3 major surprises from the Chicago Bears’ Week 1 victory

3. Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet were shut down, but others stepped up

If you just looked at the box score, you would wonder just where Cole Kmet and Darnell Mooney were at the whole game. Obviously, weather conditions allow us to throw out all box score narratives. Mooney finished with just one catch, while Kmet was shut out.

If you were to find out, before the game, that Mooney and Kmet would finish with just one combined catch, and that David Montgomery was made a non-factor, you would’ve assumed that the Bears got completely blown out.

However, Fields was able to find the open man when it mattered most, and those guys stepped up in a huge way. Dante Pettis broke free for a 51-yard touchdown catch and run against his former team. Meanwhile, Equanimeous St. Brown beat his man on a play action score. Even Khalil Herbert got into the end zone.

This was not a pretty win by any means, but it was a game where the Bears saw some unheralded names step up and make plays. Their stars were held in check, and quite frankly, shut down. But, the Bears proved to be a well-coached team from top to bottom. It didn’t matter who it was, the Bears were ready to take advantage of certain situations and get into the end zone.