Justin Fields sums up Week 1 loss to Packers perfectly: 'It sucks'

The Packers were credited with 35 pressures, the second-highest number generated by any defense in the NFL in Week 1.

It's difficult for any quarterback to succeed with that much chaos around him, and for a player like Fields, who's still finding his way as an NFL passer, the results were a predictably mixed bag.

Fields finished the game completing 24 of 37 passes for 216 yards. He threw a beautiful touchdown pass to Darnell Mooney and an equally awful interception that Quay Walker returned for a touchdown. He ran for 59 yards.

One step forward, one step back.

It wasn't how anyone associated with the Bears wanted to begin the year.

“It sucks,” Fields said. “Rivalry, Week 1, going against the Packers, I mean it sucks. Nobody’s in good spirits. This one hurts, I’m not going to lie to you. It definitely sucks, but in the grand scheme of things, you’ve got to look at the bigger picture. We have 16 games to go in the regular season. We’ve got a lot of room to improve, a lot of room to grow. And I think that’s what we’re going to do as long as we keep that positive attitude, keep our mentality, keep pushing for greatness each and every day."

Get used to this messaging. Coach Matt Eberflus, like Fields, emphasized the 'only one game" theme. The Bears will return to the practice field and turn their attention to the Tampa Bay Buccanneers in Week 2, hoping to flip the page on what was one of the worst possible Week 1 outcomes.

“We’ll be fine, but it definitely hurts—not only because it’s the first game of the season and it’s a loss, but it’s a loss to [the Packers]," Fields said. 'I just want to say sorry to teammates, all the fans that were rooting for us. But we’ll bounce back, we’ll be good.”

Subscribe to The Bears Talk Podcast: Justin Fields had a rough start to the 2023 season. He was under constant duress because of a relentless Green Bay Packers pass rush that gave the Chicago Bears offensive line fits for four quarters.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Packers were credited with \x3Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/PFF_Brad/status/1701246787053363448?s=20\">35 pressures, \x3C/a>the second-highest number generated by any defense in the NFL in Week 1.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>It's difficult for any quarterback to succeed with that much chaos around him, and for a player like Fields, who's still finding his way as an NFL passer, the results were a predictably mixed bag.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Fields finished the game completing 24 of 37 passes for 216 yards. He threw a beautiful touchdown pass to Darnell Mooney and an equally awful interception that Quay Walker returned for a touchdown. He ran for 59 yards.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>One step forward, \x3Ca href=\"https://bearstalk.com/studs-and-duds-from-chicago-bears-week-1-loss-to-packers/\">one step back\x3C/a>.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>It wasn't how anyone associated with the Bears wanted to begin the year.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>“It sucks,” Fields said. “Rivalry, Week 1, going against the Packers, I mean it sucks. Nobody’s in good spirits. This one hurts, I’m not going to lie to you. It definitely sucks, but in the grand scheme of things, you’ve got to look at the bigger picture. We have 16 games to go in the regular season. We’ve got a lot of room to improve, a lot of room to grow. And I think that’s what we’re going to do as long as we keep that positive attitude, keep our mentality, keep pushing for greatness each and every day.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Get used to this messaging. Coach Matt Eberflus, like Fields, emphasized the 'only one game\" theme. The Bears will return to the practice field and turn their attention to the Tampa Bay Buccanneers in Week 2, hoping to flip the page on what was one of the worst possible Week 1 outcomes.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>“We’ll be fine, but it definitely hurts—not only because it’s the first game of the season and it’s a loss, but it’s a loss to [the Packers],\" Fields said. 'I just want to say sorry to teammates, all the fans that were rooting for us. But we’ll bounce back, we’ll be good.”\x3C/p>\x3Ch3>Subscribe to The Bears Talk Podcast: \x3Ca href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bears-talk-podcast/id1639453795?uo=4\">\x3Cstrong>APPLE \x3C/strong>\x3C/a> | \x3Ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/0EzkBoyoipNsCMD7V7rKyE\">\x3Cstrong>SPOTIFY\x3C/strong>\x3C/a> | \x3Ca href=\"https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL3Nob3cvNTYzNjk5Ni9lcGlzb2Rlcy9mZWVk\">\x3Cstrong>GOOGLE\x3C/strong>\x3C/a>\x3C/h3>\x3Cp>\x3Ciframe src=\"https://widget.spreaker.com/player?show_id=5636996&theme=dark&cover_image_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net%2Ft_website_show_cover%2Fimages.spreaker.com%2Foriginal%2F3387c0d2eb4cc1aa6dce768aa31894a1.jpg&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=left&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-logo=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"350px\" frameborder=\"0\">\x3C/iframe>\x3C/p>",excerpt:"Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields was on point with his message after his team's embarrassing loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.",featured_image_url:"/api/public/media/2025/07/Fields-Photo-by-Quinn-Harris-Getty-Images-original.jpg",photo_credit:null,status:"published",created_at:"2026-06-23T13:24:34.381588+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[14]=["2023 Season"],tags:$R[15]=["2023-season","chicago-bears","justin-fields","news"],meta_title:null,meta_description:null,og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:null,reading_time_minutes:null,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"public",is_featured:!1,linkedContent:"\x3Cp>Justin Fields had a rough start to the 2023 season. He was under constant duress because of a relentless Green Bay Packers pass rush that gave the Chicago Bears offensive line fits for four quarters.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Packers were credited with \x3Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/PFF_Brad/status/1701246787053363448?s=20\">35 pressures, \x3C/a>the second-highest number generated by any defense in the NFL in Week 1.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>It's difficult for any quarterback to succeed with that much chaos around him, and for a player like Fields, who's still finding his way as an NFL passer, the results were a predictably mixed bag.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Fields finished the game completing 24 of 37 passes for 216 yards. He threw a beautiful touchdown pass to Darnell Mooney and an equally awful interception that Quay Walker returned for a touchdown. He ran for 59 yards.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>One step forward, \x3Ca href=\"https://bearstalk.com/studs-and-duds-from-chicago-bears-week-1-loss-to-packers/\">one step back\x3C/a>.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>It wasn't how anyone associated with the Bears wanted to begin the year.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>“It sucks,” Fields said. “Rivalry, Week 1, going against the Packers, I mean it sucks. Nobody’s in good spirits. This one hurts, I’m not going to lie to you. It definitely sucks, but in the grand scheme of things, you’ve got to look at the bigger picture. We have 16 games to go in the regular season. We’ve got a lot of room to improve, a lot of room to grow. And I think that’s what we’re going to do as long as we keep that positive attitude, keep our mentality, keep pushing for greatness each and every day.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Get used to this messaging. Coach Matt Eberflus, like Fields, emphasized the 'only one game\" theme. The Bears will return to the practice field and turn their attention to the Tampa Bay Buccanneers in Week 2, hoping to flip the page on what was one of the worst possible Week 1 outcomes.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>“We’ll be fine, but it definitely hurts—not only because it’s the first game of the season and it’s a loss, but it’s a loss to [the Packers],\" Fields said. 'I just want to say sorry to teammates, all the fans that were rooting for us. But we’ll bounce back, we’ll be good.”\x3C/p>\x3Ch3>Subscribe to The Bears Talk Podcast: \x3Ca href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bears-talk-podcast/id1639453795?uo=4\">\x3Cstrong>APPLE \x3C/strong>\x3C/a> | \x3Ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/0EzkBoyoipNsCMD7V7rKyE\">\x3Cstrong>SPOTIFY\x3C/strong>\x3C/a> | \x3Ca href=\"https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL3Nob3cvNTYzNjk5Ni9lcGlzb2Rlcy9mZWVk\">\x3Cstrong>GOOGLE\x3C/strong>\x3C/a>\x3C/h3>\x3Cp>\x3Ciframe src=\"https://widget.spreaker.com/player?show_id=5636996&theme=dark&cover_image_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net%2Ft_website_show_cover%2Fimages.spreaker.com%2Foriginal%2F3387c0d2eb4cc1aa6dce768aa31894a1.jpg&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=left&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-logo=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"350px\" frameborder=\"0\">\x3C/iframe>\x3C/p>",related:$R[16]=[$R[17]={id:"6627e0c3-6962-48e0-bd90-01b3253bf9b9",wp_post_id:100000000225,title:"Caleb Williams takes encouraging step toward Bears return",slug:"caleb-williams-injury-update-bears-hamstring-progress",wp_link:null,url_date_path:"2026/10/08",published_at:"2026-10-08T17:57:47.387+00:00",updated_at:"2026-10-08T17:57:47.387+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears still don't have Caleb Williams back on the practice field, but the latest update on their franchise quarterback suggests he's making progress toward returning from his hamstring injury.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>According to The Athletic's Dan Wiederer, Williams has yet to practice since straining his right hamstring in Chicago's Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but his on-field rehab has reportedly taken an encouraging turn.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Wiederer reported Thursday that Williams has looked comfortable dropping back, planting his feet and throwing the football during his recovery work.\x3C/p>\x3Cblockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-tweet-url=\"https://x.com/danwiederer/status/2108199557918072928?s=20\" data-dnd=\"embed\">\x3Ca href=\"https://x.com/danwiederer/status/2108199557918072928?s=20\">https://x.com/danwiederer/status/2108199557918072928?s=20\x3C/a>\x3C/blockquote>\x3Cp>Still, there's a big difference between looking comfortable in rehab and getting clearance to return to full practice. The Bears haven't reached that point yet.\x3C/p>\x3Ch2>Bears' upcoming schedule could influence Caleb Williams' return\x3C/h2>\x3Cp>Chicago's schedule over the next three weeks adds another wrinkle to Williams' recovery timeline.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>As Wiederer noted, following Sunday's matchup with Green Bay, the Bears travel to Atlanta for a Week 6 game against the Falcons. They'll then have a short turnaround before hosting the New England Patriots on Thursday night.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>That compressed schedule could impact how aggressive Chicago is with Iceman's return.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>If Williams isn't ready for Atlanta, bringing him back just four days later against New England seems unlikely.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Bears would then have an extended break before their November 1 Monday night matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. That doesn't mean Chicago will hold Williams out until Seattle, but it gives the coaching staff more to consider as Williams works toward full clearance.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>For now, the most important takeaway is positive: Williams appears to be progressing in his recovery, even if his return to practice remains the next significant hurdle.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Bears have somehow won (and looked good in the process) without their starting quarterback. Getting him healthy for the remainder of the season remains a much bigger priority than rushing him back for any particular game.\x3C/p>",excerpt:"There's some encouraging news on Caleb Williams' hamstring recovery, but Chicago's upcoming schedule complicates his return.",featured_image_url:"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1790006627599-mvwd8g.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MDAwNjYyNzU5OS1tdndkOGcud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTAwMDY2MjgsImV4cCI6MjEwNTM2NjYyOH0.51o-DhjXST8rwjnCRI3_zyTIPT-8jDbGyil5b25RNK4",photo_credit:null,status:"published",created_at:"2026-10-08T17:51:18.998359+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[18]=["News"],tags:$R[19]=["bears","caleb williams","chicago bears","injury report"],meta_title:"Caleb Williams takes encouraging step toward Bears return",meta_description:"Caleb Williams remains sidelined by a hamstring injury, but a new report reveals encouraging progress as the Chicago Bears consider his return timeline.",og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:"Caleb Williams",reading_time_minutes:1,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"public",is_featured:!1},$R[20]={id:"f98848bf-cce0-4c59-963a-106af3f6fd29",wp_post_id:100000000224,title:"Should the Bears bring Khalil Mack back to Chicago?",slug:"should-bears-trade-for-khalil-mack-2026",wp_link:null,url_date_path:"2026/10/08",published_at:"2026-10-08T17:37:35.545+00:00",updated_at:"2026-10-08T17:37:35.545+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears are 3-1, their defense is playing some of its best football of the season, and suddenly one of the most recognizable defensive players in recent franchise history could be available before the NFL trade deadline.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Khalil Mack is 35 years old, still playing for the Los Angeles Chargers, and has three sacks through four games. The Chargers, meanwhile, are 0-4 and facing the possibility of a lost season before Halloween.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>That combination has made Mack a legitimate name to watch on the trade market over the next few weeks.\x3C/p>",excerpt:"Khalil Mack could become available before the NFL trade deadline. BearsTalk+ examines his production, contract, trade cost and potential fit in Chicago.",featured_image_url:"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1791480737720-p0bbrl.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MTQ4MDczNzcyMC1wMGJicmwud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTE0ODA3MzgsImV4cCI6MjEwNjg0MDczOH0.aJOj0WhkLGozTAoz5ZTZnJUPp9hzRXaD3ceGXEc1Rog",photo_credit:"Cooper Neill/GettyImages",status:"published",created_at:"2026-10-08T17:06:38.889539+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[21]=["News"],tags:$R[22]=["austin booker","bears news","bears roster","chicago bears","khalil mack"],meta_title:"Should the Chicago Bears trade for Chargers' Khalil Mack?",meta_description:"The Chicago Bears are 3-1, their defense is playing some of its best football of the season, and suddenly one of the most recognizable defensive players…",og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:"Khalil Mack",reading_time_minutes:9,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"premium",is_featured:!0},$R[23]={id:"7200b28d-9aa4-452b-9a09-9101a339c297",wp_post_id:100000000223,title:"Bears' Week 4 BTX grades reveal a surprising divide between young stars and veterans",slug:"bears-week-4-btx-grades-risers-fallers-2026",wp_link:null,url_date_path:"2026/10/08",published_at:"2026-10-08T15:58:11.891+00:00",updated_at:"2026-10-08T15:58:11.891+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears dominated the New York Jets in nearly every statistical category imaginable in Week 4. They totaled 492 yards, ran 89 offensive plays, produced 34 first downs, and controlled possession for more than 42 minutes.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Yet the final score was only 23-12.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>That disconnect is where this week's BTX Report gets interesting.\x3C/p>",excerpt:"Exclusive BearsTalk Analytics grades uncover the biggest risers, concerning veterans and overlooked performances from Chicago's win over the Jets.",featured_image_url:"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1791474631628-cr15h7.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MTQ3NDYzMTYyOC1jcjE1aDcud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTE0NzQ2MzMsImV4cCI6MjEwNjgzNDYzM30.yChP30DjwkthOdXhMlDVIIo_Ahy2xkY8Dcl7Nmtg4B4",photo_credit:"Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images ",status:"published",created_at:"2026-10-08T15:08:53.351513+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[24]=[],tags:$R[25]=["analytics","Austin Booker","Bears","BTX grades","Chicago Bears","D'Andre Swift","Kyle Monangai","Tyson Bagent"],meta_title:"Bears' Week 4 BTX grades reveal a surprising divide",meta_description:"Exclusive BearsTalk Analytics grades uncover the biggest risers, concerning veterans and overlooked performances from the Chicago Bears' win over the Jets.",og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:"Chicago Bears",reading_time_minutes:10,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"premium",is_featured:!1},$R[26]={id:"3787571b-9a70-42e0-ab5b-71922a5b8283",wp_post_id:100000000222,title:"5 Bears whose roles could change in a big way against the Packers",slug:"bears-role-changes-packers-week-5-2026",wp_link:null,url_date_path:"2026/10/07",published_at:"2026-10-07T17:14:03.129+00:00",updated_at:"2026-10-07T17:14:03.129+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3Cp>Packers Week isn't only about whether the Chicago Bears can win at Lambeau Field without Caleb Williams. Several personnel questions are emerging beneath Chicago's 3-1 start that could start producing longer-term answers Sunday.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>The Bears' dominant win over the Jets was part of this equation.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Kyle Monangai went from Chicago's clear RB2 to a 30-carry workhorse. D'Andre Swift went the opposite direction after a costly fumble. Colston Loveland suddenly became Tyson Bagent's most-targeted receiver. Theo Benedet played every offensive snap after Braxton Jones landed on injured reserve. And Kyler Gordon is finally eligible to return after missing the first four games.\x3C/p>",excerpt:"Five Bears face intriguing usage and personnel questions entering Green Bay, including Kyle Monangai, D'Andre Swift and Kyler Gordon.",featured_image_url:"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1791207946819-avuanm.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MTIwNzk0NjgxOS1hdnVhbm0ud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTEyMDc5NDcsImV4cCI6MjEwNjU2Nzk0N30.mHo0udR3RfiZTD8PvdH2mmGotOS3r6O0rDTQrlgy4nI",photo_credit:null,status:"published",created_at:"2026-10-07T16:07:08.2122+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[27]=["News"],tags:$R[28]=["BearsTalk+","Chicago Bears","Colston Loveland","D'Andre Swift","Green Bay Packers","Kyle Monangai","Kyler Gordon","Theo Benedet"],meta_title:"5 Bears whose roles could change against the Packers",meta_description:"Five Bears face intriguing usage and personnel questions entering Green Bay, including Kyle Monangai, D'Andre Swift, and Kyler Gordon.",og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:null,reading_time_minutes:6,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"premium",is_featured:!1},$R[29]={id:"24d679ef-0025-408a-b91d-0fd7758f9aba",wp_post_id:100000000221,title:"Stephen A. Smith puts Bears in elite company with bold NFL ranking",slug:"stephen-a-smith-bears-top-five-nfl-teams",wp_link:null,url_date_path:"2026/10/07",published_at:"2026-10-07T16:01:06.408+00:00",updated_at:"2026-10-07T16:01:06.408+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears are doing more than just smashing their opponents with one of the NFL's most impressive running games. They're also entering the national conversation as one of the league's best teams.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>ESPN's Stephen A. Smith ranked the Bears among his top five teams in the NFL after four weeks, putting Chicago alongside Kansas City, San Francisco, Minnesota and Jacksonville.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Smith revealed his five while discussing Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on \x3Ca target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https://x.com/FirstTake/status/2107502030197559795?s=20\">\x3Cem>First Take\x3C/em>\x3C/a>.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>After making the case for Kansas City, including Mahomes' championship résumé and the Chiefs' balanced offense, Smith turned to his league-wide hierarchy.\x3C/p>\x3Cblockquote>\x3Cp>\"But right now, Kansas City, San Francisco, Minnesota, Jacksonville and the Chicago Bears are the top five teams in the National Football League.\"\x3C/p>\x3C/blockquote>\x3Cp>Chicago improved to 3-1 with Sunday's 23-12 win over the New York Jets, its second consecutive victory since Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>And the Bears haven't just hung on while Iceman has been out. Chicago beat Philadelphia 27-7 with Case Keenum at quarterback before overwhelming the Jets statistically in Week 4. The Bears outgained New York 492-157, produced 34 first downs to the Jets' seven and possessed the ball for nearly 43 minutes.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Now Smith believes that body of work is enough to place Chicago among the NFL's five best teams.\x3C/p>\x3Cimg class=\"my-4 rounded\" src=\"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1791207909849-p64sil.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MTIwNzkwOTg0OS1wNjRzaWwud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTEyMDc5MTAsImV4cCI6MjEwNjU2NzkxMH0.mJEVbG7p0TBRuld3UoXW76-HRUESblDVJ7UYGsU4-7U\" alt=\"Ben Johnson \">\x3Ch2>NFC North takes center stage in Week 5\x3C/h2>\x3Cp>Minnesota, the only team to beat Chicago this season, is also in Smith's top five and leads the NFC North at 4-0. The Bears are next at 3-1, while neither the 2-2 Packers nor 2-2 Lions made Smith's group.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Sunday's trip to Lambeau Field will provide another measuring stick for the Chicago Bears, especially with Tyson Bagent starting in place of Williams.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>But four weeks into the season, the Bears have apparently done enough to change how they're being viewed nationally. They aren't being discussed merely as a playoff contender anymore. At least according to Stephen A. Smith, they're already one of the NFL's five best teams.\x3C/p>",excerpt:"Stephen A. Smith named the Chicago Bears one of the NFL's five best teams after their 3-1 start to the 2026 season.",featured_image_url:"https://jxsasjkteolpvwybngyp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/sign/cms-media/posts/1791388722619-ogsuka.webp?token=eyJraWQiOiI0ZmVjZWU3MC03MmJkLTQzZmUtYmJkZi04MGJiZDE2MmEwNTkiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJjbXMtbWVkaWEvcG9zdHMvMTc5MTM4ODcyMjYxOS1vZ3N1a2Eud2VicCIsInNjb3BlIjoiZG93bmxvYWQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTEzODg3MjMsImV4cCI6MjEwNjc0ODcyM30.B5SP4hZ2OhtVHiTAhuMxv1DijteXLNGyZN3oKXTyHqg",photo_credit:"Kirby Lee-Imagn Images",status:"published",created_at:"2026-10-07T15:54:31.540026+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_gravatar_hash:"ce9d5105163cfec1a527c0b2f50332df",author_avatar_url:"/api/public/media/authors/bryanjperez-2026.jpg",category_names:$R[30]=["News"],tags:$R[31]=["Caleb Williams","Chicago Bears","First Take","NFC North","NFL rankings","Stephen A. Smith"],meta_title:"Stephen A. Smith puts Bears among NFL's five best teams",meta_description:"ESPN's Stephen A. Smith ranked the 3-1 Chicago Bears among the five best teams in the NFL ahead of their Week 5 showdown with the Green Bay Packers.",og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:"Chicago Bears",reading_time_minutes:2,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,visibility:"public",is_featured:!1}],truncated:!1},ssr:!0}]})($R["tsr"])