It was a rough Monday for Bears fans this week.
First, they find out the team plans to move forward with building the new (domed!) stadium outside the city. Then there was the Monday Night Football collapse, with the Bears blowing a double-digit lead in the second half to the Vikings, 27–24.
Those Bears seem to always be under the spotlight, and it’s usually not for good reasons. But at least there was some good that occurred in Ben Johnson’s debut as the head coach—yes, even with his late-game coaching blunders.
As for a team that went under the radar in Week 1, the Raiders could soon be on the rise after their impressive victory against the Patriots.
Let’s take a look at the Raiders, Bears, 49ers and the NFC South race in this week’s NFL Fact or Fiction.
Raiders will finish top 10 in points scored per game
Manzano’s view: Fact
The Raiders’ offensive numbers in Week 1 didn’t exactly pop off the stat sheet, with 20 points and 389 total yards. But it was easy to see how much of a difference it made for the Silver & Black to have a quality quarterback in Geno Smith and an experienced coach in Pete Carroll.
Las Vegas fighting until the end and pulling out a hard-fought win in New England isn’t too surprising because generating confidence and execution is what Carroll does best. Getting the offense to be among the best in the league will take time, and that falls more on the shoulders of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Still, the signs were there that soon these Raiders will soon be scoring at a rapid pace. Don’t be surprised if the Raiders average more than 25 points per game to end the season and crack the top 10 in that category.
Smith efficiently moved the ball against the Patriots, connecting with seven different pass catchers, including tight end Brock Bowers (five catches, 103 yards), who fits the mold of a No. 1 wide receiver. Jakobi Meyers is more of a No. 2 wideout, but he was right to ask for a pay raise because of his versatility as a consistent playmaker and blocker after eight receptions for 97 yards.
Once Smith sets the tone with Bowers and Meyers, he will be able to take downfield shots to speedy youngsters Tre Tucker and Dont’e Thornton Jr. There’s also second-round rookie receiver Jack Bech and talented No. 2 tight end Michael Mayer.
It didn’t make sense for the Raiders to sign Amari Cooper, who probably did the team a favor by retiring. These Raiders suddenly have youth, talent and depth at the skill positions. Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, who had a quiet debut with 38 rushing yards and one touchdown.
This Raiders’ offense will be a problem once the new pieces establish a rhythm in the coming weeks.
49ers are doomed with Brock Purdy, George Kittle sidelined
Manzano’s view: Fiction
The 49ers had a costly Week 1 win against the Seahawks with Kittle and Purdy sustaining injuries. They should be O.K. because early reports indicate that both star players avoided season-ending injuries.
It seems there’s a chance that Purdy plays on Sunday against the Saints despite the shoulder and toe injuries. But Kittle will be out at least the next four games after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. If Purdy misses the Week 2 matchup, maybe backup Mac Jones can hold down the fort against the Saints to vault San Francisco to a 2–0 record.
Even if Purdy is available and comes back sooner than expected, the 49ers’ offense will take a hit without Kittle. Still, it was impressive how much chemistry Purdy had with second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. Also, Christian McCaffrey didn’t show any signs of decline in the season opener. There’s enough depth for the 49ers to withstand this injury wave and keep pace in the competitive NFC West.
Buccaneers will run away with the NFC South
Manzano’s view: Fiction
I’ll say this for a potential Week 1 overreaction: The Saints and Panthers won’t be competing for the NFC South title. The division will be a two-team race between the Buccaneers and Falcons.
It pained me a bit to write that because I’m the fool who thought this was the year the Panthers would go from a rebuilding team to a fringe playoff squad. Carolina went backward in an ugly loss to Jacksonville. Even the Saints, whom many believe will end up with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, looked better than the Panthers during their loss against the Cardinals.
Anyway, back to the true contenders in the NFC South. Yes, the Buccaneers have dominated this division, winning four consecutive titles. However, the Falcons have the look of a team ready to ascend with second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who nearly had the game-winning touchdown against the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay caught a break with Atlanta kicker Younghoe Koo missing the game-tying field goal to send the game into overtime possibly. It was impressive how the Falcons’ defense didn’t allow Baker Mayfield to establish a rhythm with his many pass catchers. However, it’s difficult to fully contain this stacked Bucs’ offense that just gained a star-in-the-making in rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka, who had two touchdowns vs. the Falcons.
These two teams meet again in Week 15, perhaps to decide who will be this year’s NFC South champions.
Bears had more good than bad
Manzano’s view: Fact
If you’re a Bears fan, here’s some positivity: At least the rebuild in Chicago isn’t moving as slowly as the one in Carolina.
All jokes aside, there was plenty to like about Caleb Williams’s first game with Johnson. The second-year quarterback took advantage of all the open space Johnson created with his play-calls, as Williams rushed for 58 yards and one touchdown against the Vikings.
Williams also trusted the calls, played within the scheme, and didn’t appear to be out of sorts when moving away from the pocket. There was less chaos for this Bears’ offense when compared to last year’s group. Yes, Williams missed some throws, and Chicago needs to learn how to close games. Still, there was plenty to like about the new-look Bears.
It’s not the Bears’ fault that many were quick to crown them the past two offseasons. There won’t be a rapid ascension in Chicago, especially not in the loaded NFC North, but this new partnership between Johnson and Williams took steps forward.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Bears Fans Shouldn’t Panic, and How the 49ers Can Survive Their Early Injuries.