It’s rare that everything looks as cohesive and coherent for the Bears as it did Sunday, when they beat the Raiders 30-12 for their first win at Soldier Field in more than a year. They had lost 10 in a row at home by a combined deficit of 88 points before undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent came through in his starting debut.
Here are some observations from the victory:
Intriguing backup
The Bears are way overdue for having an interesting — and perhaps promising — backup quarterback in development. When Justin Fields got hurt last season, it meant Trevor Siemian or Nathan Peterman would play, and that’s pointless in the long run. At least Bagent has a chance to become an asset.
Still under the microscope
A win here and there isn’t enough to take the heat off coach Matt Eberflus, so every move he makes is highly scrutinized. What happened at the end of the first half? With three timeouts, Eberflus watched his team squander 27 seconds between plays in the final minute before sending in Peterman — cold on the bench — for a last-second heave. Eberflus ended the half with two unused timeouts.
Hidden gem
Offensive lineman Teven Jenkins is one of the Bears’ best success stories. Jenkins could’ve been squeezed right off the roster in training camp in 2022, but he and the team salvaged the situation, and he has been indispensable. Jenkins moved from tackle to right guard just before the opener last season, redirected all his focus to left guard this season, then effortlessly shifted back to right guard Sunday.
