sacks, but against Myles Garrett, only giving up one sack is a great day. Myles Garrett, in this matchup, has to deal with a really physical offensive line, which has great blocking tight ends to chip. Caleb Williams is also one of the best escape artists in the NFL. I think Ben Johnson will also make it very easy for Caleb Williams to get the ball out quickly. Garrett is a general talent, one of the best the league has ever seen off the edge. I still do not think this is a game that gets him closer to breaking the sack record. This is as good a test as any to see just how good Ozzy Trapilo is. So far in each of his previous tests, he has passed with flying colors. Darnell Wright, at times, has looked like an All-Pro. Seeing what the Bears did to Micah Parsons in the second half and how he didn’t finish with a sack last week, I am confident that Myles Garrett will only bring Caleb down once.”
Myles Garrett had 1.5 sacks in this game, and with how dominant he has been this season, that is very encouraging. Ozzy Trapilo, being a rookie at taking on the matchup, more than held his own. One of the sacks that Garrett got home on, you can honestly make the case that Caleb should have gotten rid of the football quicker. Trapilo has had to go against the best of the best in the short run as starting left tackle, but Ben Johnson has to be encouraged with how he has held up.
Montez Sweat finishes with more sacks than Myles Garrett Sunday
“Myles Garrett and Montez Sweat are on two different stratospheres when you get to comparing both players. Matchups will play a big factor in this one. The Browns have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL this season. One of Shedeur Sanders’ worst traits is that he drifts in the pocket and holds onto the ball way too long. Mix in the fact that his playmakers are not that good, and this is a great match-up for a guy like Montez Sweat to feast. Sweat has 8.5 sacks this season, and this could be the game where he produces 2-2.5 sacks, putting him at double-digit sacks for the year. As I predicted above I think Garrett has one sack, so this will be one of the few times that Montez Sweat outplays Myles Garrett.”
Montez Sweat did not finish with a sack and did not outperform Myles Garrett by any means. However, the Bears’ young pass rusher, Austin Booker, did. Booker finished with 2 sacks on the day and was one of the Bears’ stars on the defense that helped lead the Bears to finish the game with 5 sacks. The Bears’ defensive line was the better unit in this game, helping limit Shedeur to his worst performance of the season.
Nahshon Wright will ink himself as an All-Pro with his 6th interception Sunday
“In his three starts, Shedeur Sanders has thrown at least one interception. Shedeur takes more chances and more risks, while that is great for the Browns’ offense at times, it also bodes well for the opposing defense. Especially a defense like the Bears, that thrives off opportunities to get an interception. Nahshon Wright has been stellar in coverage, and he has been a ball magnet. I think he catches Sheduer slipping once in Sunday’s game. For some reason, teams like to test Nahshon Wright, and time in and time again they learn to regret that decision. With 6 interceptions on the season and just the amazing story that has been Nahshon’s career, I think he would be a shoo-in for an All-Pro selection.”
Nahshon Wright was so close to not only an interception but also a pick-6. Wright didn’t get an interception, but 3 other Bears did. Linebacker D’Marco Jackson got one, as did Jaylon Johnson and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. It was a dominant performance by the Bears’ defense, and although Wright did not add a takeaway of his own, he still was exceptional in coverage.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Reviewing Micah’s predictions for Caleb Williams, Bears vs Browns
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
