The Chicago Bears just hung a mind-blowing 59 points on the Carolina Panthers, winning 59-37 in their season opener, and if you weren’t watching, you missed the absolute chaos that coach Ben Johnson promised. This wasn’t just a good game. This was Johnson’s blueprint for the “highest scoring offense in NFL history” playing out in real-time on Week 1.
The Caleb Williams Show Is Already Bonkers
Seriously, what Caleb Williams did out there was pure magic. The dude had two touchdown runs, including a 29-yarder that tied his career long. He wasn’t just scrambling, either, throwing for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Add another 65 yards on the ground for him, and you’re talking about a quarterback who just does everything. The team piled up an insane 291 rushing yards total. Kyle Monangai ripped off a 61-yard touchdown and hit 100 yards rushing, while D’Andre Swift also crushed it with 100 yards. Williams even threw TDs to guys like Cole Kmet and Jahdae Walker, who are far from their biggest names. This offense is so locked in, Johnson even went for it on his own 21-yard line in the first half! They didn’t get it, sure, but the offense just shrugged and made it not matter.
Defense? Optional When You’re Dropping 59!
Now, let’s keep it real: the Bears’ defense made things interesting, maybe too interesting for comfort. They started by giving up 31 points in the first 36 minutes, which is, uh, a lot. The game was actually tied 31-31 with nine minutes left in the third quarter! Bryce Young torched them for 361 passing yards and three touchdowns. But here’s the kicker: the Bears still won by more than 20 points. Last season they won the NFC North on turnover margin, which is tough to repeat. But the defense did enough when it counted, and honestly, if this offense is putting up 59, they don’t need the defense to be perfect. Expect a lot of these wild, high-scoring games from Chicago this season.
Lamar Jackson Reminds Everyone Who He Is
And hey, let’s not forget about Lamar Jackson. After being hurt in 2025, everyone seemed to forget this dude was First-Team All-Pro in 2023 and 2024. He kicked off the scoring for the Baltimore Ravens with a five-yard rushing touchdown against the Colts, and then it was a flood. Jackson threw for 321 yards and ran for 40 more. Derrick Henry looked fantastic with 144 rushing yards and three touchdowns. They dropped 31 points in the first half alone and beat the Colts 41-23. The big worry is Zay Flowers, who had 150 first-half receiving yards before leaving with a hamstring injury. Coach Jesse Minter’s defense looked solid, but Baltimore needs Jackson healthy and their receivers healthy if they want him to be the MVP candidate he clearly still is.
Week 1 just dropped some serious bombs. The Bears offense is an absolute roller coaster, and every game they play is going to be must-see TV. Baltimore’s got their superstar QB looking like his old self, but they’re already sweating those injury reports. This early season action is already living up to the hype, and we’re just getting started.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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