Bears Break Even In Vegas
In what many Bears fans thought would be a repeat of Dallas last week, the Chicago Bears pulled off a gritty win against a formidable Las Vegas Raiders team, 25-24, on a blocked field goal in the game’s final seconds.
The difference in the game would prove to be the turnover battle, as a pick by Raiders quarterback Geno Smith to start the second half would lead to a scoring drive that began on the Raiders’ own 40-yard line, taking a 16-14 lead. Just 13 of the Bears’ 25 points came from touchdown drives; however, it was kicker Cairo Santos who would be the unsung hero for Chicago, going 4/4 on field goals for the day. The win was a departure from what is usually expected of this team. Whether or not it proves to be a “culture change” remains to be seen. — Eli Grimes, Bears writer
Mad Maxx
Maxx Crosby was the best defensive player on the field. The Raiders’ star pass rusher recorded three tackles for loss, three pass deflections, and one interception. It was the first career interception for the seven-year pro out of Eastern Michigan. — Daniel Loya, Raiders writer
Throughout the matchup, Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby wreaked havoc on the Bears’ offensive line, as quarterback Caleb Williams would later state, “He’s probably the best player I’ve ever played against so far in my career.” A change in the lineup, replacing the UDFA Theo Benedet with second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo out of Boston College, seemed to have at least minimized Crosby’s impact. — Grimes
Ashton Jeanty’s Hat Trick
The 2025 6th overall draft pick had an incredible breakout performance against the Chicago Bears. The Raiders’ rookie running back scored three touchdowns—one rushing and two receiving. Ashton Jeanty recorded a career-high 138 rushing yards on 21 attempts—a healthy 6.6 yards per carry. His longest rush of the game was a 64-yard touchdown in the 2nd quarter.
Jeanty showcased his remarkable contact balance, breaking multiple tackles on both of his receiving scores. —Loya
Geno Smith Struggles
Geno Smith completed 14 of 21 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns. Both passing touchdowns were to rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, who was within five yards of the line of scrimmage.
The veteran quarterback didn’t perform well on Sunday. He threw three interceptions on the afternoon—two of them to Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III.
The Raiders’ signal caller needs to take better care of the football. This season, Geno Smith has thrown seven interceptions in four games. Six of those interceptions have come at home.
“You can’t expect to turn the ball over like that and win,” Head Coach Pete Carroll said postgame. “It almost doesn’t happen.”
The Las Vegas Raiders signed Geno Smith to a two-year, $75 million contract extension this offseason. Smith was supposed to bring stability to the quarterback position, but through four games, it has yet to materialize. — Loya
–Follow Dan Loya @DLoya_NFL and Eli Grimes @eli_grimes01 on X
