FOX Sports just moved the Chicago Bears all the way from #6 to #2 in its Week 2 power rankings after their 59-point explosion against the Carolina Panthers.
That is a pretty wild reaction to one game. But after what Ben Johnson’s offense did in its first real test of the season, it is getting harder to dismiss the idea that the Bears could have one of the best offenses in football…
Chicago put up 59 points and 552 yards in a 59-37 win over Carolina, producing eight offensive touchdowns while converting 10 of 14 third downs – The Bears also rushed for 291 yards and six touchdowns, tying a franchise record for rushing scores in a game.
FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano clearly took notice: “Ben Johnson doesn’t want to just beat other teams. He wants to destroy them,” Vacchiano wrote. “And with that offense, his team is going to break some bodies and records along the way.”
Caleb Williams and Bears offense are already turning heads
Caleb Williams completed 21 of 29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 65 yards and two scores on the ground – He finished with a 124.1 passer rating.
But the Chicago Bears’ rushing attack was arguably the bigger story…
Fresh off a payday, D’Andre Swift ran for 124 yards and three touchdowns, while Kyle Monangai added 100 yards and a 61 yard touchdown – Chicago’s 291 rushing yards were its most in a game since 1984.
The Bears did not need Williams to lead some crazy fourth quarter comeback like pretty much all of last season. They simply kept finding ways to create explosive plays, and Carolina had no answer.
Ben Johnson also made it clear afterward that Williams’ ability to run is going to remain part of the offense. That adds another problem for defenses trying to deal with an attack that already has plenty of weapons around its second year quarterback.
FOX Sports is hardly alone in taking notice. NFL.com moved the Bears from #11 to #8 after Week 1, with Nick Shook pointing to the running game and Williams’ playmaking as reasons for the jump. Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr went even further, moving Chicago up nine spots to #4.
So while the exact ranking varies, the message is becoming pretty clear. The Bears are getting attention.
The defense is still the big question
There is one obvious reason to pump the brakes on the hype… The Chicago Bears gave up 37 points and 552 yards to Carolina.
That makes it difficult to put the Bears alongside the NFL’s most complete teams without at least mentioning the other side of the ball. Still, it is difficult to watch what happened in Charlotte and ignore the potential of Johnson’s offense.
Nobody should be ready to crown the Bears after one game. There are 16 games left in the regular season, and the defense has plenty to clean up. But the expectations around this offense have changed.
Ben Johnson talked throughout the offseason about building something special in Chicago. After one week, the Bears have already given the rest of the NFL a pretty good look at what that could mean. Now they have to prove they can do it again.
Bears Get Major Power Rankings Shakeup After 59-Point Explosion