6 Takeaways from the Bears’ win over the Panthers

The Chicago Bears should play every game on Thursday night. They’re now 2-0 on Thursday Night Football this season after defeating the Carolina Panthers, 16-13, at Soldier Field.

Was it a perfect game? No. Did it make Bears fans suddenly think coach Matt Eberflus and his staff have figured things out? Definitely not. But a win is a win, and how sweet is it that Tyson Bagent, an undrafted rookie from a Division II school, defeated Bryce Young, the first overall pick whom many talking heads thought the Bears should draft instead of sticking with Justin Fields?

Fields should be back in Week 11 against the Detroit Lions. Bagent didn’t do anything Thursday night to add fuel to the dying flames of a quarterback controversy, and Bears fans saw firsthand at Soldier Field how there’s no guarantee a quarterback selected with the No. 1 pick will be “the guy.”

Bryce Young certainly didn’t look like it against the Bears.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the Chicago Bears’ Week 10 win.

Montez Sweat changes everything

The Bears pass rush has been lifeless all year, but on Thursday night, it was different. It’s because of Sweat.

No, Sweat didn’t have a sack. But he was relentless with his pass rush and led Chicago’s defense in hurries. He was a fingertip away from a few QB takedowns and forced Young into errant throws. He got a few licks on the undersized rookie, too.

Montez Sweat generated 8 pressures in his second game with the Bears, the most by a Bears pass rusher since Robert Quinn in Week 13, 2020.

Sweat has recorded 45 pressures this season, 5th-most in the NFL.#CARvsCHI | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/T5T7szpGqC

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 10, 2023

The Chicago Bears entered Week 10 with just 10 sacks on the season. They had three against the Panthers.

It’s only been two games, but it’s safe to say Montez Sweat will be a cornerstone of this defense for a long time.

D’Onta Foreman is the Bears’ best running back

Khalil Herbert was activated off of injured reserve Thursday, and he should return next week. But I’d be shocked if he gets his starting job back. D’Onta Foreman has been that good.

Foreman carried the ball 21 times for 80 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers, he was Chicago’s best player on offense. He ran hard between the tackles and always moved forward for positive yards. He doesn’t have the juice Herbert possesses, but he’s a reliable and effective runner who puts the Bears’ offense in favorable down-and-distance situations.

Foreman now has 86 carries for 367 yards and three touchdowns in relief of Herbert. It should be his job to lose.

Tyson Bagent was everything the Bears could’ve hoped for

Justin Fields will be back in Week 11, and hopefully, he’ll cement his status as the Chicago Bears’ franchise quarterback. But we can’t lose sight of what Tyson Bagent accomplished during his four starts.

His performance on Thursday night was everything an NFL team hopes its backup can do. He didn’t commit any turnovers and made timely completions for first downs. He put the Bears in scoring position on several drives, even if they didn’t always result in touchdowns.

Bagent ended the game 20 of 33 for 162 yards, including a clutch third-down conversion to Darnell Mooney that put the game on ice.

Bagent has swagger. He’s going to stick around for a long time, and I think he’ll eventually emerge as a starter in the NFL, even if it isn’t in Chicago. The Bears are lucky to have him as a developmental player with massive upside.

TJ Edwards is a tackle machine

Another game, another loaded box score for linebacker TJ Edwards. He finished Thursday night with a team-best 12 tackles and has emerged as an indispensable second-level defender for this team.

Tremaine Edmunds got the bank-busting contract in free agency, but Edwards is proving to be Chicago’s best free-agent signing.

Edwards is a throwback Bears linebacker who reminds me of a discount version of Lance Briggs.

Kyler Gordon played like a superhero

When the Chicago Bears selected cornerback Kyler Gordon in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, he was lauded as an uber-athlete who can make plays most defensive backs can’t. He was every bit that player against the Panthers.

Gordon finished Week 10 with eight tackles, two tackles for loss, and a pass breakup. He played with an extra gear, breaking on the ball and being physical against the run.

If this is the level of play the Chicago Bears get from Gordon for the rest of the season, there will be less urgency to re-sign Jaylon Johnson.

For the record, I think that would be a mistake. Ryan Poles should do everything he can to keep this secondary together.

Matt Eberflus lives to coach another day

Bears fans on social media hypothesized all week about what a loss to the lowly Panthers would mean for Matt Eberflus’ job. Surely, if the Bears lost to Carolina in primetime, Chicago would have no choice but to cut Eberflus … loose.

But the Bears won. And Eberflus’ defense was the reason why.

I’ve been tough on Flus this week, especially after his bizarre press conference Wednesday when he sounded like Michael Scott discussing Justin Fields’ injury.

Wins are the ultimate deodorant, however, and Eberflus now has three of them this season.