Chicago Bears Week 1 Recap: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Episode 6

The Shawn Mackey Show: Chicago Sports Breakdown

Season two, episode six kicked off with a bit of chaos, but once the dust settled, I dove right into the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bears—two franchises that continue to test their fan base’s patience. Let’s start with the Cubs before jumping into what went wrong in the Bears’ Monday night meltdown.

The Cubs have had an up-and-down year. People keep saying this team is “built for October,” but that phrase doesn’t mean much if you can’t make it through April to September first. Daniel Palencia blew another save, went to the 15-day injured list, and honestly doesn’t look like a true closer yet. Kyle Tucker still hasn’t returned since early September. His lingering hand injury and refusal to hit the injured list back in June probably hurt the team long-term. His value has dropped significantly—from a projected $600 million player to maybe $400 million now. Meanwhile, the Cubs dropped two out of three to the Nationals and lost the opener to Atlanta. Shota is now 9-8, and the league seems to be figuring him out. The postseason is far from guaranteed.

Now, shifting gears to the Bears: it’s a new era under head coach Ben Johnson, but the same old problems keep showing up. Game one against the Minnesota Vikings looked promising early on. Caleb Williams came out hot, completing his first ten passes and leading a scoring drive. But many of those completions were short, easy check-downs. Once the Vikings adjusted their defense—dropping into Cover-2 and bringing their defensive backs up—everything fell apart. Suddenly, those easy throws disappeared, and Williams struggled to hit open receivers downfield. Overthrows, underthrows, and missed opportunities defined the second half.

It’s a concerning pattern that mirrors what we saw with Justin Fields—another highly-touted quarterback who couldn’t translate potential into consistent production. Bears fans are already making excuses for Williams, the same way they did for Fields, but the reality is that top draft picks are expected to adapt quickly and make plays. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, in his very first NFL game, threw a pick-six, settled down, and led his team to a comeback victory. That’s composure. That’s leadership. That’s what the Bears thought they were getting with Williams.

The numbers tell a story: Chicago racked up 12 penalties for 127 yards, including multiple false starts. Whether that’s a lack of discipline or a cadence issue between Williams and his offensive line, it’s unacceptable. Add in poor clock management at the end of the game—choosing not to kick the ball out of the end zone, costing precious seconds—and it’s easy to see how this team lost control.

Ben Johnson took accountability after the game, a refreshing change from past coaches. But as promising as his leadership seems, he’s limited by his personnel. Caleb Williams showed flashes but lacked composure under pressure. The Bears couldn’t establish a ground game, and the offensive line still looks shaky despite offseason upgrades.

On the bright side, linebacker Noah Sewell stepped up, and DeAndre Swift had a solid showing with 53 yards on 17 carries. Still, the Bears’ offense remains one-dimensional and predictable. Defensive penalties and soft-tissue injuries to key players like TJ Edwards and Jaylon Johnson only made things worse.

Looking ahead, the Bears face Detroit next week—a team that didn’t look great in their opener but has the pieces to exploit Chicago’s weaknesses. If Caleb Williams continues to struggle and Johnson sticks with him too long, this season could spiral quickly. Ben Johnson needs to show he’s not afraid to make bold decisions—even if that means sitting Williams down to regroup.

As for Ryan Poles, the general manager who staked his reputation on drafting Williams, the pressure is mounting. If this season mirrors last year’s collapse, questions about the front office’s decision-making will grow louder. The Bears have talent, but until leadership, discipline, and execution align, Chicago fans are in for another frustrating ride.

At the end of the day, I’ve played and coached this game long enough to know what winning football looks like. The Bears aren’t there yet—but there’s still time. Here’s hoping Ben Johnson proves he’s the right guy to lead this team out of the chaos and finally bring stability back to Chicago football.

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