Bears suffer massive fall in The Athletic's Week 3 NFL power rankings

The Bears fell eight spots to No. 12.

That's one of the more dramatic shifts you'll see in a power ranking, but it's understandable given how different the Bears looked from one Sunday to the next.

Chicago scored eight offensive touchdowns and piled up 552 yards in its 59-37 Week 1 victory over Carolina. One week later, the Bears didn't score a touchdown and squandered multiple opportunities deep in Minnesota territory. Johnson pointed specifically to three second-half possessions that reached the Vikings' 1-, 5-, and 12-yard lines without producing a single point.

The Bears are 1-1 as a result, and the uncertainty surrounding Caleb Williams only makes their Week 3 outlook more complicated.

(Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

The Athletic spotlights Dillon Thieneman

There was at least one significant positive in The Athletic's Bears write-up: rookie safety Dillon Thieneman.

The Athletic selected Thieneman as Chicago's "Rookie spotlight" after another productive performance against Minnesota.

"The first-round safety has been all over the field through two weeks."

He really has.

Thieneman followed an impressive NFL debut against Carolina with seven total tackles and a pass breakup against Minnesota. Through his first two NFL games, the 2026 first-round pick has already accumulated 17 total tackles and two passes defensed.

His Week 1 performance was good enough to earn him a game ball from Johnson after Thieneman recorded 10 tackles and helped create a turnover by securing the tackle while Jaylon Johnson punched the football loose.

So while Chicago's ranking took a substantial hit, its first-round rookie continues to look like one of the early bright spots of the season.

Bears' Caleb Williams uncertainty hangs over Week 3

The Athletic also pointed directly at the biggest question hanging over Chicago entering Week 3: Williams' health.

Williams left Sunday's loss midway through the fourth quarter after suffering a hamstring injury on a scramble near the Minnesota goal line. The non-contact injury initially created a frightening scene as Williams needed help getting to the sideline before being carted to the locker room.

The good news came Monday when testing confirmed Williams avoided a major hamstring injury. The Bears haven't ruled him out for Monday night's matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

That uncertainty makes the Bears particularly difficult to evaluate right now. The first two weeks have produced almost polar-opposite versions of Johnson's offense. Chicago opened the season with one of the most explosive offensive performances in franchise history, including 291 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns against Carolina.

Against Minnesota, the Bears couldn't find the end zone.

Now they're preparing for a Philadelphia team that improved to 2-0 with a 24-20 victory over Tennessee on Sunday.

Whether Williams is behind center would obviously change the outlook of this game.

For now, The Athletic isn't ready to completely abandon what it saw from Chicago in Week 1. The Bears remain No. 12 despite Sunday's loss. But falling eight spots in seven days is a reminder of just how quickly perceptions can change in the NFL.