6 Instant takeaways from the Bears' preseason win over the Chiefs

The Chicago Bears capped off the 2025 preseason with a wild finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, a game that featured sloppy play by the starters, gritty performances by the reserves to come back, and even references to a Taylor Swift doppelganger.

The starters for both teams played a handful of series, and it was the Chiefs who had the upper hand across every phase. Kansas City's offense took it to the Bears' defense for an opening touchdown, while their defense stifled quarterback Caleb Williams early on. It wasn't until the end of the half when the Bears finally started putting together sustained drives.

In the second half with the reserves all in, Chicago chipped away at Kansas City's lead after they went up 27-10. Tyson Bagent was steady throughout the second half, and a key fumble recovery by the defense turned the tides of the game going into the fourth quarter. Ultimately, the Bears scored 19 unanswered points, all in the fourth quarter, to storm back for the win. Here are our takeaways from the victory.

1. This game was a reality check

Last weekend, the Bears opened up playing a complete game across all phases against the Buffalo Bills. This weekend, they did the exact opposite. Chicago was bullied by the Chiefs' starting offense to open the game, allowing them to drive down the field for the touchdown. The Bears offense responded with a three and out that featured two consecutive miscues.

Everything that went right against the Bills went wrong against the Chiefs, showing this team isn't as buttoned up as some might think. Even though this game doesn't count in the standings, it still matters when it comes to the operation and readiness of the players on the field. Perhaps that's what this group needs going into Week 1.

2. Ben Johnson made a great call keeping the starters on the field

Sometimes coaches need to deviate from their game plan based on what's happening on the field. The decision from Johnson to keep Williams and the starting offense may have been one of those audibles that paid off. The starters didn't play up to his standards, and it was important to get them one more good drive before they exited. That's exactly what happened.

With just over two minutes to go in the first half, the starting offense took the field for their fourth series and put together a seven-play, 78-yard scoring drive. Williams was sharp, and his connection with Rome Odunze was on display as they connected for the touchdown. Johnson could have easily pivoted to the backups in that situation, citing the starters had enough plays under their belts. He wasn't satisfied, and the decision paid off. Williams finished the day going 11-of-15 for 113 yards and the score.

3. D'Andre Swift will be heavily utilized this season

A week after sitting out against the Bills, D'Andre Swift made his preseason debut, and he stayed busy with the starters. Swift carried the ball seven times for 28 yards and caught one pass for six yards across three drives. He even had a hurdle in the open field, an exciting yet dangerous play when you consider it's the preseason. The most interesting aspect of Swift's performance, though, was his usage.

The Bears gave the ball to Swift on outside runs as well as carries in between the tackles. That's something we weren't sure would happen given the other backs on the roster. Maybe if Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai were healthy, they would have been the ball carriers in those short-yardage situations. Johnson opted to stick with Swift, and it could show they're comfortable with him running those specific plays. We'll see if it carries over to the regular season.

4. Nahshon Wright turned back into a pumpkin

One of the better stories throughout Bears training camp has been the play of cornerback Nahshon Wright. With Jaylon Johnson out due to injury, Wright took advantage of the opening and earned reps with the starting defense opposite Tyrique Stevenson. He had also been in the running for the other starting cornerback spot if Stevenson faltered. Unfortunately, Wright couldn't keep up his strong play from camp.

During the first couple series, Wright was picked on by Kansas City's offense. He committed a facemask penalty on Rashee Rice on the second play from scrimmage. On the second series, he allowed Tyquan Thornton to run by him for a 58-yard completion. It was a rough game for Wright, and it was a reminder that while he's a nice story from camp, he's still a cornerback who spent the 2024 season on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. Let's hope Jaylon Johnson is healthy for Week 1.

5. Luke Newman has been a pleasant surprise

For the second game in a row, the Bears opted to sit Joe Thuney at left guard and started rookie Luke Newman in his place. The sixth-round rookie has impressed in the starting lineup, albeit in limited action, and it looks like the Bears found a diamond in the rough. Newman looked very physical in the run game and helped Braxton Jones on a few plays with picking up rushers.

Given his versatility to play both guard and center, Newman looks like he'll be sticking around on the initial 53-man roster, something that wasn't a certainty going into camp. He has earned that swing interior lineman role.

6. Tyson Bagent delivered one of the best preseason drives in recent memory

We know the games don't count in the standings, but they sure as hell mean something to these players. The Bears' reserves clawed their way back to get within one score in the fourth quarter, and Tyson Bagent led one of the best comeback drives you'll see in the preseason. With under two minutes to go and no timeouts, the Bears drove 87 yards behind Bagent's arm, and with some big catches by Jahdae Walker and Tyler Scott, they stunned the Chiefs with a late touchdown to secure the victory.

Bagent was deadly accurate, and Johnson called a magnificent drive to move the ball downfield. It capped off a memorable week for the Bears' backup quarterback, who signed a contract extension on Wednesday, and it gave someone like Walker one more chance to show why he deserves a roster spot with his acrobatic catches. Bagent finished the day going 20-of-28 for 212 yards and three touchdowns with no picks. Walker, meanwhile, had three catches for 37 yards and the game-winning touchdown.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 6 Instant takeaways from the Bears' preseason win over the Chiefs