With a Chicago Bears Week 3 game scheduled against the Dallas Cowboys, there's no doubt a lot of eyes will be on the Bears after suffering from a 31-point loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. While fans will look for who is to blame for the Bears' loss, the focus is more on the Bears' Week 6 opponents, the Cowboys.
However, there is no denying the blowout defeat to the Lions was a humbling one for Chicago, which is still without a win to its name to start the season. With all the hype the team received before the season, because of the potential emergence of Caleb Williams under new head coach Ben Johnson, the loss to Detroit showed there is still a lot of work to be done.
But maybe, a “kick in the teeth,” as Johnson described the game, is exactly what was needed for the team to take it to the next level, according to The Athletic.
“When you play a good team on the road and you have turnovers and you don’t convert on fourth down and you give up explosive plays on defense, it can go sideways in a hurry,” Johnson said.
“Man,” Johnson continued, “it’s a kick in the teeth. Nothing about that feels good.”
Nevertheless, here are three bold predictions for the Bears' Week 6 contest against the Cowboys.
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Bears' Caleb Williams will have one of his best games against the Cowboys
Going into the game against the Cowboys, as they are coming off a thrilling 40-37 win over the New York Giants in overtime, the focus will be on the growth of Bears star quarterback Caleb Williams. Selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, he was touted as a generational prospect, and while he has shown flashes, the start to the present season has been a frustrating one.
Mostly due to the performance against Detroit, as he played flustered, despite throwing for 207 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. However, Johnson would say he saw “significant growth” from the 23-year-old, according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN.
“I did see significant growth,” Johnson said. “It’s not perfect yet. There are still a number of plays where our eyes aren’t quite in the right position or we’re holding onto the ball just a tick longer than what we’re coaching. But I did see tremendous growth in terms of going through the progression.”
“There were a few times there where we had to get to number three or four in the read, and he was trusting his feet and his footwork and was able to get there. I did think he got better from Week 1 to Week 2. I’m encouraged by what I saw, and I’m hopeful that we’ll continue to see another leap here this week.”
That growth will materialize on Sunday against the Cowboys as he'll throw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, with one for sure to Rome Odunze, whom he connected with twice last Sunday.
Bears' defense will hold their own after allowing 52 points to the Lions
While the offense was a storyline coming off the defeat, the Bears' defense was also put on display, allowing the Lions' offense to execute any play they wanted. Allowing 52 points and 511 total yards of offense, the defense should be just as blamed as the offense.
As Johnson would speak about after the game, Chicago had an issue in allowing a ton of explosive plays that Detroit is known for executing.
“When you play a good team on the road and you have turnovers and you don’t convert on fourth down and you give up explosive plays on defense, it can go sideways in a hurry,” Johnson said, according to The Athletic. “That was really the name of the game.”
Regarding how they will play against Dallas, it would be unrealistic to expect a goose egg on the board for the visiting team, but Chicago will have a much better game, holding them to under 24 points, enough for the offense to outlast. The main concern will be that cornerback Jaylon Johnson is out with a groin injury, leaving a team effort to maintain star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, which will happen.
Bears will secure the first win of the season against the Cowboys
After the blowout by the Lions of the Bears, the team will be as hungry as ever coming out into a game, with the final prediction being that the team gets their first win of the season on Sunday. It will not just be a victory against a quality team in the Cowboys, despite them trading away Micah Parsons before the season; it will also be a statement game for Chicago.
For the Bears, it is time to rewrite the narrative as their opportunity will come on Sunday.
