What marks do the Bears get after their bonkers 47-42 win against the Bengals in Cincinnati?
QUARTERBACK — A-MINUS
Not only did Caleb Williams throw for 280 yards and three touchdowns, with a passer rating of 114.8 — his second-best this season — but he also rushed for 53 yards, caught a TD pass and, oh, yeah, took the offense 72 last-minute yards in 37 seconds to win the game. Other than that, he was awful. But seriously, his accuracy came and went, and he left a ton of rushing yards on the table while backing up and spinning like a top in the pocket. Still, what a day.
RUNNING BACK — A-PLUS
Rookie Kyle Monangai carried 26 times for 176 yards, the most rushing yards by a Bear since Matt Forte went for 205 against the Panthers in 2011. With No. 1 back D’Andre Swift out, any concerns about Monangai disappeared as he hammered the Bengals with 63 first-quarter yards. He slithered through the muck impressively on an 18-yard run late in the first half, and his 39-yard run late could’ve salted things away if not for the Bears’ invisible defense and catastrophic special teams. A tip of the helmet to Brittain Brown, who came off the practice squad and — in the first five carries of his career — added 37 yards and a TD.
TIGHT ENDS — A-PLUS
Tyler Warren? Never heard of him. Colston Loveland, on the other hand, had six catches for 118 yards and his first two NFL touchdowns — the second one a 58-yarder with 17 seconds left that would make the short list of biggest NFL highlights of the season. The rookie first-rounder had to step up, too, after Cole Kmet left in the second quarter, having sustained a concussion while completing a difficult catch for a first down.
SECONDARY — F
Safety Jaquan Brisker was beaten badly by Noah Fant and Andrei Iosivas for the Bengals’ last two touchdowns as they furiously rallied. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson got torched for big plays to Iosivas, Ja’Marr Chase and Mitchell Tinsley. Corner Nahsohn Wright was no match for Tee Higgins. You think it’s easy giving up a career-high 470 yards passing, not to mention four TD tosses, to a 40-year-old quarterback? The Bears proved it could be done. Joe Flacco might have had something to do with it.
SPECIAL TEAMS — EXPELLED
A failing grade doesn’t begin to cut it after the heinous crimes committed by the Bears’ coverage, return and field-goal units. The Bengals’ Charlie Jones took the opening kickoff 99 yards to the house, for crying out loud. (Anyone home, Elijah Hicks, Jaylon Jones and Carl Jones Jr.?) A holding call on Jahdae Walker wiped out a 52-yard kick return by the Bears’ Devin Duvernay. A Cairo Santos field-goal attempt was blocked. And when the only thing that could do in the Bears was screwing up onside-kick coverage, Daniel Hardy let the ball carom off his foot. Referring to it all as “amateur hour” is too nice.
COACHING — D-PLUS
Ben Johnson was “in his bag,” as they say — one gadget play or misdirection play after another on offense, and they worked beautifully. Outstanding stuff. But defensive coordinator Dennis Allen should be embarrassed, and special teams coordinator Richard Hightower should be humiliated — and all of it reflects on the head coach, too.
