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What’s the latest with the Chicago Bears?
The Bears are gearing up for a Week 5 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, where Chicago is looking to stack back-to-back wins and extend their home winning streak to eight games. But it won’t be as easy a win as previously imagined for several reasons, including Andy Dalton stepping in at quarterback after Bryce Young was benched in Week 3.
Here’s a look at the most recent and relevant Bears stories for the morning of Friday, Oct. 4:
After starting the season 0-2 in Carolina, Young was benched in favor of veteran quarterback, former Bear, Andy Dalton. The offense went from scoring 13 total points in the first two weeks combined, to 46 points in the last two weeks with Dalton as their starter. Although they still only have one win on the season, there are no easy wins in the NFL. Here are causes for concern in Week 5 with the Panthers coming into town.
Something changed, however, as offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was able to get things turned around in the second half. Thanks to an improved running game and an efficient game from quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears were able to put up points and keep LA out of reach. The win was made possible by a number of key players, some of whom have seen their stock skyrocket, while others may be at a low point for the season. Here is the latest Chicago Bears Stock Exchange after four weeks of the season.
The Bears had two players who didn’t practice on Thursday, due to injury, including defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (groin) and cornerback Terell Smith (hip). Pickens appears on track to miss his fourth game while Smith is on track to miss his second game. There was some good news with left guard Teven Jenkins, who is day-to-day with bruised ribs, returning to practice in limited fashion on Thursday.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears Necessities: Causes for concern vs. Panthers in Week 5