NFL Grades: Report card for each team after first quarter of 2018

By Randy Gurzi | Oct 2, 2018

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 27: Running back Todd Gurley #30 and quarterback Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams enter the stadium through the tunnel area of their game against the Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 27, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

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CHICAGO, IL – SEPTEMBER 30: Khalil Mack #52 of the Chicago Bears runs off of the field after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-10 at Soldier Field on September 30, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Chicago Bears (3-1): A-

There probably weren’t many out there picking the Chicago Bears to start the season on top of the NFC North with a record of 3-1, yet here we are. The Bears have done great with new head coach Matt Nagy and are maybe one play away from being undefeated.

They started out the season with a game on Sunday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers. In that contest, Aaron Rodgers was hurt and the Bears built a big lead. Then A-Rod came back and made it a game, but Chicago could have put it away with one more touchdown.

On a fourth-and-short, they elected instead to kick a field goal and take a six-point lead. Clearly, that wasn’t enough and they fell 24-23. Since then, they’ve looked like a team trying to figure things out, but still finding ways to win. They escaped against Seattle and Arizona, before finally hitting it on all cylinders against Tampa Bay in Week 4.

Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky went off for six touchdown passes and the defense held the Bucs to just 10 points. They’re getting it done, but also proved they’re not content to be good. They want to contend for more.

That’s why they pulled the trigger on a trade for Oakland defensive end Khalil Mack, who already has five sacks and an interception in his first four games with the team.

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