The Chicago Bears had another four takeaways on defense and the running game kept rolling during Sunday’s 26-14 win over the New Orleans Saints.
The rushing attack with D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai has come alive, and coach Ben Johnson thinks his offense has room to keep improving. Next up is the Baltimore Ravens, a team that is sputtering at 1-5 but could get two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson back from a hamstring injury this week.
Tribune Bears writers Sean Hammond and Phil Thompson tackle this week’s five pressing questions after the team’s fourth consecutive win.
1. After a 222-yard performance on the ground Sunday, the Bears rank seventh in the NFL in rushing (129.3 yards per game). True or false: The Bears will finish the season as a top-10 rushing attack?
Hammond: I’m going to say false. The Bears have a favorable stretch coming up against some bad run defenses. The Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants are among the worst in the NFL. But the back end of the schedule is a different story. The Bears will face the top-ranked Green Bay Packers run defense twice, plus stout defenses in the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns. I think things will get tougher in December and January, and they’ll finish just outside the top 10.
Week 7 photos: Chicago Bears beat New Orleans Saints 26-14
Thompson: Incredibly, they’re averaging more rushing yards than the Lions (128.7), but I don’t see that lasting. Other teams behind them have running quarterbacks — such as the Ravens and Giants — so they’ll challenge too. But Swift is finding his stride, Caleb Williams adds to the rush and Monangai is emerging, so I think the Bears will cling to a top-10 ranking.
2. Kevin Byard III sits atop the NFL leaderboard with four interceptions (prior to “Monday Night Football”). Is Byard heading for his third Pro Bowl season?
Hammond: The football just seems to be finding Byard right now. He has been able to play center field a little bit and take advantage of opportunities. Turnovers are really hard to predict, but I’m inclined to believe Byard will keep finding the football. If he does that and stays healthy, he’ll put himself in good position for postseason accolades.
Thompson: That’s a tough one. Last year’s interception leader was Lions safety Kerby Joseph (nine) and he wasn’t selected, so that’s no guarantee. The Bears ranked 16th in passing yards allowed (212.3 per game) before Monday night, so it’s not yet considered an imposing defense, despite the takeaways.
3. What’s more notable: That Caleb Williams has had several relatively quiet performances in a row? Or the fact the Bears are winning despite that?
Hammond: You would certainly like to see the passing attack perform a little bit better against the likes of the Las Vegas Raiders and the Saints. But it remains a process for the young quarterback, and if the Bears can figure things out without having to put it all on his shoulders, that’s a good thing. Winning heals all. I probably don’t need to remind Bears fans to enjoy it while the team is winning.
Thompson: The winning is more notable. I’ve heard enough coaches in different sports say essentially the same thing: Development is not a linear, upward trajectory. There will be setbacks. That’s not to excuse Williams, but it’s more impressive that the Bears have had balls go their way in various crucial situations. In the past, if the other shoe dropped, it usually was on them. In either case, they made their own “luck.”
4. The Bears opened as 6½-point underdogs in Baltimore. True or false: The 4-2 Bears are the underdog against the 1-5 Ravens (who might be getting Lamar Jackson back)?
Hammond: True. Jackson is a two-time MVP. If he’s back, the Ravens are the favorites, especially at home. The Ravens defense certainly has some issues to straighten out, but I have no problem with the Bears being considered an underdog here, regardless of the records. The Ravens have been to the playoffs six of the last seven years. I’m not counting them out until they’re mathematically eliminated.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is tripped up by Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes on Sept. 22, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Thompson: True, absolutely. A perennial playoff team like the Ravens, with their season arguably on the brink, is a very desperate and dangerous animal. Can the Bears run defense withstand an inspired Jackson (if he plays — because if he doesn’t, all bets are off) and a motivated Derrick Henry? This could be its biggest test yet.
5. The Bears have had at least three takeaways in four straight games. Over or under 2.5 takeaways for the Bears defense in Baltimore?
Hammond: Jackson has thrown five interceptions in his last 21 games. If he plays, the Bears will be facing a much different test than Spencer Rattler. I’ll say under. If Jackson doesn’t play, I would flip my pick to over.
Thompson: The Ravens have had 10 turnovers (tied for seventh-most) and are coming off a bye, so they may be rusty. But while Henry had a rash of fumbles early, which infuriated him, he seems to have put them behind him. Jackson fumbled in each game (and lost one) before being sidelined by a hamstring injury, but he has thrown only one pick. So under: two.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/21/chicago-bears-pressing-questions-running-game/