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Bears PFF grades: Best and worst performers from Week 1 win vs. Titans

The Chicago Bears (1-0) defeated the Tennessee Titans (0-1), 24-17, in an impressive second-half comeback win. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams ended a gruesome losing streak for No. 1 pick rookies starting in Week 1, although it wasn't because of his performance. Williams and the offense got a lot of help from the defense and special teams, which each accounted for one touchdown.

Pro Football Focus has handed out player grades for those who took a snap in Chicago’s win against Tennessee, and we broke them down by offense and defense, analyzing the three highest- and lowest-graded players on each side, as well as some other notable performers.

There were a few surprises — and then some not surprises — in terms of the highest- and lowest-graded players, both on offense and defense. Here’s a look:

Top 3 offense

  • RG Nate Davis - 73.7

  • RT Darnell Wright - 72.7

  • RB Velus Jones Jr. - 71.7

Surprisingly enough, two of the highest-graded offensive players were offensive linemen -- right guard Nate Davis and right tackle Darnell Wright. Davis rotated at right guard with Ryan Bates, so he only played 18 snaps compared to Bates' 38. Still, Davis allowed one hurry and one pressure when in the game in passing downs with a 75.9 grade. Meanwhile, Wright allowed zero sacks, zero pressures and zero hurries in 35 passing downs with an impressive 83.3 mark. Jones had just two carries for 11 yards, but it was still good enough to land in the top three. He earned a solid 68.5 rushing grade.

Bottom 3 offense

  • WR Rome Odunze - 46.3

  • QB Caleb Williams - 47.4

  • WR DeAndre Carter - 49.4

The two lowest-graded offensive players were Chicago's top-10 rookies: quarterback Caleb Williams and receiver Rome Odunze, which isn't exactly ideal. Odunze had just one catch for 11 yards, which was a pass that was tipped into the air and the ninth overall pick was able to come down with it to avoid a Tennessee interception. But he fumbled it right after, and it was recovered by Teven Jenkins. Williams' debut didn't go as many would've liked, but we knew there were going to be growing pains. He completed 14-of-29 passes for 93 yards with no touchdowns but also no turnovers. Williams had some missed throws but he also wasn't aided by the interior offensive line, which struggled against the Titans. Meanwhile, Carter, who thrived on special teams, had just one catch for six yards, although Williams missed him on his other target.

Top 3 defense

  • CB Jaylon Johnson - 92.3

  • DE Darrell Taylor - 78.6

  • DE DeMarcus Walker - 76.1

Last year's highest-graded NFL cornerback once again led all cornerbacks (through Sunday) with a 92.3 grade. Jaylon Johnson had an impressive outing and served a key role in the team's impressive second-half comeback. He totaled three tackles, including two tackles for loss, and two pass breakups. Johnson also had the game-sealing interception in the final minute. Meanwhile, the Darrell Taylor trade is already paying dividends after his monster debut against the Titans. Taylor totaled eight tackles, including two tackles for loss, two sacks and two QB hits on the afternoon, which included a strip-sack on Will Levis (the fumble was recovered by T.J. Edwards). Also, DeMarcus Walker had a quietly dominant day with four QB hits, including a near sack that forced Levis' errant throw that was intercepted by Tyrique Stevenson and returned for the game-winning score.

Sep 8, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Darrell Taylor (52) reacts against the Tennessee Titans during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images
Sep 8, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Darrell Taylor (52) reacts against the Tennessee Titans during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

Bottom 3 defense

  • DT Byron Cowart - 50.8

  • S Jaquan Brisker - 53.6

  • DE Montez Sweat - 54.5

Defensive tackle Byron Cowart was elevated from the practice squad in place of Zacch Pickens, who was declared out for the season opener. Cowart, who had just one tackle, was marked down in run defense (54.6) and pass rush (54.6). Safety Jaquan Brisker totaled 10 tackles, the second-most on the team behind Edwards, against the Titans. But he was marked down in tackling (48.9), coverage (54.3) and run defense (57.8). Defensive end Montez Sweat had just two tackles on the day, and he was marked down in pass rush (57.0). While Sweat had a quiet day in the boxscore, the extra attention on him allowed for Taylor to thrive in his two-sack effort.

Other notables

  • CB Tyrique Stevenson - 74.9

  • LB T.J. Edwards - 73.3

  • DT Andrew Billings - 68.9

  • C Coleman Shelton - 64.5

There were no shortage of standout performances on defense that contributed to the comeback win. Second-year cornerback Tyrique Stevenson had a huge game with four tackles, two pass breakups, and a pick-6 that he returned for the game-winning touchdown. He earned a 78.1 coverage grade. Linebacker T.J. Edwards led the NFL (through Sunday) with 15 total tackles, including two tackles for loss. He earned an impressive 91.5 coverage grade, but he struggled against the run with a 29.9 mark. Defensive tackle Andrew Billings was one of the unsung heroes on defense, where he had two tackles, including one tackle for loss, and two QB hits. He earned strong marks in pass rush (78.4) and tackling (68.4). As for center Coleman Shelton, who was dominated for most of the game, he still earned a respectable 64.5 grade. But that had more to do with his run blocking than pass protection. He allowed one sack, one hurry and two pressures for a lowly 55.1 pass blocking mark.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears PFF grades: Best and worst performers from Week 1 win vs. Titans