Three Takeaways from Bears win over Titans

David Banks - USA Today Sports

by Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Mon Aug 14 10:08:12 GMT-04:00 2023

Now that we have had time to sit back and relish in the win on Saturday, it is time to look back and dissect what went down. Yes, this is the preseason, and none of these wins or stats count for anything but don't tell that to the players. No matter the situation, every game matters to them, so you can bet they are trying their best to win every game, including the preseason.

What is expected to be an exhilarating season, even if the wins don't necessarily show it, the Bears gave the fans plenty to cheer about as they took their first preseason game from the Titans 23-17. Granted, Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry didn't play, but the Bear's first-string offense only played two series and scored two TDs on two plays.

Should that continue into the regular season, Chicago will be a force to deal with this season, as they have all the firepower in the world to put up points.

Here are three takeaways from the Bears first preseason game:

1. Speed kills

The one thing you can't teach a player in the NFL is speed, and the Bears offense has plenty of it. From DJ Moore to Justin Fields, Darnell Mooney, Velus Jones Jr, Chase Claypool, and more. This list goes on for this team, as they may have the fastest offense in the NFL, not named Kansas City.

With that comes the potential for large chunk plays, which the Bears showed off on Saturday. Fields threw for more than 120 yards and two scores in just three passes while completing all three of those passes. Both of his touchdowns totaled 116 yards, but 110 of those yards came on the ground as both his TD passes came off of a screen or check down. While those stats go to Fields, you must credit Moore and Khalil Herbert for doing the dirty work with their legs.

Those are the types of plays this team will have this season, given the speed their offense has. With the top rushing attack in the NFL, should the Bears add this element to their game consistently, you could be looking at something special offensively.

DJ Moore is gonna be fun in Chicago. #Bears

pic.twitter.com/PXpms0YCxY
— Danny Divito (@realdannydivito) August 13, 2023

2. Velus Jones Jr. continues to struggle

One of the bigger question marks this season falls on 2022 third-round pick Velus Jones Jr. Known for having a plus size and elite speed, Jones was less than appealing in his first season as he was used sparingly in the field. When he was on the field, he showed plenty of play-making ability, as the Bears have high hopes for him in their offense.

However, his biggest issue as a rookie was fumbling, especially when fielding punts. Jones Jr did a ton of work learning how to field punts in camp this summer, and it appeared to be paying off to the point where the Bears let him try to field punts on Saturday. However, things were rough for Jones as he again during the Bears preseason game and ended up losing the fumble.

If Jones wants to make this team or even see the field consistently, he must cut down on the fumbling. Given the talent in the WR room, Jones will have a tough time making this team unless he makes it as a special teamer returning kicks. He is the one guy on offense not named Fields or Claypool with the most pressure on them this preseason.

This is just lack of confidence for Velus Jones not catching the ball in the air here. He had PLENTY of time.

Should the Bears move on from Velus Jones at punt returner? #DaBears #Bears #ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/ZnzIUIxgFj
— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) August 14, 2023

3. Defense steps up

Say what you want about the preseason, but this is a crucial time for the Bears and their defense. After struggling to get to the QB a season ago and finishing with a league-worst 20 sacks, Ryan Poles made it a point to emphasize the pass rush and brought in plenty of help.

While the season is still a ways away, the Bears showed how much more improved their pass rush appears to be as they sacked the Titans eight times during their win on Saturday. Jalen Harris and Terrell Lewis led the way with 3.5 combined sacks, while Trevis Gipson, Noah Sewall, and Micah Bakersville had one sack.

The Bears must get after the QB more to reach the next level as a team. The addition of Yannick Ngakoue will undoubtedly help, but it will be up to Gipson and many young players to step up this season to show the entire league that last season was a fluke.