Bears need more from these three players to make playoff run
The Bears are a true playoff contender. There’s no way they’re not at 7-3, with just one more loss than the NFC’s top teams.
They need to finish strong over the last seven games, with six of them played against teams with a winning record. To this point, the Bears haven’t beaten a team with a winning record, but they shouldn’t (and won’t) apologize for taking care of business against the teams on the schedule.
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While things have been going well, it’s time for the Bears to fulfill head coach Ben Johnson’s promise of playing their best at the end of the regular season. That means a bit better from just about everyone – and getting some injured stalwarts back – but there are a few players who could help their team tremendously by elevating their level of play.
That doesn’t mean the names listed below have been bad. Not by any stretch.
Let’s take a look at three of them – not named Caleb Williams —  who could help the team surge by increasing game-day presence and production.
WR DJ Moore
The veteran receiver has maintained elite production for most of his career. Go look at the back of his football card. The stats speak for themselves. You’ll see four 1,000-yard seasons and a 2024 campaign where he fell just short. He can be someone who can truly dominate a game with a high-catch volume. His stats have dropped, as has his target share with Rome Odunze taking the lion’s share and so many worthy targets in the pattern.
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Even if his final tally doesn’t reach his career average, Moore can go win some games. Improved production won’t come from getting open more. He already does that. Finding greater sync with Williams. They haven’t connected on some big plays in recent weeks and hitting on those could add additional explosiveness to the offense. He’s capable of making big plays in the passing game and the run game with him working out of the backfield. Bottom line: a higher level of involvement for Moore and the Bears get better.
LT Theo Benedet
The Bears made the second-year pro the starting left tackle following the Week 5 bye. He filled-in for right tackle Darnell Wright in Week 4, and moved to the left side after Braxton Jones was benched.
Benedet, the fourth member and a late addition to a training camp battle, has been the left tackle ever since. He has helped the run game tremendously, as it has taken off since Week 6. His athleticism and aggressiveness have been a big help on the left flank while working with left guard Joe Thuney.
His pass blocking could use some improvement, as he has allowed two sacks and 22 total pressures in his seven games played. He has also been penalized seven times. The Bears have decided to work with Benedet and help him improve. Improving in pass protection would shore up a super talented line helping protect the quarter.
Benedet doesn’t have to be perfect in the passing game, but better and more consistent work in that phase of the game would help Williams work more on schedule and from the pocket.
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DT Grady Jarrett
Grady Jarrett is one of the best defensive tackles of the past decade. There’s little debate about that. He’s an excellent interior pass rusher and stout run defender and was during his 10 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.
He has made a major impact on the locker room and the Bears culture – he was instrumental in a Week 3 players-only meeting that invigorated the team’s defense – but has dealt with a knee injury most of the season. It cost him two games.
That slowed him as a pass rusher early on, but he has started to turn it on. Jarrett had four pressures against the Vikings, and looked healthy and ready to give more.
If he can carry that performance forward and make a similar impact most every week, Jarrett could provide a steady interior pass rush that could be truly disruptive. He has been a dominant interior pass rusher in the past and could be so again in Chicago. If he plays like he did against Minnesota, Jarrett will tally some sacks and give the defensive line the spark it needs to take the next step. Â