7 takeaways from the Bears' Week 5 loss to Vikings

There's no such thing as a moral victory in the NFL, but for the Chicago Bears and their 2022 season, a loss can still provide hope for the future.

The Bears' miraculous comeback in Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings fell short, 29-22, in part, because of self-inflicted wounds. Wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette's ill-fated decision to fight for extra yards instead of going out of bounds on what could've been a game-tying drive with less than two minutes left in the game ended any chance Justin Fields had at his first signature win of his career.

But the fact the Bears were even in this game, that they came back from a 21-3 first-half deficit, was proof that there's something really exciting happening inside Halas Hall. It's evidence that coach Matt Eberflus has this roster of mostly average talent, believing they can win every time they step on the field. There's no quit in the 2022 Chicago Bears, and it's a great foundation to build off of.

Here are some of the major takeaways from the Bears' loss in Week 5.

Justin Fields and the passing offense beginning to click

Fields played his best football as a pro in the second half of Sunday's loss to the Vikings. The game looked like it (finally) began slowing down for him. Perhaps it was the result of some decent pass protection, or maybe it was because he's getting comfortable in Luke Getsy's system. Remember: we're only five games into the season; five games into a new playbook and a new play-caller. Fields got into the kind of rhythm that top quarterbacks tend to, and if that rhythm was in place in the first half, the Bears would've won this game.

Fields' day ended with 208 passing yards, 47 rushing yards, and one passing touchdown. It's the kind of stat line Bears fans were hoping to see from him consistently this year, but the sluggish start has caused many talking heads to jump off the Fields train already. That'll prove foolish in the coming weeks.

Fields' stat line could've been one of the best of the day for any quarterback if his 57-yard touchdown run wasn't called back because of a penalty. It would've put him over 100 rushing yards and may have changed the game's outcome.

Next up for Justin Fields is a date with the Washington Commanders in primetime on Thursday Night Football. Call it a hunch, but I think we're about to witness Fields' official coming-out party.

David Montgomery really is the heartbeat of the offense

Montgomery's final stat line won't win many fantasy football games this week (11 carries, 20 yards, 1 TD; 4 rec., 62 yards), but he proved once again that when the Bears need a big play, he's there to deliver.

His nine-yard touchdown run was a great example of his underrated patience, burst, and ability to finish. He had a critical third-and-long reception for a first down late in the game, too. While Khalil Herbert is undoubtedly an NFL starter, the Bears have one of the best pure running backs in the league in Montgomery.

Unfortunately, his final stats were hurt by the game script -- the Bears had no choice but to abandon the run after trailing by 18 points in the first half -- and some blown blocking assignments led to a few negative rushing plays. But when the Bears' offensive line was competent, Montgomery looked great.

It's incredible how good Montgomery looked after suffering what appeared to be a serious injury just two weeks ago against the Houston Texans. He should be the bell cow Thursday night against the Commanders.

Kyler Gordon flashed his playmaking ability (finally)

Gordon wasn't great in Sunday's loss to the Vikings, but it was his best performance of the season so far. He made several impressive open-field tackles and was a fingertip away from a potential pick-six. He also made a fantastic play on special teams to block a field goal.

According to Pro Football Focus, Gordon surrendered nine catches on nine targets for 100 yards, but not all of those completions were negative plays. In fact, he earned the fourth-highest grade from PFF on the Bears' defense and had the third-highest coverage grade among all of Chicago's defenders.

Gordon looked twitchy and tough. He looked more comfortable. He'll be a critical piece of the Bears' rebuilding plans, and he'll need to keep stacking games like he had in Week 5.

Kindle Vildor settling in as a key piece of Bears' secondary

Vildor was the Bears' highest-graded defender against the Vikings, with a near-elite 89.5 grade from Pro Football Focus. He deserved every bit of that high mark, too. His 89.4 coverage score stood out, and his critical interception was a key in jumpstarting the Bears' comeback.

Vildor gave up just three receptions against a talented Vikings passing attack. His performance should give Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams confidence that he has competent defensive backs beyond just Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon.

Bears' pass rush must improve... quickly

The Chicago Bears pass rush was virtually non-existent against Kirk Cousins and the Vikings' offense. It's part of the reason why Cousins set a Vikings franchise record with 17-straight completions to begin the game.

Robert Quinn was brutal once again. He totaled three hurries but earned the Bears' lowest PFF grade on defense with an abysmal 29.9. Only Justin Jones managed to wrangle Cousins to the ground with the Bears' lone sack of the game.

On the bright side, Trevis Gipson continues to trend in the right direction. He led all Bears defenders with four pressures in Week 5, including two hits on Cousins.

Braxton Jones proving to be 2022 NFL Draft steal

Jones had his best game as a pro in pass protection. The rookie fifth-round pick didn't give up a sack and had a 94.8 pass-block efficiency score from Pro Football Focus, the second-highest of his season so far.

Jones earned the Bears' highest PFF grade on offense (among regular starters), and at this rate, he looks like he's settling in as Chicago's long-term left tackle.

Cole Kmet trending in the right direction

Kmet had his most productive day of the 2022 season. He caught all four of his targets for 45 yards and looked every bit like the chain-moving tight end he was projected to be in Luke Getsy's offense.

Kmet ran a route on 90% of the Bears' passing plays, including a season-high 17 snaps in the slot. The more Chicago gets Kmet involved as a receiver, the better the chances Justin Fields will have at finding a capable target on mid-level throws.