Analyzing at the Bears with the help of 22 names, starting with …
Bill Polian (1), the former general manager of the Bills, Colts and expansion Panthers. The last time I’d spoken to him, Polian had just finished evaluating the Bears’ 2021 roster for his friend George McCaskey (2), who then fired general manager Ryan Pace (3) and hired Ryan Poles (4). Polian polled personnel people inside and outside Halas Hall and decided the team had six players — maybe eight, if he was feeling generous— with whom the Bears could win consistently.
“The rest,” he told me in February 2022, “were either questionable or not good.”
Polian, who lives in suburban Charlotte, went to Sunday’s 59-37 fireworks display. The Pro Football Hall of Famer was justifiably impressed.
“Ryan’s done a great job of building a team with solid contributors — and getting play-makers on top of that,” he said. “The coach has taken it to another level.”
He guessed the Bears had three times as many impact players as four-and-a-half years ago, naming receiver Rome Odunze (5) and tight ends Colston Loveland (6) and Cole Kmet (7). He saved his most praise for Caleb Williams (8).
“The quarterback is incredible, really,” said Polian, who turns 84 in December. “His talent level is almost off the charts. Some of the throws that he makes and the fact he was so accurate, especially when he was outside the pocket. The acceleration he has when he runs with the ball, I imagine if you’ve not played him before, as was the case with the Panthers, you’re astounded at his speed. Their commitment to the running game is just marvelous. And it’s the perfect match with the quarterback’s skillset. …
“They’re a really fun team to watch. That’s exciting football, to say the least.”
He has faith that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen (9) will shore up the defense. If they do, the Bears’ ceiling is the roof, to quote another Carolinian, Michael Jordan (10).
Polian credited the GM for having the right sense of what his team needed and the confidence to trade the 2023 No. 1 overall pick to the Panthers. The trade stocked the Bears roster to the point it’s almost unrecognizable from 2022.
“They’re absolutely on the right track, no question about it,” Polian said. “They play the right way to win, both in Chicago and in the long run.”
The most disappointing performance Sunday came from …
Jaylon Johnson (11), who allowed a 113.7 passer rating on balls thrown in his direction.
“I wasn’t into it how I needed to be, mentally or physically,” Johnson said Wednesday, “and I think it just trickled throughout the defense.”
That’s a disturbing development for a Bears defense that desperately needs Johnson to stay healthy and effective. Johnson needs it too — he considers this season to be a walk year and a chance to make big money on his next deal.
Healthy for the first time since 2024, Johnson did make one game-changing play, forcing a fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter. But his performance was so bad that defensive backs coach Al Harris (12) playfully demurred Thursday when asked to evaluate Johnson’s tape. Both Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson (13), who gave up a perfect 158.3 passer rating, were justifiably upset about their Week 1 performances, Harris said.
It only gets harder this week, when Johnsonfaces the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson (14), whom he considers one of the best two receivers in football.
“I don’t think there’s a flaw to his game,” the cornerback said.
That evaluation is by reputation more than personal experience, though. This will be the 13th game the Vikings and Bears have played each other since Jefferson and Johnson came into the league together in 2020. Amazingly, the two have been on the field at the same time in only four games. Johnson missed both meetings last season with a groin injury.
The last QB to beat the Vikings at Soldier Field was …
Chase Daniel (15), who took over when Mitch Trubisky (16) when he hurt his left shoulder after a first-quarter sack in 2019. The Bears have beaten 17 different franchises at Soldier Field since — including the Giants a whopping four times.
The Vikings have started 9 different QBs since 2023, most recently …
Kyler Murray (17), who was concussed in Sunday’s opener. The Bears have started three during that same time: Williams, Justin Fields (18) and Tyson Bagent (19).
And since this whole column is about names …
Beggs Gardner (20), the Bears’ rookie long snapper, became the first Beggs to ever play an NFL game when he made his debut Sunday. Gardner has gone by his nickname Beau his whole life, though, and that’s what he’s called on the roster. He was named after a great uncle, John Irvin Beggs (21), a titan of the early electric industry who was a lifelong friend of Thomas Edison (22) and the onetime director of his company. He left inheritance to descendants who, among other things, imported the London Bridge to Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
“Interesting fella,” Gardner said.