By Townhall Chicago News Staff
The Chicago Bears defeated the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks 34-17 on Monday Night Football, powered by a dominant debut from newly acquired defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.
Simmons, traded from the Tennessee Titans last Thursday for two first-round picks and a fourth-round selection, finished with six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a pass deflection in his first game as a Bear.
“His impact was profound,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said after awarding Simmons the game ball, according to the team’s website.
The Bears improved to 6-2 with their third consecutive victory and fifth win in six games. The result marked a franchise first, as Chicago defeated the Super Bowl runner-up New England Patriots and the defending champions in consecutive games separated by 11 days.
Quarterback Caleb Williams threw for 247 yards while completing 70.6 percent of his passes against a Seattle defense that had been allowing just 144.4 passing yards per game. No previous opposing quarterback had surpassed 176 yards against the Seahawks this season, according to NFL.com.
Chicago set the tone early with a 17-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to open the game. It was the Bears’ longest opening drive since 2007 against the Packers, according to ESPN.
Running back D’Andre Swift scored three rushing touchdowns to boost his league-leading total to 10. He became the first Bears player with 10 rushing touchdowns in a season since Raymont Harris had 10 in 1997, according to ESPN.
Simmons made his presence felt from the start, recording a sack on Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold on the first play of Seattle’s second possession. When Simmons was on the field, the Seahawks averaged just 3.0 yards per play, according to the team’s website.
“I was in the building ’til almost 10 o’clock Thursday night just trying to get the game plan and catch up,” Simmons said, according to the Bears’ website. “Then when I ran out of the tunnel, I kept telling myself, ‘It’s just football. Go out there and be me. Play by play, just stay in the moment.'”
The Bears’ defense held Darnold to 17-of-34 passing for 188 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The unit recorded three sacks, and defensive end Austin Booker blocked a field goal attempt in the first minute of the fourth quarter.
Defensive lineman James Lynch intercepted Darnold, and the defense forced five punts and a turnover on downs to close out the game.
“I think he’s just — I don’t know — you can feel his presence,” linebacker T.J. Edwards said of Simmons, according to the Bears’ website. “I’m right behind him, so I can kind of just feel how they’re trying to block him. I feel like the defense was just flying today.”
Former Mississippi State teammate Montez Sweat also benefited from the attention Simmons drew, recording three quarterback hits and a sack.
“I definitely got my opportunities. I definitely got some 1-on-1s,” Sweat said, according to the team’s website. “I’m looking forward to doing that the rest of the year.”
The Seahawks dropped to 4-4 and are now tied with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West. Darnold completed less than 50 percent of his passes when Simmons was on the field, going a perfect 5-of-5 with a touchdown only when the defensive tackle was resting.
The Bears host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 7:20 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8.
