North Charlotte Today

The Carolina Panthers will face the Chicago Bears (2-2) for the second consecutive year in Chicago. This year's Bears team has undergone significant changes since their 16-13 victory over the Panthers last November. The team drafted Caleb Williams as the No. 1 overall pick, strengthened their defense, and is now in the third year under head coach Matt Eberflus.

Caleb Williams, the first overall pick of this year, has had a mixed start to his NFL career. In his first four games, he has thrown more interceptions (four) than touchdowns (three), amassing 787 yards with a 61.7% completion rate. Interestingly, the Bears' victories have come when Williams played a less central role. For instance, in Week 3's loss, he threw 52 passes for 363 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. However, in Week 4's win against the Rams, he attempted only 23 passes but protected the ball better and contributed to a 24-18 victory.

Eberflus commented on Williams' performance after their Week 4 win: "He was better because I thought he looked down the field for the shots, and when they weren't there, he took the checkdowns. We got a lot of yards on those. That was better for him. He's got to keep improving every single week, but I do think that for him, the operation, honoring the football, taking care of the football is the No. 1 job of the quarterback, and he did an excellent job of that."

The Bears' defense has also been notable this season. They rank 11th overall in yardage allowed per game (295.5) and seventh in passing defense (174.5 yards per game). Their turnover differential stands at plus-two—tied for sixth best in the league—with eight takeaways ranking them third most in this category.

Safety Jacquan Brisker leads with 35 tackles and secured an interception to clinch Sunday's win against the Rams. Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr., meanwhile, has recorded three sacks through four games.

On offense, D'Andre Swift has emerged as a key player for Chicago. He leads with 161 rushing yards on 53 carries and has made 13 receptions for an additional 118 yards—averaging 9.1 yards per reception.

Eberflus praised Swift's dedication: "He asked several people that same question [about how to improve], and he really took to heart what people were saying to him—his running back coach, offensive coordinator… He asked me about it... So it comes down to doing the ordinary extraordinary."