Ranking Chicago Bears' Best Individual Performances Through 11 Weeks
As expected, the 2017 season has provided some special moments for Chicago Bears fans.
Followers had to know this was coming after the team drafted quarterback Mitchell Trubisky in the first round. It seemed a matter of time before he got on the field and helped the team, which turned out to be true.
Trubisky is far from the only player who has helped create some of the season's best highlights. A strong running game, a defensive juggernaut, an unexpected debut and a monster defensive effort also make the list of performances fans will remember for a long time.
Through Week 11, these are the top Bears performances of the season.
7. Jordan Howard: 36 Carries, 167 Yards
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Rest assured this isn't the only time Bears fans will see Jordan Howard make the list.
After a breakout rookie campaign a year ago, Howard has been hot for most of the season once again.
This particular line of 36 carries for 167 yards and a 4.6 yards-per-carry average, came on the road against the Baltimore Ravens in what turned out to be a 27-24 overtime victory. Considering running mate Tarik Cohen only averaged 2.3 yards per carry on his 14 attempts and Trubisky attempted all of 16 passes, Howard put the team on his back.
Also keep in mind this Week 6 performance came against what was supposed to be a stingy Baltimore defense and helped the Bears shake off a 1-4 start, making it one of the top performances of the year.
6. Dontrelle Inman: 6 Catches, 88 Yards
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Talk about a strong debut.
With countless injuries and certain free-agent acquisitions not working out, general manager Ryan Pace and the front office had seen enough.
Knowing the key to success for a rookie quarterback is in large part his surroundings, the team traded for Dontrelle Inman at the deadline.
In his debut, a Week 10, 23-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Inman exploded on to the scene by leading the Bears in receiving, catching six of his eight targets (tied for a team high) for 88 yards.
That doesn't sound like much, but Inman's strong showing opened up the offense and gave the Bears a piece to build around this season and beyond. It's the type of under-the-radar acquisition average teams hit on before becoming great.
5. Akiem Hicks: 2 Sacks, 3 TFL
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Remember the hint about a defensive juggernaut?
Bears fans know that can only apply to Akiem Hicks, though Leonard Floyd might be headed for a similar classification sooner rather than later.
It was Hicks, though, whose disruptive presence shined in a Week 5, 20-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Now the owner of seven sacks and two multi-sack games, Hicks is one of the league's most underrated players. His strong performance in Week 5 kept things close against a Vikings team that has surprised on the way to a 7-2 record.
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4. Mitchell Trubisky: 113 Passing Yards, 1 TD
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As mentioned, the Bears haven't exactly been putting up monster offensive numbers this year. Injuries across the offensive line, a miserable wideout depth chart and breaking in a rookie after Mike Glennon will do that for a unit.
Still, Trubisky's first win as a starter was one of the most important points of the season and something Bears fans won't forget.
The win against the Ravens was, as expected, a defensive-minded affair. Trubisky only completed half of his 16 attempts for 113 yards, but he slung a 27-yard touchdown to Dion Sims in the third quarter to extend a lead and also rushed four times for 32 yards.
Flashing big-play ability on the ground and through the air, Trubisky showed fans a few things, ranging from the fact the rest of this season won't be boring to highlighting he's developing at a fine pace given the circumstances.
3. Tarik Cohen: 5 Carries, 66 Yards, Eight Catches, 47 Yards, TD
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There are few things better for a team than watching a gamble of a draft pick pay off in a big way.
The Bears watched this unfold in Week 1 thanks to a monster showing from Tarik Cohen, a fourth-round rookie out of North Carolina A&T.
Viewed by some as too small (5'8", 161 pounds) and raw, Cohen silenced doubters with five carries for 66 yards (13.2 average) and eight catches for 47 yards and a score—leading the team in both rushing and receiving.
Cohen's huge day helped the Bears surprise many by keeping close to the Atlanta Falcons in a 23-17 loss. And while the matchup was great given Atlanta's historical struggles against pass-catching backs, Cohen provided a jolt to the offense and fanbase.
2. Eddie Jackson: 2 Defensive TDs
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Speaking of breakout rookie performances, safety Eddie Jackson had his in Week 7, an eventual 17-3 win against the Carolina Panthers.
Jackson's performance vindicated those who slapped keywords like "instinctual" and "playmaker" on his stock during the draft process. He returned a fumble 75 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and then turned around in the second to take an interception back 76 yards to put the Bears up 14-0.
"I see it every day in practice," linebacker Pernell McPhee said after the game, according to the Associated Press (via USA Today). "He is going to be special. That's a special kid. Our whole secondary is special."
Despite one of the toughest positional transitions to the NFL, Jackson looks like a surefire starter for years with plenty of room to grow, something he announced to the world with his two-touchdown performance.
1. Jordan Howard: 23 Carries, 140 Yards, 2 Touchdowns
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Bears fans knew this was coming.
Howard, battling a shoulder injury that had kept him to limited production over the first two games of the season, fought through it in Week 3 to take down the Pittsburgh Steelers 23-17 in overtime.
Howard didn't just rush for 140 yards and two touchdowns on a 6.1 per-carry average—he rushed for the game-winning score in overtime, breaking off the touchdown run from 19 yards out.
"You always dream about stuff like that, but it never happens, so it was real crazy," Howard said, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "Definitely, it was a very wacky game, but through everything that happened, we found a way to win."
With Howard, the best part about this is fans know he's capable of similar, if not better moments. For now, an unexpected overtime upset of a contender at home by the Bears offense's best player battling through an injury takes the top spot.
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