All wins are sweet, but beating the defending Super Bowl champions on the road in a primetime game is much sweeter. That's what the Chicago Bears did when they took on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8.
Ben Johnson's team was more aggressive, better prepared, and wasn't intimidated by Mike Macdonald's hard-hitting and shape-shifting defense. They dominated the trenches, squeezed out the clock, and took care of business.
While the final score might be a bit more lopsided than most of the game, this was a statement and a well-deserved win by Caleb Williams and company. Considering that, let's talk about the winners and losers from this 34-17 masterclass.
Winners and losers from the Bears' huge win over the Seahawks
Winner: Jeffery Simmons
Sometimes, you just can tell when adding a player to a team changes everything, and that was crystal clear with Jeffery Simmons from the very first snap he played in Dennis Allen's defense. He might truly be the one to take this team to the top.
Simmons wreaked havoc and set up camp in the Seahawks' backfield, even though he was kept on a pitch count. He finished the game with six total tackles (three solo), one sack, and he gave this team the punch they needed in the trenches.
Loser: Jaylon Johnson
To say that Jaylon Johnson has been atrocious this season would probably be a massive understatement. It's reached a point where watching him be out for a play with an injury isn't much of a concern.
The former All-Pro cornerback missed tackles left and right, showed some terrible pursuit angles, and gave up two catches on three targets for 18 yards, including a two-point conversion. He's simply not good anymore.
Winner: D'Andre Swift
While D'Andre Swift wasn't particularly efficient in this one — he averaged just 2.4 yards per carry — he made some timely plays and often found a way to wiggle through the Seahawks' stout defensive front in goal-line situations.
The Bears are still missing their bruiser between the tackles, but Swift's final stat line wasn't bad at all, as he turned 25 totes into 61 yards and three rushing touchdowns. He also had two catches for 10 yards.
Loser: Roschon Johnson
Once again, Roschon Johnson proved that he's not much more than a practice squad guy. All everyone could see whenever he got a carry was his hilariously big guardian cap bouncing all over the place after running into a brick wall.
Johnson has failed to step up in Kyle Monangai's absence. He can't bully his way between the tackles like Monangai does, and he's running out of time to prove that he's even worth keeping on the roster at this point.
Winner: Caleb Williams
The naysayers might complain about Caleb Williams completing "just" 24 of 34 passes in this one, but that's just nitpicking. He was in control, poised, and made big throw after big throw when facing third-and-long to keep the offense on the field.
Williams has gotten so much better at doing the little things, not putting the ball in harm's way, and avoiding unnecessary risks. Leaving Lumen Field mostly unscathed — he was only sacked once — and without o turnovers is a massive win.
Winner: Kalif Raymond
Kalif Raymond went from early-season hero to afterthought in the past month or so, but he came up huge in this one. While his numbers weren't that impressive until the fourth quarter, both of his receptions went for first downs.
Then, the Bears caught a massive break when a delay-of-game penalty negated a Seahawks tackle for loss, and Raymond broke loose for a 39-yard scramble that set up the score that put the game out of reach. No wonder Coach Johnson loves him so much.
Winner: Ben Johnson
There has been a lot of talk about Ben Johnson's inability to beat good teams, so this one might feel personal to him. He went right into the lion's dent and took the defending Super Bowl champions' lunch money.
Johnson made a statement in this one, taking risks even when up in the scoreboard, and being aggressive from start to finish. This might be the statement win that will finally turn the doubters into believers.
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