The Chicago Bears didn’t pick up a win on Monday night, but they looked like a team that was capable of earning one for three quarters. Caleb Williams took advantage of a fresh start under new head coach Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen’s defense had an impressive debut, stumping J.J. McCarthy for most of the evening.
Although the 27-24 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings put a damper on the things Chicago did right on Monday night, it still shows that several players took advantage of their opportunities. That includes defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon, who was promoted for the matchup against the Vikings and may have shown he deserves to stick around as Chicago travels to face the Detroit Lions in Week 2.
Bears DL Tanoh Kpassagnon Deserves a Bigger Role in Week 2
Kpassagnon was a menace after being elevated from the practice squad over the weekend and made life miserable for the Vikings' offensive line despite playing just 13 snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, the 31-year-old generated two pressures and a sack on his five pass-rushing snaps and also made a run stop in a solid overall performance.
While the nine-year veteran is likely to be in a reserve role, there’s no reason for the Bears not to work him in more as they prepare for the Lions. While McCarthy looked rattled early, the Bears pressured him on just 24% of his dropbacks Monday night, which was the third-lowest rate behind Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (22.2%) and Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (12.1%) in Week 1.
Chicago also didn’t get much from their interior defenders going up against Minnesota’s rebuilt offensive line. Kpassagnon’s 64.8 overall grade was the highest among the Bears’ defensive tackles but Grady Jarrett was the only other player above 60 (60.2) while Gervon Dexter Sr. managed a 57.0 grade, Chris Williams posted a 42.2 grade, and Andrew Billings posted a 34.3 grade.
The Bears rotate their defensive tackles often, and there should be plenty of chances for the interior defenders to take advantage of a Lions offensive line that struggled against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1. But Kpassagnon took advantage of his opportunity and could be looking at an even bigger one if he continues to play the way he did on Monday night.