Are the Chicago Bears Legit Contenders? A Deep Dive into the Bears Through 4 weeks
The Chicago Bears are officially .500 on the season after a dirty, hard-nosed game where they beat the Las Vegas Raiders off a blocked field goal 25-24. This whole team has been inconsistent, to say the least, but has stepped it up when it mattered. Their schedule after the bye is positive, with the banged-up Commanders, Saints, Ravens, Bengals, and Giants as their next five opponents.
Simply put, the Bears are going to live and die by Caleb Williams. He’s seemed to be a world beater at times, passing for 298 yards and four touchdowns against the Cowboys, while other times he’s struggling. But statistically, he’s on pace to break that 4,000-yard mark, averaging above 200 yards per game. More specifically, according to https://www.pff.com, he averages 215 yards per game and has a QB grade of 71.7. A significant issue I’ve noticed, especially in the past Raiders game, is the weakness of the offensive line. Although Williams' pressure rating decreased from 28.2% to 15.8% from 2024 to 2025, it still feels like he’s under pressure. I also attribute that to the growing pains of Williams adjusting to the Ben Johnson offense.
A star has emerged despite the quarterback play; Rome Odunze has been a monster as of late. His weakest game came in Week 4, where he had four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown. But he’s already got 296 yards and five touchdowns in 4 games, well on his way to a 1000-yard season. He’s Williams' favorite target and is targeted at least 7 times a game with a target share of 28.4%.
Regardless of the offense, the defense has balled out recently. They’ve improved their 3rd down conversions to 29.27%, landing them first in the NFL. The Detroit Lions' game, in which they scored 52 points, dampened the stats. Injuries have plagued them with cornerback Jaylon Johnson on IR, Grady Jarrett, TJ Edwards, and Kyler Gordon. So, it’s hard to put high expectations on this defense, but that Raiders game, with Kevin Byard grabbing those two interceptions and Tyrique Stevenson forcing a fumble in Week 3, is a notable exception.
To close off, it’s entirely possible and unpredictable if the Bears can squeeze into the playoffs. The NFC North is much more in the air than we thought at the beginning of the season. They should be well-rested and more prepared for their Week 5 matchup after their early bye week.