Hub Arkush’s Week 8 film review: Bears-49ers tape provides as many questions as answers

The Bears won’t grade out here as poorly as they did in no-shows against the Browns and Buccaneers, but their 33-22 loss to the 49ers on Sunday was the first this year to a team they absolutely should have beat.

In fairness, the 49ers aren’t that bad when healthy – but they weren’t Sunday – and the Bears were forced to start without their best player, Khalil Mack, and their best offensive player in David Montgomery.

But the Bears had enough to win Sunday, and yet thanks to my partner Sean Hammond in his Bear Down, Nerd Up column we learned the defense had it’s worst day since Christmas Eve 2016, allowing 467 yards of total offense.

QUARTERBACK: Justin Fields played his best half of football as a Bear. He committed to using his legs, and he made his best throw of the season on the touchdown to Jesse James. Things started getting away from him in the second half, but as much as the commitment to developing him now has hindered the offense to date, that second half was as much the offense hindering him. Grade: B+

RUNNING BACKS: Khalil Herbert was great again in the first half, but the 49ers made some significant adjustments at halftime, limiting Herbert to just 10 carries for 6 yards in the second half. In spite of getting the start, Damien Williams was a nonfactor before a knee injury sent him to the locker room before halftime. Grade: B-

RECEIVERS and TIGHT ENDS: Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet and obviously James provided moments, but this group reached peak frustration vs. the Niners. It’s unclear where the blame lies.

The Bears have decided Mooney is their No. 1 and Allen Robinson is a decoy.

Most rookie QBs have a security blanket, and for Fields that is Mooney.

There is nothing on the tape to suggest Robinson has lost anything except rhythm. Going into Sunday, Robinson had been targeted 40 times, a little more than half his 70 targets through the first seven games last season. In that solid first half, Mooney saw five targets, Robinson one.

How often the plays are called that way and how often it’s the choices Fields is making is hard to pinpoint, but it’s clear Mooney is always Fields’ first choice. It’s hard to find him even looking at Robinson through most of this game.

Marquise Goodwin is never used to try and take the top off the defense, Robinson is actually being used as a decoy there, and why Damiere Byrd is here remains a mystery. Grade: C+

OFFENSIVE LINE: Not a good day. James Daniels, who has been the Bears best offensive lineman season-to-date, stalled the opening drive with a pair of penalties – although the sudden rash of illegal receiver downfield flags have to be shared by Fields. Cody Whitehair got another one in the second half – while another holding call (Alex Bars) and illegal block in the back (Whitehair) were declined – and the Niners’ front seven just beat them up in the second half. Grade: C-

FRONT SEVEN: Not having even a wounded Mack hurt, but other than Robert Quinn and Eddie Goldman, nobody really showed up. The pass rush was mostly nonexistent. Even Roquan Smith, who always shows up, was on his heels most of the afternoon and got badly blown out on a few run fits. Grade: D

SECONDARY: There were a few nice plays here and there from Jaylon Jonson and DeAndre Houston-Carson. Losing Eddie Jackson on the second play of the game obviously hurt, but 49ers receivers were able to make plays in space all afternoon. Kindle Vildor, who had been progressing very nicely, had a particularly tough day. Grade: D

SPECIAL TEAMS: Cairo Santos even missed an extra point, but his three field goals kept his record chase – Adam Vinatieri’s 44 consecutive field goals – in tact at 38. Punt coverage was again an issue, and while he only tried twice, Pat O’Donnell didn’t punt well.  Grade: B-

COACHING: With the boss home sick this is tough, and the group gets a full grade bump as the operation appeared to run seamlessly without him.

But both sides of the ball got clobbered by Niners halftime adjustments, the Bears previously formidable Run ‘D’ has disappeared over the last three weeks, and at this point, the passing game just doesn’t appear to have a scheme. Grade: B-