The Chicago Bears are 5-2 after a 30-24 primetime win over the New England Patriots at Soldier Field. That makes two straight victories and another 30+ point performance with quarterback Caleb Williams leading the offense.

Chicago delivered under the bright lights again, but the win wasn’t spotless. The Bears built their cushion in the first half before New England tightened up after the break, and several issues on defense showed up along the way.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Bears’ win over the Patriots.

Winner: Luther Burden III was feasting in the first-half

This was the Luther Burden game in the first-half. The Bears wide receiver had four catches on four targets for 130 yards and a touchdown all before halftime, and the Patriots had no answer for him.

Burden didn’t record another reception in the second half though, but his damage was already done. His first-half explosion opened the game up for Chicago and served as another reminder of how dangerous he can be with the ball in his hands.

That being said, I’m not fully sold on the idea of force-feeding Burden as the team’s No. 1 receiver. Rome Odunze bounced back from a difficult first half with some tough catches after the break, and that balance matters for this offense.

Winner: Tough, gritty, day for D’Andre Swift and the Bears needed it

Running back D’Andre Swift also deserves credit for this win. I said going into this game it needed to be the Swift game, and it was tough sledding.

Still, he churned out 78 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, plus four receptions on four targets. With Kyle Monangai potentially returning next week, this was the right time to lean on Swift. He also toughed through what looked like a knee issue early in the game.

That’s a workhorse mentality, and now Swift gets a long break to heal up before facing the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night.

Losers: Chicago’s blitz-heavy defense and Jaylon Johnson

The biggest concern coming out of this game is the defense. The Bears continue to live and die by the blitz, crowding seven or eight players near the line of scrimmage and disguising who is coming before dropping some of them into coverage.

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye struggled on the first couple of drives, but he eventually figured it out. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels found the soft spots underneath, hitting quick throws to tight ends whenever linebackers blitzed or tried to drop back.

The reason this is concerning is simple. Chicago blitzes because it can’t generate pressure rushing four, and the secondary still has issues when the extra rushers don’t get home. It’s a difficult balance. The Bears need either a cornerback or a defensive line addition right away because the current approach isn’t working.

Which brings us to cornerback Jaylon Johnson. It’s getting to the point where the Bears have to consider benching their highest-paid defensive back. Johnson looks slow in coverage and isn’t aggressive as a tackler. That showed up on the Dump Mary, the dump off to Rhamondre Stevenson. Johnson showed no effort on that tackle attempt. Right now, he’s just unplayable.

Unfortunately, rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad went down with a toe injury and didn’t return. With how poorly Johnson is playing, you have to wonder if cornerback is now a bigger need than defensive line.

Winner: Trust in Cairo Santos pays off

Kicker Cairo Santos was close to landing in the losers column after this game when his 53-yard attempt doinked in the fourth quarter. That kick could have made it a two-possession game after a strong drive that drained seven minutes off the clock. That’s a kick you have to make.

However, Santos came back on the following drive and drilled a career-long 58-yarder to put Chicago up two scores and ice the win. Fans have been rightfully frustrated with Santos at times, myself included, but the coaching staff deserves credit for sticking by him. Now we know he does in fact have the leg to hit from 55-plus.

Winner: D’Marco Jackson was a sleeper move by the Bears after re-signing him

Linebacker D’Marco Jackson was another winner. He co-led the team with six tackles and grabbed a key interception in coverage in the endzone. With T.J. Edwards out, Jackson has stepped in as a starter and played at a solid level. One thing to watch, however, is that Jackson left the locker room after the game with a boot on his right foot.

But, still, Jackson is a natural fit in Dennis Allen’s defense, and his re-signing looks like one of the best moves this team made this offseason. Devin Bush’s speed was also evident as a blitzer and in space, which helped keep this linebacker room deep.

Loser: Ozzy Trapilo isn’t ready yet

Back on offense, left tackle Ozzy Trapilo struggled. After a limited return to action last week, many wondered if he would start on a short week. Theo Benedet got the nod instead and played well, while Trapilo had a rough time when the Bears mixed him in. It might be a couple more weeks before he’s ready to start again on the blind side.

Loser: Cole Kmet injury looms large for this offense

The biggest loss of the night is tight end Cole Kmet, who left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury that looked significant. Kmet isn’t a stat padder, but he’s an integral veteran for this offense. If this is season-ending, it’s a major blow.

Colston Loveland would have to take on more blocking responsibilities, and rookie third-round pick Sam Roush would see his role increased, who has struggled with penalties and rookie mistakes. Stephen Carlson could be an option to bring up from the practice squad.

Winner: Caleb Williams keeps getting more and more dangerous

Quarterback Caleb Williams wasn’t as efficient as last week, completing 66.6 percent of his passes on Thursday. Still, he posted another 300-yard game with two touchdown passes. This was his second game since the hamstring injury, and on a short week, he still looked like the Caleb Williams of old.

He escaped pressure like a Houdini, picked up yardage with his legs, and delivered missile after missile over the middle of the field.

Williams is morphing into a dangerous quarterback in Ben Johnson’s offense now that he’s operating within structure. With him at quarterback (not against Brian Flores in a monsoon), the Bears are now averaging 40.0 points per game.