This is our online morning newsletter, Bear Necessities. Subscribe to get the latest Bears news delivered to your mailbox every day.
The Chicago Bears upset the San Francisco 49ers in a 19-10 win, where a big storyline was the performance of their rookie draft class. Fifth-round rookie Braxton Jones was among those who made his first NFL start, where he played every snap at left tackle for Chicago.
So how did the rookie think he did in his first start?
“First half, a little rocky,” Jones said, via NBC Sports Chicago. “I didn’t feel like I started slow or just in terms of my body or getting off the ball. Plays happen. You get beat. The biggest thing for me was just responding. I knew there were going to be bad plays here and there. How did I respond? Look at the film. Not dive too much into it but get enough to where I can fix it and play the next play. That was the biggest thing was just responding in that second half and coming out and pounding the rock.”
It was a rough first-half outing for Jones — and the entire offense, really — which included getting pushed around by Nick Bosa, including allowing a sack. But Jones made some improvement in the second half, which was also helped by Fields escaping the pocket and taking some pressure off the offensive line.
“I think it was just trusting my teaching and trusting my coaching,” Jones said. “That’s the biggest thing is not playing outside of myself. I got to play within my game and within what I do. That was the biggest thing was just playing a little bit more controlled.
“A couple of those plays, I tried to do a little bit too much and that’s just not me. I stay to what I do. I don’t need to go crazy or anything like that. It’s going to get you beat. If you stay nice and controlled and do what you do and just trust your teaching and your technique, that’s what I did in the second half.”
Now entering his second career NFL start, things don’t get any easier for the rookie. Next up for Jones are Packers edge rushers Rashan Gary and Preston Smith, and Jones knows he needs to improve.
“I’m on tape now,” Jones said. “I give up the bull rush. They know that. All the teams know that. I think the biggest thing, like I’ve told you, my biggest problem is the bull rush. That’s the only thing I lost tonight. Making sure I’m doing a better job anchoring. Not playing so high and then trusting my technique.
“There were a couple other plays where I trusted it and I was a little bit more patient, and it got me a better result than flying out of there high and getting bull rushed.”
Bears Week 2 injury report: Velus Jones returns to practice Wednesday Bears stock watch: Who’s up, who’s down following Week 1 win vs. 49ers Bears place Alex Leatherwood on NFI list, re-sign Michael Schofield to active roster 4 keys for Bears offense vs. Packers in Week 2 7 things to know heading into Bears-Packers in Week 2 Bears-Packers: 5 prop bets for Sunday’s game Announcers set for Bears vs. Packers Week 2 prime-time game Week 2 Power Rankings: Bears rise following Week 1 win
Packers getting WR Allen Lazard back at practice on Wednesday. READ MORE ON PACKERS WIRE.
Kevin O’Connell breaks down a Harrison Smith interception. READ MORE ON VIKINGS WIRE.
Lions favored for the first time in over 20 games. READ MORE ON LIONS WIRE.
.