Grading the Bears vs. Washington
Quarterback: D+If we're simply grading how tough Justin Fields is we'd give him an A because he took a huge beating against Washington but never left the game. "I'm hurting pretty good," Fields said at the postgame podium. That's how you become a true leader. Fields, though, still has a long way to go before we'll see if he can be an effective quarterback. You want to cut him some slack because of the suspect offensive line and mediocre receiving corps. But he needs to improve his overall accuracy and also make better decisions on third down.
Running backs: B-David Montgomery (15-67) and Khalil Herbert (7-75) combined for 142 yards on the ground, but 64 came on one run by Herbert. For the most part, they're making the most of the holes that are there.
Wide receivers: D+Dante Pettis (4 catches, 84 yards) finally got back into the fold and hauled in a beautiful 40-yard TD in the third quarter. Darnell Mooney had a nice game as well, but his bobble on the goal line cost the Bears a chance for the win. Now, where are Equanimeous St. Brown and Cole Kmet?
Offensive line: D+We knew this would be a tough game as Washington featured three first-round draft picks on its D-line. Still, if the O-line gets a bit more push on Khalil Herbert's fourth-and-inches attempt in the first half, it's a touchdown. Execute there and odds are the Bears prevail.
Defensive line: CThe defense played well, but the D-line was almost invisible. Robert Quinn has 7 tackles and 1 sack in six games. This after setting a Bears record with 18.5 sacks last season. Where is he?
Linebackers: A-Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn were everywhere, combining for 21 tackles and helping hold Washington's offense to a mere 214 yards. Smith added a sack and a QB hit.
Secondary: A-An inspired effort by rookie Jaquan Brisker (sack, 5 tackles), Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon and Eddie Jackson. Only a couple of pass interference penalties in the second quarter marred a fantastic performance.
Special teams: FIt's time to go back to Dante Pettis for a while as the primary punt returner. Velus Jones Jr.'s fourth-quarter muff set Washington up at the 6-yard line, resulting in the game-winning touchdowns. It's his second costly muff in three weeks. The Bears also allowed 35 yards on 3 punt returns.
Coaching: D+Alan Williams called a brilliant game defensively and Luke Getsy had the offense humming at times. However, the staff's blind spot for Velus Jones Jr. as a punt returner must be questioned. To me, it's OK to ease him into the role, but when the game's on the line, you use a veteran who is going to secure the ball.