5 takeaways from the Bears’ Week 9 loss to the Saints

The Chicago Bears lost to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, 24-17, dropping their record to 2-7 and officially officially ending their 2023 season.

Rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent made his third start (more on that later), and there’s a chance it was his last. He’s been a fun storyline over the last month of the season, but if Week 9 proved anything to Bears fans, it’s that Justin Fields’ upside is far too great to suggest there’s any quarterback controversy in Chicago … for now.

Montez Sweat made his Bears’ debut against the Saints, and it was a promising outing for the new face of the pass rush for the franchise. The ink barely dried on his contract before kickoff, and he still made his presence felt.

It was a unique loss for the Chicago Bears this week. It doesn’t sting quite as much as weeks past … perhaps because expectations for this team evaporated weeks ago. Now, it’s about building on the good moments and improving the weaknesses.

Here are five takeaways from the Bears’ Week 9 loss to the Saints.

Thank you for your service, Tyson

Tyson Bagent finished Sunday’s game connecting on 18 of 30 passes for 220 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. He was poised, accurate, and effective in the first half and for most of the third quarter, but the wheels fell off his passing bus in the fourth quarter. He looked rattled and became a turnover machine — two interceptions and a lost fumble.

Bagent’s time as the Bears’ starter in 2023 is likely over. Justin Fields returned to practice on Friday, and GM Ryan Poles said there’s a chance he could play Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers.

There’s still a chance Bagent will make a fourth start, it all depends on Fields’ grip strength. But after Sunday’s fourth-quarter meltdown, it’s much less likely.

A quick sidenote on Tyson Bagent: This dude can play. He has a legitimate NFL future, and if Fields falls flat to finish the season, Bagent will re-emerge as a potential starter for this team in 2024. Sure, the Bears are tracking to pick high in the 2024 NFL Draft, which means Caleb Williams or Drake Maye are legitimate possibilities. But if they fall out of striking distance for either of those prospects, Bagent could be the next-best option to build the offense around. It’s not as crazy as you may think.

Montez Sweat looks the part

The Chicago Bears traded for Montez Sweat on Tuesday, signed him to a four-year contract extension on Friday, and had him chasing down Saints QB Derek Carr on Sunday.

Sweat didn’t stuff the stat sheet or have a headline-grabbing “Welcome to the Bears” moment, but he did give the Bears’ pass rush more power and juice. His presence was obvious, from his size and length to his pursuit of Carr and other Saints ball carriers.

As Sweat acclimates to Chicago and his new teammates, his impact will grow. And if Sunday proved anything, it’s that he’s going to make one for the Bears for the foreseeable future.

Turnovers killed the Bears

Say what you want about Matt Eberflus, but he’s at least been consistent about one thing: he hates turnovers. He talks about it every week. He emphasizes how difficult it is to win in the NFL if you lose the turnover battle. And on Sunday against the Saints, the Bears were -5 in that department.

“Coach talks about it every single day — how important it is to take care of the ball,” Tyson Bagent said after the game, “and I didn’t do a good job of that. That’s basically just me there that last quarter.”

Bagent isn’t wrong. He accounted for four of the turnovers. DJ Moore’s fumble was the fifth.

It’s remarkable to think the Bears only lost by one touchdown. They gave the ball to the Saints FIVE times. Five. Yet, they had a chance to tie the game with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

I don’t know if Bears fans should be happy or disgusted about that. On one hand, it’s sloppy football. On the other, it shows Chicago is competing hard, and if they clean up their mistakes, they’ll win some games.

Jack Sanborn and TJ Edwards are DUDES

If it felt like every play on defense ended with an Edwards or Sanborn tackle, it’s because it basically did. The pair combined for 25 tackles and two tackles for loss.

Sanborn was especially impressive. The former undrafted rookie continues to prove the NFL royally screwed up during the 2022 NFL Draft. It’s a sin that he wasn’t drafted. It’s been a blessing for the Bears, especially with the salary cap. Sanborn has the second-lowest annual average salary on the roster. Fellow linebacker Tremaine Edmunds has the third-highest.

The Bears could afford to spend on Edmunds and Edwards in free agency because of how Sanborn balances the positional budget … for now. If he keeps playing this way, he’ll get a big contract of his own in a couple of seasons.

Cole Kmet proving his contract extension wasn’t an overpay

I’ll admit, I wasn’t a huge fan of the four-year, $50 million contract Poles gave Cole Kmet at the start of the 2023 season. Kmet never struck me as the kind of playmaking tight end that deserves that kind of payday.

After Sunday’s two-touchdown performance, it’s time to re-evaluate that opinion.

Kmet ended the game with a team-high six catches for 55 yards and two scores and now has 41 catches for 374 yards and five TDs through nine games. He’s on pace for a career-best 706 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Kmet is arguably the most consistent pass-catcher on the team right now, and that’s valuable.