Chicago Bears blowout Buffalo Bills 38-0; What did we learn & how concerning is the loss?

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — It was an incredibly forgettable day for the Buffalo Bills on both sides of the ball, falling to the Chicago Bears 38-0. The defense was constantly carved up while the offense converted just one first down on its first four drives and failed to score a point.

While the performance was uninspiring, it was also somewhat expected. The Bills rested almost every one of their starters. The only “starters” who were on the field for the Bills were Joshua Palmer on offense and Cole Bishop on defense. Chicago played their starters on both sides of the ball for a few possessions, but the Bears' backups had even more success against the Bills.

So what did we learn from the Bills' blowout loss to the Bears, and how concerning is it?

Let’s start with the safeties:

It was not a good outing for projected starter Cole Bishop or Damar Hamlin, who will likely still be on the 53-man roster. Neither player looked comfortable, and both got beaten several times when they were in the game.

On the Bears' first touchdown, Olamide Zaccheaus beat Cole Bishop off the line on a well-designed play. Hamlin, who was the last line of defense, took a terrible angle and missed the tackle, allowing the touchdown.

As for rookie Jordan Hancock, he had some nice reps at safety after Bishop left the game, with two solid open-field tackles. But it wasn’t an entirely clean game for Hancock either, including a touchdown from Bears wide receiver Tyler Scott, where it looked like the Bills safety slowed down just a second to open up a tight window for Tyson Bagent. Hancock, who was playing nickel cornerback in the second half, was injured early in the third quarter with a shoulder injury and missed the remainder of the game.

Understanding it’s the preseason, it’s easy to see why safety is the most concerning position on the Bills roster. It was a problem last year and feels like it could be again in 2025.

Wide receiver battle:

Tyrell Shavers had two catches for 29 yards. He also nearly brought in a diving catch, but the throw was just a bit too far in front of him. It’s a ball he could’ve caught, but certainly wasn’t a routine play.

But Elijah Moore dropped two routine passes as part of a very uninspiring day. It has been a quiet summer for Moore, who was signed with big excpecations to be a versatile recevier for the Bills offense. Moore was targeted four times in the first half and had just one catch for five yards.

I’m of the belief it’s going to come down to Shavers, Moore, and Curtis Samuel for two jobs on the Bills' 53-man roster. Right now, I’d give the edge to Shavers, with much riding on Samuel’s availability.

Joe Andreessen’s struggles:

It was a rough performance for the Bills' second-year linebacker. Andreessen got beaten several times in the passing game and missed some tackles he needed to make. I still believe Andreessen will make the team, but I don’t think the defense will feel very comfortable if they have an injury to any of their top three linebackers.

Andreessen’s struggles also make me wonder if the team decides to also keep Shaq Thompson on their roster because of his experience in a room that doesn’t have much outside of their two starters.

Very quiet day for Bills' pass rush:

After the Bills spent most of the offseason overhauling the defensive line, Sunday was a good reminder that there will be growing pains. It was an underwhelming half for second-round pick TJ Sanders, third-round pick Landon Jackson, and fourth-round pick Deone Walker. It would’ve been nice to see any of these players flash, especially when the Bears switched to their backups, but that didn’t happen.

Michael Hoecht, who will be suspended for the first six games of the season, had the lone sack of the first half on an impressive rep. It’s been a solid summer for Hoecht, who should be a good rotational piece once he returns from suspension. Bills head coach Sean McDermott told sideline reporter Pam Oliver the Bills didn’t do “anything” at the line of scrimmage. That about sums it up.

The offensive line didn’t do much better:

McDermott wasn’t just talking about his defensive line. The Bills' offensive line couldn’t protect Mike White or Mitch Trubisky, took several penalties, and just looked out of sync. It was an especially concerning outing for Ryan Van Demark, who is in a battle for a roster spot. It is important to note the Bills didn’t play any of their top seven offensive lineman (starters, Alec Anderson and Tylan Grable), but still it was an uninspiring game for that unit.

Backup QB battle:

I think the battle is done.

Going into the night, it felt like it was Trubisky's job to lose unless Mike White had a phenomenal game. While it was hardly all his fault, White and the offense couldn't move the ball, with the Bills quarterback finishing the first half 4-of-11 for 54 yards. He was also sacked multiple times.

Trubisky didn't do much better, but as the front runner he didn't have to.

If I was calling the shots, Trubisky would be the backup with White on the practice squad.

So, how concerned should Bills fans be?

Now feels like a good time to remind everyone that the Bills lost to the Bears in the preseason 33-6 last season. The sky is not falling, and the Bills should still be a good team in 2025.

But I also don’t think we can just completely overlook the game. The Bills missed tackles, took a ton of penalties, and got flat-out beaten in every aspect of the game. I always say the preseason is more about individual performances than the game as a whole, but there weren’t many performances to like in this game.

McDermott will be livid with his team's performance, and he should be. Perhaps this will be a good reminder, especially for the guys who don’t start, that Sunday’s level of play wasn’t nearly good enough.

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