Silvy: Let the puns and the wins continue for the Bears
The game is in London, but it’s Chicago calling for a big game from the Bears on Sunday morning.
Do not let the werewolves of London bite you again. More on that in a moment. In the meantime I’ll stop with the corny stuff.
Last week, I discussed the importance of having a drama-free week at Halas Hall. No wonder that led to the dominant performance we all asked for against the Panthers. Never apologize for an all-around good showing against an NFL team, no matter how bad they may be. Let the good vibes flow.
The Jags are another beatable team, and with NFC North opponents a combined 11-3, there isn’t much room for error for a playoff berth. Don’t give me the “it’s only October” battle cry. Remember how that turned out for Dansby Swanson when he kept preaching “it’s only June” during the Cubs’ mediocrity.
This is a pivotal game for a young, maturing team. Can the Bears win their third straight game and first away from Soldier Field, and take a 4-2 record into the bye? While the Bears won eight in a row at home, they have not won a game away from Soldier Field since Nov. 27, 2023.
Just go back to the Bears’ international game against the Raiders in 2019 as an example. Coming off a 2018 division title, the Bears started the next season 3-1, but Matt Nagy had his team travel to London at the last minute. The Bears were asleep for the first half and lost 24-21.
That loss began a four-game losing streak. It’s why I love the decision Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles made to get overseas early, get the body acclimated, and have some good team bonding. Now it’s time to build on this recent success and learn from the past.
It all starts with the quarterback.
Caleb Williams’ growth chart is exactly what you crave from a rookie. He’s adjusted week-to-week and then finds ways to get better within each individual game. After being bruised and battered in Week 2 against the Texans, I was genuinely worried about how he would respond after he seemed to be hurting at the podium both mentally and physically. I’ve been haunted by that look from Bears quarterbacks of the past.
Since posting his lowest QB rating of 51 with two interceptions and no touchdowns in Houston, Williams has thrown for 824 yards, 5 TDs and 2 interceptions in the last three games. His quarterback rating has increased from 80.8 to 106.6 to 126.2 over that three-game span.
Perhaps the most impressive stat floating around about Williams is against the blitz in the past two games: 17-of-19 passing, 200 passing yards, 2 TDs, and 0 turnover-worthy plays.
Williams deserves his flowers, but so does the much-maligned Shane Waldron, who made it make sense this game and has gotten the run game involved in the past two.
The NFL in 2024 may be a passing league but teams must run the ball to win games. While Williams is going to be great, he has to be supported with a heavy dose of D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson and aggressive blocking up front.
It’s no coincidence that Swift has accumulated 285 yards from scrimmage and 2 touchdowns in the past two games. In his first three games, Swift had 114 yards and zero touchdowns.
Just look to Jayden Daniels and the Commanders as a good comparison. Daniels’ running backs have rushed for 592 yards while Williams’ backs have totaled 364 yards. The Bears are 29th in the NFL in rushing yards a game, the Commanders are second.
The balance must continue against the Jags. Whether you’re a rookie or one of the best in the NFL, you need a run game. The Jets are last in the league in rushing and the Cowboys are 31st and it’s not a shock that both teams are huge disappointments.
The London bridge to the bye begins at breakfast on Sunday and the Bears can’t afford to fall down. The winning must continue just like the corny London puns.
• Marc Silverman shares his opinions on the Bears weekly for Shaw Local. Tune in and listen to the “Waddle & Silvy” show weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m. on ESPN 1000.