The Bears 33-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday marks their biggest preseason win since 1990, when they coincidentally defeated the Bills 35-7. While this doesn’t necessarily mean anything for the 2024 season, it’s an interesting nugget. However, the Bears do have the potential to make it a fun season, thanks in large part to the significant talent they’ve added to their roster over the past two years. With that in mind, here are the standout players from the Bears big win against the Bills.
Austin Booker, ED
If you read my column last week, you’ll know that Booker has now made this list twice. He stood out even more against the Bills, racking up 2.5 sacks, 5 tackles, and 3 QB hits. Here’s where Austin Booker ranks this preseason:
85.2 PFF pass rushing grade (5th best in NFL)
3 sacks (T-1st in NFL)
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6 total pressures (T-2nd in NFL)
Booker keeps improving, and it looks like Ryan Poles may have struck gold with another fifth-round pick.
Caleb Williams, QB
Adding Caleb Williams to the risers list might have seemed unnecessary at first, but when you think about it, his stock has truly soared. He thrived under pressure with everyone watching him on Saturday. The rookie delivered, displaying all the traits that have made people excited about his potential at the NFL level. It was an impressive start to his preseason, and now we can’t wait to see what he does next.
Williams in his preseason debut:
73.5 PFF grade
3.56 Time to throw
11.1% Big time throw rate (the % of attempts that are BTTs)
101.8 passer rating
Tory Taylor, P
On Saturday, it became even more clear why the Bears drafted Punter Tory Taylor in the 4th round. He can place the ball precisely where he wants and has complete control of the game. Taylor had two punts against the Bills, both landing inside the 10-yard line. He averaged 48 yards per punt with a 4.04-second hang time. One punt went out of bounds, while the other just had bad coverage. He’s an absolute weapon on the field. The defense will thrive with the favorable field position that Taylor should be able to consistently deliver.
Honorable Mentions
Ian Wheeler, HB
Teven Jenkins, LG
Micah Baskerville, MLB
Amen Ogbongbemiga, MLB
Quindell Johnson, SS
Zacch Pickens, DT
Khalid Kareem, DE
Doug Kramer, C
Good games to Ozamataz Buckshank and Beezer Twelve Washingbeard.
I especially liked the play of Quindell, Khalid, and Micah from last year too.