Bears @ Chiefs
Final Score: Chiefs 41, Bears 10
Writer: Mike Miklius (@SIRL0INofBEEF on Twitter)
This one looked like it would be a lopsided affair with Patrick Mahomes and the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs hosting the 0-2 Chicago Bears–fresh off of 12 straight losses dating back to October of last year. The biggest storyline today was, in fact, whether or not Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are dating because there wasn’t much worth talking about on the field. Both teams traded punts to start before Kansas City went on a long drive ending with a six-yard touchdown pass to Jerick McKinnon. Things went off the rails in the second quarter as the Bears routinely stumbled and the Chiefs scored. Here are the results from KC’s last five drives of the half: touchdown, touchdown, field goal, touchdown, field goal. In the second half, the Chiefs stopped trying. Mahomes and the first string were pulled after their first drive of the second half, and still managed to score another touchdown. Chicago continued to look hapless, managing 10 late points and a garbage-time D. J. Moore touchdown catch. Kansas City is now 2-1 and heads to New York to face the Jets. Chicago hosts Denver in a battle for their first win.
Three Up
- Patrick Mahomes looked sharp.
- Travis Kelce looks like he’s dating Taylor Swift.
- The Chiefs’ Defense looked tough and gave Chicago fits.
One Down
- Everything Chicago did
Chicago Bears
Quarterback
Justin Fields: 11/22, 99 Yards, TD, INT | 11 Carries, 47 Yards
Justin Fields struggled today and we are once again left wondering what JT O’Sullivan will be saying about it in his latest QB School video. Fields made a good throw to Chase Claypool to start the first drive along the sideline. After a pair of runs, Fields escaped a sack and the Bears punted. The Bears went run heavy on the next drive. Fields and Moore couldn’t connect on the second play–it looked like good coverage and an overthrow–and Fields was later sacked to end the drive. The Bears showed some signs of life on one more drive; Fields had a designed run, and made a good pass to Cole Kmet, but stalled again on third down. That was the last drive the Bears looked like they cared.
On the next drive, Khalil Herbert fumbled the ball away. On the drive after that, DJ Moore dropped an easy pass and the Justin Fields threw a bad pick the next play. The last drive of the first half saw Fields late to hit Chase Claypool, who was wide open deep. Claypool looked like he gave up on the play and put up a minimal fight for the ball. I state all of this to say the Bears noticeably quit. They were broken, and that was it. Fields struggled to find open receivers, and as always I need to see what the All-22 showed; still, even the national broadcast called it out late in the game when Fields scrambled, took a big hit and seemingly a concussion, and had Cole Kmet wide open in the endzone the whole time. He just didn’t see it or wouldn’t throw it. You cannot trust Justin Fields if Justin Fields doesn’t trust what he sees.
Missed Opportunities
- Several near-misses that were a little bit off, a little bit late, or both
Running Back
Khalil Herbert: 7 Carries, 31 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 4 Yards | 1 Fumble (Lost)
Khalil Herbert continues to look like the back I thought he was: he runs well, makes a strong first cut and hits his holes quickly. The problem here is that this offense just has no juice. Herbert did most of his damage on the team’s second drive, totaling 22 of his 31 total rushing yards. His run of the day was an 11-yard gash where he made a strong cut and ran. Herbert had one bad moment: a weak fumble right before halftime. I saw this whole team quit and Herbert was not immune. It was uncharacteristic and I don’t hold it completely against Herbert. Still, let’s keep an eye on this and see how the team responds.
Roschon Johnson: 8 Carries, 38 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 11 Yards
Roschon Johnson appeared to have a true split with Khalil Herbert today, seeing the first carry and then splitting the remaining series. Like Herbert, Roschon had some good moments of his own including an 11-yard dash. Like Herbert, Roschon needs more opportunity and there isn’t much reason to expect he will get it. This offense just stinks.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
DJ Moore: 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 41 Yards, TD
DJ Moore salvaged his day late thanks to a beautiful, one-handed sideline grab for 29 yards and a touchdown catch shortly after. This was just too little too late; I counted three first-half targets: the first when Moore was wrapped up and had no chance, the second was frankly a drop in the midst of everything going wrong, and the third fell incomplete right before halftime. Moore is electric but his QB just can’t hit him.
Chase Claypool: 4 Targets, 1 Reception, 15 Yards
Cole Kmet: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 22 Yards
Cole Kmet made a nice grab to start the Bears’ third drive. Justin Fields rolled out, there was a good block, and Kmet made the catch in space. He had one more target late for another eight yards. Have I mentioned this offense has no juice?
Tyler Scott: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
Darnell Mooney: 1 Target
Kansas City Chiefs
Quarterback
Patrick Mahomes: 24/33, 272 Yards, 3 TD | 3 Carries, 28 Yards
Patrick Mahomes played well, granted this was ‘easy mode’ if we’ve ever seen it. Mahomes had oodles of time and used it to carve up Chicago for the easy win. The only real issue was receivers dropping balls–I counted two drops on the first drive alone. Mahomes had a few close calls including a pass to Rashee Rice that fell just short of the endzone and a deep shot to a wide-open Marquez Valdez-Scantling that was called back due to a lineman lining up poorly. Mahomes aggravated his ankle right around halftime and should be monitored moving forward. Other than that, he looked excellent and the only limit was the weapons making the plays right in front of them
Missed Opportunities
- A near touchdown to MVS was called back due to an inconsequential penalty
Blaine Gabbert: 3/5, 31 Yards, 2 INT | 2 Carries, -1 Yards
Running Back
Isiah Pacheco: 15 Carries, 62 Yards, TD | 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 16 Yards
Isiah Pacheco saw the first carry today, but this was a messy split all the way. Pacheco had a nice five-yard gain on the first drive, breaking through the first tackler. On the team’s third drive, he followed great blocking and picked up 18. Pacheco looked fast on the play. He dominated the team’s fourth drive and seemed mostly done by halftime–like Mahomes. I don’t love using any back here, but Pacheco was most impressive to me.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire: 15 Carries, 55 Yards, TD | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 2 Yards
Clyde Edwards-Helaire saw some early work, but he mostly did his damage late. There was a lot of garbage time and CEH ate during this stretch. He still doesn’t show me anything to get me excited about.
Jerick McKinnon: 2 Carries, 9 Yards | 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 19 Yards, 2 TD
Jerick McKinnon looked shifty on limited work, turning two targets into touchdowns. His first was a shovel pass from Mahomes that should be chalked up to a great play call. McKinnon’s second catch set up a CEH TD plunge. His last catch was an untouched run into the endzone. I love the way the Chiefs use McKinnon, but his role is limited.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Travis Kelce: 8 Targets, 7 Receptions, 69 Yards, TD
Travis Kelce started quickly, making a catch over the middle for a first down. He caught a great deep ball to start the second drive and was just missed later on that drive. Kelce had a few more short catches in the first half. His touchdown came on the first drive of the second half–his last–and we got to see Taylor Swift jumping up and down celebrating. He was in the back of the endzone and found space for the score.
Rashee Rice: 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 59 Yards
Rashee Rice bobbled his first pass and didn’t see another target until late on the third drive. He hauled this one in, nearly scoring on the play. Rice was big on the team’s sixth first-half drive, making back-to-back catches for 12 and 13 yards. Rice looked like he heated up a bit, but he is still hard to fully trust given the defense he faced today.
Justin Watson: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 51 Yards
Skyy Moore: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 42 Yards
Skyy Moore made his first grab for 15 yards against soft coverage, and that was all that stood out from the first half. Moore was fine, but not the standout we hoped for.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 37 Yards
Marquez Valdes-Scantling made his 37-yard catch against a corner who fell. I know, every highlight sounds like I am trying to embarrass the Bears. This is just how it is for Chicago right now. MVS also had a 50-yard touchdown called back thanks to an offsides lineman that was inconsequential to the play.
Noah Gray: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 9 Yards
Justyn Ross: 1 Target
Kadarius Toney: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 0 Yards