Studs and duds from Bears’ Thanksgiving victory over Lions
Thanksgiving week can be stressful for anyone, but for the Chicago Bears, it was a nightmare. Rumors regarding Matt Nagy’s job status swirled throughout Halas Hall and reports surfaced about players being unhappy with the Bears head coach. It was a tumultuous few days but just like Thanksgiving, all of the stress went away when the day finally arrived.
The Bears did get off to a sluggish start, but rebounded nicely behind the steady arm of Andy Dalton. The veteran quarterback got the start with Justin Fields recovering from a rib injury and kept the rig on the road. He did just enough to help lead the Bears to a 16-13 win over the still winless Detroit Lions.
This Thanksgiving matchup featured some outstanding performers, but also some that might be as underwhelming as canned cranberry sauce. Here are this week’s studs and duds.
STUD: QB Andy Dalton
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Dalton didn’t have a high bar to clear against the Lions, but he was sharp for the most part and did enough to get the win, particularly to end the game. The Bears backup went 24-of-39 for 317 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He was able to command the offense and keep plays alive just enough, taking just one sack over the course of the game.
While he was solid for much of the game, Dalton exceled on the final drive of the game. Dalton led the Bears on an 18-play drive that ate up 8:30 of game clock. He utilized Damiere Byrd and Cole Kmet particularly and smartly took care of the football to set up the game-winning kick. Dalton will likely return to the bench as Fields is expected to be able to play next Sunday, but he was effective and delivered in crunch time, albeit against a lowly team.
DUD: RB David Montgomery
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This game was supposed to be the big return for David Montgomery. Though he had been back from his injury for a few weeks, Montgomery hadn’t had the type of performance we had come to expect prior to him getting hurt. Going against one of the worst run defenses in the league, it was the perfect opportunity to match his early-season production.
Instead, the bruising running back was bottled up and didn’t receive many chances to contribute. Montgomery was held to 46 yards on 17 carries. The offense relied more on the passing attack, leaving little opportunities for the running game. It’s also worth noting Khalil Herbert saw four carries, more than he had the previous two games.
Montgomery is still a key piece to this offense, but the run game hasn’t looked quite the same over the last couple of weeks.
STUD: WR Darnell Mooney
AP Photo/Duane Burleson
Darnell Mooney was already on the rise as the team’s top wideout this season, but with Allen Robinson continuing to miss time due to a hamstring injury, he’s all but confirmed his status as the unquestioned WR1. Mooney notched his second straight 100-yard game and was one of the key players in moving the chains. He caught five passes for 123 yards, his longest going for 52 yards.
It doesn’t seem to matter who is throwing him the ball these days, Mooney is usually one of the top reads on every pass play. He’s finding the gaps in the defense and settling into open space, giving his quarterback a chance to make a play. With 692 receiving yards on the year, Mooney is closing in one his first 1,000-yard season and should continue to make big plays for the Bears over the final six games.
DUD: CB Artie Burns
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Prior to Thursday’s game, Artie Burns had not played a down on defense. After his performance against the Lions, it’s pretty clear why that was the case. Burns got the starting nod over Kindle Vildor, who was benched for poor performance. Burns didn’t do much better as he was beat by Josh Reynolds for a touchdown on Detroit’s opening drive.
He did have one pass defensed to go along with two tackles but it was a forgettable performance for the former first-round draft pick. It’s unclear as to whether he’ll continue to get more chances, but his audition couldn’t have gone much worse.
STUD: OLB Robert Quinn
AP Photo/Duane Burleson
Another game, another standout performance from Robert Quinn. All he does is making quarterbacking miserable for the opposing team. Quinn registered yet another sack, his third game in a row getting to the quarterback, notching 11 on the season. His sack also forced a fumble, recovered by the Bears for a turnover.
He totaled five tackles on the day, including one for a loss and had an additional QB hit. Outside of Roquan Smith, who left the game with an injury, Quinn is the most consistent player on defense. Even with Mack out, he’s playing a Pro Bowl level and deserves all the praise for his play this season.
STUD: TE Cole Kmet
AP Photo/Rick Osentoski
Last week, Cole Kmet was an afterthought in the passing game as a receiver. This week, he was a focal point that was vital to the Bears getting a win. Kmet caught eight passes for 65 yards during the win against the Lions and was the most targeted player for the Bears on the day. Two of those passes came on the final game-winning drive as he was vital to the Bears moving the ball towards the end of the game.
Both Kmet and Jimmy Graham had solid games at the tight end position, with Graham scoring the Bears only touchdown, but Kmet was heavily involved. Like Mooney, it doesn’t matter who is throwing the ball to Kmet because he’s going to be the team’s safety blanket to help move the chains.
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