Studs and duds from Bears' collapse vs. Vikings in season finale
The Chicago Bears' 2021 season finally comes to an end on Sunday, and it couldn't have come sooner considering the madness that has happened at Halas Hall over the past month and a half.
The Bears took on the Minnesota Vikings in a game that meant nothing more than the fact that it was the final game for both head coaches.
However, it was Nagy who quickly had the upper hand as the Bears took a 14-3 lead at halftime. But things quickly deteriorated in the second half as Mike Zimmer's Vikings scored 28 points to win 31-17.
It was a sloppy game filled with terrible decision-making, security issues and second half collapse that will put to rest any doubts about the changes being made this week.
But in the midst of this calamity, few players have actually stood out to put on very solid performances. Here are the studs and duds for the last time this season.
Darnell Mooney was targeted early and often in his quest to eclipse the 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. The second-year receiver did just that, catching 12 passes for 126 yards, both career highs. Mooney had his fourth 100-yard game of the season and was the only consistent receiver for the Bears. It is a good boost for him to move into the off-season as he looks to take the next step in his career in the 2022 season.
Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Matt Nagy trained his last game with the Bears and went out just as you'd expect. He dropped Andy Dalton nearly 50 times, made several questionable fourth-down calls, and melted late in the game after controlling the first half. Nagy wasn't going to save his job, even though the Bears went on to win by 30 points, but it was just the cherry on top of a terrible season.
The season ended well for Angelo Blackson. The veteran defensive end recorded a sack in last week's win over the New York Giants and found himself wreaking havoc in the season finale. Blackson had one tackle, one for loss, one sack and two QB hits in the game. He has been shown to be a credible depth piece on the defensive line after signing a two-year deal last season. Depending on free agency and what happens in the NFL Draft, he should stick around for the next season to compete for the starting spot.
What a disappointing way to end Jaylon Johnson's season. For half a year, Johnson was consistently mentioned as one of the lockdown corners in the NFL. He had a solid season overall, but in the final week, he had one of his biggest blunders as a professional.
Johnson was credited with a total of two tackles, but his coverage skills were lacking on Sunday. On a deep delivery from Kirk Cousins' Justin Jefferson, Johnson fails to touch the receiver down after taking the catch. Before Eddie Jackson kicked Jefferson out of bounds, he began to walk away from the play. It was an unforgivable play for a smart player who would learn to move on. But regardless, it was disappointing to see such a huge mental error by Johnson.
Jakeem Grant has been great for the Bears, but it appears he has a solid option when the punt returner moves on. Rookie Daz Newsom once again activated from the practice squad and took over for Grant after moving to injured reserve. Though he didn't break any returns open to score, Newsom looked quick and nimble and got plenty of yards.
Newsom had four returns, averaging 11.8 yards per return during the game, with 17 yards long. He escaped from the tacklers and gave the Bears good field position, although they could not do much with it.
Grant is a free agent in the spring and may still return to the Bears, but Newsom should be in the mix for a spot next season. He has earned that.
I'll give Eddie Jackson credit for improving his tackling abilities throughout the season. He was heavily criticized for not keeping the ballcarriers under wraps, but he looked much better towards the end of the season. His coverage skills on the other hand? not great.
If Jackson wanted people to forget Johnson's earlier mistake, he succeeded. Jackson was striding for a stride with Jefferson off another deep ball from Cousins. But instead of playing for the ball, Jackson stopped at the goal line, allowing Jefferson to come down with an easy touchdown. It was like Jackson's controller died while he was playing Madden or something.
Although he followed that drive by tipping a pass and playing a stellar run defense, Jackson is considered a ballhawk. He has now gone two full seasons without a hitch. Had he tried for the ball to Jefferson in that game, he might have had one.
