Chicago Bears: 3 players whose stock soared in win over Panthers

The Chicago Bears are still trying to hit their stride, but a 5-1 record is indicative of some big improvements.

These Chicago Bears have come a long way from what we witnessed in the first half against Detroit in Week 1. Sure, there have been road bumps along the way. But, this Bears team is mightily different after six weeks.

One can point to the leadership and coaching from Nick Foles to his peers as a big reason why the locker room believes. Foles has been nothing short of a leader offering experience and motivation. He’s proven he can handle having the weight on his shoulders, whether or not it appears as a Pro Bowl performance.

Foles is clearly the guy for this team right now.

But, the defense has stepped up immensely. From their performance against Tom Brady and the Bucs to what they did against Teddy Bridgewater most recently, this defense is coming together.

The pass rush is getting more and more dangerous as time goes on, and it’s frightening to think about this unit hitting their stride — because they’re not there yet. Four sacks on Bridgewater felt like twice as many on Sunday, but that’s because the Bears were in his face all day long.

The victory over Carolina showed that this team will again be carried by defense as a whole, and that’s OK. But, the offense should continue to improve as well if they can get the run game figured out. Speaking of which, that’s actually the first area of focus when it comes to stock on the rise. It’s David Montgomery leading the way for three particular players whose stock soared against Carolina.