The Bears' most promising play against the Giants wasn't what you think it was

Ryan Poles has received a significant amount of criticism since becoming the Bears' general manager in 2022. You can't deny his track record of finding quality talent with his first-round picks, though.

His first selection in the first round (considering Chicago didn't have one in 2022 after the previous regime mortgaged the future on Justin Fields) was Darnell Wright, whom the team selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The team continued to reap the benefits of the DJ Moore/Bryce Young trade the following year, selecting Caleb Williams with the first pick and Rome Odunze with the ninth pick of the '24 Draft. Colston Loveland, who was selected with the 10th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, was the prize of the Bears' most recent class.

Interestingly, each player became the victim of knee-jerk reactions when it comes to other players of their respective class.

Fans were disappointed that they selected Wright over Jalen Carter. Williams was the top pick in what wound up being a generational rookie QB class, with Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix both putting up record-setting seasons. Some felt slighted seeing Odunze play third fiddle to Moore and Keenan Allen last year while Brock Bowers and Brian Thomas Jr. provided immediate returns for their (talent-starved) teams. Then there was the early concern surrounding Loveland after Tyler Warren started his career off with a bang in Indianapolis.

How do each of those look after the first nine games of the year? In my opinion, pretty silly. I personally wouldn't change a thing. The Bears hit every pick out of the park, and it's becoming increasingly obvious with each passing week. In fact, you could argue that they were the four best players on the offensive side of the ball against New York. That belief would certainly be reinforced with one (extremely important) play in particular.

Come for the catch by Colston Loveland, stay for the dismantling by Darnell Wright. pic.twitter.com/XsoDZ5NEkS
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) November 9, 2025

The Bears have a third-and-ten on their own 26-yard line with only five minutes left in the game. They're down ten points and are probably in four-down territory. It's genuinely the most important play of the game to that point. Who comes through in the clutch when it matters most?

How about three of the highly-drafted players mentioned above? Wright completely stonewalls the league's current leader in sacks, Brian Burns. Williams feels pressure quickly coming from his blindside and spins out of it to open grass. He runs left and throws a bullet across his body to Loveland, who makes a spinning catch while taking a big hit. A genuinely unbelievable play by everyone involved. Clutch on all fronts.

What did Poles' other first-round pick, Rome Odunze, do against New York? Oh, nothing much. He only led the team with six catches for 86 yards and found the end zone.

Chicago has one of the league's most talented young cores on the offensive side of the ball. Say what you will about Ryan Poles, but he deserves credit for assembling the nucleus. He also deserves credit for hiring the guy who is getting the most out of them.

Bears offensive ranks by category 🐻📈

• Points per game – 26.9 (6th)
• Yards per game - 378.4 (4th)
• Rush yards per game - 144.4 (2nd)
• Sacks allowed - 14 (T-6th fewest) pic.twitter.com/wt18rRvjW2
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) November 5, 2025

The future appears bright in the Windy City.

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