Chicago Bears 'funk' against Ravens obvious with poor report card

A rushed QB sneak failed on the sequence as they were trying to conserve time while down two touchdowns.

“I don't like my call on the quarterback sneak," Johnson said. "I could have gotten to something better there. We have plays set up to go tempo down there, and I probably didn’t do a good enough job in that department.”

There was plenty of blame to go around, from players to coaches.

Here are the Bears' grades from a Week 8 loss to Baltimore and backup QB Tyler Huntley, who was actually Baltimore's third-string QB when the season began.

Running game: D

Occasional flashes, especially early, disappeared as the game went on and they couldn't move the Ravens off the ball in the red zone where it really counted. They really needed a few good runs when backed up in the fourth quarter and trailing by seven but got a false start, 2-yard run and an interception. Two times to the 3 or closer without a TD is an indictment of the running game but you have to wonder if that would have happened if they had their "short yardage" runner, Roschon Johnson, available instead of being injured. Their 4.2-yard average on the ground looks respectable but 22 yards came on one Williams scramble, a product of the passing game, and was during a failed two-minute drill before halftime. Without that run, they were at 74 yards for 22 carries, or 3.4 yards a carry. The Bears offensive line made the Ravens' struggling defensive line look formidable.

Passing game: D

Just like with their running attack, one meaningless big-chunk play made their yardage look far better than it was. DJ Moore's one-handed 42-yard catch on a drive that died on downs inside of two minutes with a 14-point deficit did say one thing even if it meant nothing. It said Williams needs to throw to Moore more often downfield because he's a player who is open even when it appears he isn't. Williams' pass blocking held up against a poor pass-rushing front, yet he seemed unsettled often in the pocket uncomfortable throwing. The key interception was entirely Williams' fault for throwing to a target not open or not yet open, and making an inaccurate throw when Johnson said another target was available. The target actually open was Kyle Monangai, and he had an easy first down if he caught it. The passing game did click early, especially to Rome Odunze, who had a personal high for catches (7) and had 114 yards—his fourth 100-yard game and all of them in losses. Williams threw too many times into the strength of the coverage.

Run defense: D

Holding Derrick Henry to 3.4 yards a carry and 71 total yards looks like a real success on the surface, but the "King" got the two runs he really needed with touchdowns. Wouldn't the Bears have loved to have those two plays on two goal-line possessions when they failed to score. Aside from Henry, giving up 6.6 yards a carry to Tyler Huntley and four runs for 43 yards to change-up back Keaton Mitchell proved a disaster. Huntley's running ability should have been anticipated based on his past performances in a backup role. Bears linebackers T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds combined for only 12 tackles and none for loss, which shows little impact. The 177 yards on the ground overall is too many regardless of anything else.

Pass defense: D

Normally a 186-yard passing game is outstanding NFL defense. When they give up 17 of 22 completions to a backup QB, though, and a 116.9 passer rating they have failed. The pass rush was sporadic but impactful at times with two sacks, including one early by Montez Sweat that seemed to set a tone. It didn't, though. Cornerback Nahshon Wright had to make nine tackles—it's never good when that happens for a player at his position. Cornerback Nick McCloud had no tackles, which is even worse. He allowed three key catches for 56 yards. Pro Football Focus gave Jaquan Brisker the blame for six catches allowed in seven attempts. The Bears' pass defense looked like it was focused entirely on stopping the run and there was good reason for this—they were.

Special teams: D+

A 58-yard field goal miss wasn't too big of a mark against special teams because they were forced to run on the field and try it with the clock ticking down, using the football that wasn't the "kicking" ball because there was no time to swap it out. Cairo Santos did make three other shorter field goals and Devin Duvernay had a Bears season-long kick return of 49 yards, but returner Josh Blackwell had a fumble the Bears kept and there were three huge special teams penalties. One, when two Bears lined up too far off the line of scrimmage, wiped out a punt to the 2-yard line. Another two put them into a hole to start a series.

Coaching: D

When a team is struggling in the red zone but moving the ball well otherwise, and penalties only play a minor role there—they actually overcame the only red zone presnap penalty to get first-and-goal at the 3—the main issues can be blocking, the QB or coaching. Johnson's play calling in the red zone needs to be much better because this has been a trend. Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower needs some blame for a player (actually two) lining up off the line of scrimmage on a punt to the 2-yard line. That 21-yard difference to where they should have had the ball and where it eventually went could have been huge in the game at that point. Dennis Allen's issue on defense was more one of manpower shortage after losing his top three cornerbacks, and then in the game losing two defensive linemen.

Overall: D

The Ravens need to be penalized by the league with a fine and lost draft pick for a false injury report saying Lamar Jackson had a full practice Friday. The Bears got a penalty of their own on Sunday with a defeat, as they made it look like Jackson actually was playing.