We have made it. NFL fans, Week One is here. Fans from all over the world have been waiting for this glorious Sunday. One of the first games on the docket at the 1 o’clock EST time slate was the Chicago Bears taking on the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. If you enjoy high-scoring games, then this was the game for you.
This game broke the record for a combined total in a Week One NFL game. The over/under prediction for this game was set at 47.5. The combined total for this game ended at 96 points. The Bears took the victory, winning 59-37. All the offense that you could possibly ask for in 60 minutes of game time. I will be giving a synopsis of the game and breaking down both teams’ performances in this unbelievable matchup.
Game Synopsis
This game started out with a dream scenario for the Panthers. The Bears started with the ball. Luther Burden III fumbled after a reception, and the Panthers punctuated with a Chuba Hubbard score. The Bears answered by marching down the field, and Caleb Williams ran it in himself to start the Bears’ scoring. Bears led by as much as 14 points, but the Panthers clawed back to go into half 24-24. The teams traded touchdowns, and then the bottom fell out from under the Panthers. Bears go up 52-31. After a couple more touchdowns each, that was all she wrote. 59-37 Bears victory on a historic night.
Carolina Panthers Analysis
Although the Panthers lost this game, the offense was not the issue. They played one of the best offensive games in the Bryce Young era in this game. Bryce Young threw for 361 yards, three passing TDs, only one INT, and he also ran one in himself. Young looked calm, poised, and in control out on the field. This is something that Panthers fans have been dying to see since they drafted him in the 2023 Draft. The combination of Chuba Hubbard and the newly healthy Jonathon Brooks was firing on all cylinders.
Photo Cred: CBS
The offensive line looked steady, even while being down a couple men, and Jalen Coker has arrived. It is safe to say that the offense was clearly not the problem here. The problem lies in the defense, run defense to be more specific. Aside from Derrick Brown, as well as a few glimpses in the short run game, the Bears were running everywhere that they wanted. If this can get cleaned up, the Panthers’ defense might be a more menacing unit. New acquisitions in Jaelan Phillips, Devin Lloyd, and Bobby Okereke all had decent games, but they simply were no match for the offense of the Chicago Bears.
Chicago Bears Analysis
Ben Johnson has this offense humming. The Bears break their own franchise record for points scored in a season opener with 59 points. The main catalyst for this point extravaganza is due to this explosive run game. D’Andre Swift, coming off a fresh new contract extension, had a career day. Swift ran for 124 yards on 18 carries for three TDs. Kyle Monangai, 7th-round pick out of Rutgers last year, continues his success as a rookie with 100 yards and a touchdown of his own.
Photo Cred: CBS Sports
The blocking was unbelievable. The scheme by Ben Johnson and the execution of the offensive line, headlined by Joe Thuney, was practically flawless. Caleb Williams also had a great game. Williams threw for 269 yards, two TDs, zero picks, and ran in two TDs on his own as well. Caleb Williams’ biggest criticism last year was the awful completion percentage. He came out in this game and threw 72% (21/29).
The defense, on the other hand, was hard to watch at times. Montez Sweat got an early-game sack off of the edge, and first-round rookie safety out of Oregon, Dillon Theineman, led the team in tackles. Other than those two performances and a pick just before halftime by rookie Malik Muhammed, this defense looked slow in the secondary. They were also struggling in the trenches against the run. I guess if you can score almost 60, this scrutiny is ancillary. But when they play an elite defense like their matchup next week in the Minnesota Vikings, ran by DC Ryan Flores, we will see how sustainable that is.
