Top 5 Bears players who can help the team keep winning at a high level coming out of the bye week
The Chicago Bears entered the bye week with a 4-2 record after winning three consecutive games going into the break.This is the first time in the Matt Eberflus Era where the Bears had a winning record going into the bye and so far have overperformed their early expectations.It was tough sledding out of the gate, […]
The Chicago Bears entered the bye week with a 4-2 record after winning three consecutive games going into the break.
This is the first time in the Matt Eberflus Era where the Bears had a winning record going into the bye and so far have overperformed their early expectations.
It was tough sledding out of the gate, but the team was able to find their momentum and footing against lesser opponents over the team's last three games. The upcoming road will get much tougher and these five players in particular will help the team keep winning at a high level coming out of the bye week.
1. WR Keenan Allen
The Bears veteran wide receiver finally stepped up in the team's most recent game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London last Sunday.
Keenan Allen not only scored his first touchdown since joining the Bears, but also his second on the following drive. The Bears offense really missed Allen's veteran presence and savviness over the first few games of the season while he dealt with a lingering heel injury.
Allen is clearly back and ready to be a major contributor for this offense which will be huge going forward. Already this season, six of Allen's 15 receptions have come on third or fourth down. That kind of reliability in a key situation is going to help the unit sustain more drives, and score more points, going forward.
2. RB D'Andre Swift
It's no coincidence that the sudden change in the Bears' offense in terms of success coincided with the impact that D'Andre Swift was having on the field. Over the last three games, Swift has totaled 404 total yards and three total touchdowns. In that span, 10 of Swift's touches went for 10+ yards.
Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has really seemed to find a way to properly utilize his top back, both on the ground and through the air. Roschon Johnson, who scored three touchdowns in Weeks 4-5 has been a great change of pace as well.
Now that Swift's got his confidence back going into the rest of the season, the unit can continue using him as the dynamic weapon back they envisioned when they signed him this offseason.
3. RT Darnell Wright
The Bears' second-year right tackle played his best game of the season before heading into the bye after having a rocky start to his sophomore season.
Over the first five weeks of the season, Darnell Wright allowed a team-high three sacks and 10 total pressures. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Wright allowed zero sacks and only three total pressures. PFF also gave Wright his highest run blocking grade of the season in Week 6.
Wright looked stout against some top edge rushers in the league during his rookie season and it was concerning to see him come out of the gate struggling in 2024. If he can build off his previous game and continue improving, it'll be tremendous for the offense and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
4. P Tory Taylor
The fourth-round rookie punter out of Iowa has been as advertised and nothing short of spectacular. It's not too far-fetched to say that Tory Taylor has made a major impact in multiple of the team's wins this season.
According to the Bears PR, Taylor’s punting average of 61.5 yards in Week 6 was the highest in franchise history in a game where a punter had multiple punts.
Through six weeks, Taylor ranks eighth in the league in net yards (1,095) and has landed 10 of his 26 punts inside the 20-yard line. His ability to flip the field after a three-and-out has bailed out the offense on multiple occasions and given the defense plenty of field to operate with in order to give the ball back to the offense. Taylor's been incredible this season and will only continue to get better.
5. DE Montez Sweat
While he hasn't been as productive on the stat sheet as he was last season, Bears star pass rusher Montez Sweat is still making a real impact for the rest of the defensive line.
Sweat's ability to draw chips and double teams every down is allowing other players on the Bears defensive line to still hit home in the backfield. Even drawing the heavy attention, Sweat's 18.5 win percentage still ranks seventh among defensive ends with 50+ pass rush snaps this season, per PFF.
Sweat's time is coming and he's already totaled 2.5 sacks and three QB hits over his last three games. Teams can't continue to give him the added pressure as long as the rest of the defensive line keeps stepping up. Sooner or later, the attention will shift and Sweat will remind everyone who he is on the stat sheet.
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