Bears stock watch: Who’s up, who’s down following Week 9 loss vs. Dolphins
The Chicago Bears were defeated by the Miami Dolphins, 35-32, on Sunday, where they dropped to 3-6 on the season.
Quarterback Justin Fields had a record-setting performance with 178 rushing yards, the most ever by a quarterback in the regular season. The offense has averaged 31.3 points over the last three games, and the arrow is certainly pointed up.
But there were some encouraging (and not-so-encouraging) outings coming out of this game.
Here’s a look at which Bears players are trending up or down following Sunday’s Week 9 loss against the Dolphins.
Stock Up: QB Justin Fields
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Justin Fields continues to ascend in his second season, where he’s coming off his breakout game. Fields set an NFL record with 178 rushing yards, the most ever by a quarterback in the regular season. He broke the record previously set by Michael Vick. Fields accounted for 301 yards and four touchdowns in the loss, and the Dolphins had no answer for him. The arrow has been pointed up for weeks, and that should only continue heading into the final eight games.
Stock Down: WR Velus Jones Jr.
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It’s not looking good for rookie Velus Jones Jr., who was a healthy scratch in last Sunday’s game. Jones, a third-round pick, has struggled to find a place on this team. He’s had his share of mistakes on special teams, including a couple of muffed punts, and he hasn’t really been utilized on offense but a handful of times. We’ll see how things progress for the rookie over these final eight games.
Stock Up: TE Cole Kmet
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Cole Kmet is showing us exactly what he can do in this passing game, as evidenced by his involvement in the last two games. Kmet caught five passes for 41 yards and two touchdowns. He also had two carries for nine yards. Kmet now has three touchdowns in the last two games, which is the most for a tight end. Luke Getsy has carved out a nice role for Kmet, whether it’s as a blocker in the run game or a pass catcher.
Stock Down: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
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The Bears’ receivers haven’t been especially reliable this season, which has included a number of drops. Equanimeous St. Brown had the most egregious in Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins. With the Bears facing fourth-and-10 with the game on the line, he dropped a perfectly placed ball from Justin Fields. It’s plays like those that won’t help St. Brown compete for a roster spot next season. St. Brown had zero catches on two targets against Miami.
Stock Up: WR Chase Claypool
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Chase Claypool was only with the Bears for five days before making his debut in Sunday’s game against the Dolphins. Still, he played 26 of 74 snaps, where he caught two passes for 13 yards and had one rush for four yards. It wasn’t much, but it was impressive given how Luke Getsy has already worked him into the offense. Claypool’s usage should only continue to grow as he builds chemistry with Justin Fields.
Stock Down: Bears defense
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While the arrow is pointing up on offense, it’s pointing down on defense. The Bears defense has allowed an average 38.5 points over the last two games, which was coincided with the departures of Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn via trade. Chicago had no answer for Miami’s passing game through the first three quarters, where Tua Tagovailoa had another impressive game and Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combined for 228 yards and two touchdowns. The good news? There’s nowhere to go but up.
Stock Up: OC Luke Getsy
AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski
Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has found his groove calling this offense, which has averaged 31.3 points over the last three games. Ever since the mini-bye week, Getsy has adapted this offense to fit Justin Fields’ strengths, and it’s unlocked something special. In his first year as a play caller in the NFL, Getsy continues to show impressive progress.
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