(670 The Score) The Bears made it two in a row with a 20-9 win at the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, also earning their first road victory of the season in the process.
The Bears produced a three-phase performance that that showcased a budding identity, as they found success by running the football effectively, standing strong defensively and playing solid on special teams.
After struggling early in the season, the Bears have showcased significant process and improved to 3-2. Here are the grades from the Bears' victory.
Offense: B
After top running back David Montgomery suffered a knee sprain last Sunday that's expected to keep him out at least four weeks, there were questions about whether Bears could sustain a ground game without him. The answer was a resounding yes.
The Bears trusted veteran Damien Williams and rookie Khalil Herbert to carry the load offensively. Williams had 16 carries for 64 yards, while Herbert had the biggest workload of his young career with 18 rushes for 75 yards. The Bears had 143 rushing yards, which opened up opportunities for rookie quarterback Justin Fields in the passing game.
In his first game after being named the Bears' permanent starting quarterback, Fields went 12-of-20 for 111 yards and had his first career touchdown pass. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor deserves credit, as he helped create balance in the game plan in his second game calling plays this season.
Defense: A-
While it wasn't vintage dominance on the defensive side of the ball, the Bears simply had a stout effort all afternoon against a Raiders offense that entered the day ranked in the top 10 in scoring and yardage in the NFL.
The Bears held the Raiders to 259 total yards and kept quarterback Derek Carr in check. They stood strong in the first quarter in holding the Raiders to a field goal in a goal-to-go situation and limited Las Vegas to a 5-of-14 showing on third-down conversions.
The Bears' stars also stepped up. Edge rusher Khalil Mack, a former Raider, was dominant with eight tackles and a sack despite playing through injuries to his foot and ribs. Linebacker Roquan Smith had 10 tackles. And the play of the game came from reserve safety DeAndre Houston-Carson, whose third-quarter interception was one for the highlight reels.
Overall, the Bears' defense stood strong.
Special teams: B
It was a mostly clean game for the Bears' special teams units.
Punter Pat O'Donnell helped flipped the field with a 46.8-yard average on his five punts. Meanwhile, newcomer Jakeem Grant – acquired in a trade with the Dolphins earlier in the week – worked aggressively on his returns. That included a 21-yard punt return in the third quarter that was caught three yards into the end zone, but he also a misplayed kickoff return in the fourth quarter that set up the offense at its own 13-yard line.
Kicker Cairo Santos sealed the victory with two late fields goals and has now made 34 straight field-goal attempts.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
