“A lot of these playoff games are not won but lost” – Collinsworth
Sheil Kapadia@SheilKapadia ·2h So many missed opportunities for Bears:
4th-and-2 fail –> INT 3rd-and-1, 4th-and-1 fail –> TO on downs 3rd-and-1 fail –> Punt 1st-and-goal from Rams’ 5 –> TO on downs Ball at Rams’ 48 in OT –> INT
5 Stages of Grief(DABDA):
Denial: Ben Johnson opted for the easy FG in the first drive and the Calab miracle TD bomb ended the game, right? That’s how it usually goes for the Bounceback Bears.
Anger: I can’t fucking believe BJ didn’t settle for the 3, or that this wunderkind could only muster 7 points in the 2nd half while totally blowing short yard conversions. Don’t get me started on the drops or DJ…
Bargaining: Well, at least we didn’t lose to the Puke nor did we get totally blown out like the 9ers.
Depression: This sucks. I’m deflated. It was such a fun season, perhaps the most dramatic and magical since ’85. I didn’t want the high to end like an addict needing just one more fix.
Acceptance: If you had asked any Bear fan in August, “Hey, would you take the #2 Seed while eliminating the Pack in the most devasting fashion, then barely lose in the Div Rd?” We would’ve all signed up for that. This is BJ’s debut as an HC. Caleb’s first year under his system. The D, and even specials, punched above their weight. Bears roster a young hungry talented core who BELIEVE.
If you were to relay to a non-football fan that one of the teams was playing for something, and the other wasn’t, he would have quipped, “Oh, so that team in white is obviously playing for something.” Bears came out like the Fox zombies – oddly disinterested and disjointed. They completely nullified their home crowd.
These were the stats by halftime:
Lions 237 yds; 19:12 TOP; 13 points
Bears 69 yds; 10:48 TOP; 0 points
Abject failure. At least the defense was holding them to mostly FGs despite the Bears’ O just giving it right back. So yes, while the defense faltered, not nearly as much as the offense. In fact the O didn’t wake up til late in the game while the D did the heavy lifting.
This is unacceptable. Poles hired Ben Johnson so that the new engine to the Bears would be the offense. He drafted Loveland instead of a pass rusher, doubled down with Burden [“overdrafted” Trapilo], and oh yeah, used the #1 overall on Caleb and another top #10 for good measure on Rome.
Meanwhile the defense is being held together with bailing wire, the ghosts of Dayo, Shemar, Gordon and ailing underperformers.
This is why BJ’s decision to punt it on 4rth and 4ish late in the 4rth was so baffling. Did he not see the game? They asked BJ why he decided to punt. He responded:
“Because we had three timeouts and thought we were going to get the ball back.”
How can such a sharp mind use that logic? ESPECIALLY when his other trait is aggressiveness. Needless to say, he came to regret that decision.
We expect the defense to struggle while the offense carries the game; it shouldn’t be the other way around.
Ben Johnson said as much in his post-presser:
“I was not pleased with the offense today,”
He added: “We can’t dig ourselves in a hole like that. I was disappointed with the offense as a whole. I let those guys know that. And we’ll be better for it.”
Naturally, the BounceBack Bears, well, bounced back, but it was too little too late.
And that’s twice in a row now resulting in two [totally different types of] defeats.
It’s like continually hitting on 16 in Black Jack. Eventually the laws of averages bust you out with a vengeance.
The NFC playoff seeding and wild-card matchups are now set:
Luckily for the Bears, hitting on 16 didn’t cost them much this time. Nick Sirianni in his infinite wisdom decided to “rest” Hurts, then proceeded to lose to the terrible Commandos, thus locking the Bears as the #2 Seed to face the Packers this Saturday.
Overtime:
Congrats to Caleb Williams for becoming the Bears all-time leading season passer.
Like I wrote in the game thread, I really didn’t give a crap about him hitting 4K. It’d be nice, like receiving Cheesecake Factory gift cards, but nothing mindblowing. I would’ve been more impressed if it happened in 16 games.
Before this 17th game:
’25 Caleb YPG=233.1 ’18 Bisquit YPG=230.2
3 more yds per game than Trubisky isn’t exactly anything to write home about. Still, it’s not nothing, so golf clap.
Speaking of which, congrats to Myles Garrett for breaking the season sack record
Congrats to Loveland too. This may have been his breakout game, but outside from one tough drop, he’s been a 3rd/4rth down conversion machine. Brady even referred to him as “Baby Gronk,” and coming from him, that’s saying something. It’s even more remarkable because TEs notoriously progress slowly, so such ROI so soon should end any ‘shoulda drafted a HB’ or ‘Tyler Warren’ protests.
It looks like his back gave out when he went up for it at :02
He’s been dealing with a back injury. Tough to see, but DJ didn’t just say “f*ck it” https://t.co/szBTQ5VM1l
I hope to gawd his back and not his will gave out. I don’t really put this INT on Caleb. He threw it to a spot like in that Pack game, except this time DJ flopped, literally.
DJ wasn’t the only Bear to flop though. Many fans also noticed JJ looking slow and soft. These are vital vets getting PAID; they need to show the hell up in the crunch.
Factoid:
In a truly surreal season, the Bears won the NFCN despite going 2-4 in the division.
Bears’ D still as awful as it was pre-bye, and even a pick-6 wasn’t enough to mask it.
Dline pushed around. Bad angles. Slow recognition. Loose coverage.
Pass rush non-existent, and run defense a sieve.
Only thing that slowed down 9ers was their INJs.
It’s hard to imagine this team getting to SB with such a sub-par defense, but one must also remember that the Bears were, again, a throw away from stealing a victory against an 11-win team competing for the #1 seed at their house.
Gotta trust that both Ben Johnson and more specifically Dennis Allen can learn from the beating and adapt.
Since the NFL merger in 1970, just 43 of 422 teams made the playoffs after an 0-2 start, a percentage of just 10.1%
Bears have won 6 games trailing inside 2minutes. That’s impossible – Collinsworth
Final (OT) – Bears 22, Packers 16 📉
The @ChicagoBears' win probability was as low as 0.5% before recovering an onside kick coming out of the two-minute warning (trailing 16-9 w/2 timeouts). This is the 5th-most improbable win in the NGS era (since 2016).
McManus kicked an easy 28 YD FG to go up 16-3 with 5:03 left and two Bear TOs. I turn to the girl realizing this isn’t good and say, “We’re going to need a miracle, ” She adds “Christmas miracle?” “Yeah, a few, plural, actually.”
Mini-miracle #1. With about 4:57 left, the Bears [1/7 on 3rd/10 penalties 105 yds til this point] drive down the field and get within “FG Range.”
I put that in quotes because supposedly the wind was whipping up to 25 MPHs as we saw plastic cups whirling around like pigeons. So this 43 YD attempt with 2:04 left was mini-miracle #2.
I was IRATE screaming at the TV scaring all 7 rescue cats; the “hurricane” drill was too slow. Kicking unit needed to drill it well before the 2 min mark if the Bears wanted to stop the Packers on their ensuing possession with the 2 MIN as a defacto TO. I figured this is all but over. I was resigned. “Same ole Bears…pass the eggnog.”
This forced BJ to onside kick it. I don’t think he onsides it if he had the 2 MIN warning mark.
Teams were 4 for 47 in successfully recovering an onside kick [which now have to be telegraphed to opponents].
That’s an 8% success rate for us math challenged.
So the Bears with 1:59 line up for an onside. And somehow, someway, RECOVER IT.
Major Christmas miracle #3!
Relive the Chicago Bears miraculous comeback… Moneyball style.
Now the Bears had to matriculate about 52 YDs in 1:56 and two TOs [did I mention it was frigid and windy?]
They get the ball to the 14 with 28 secs left. 4rth and 4. Free blind-side blitzer. Caleb must throw off his backfoot drifting to his right, “Shit”. The ball looks like it’s sailing… then miracle #4. Some no-name rookie UDFA, only playing because both Rome and Burden are out, is wiiide open and the ball doesn’t sail but drops right into Walker‘s hands as he toe taps for the TD equalizing the game!
I start jumping up and down freaking out the rest of the cats – except the big fat fluffy one sprawled asleep on the couch, paws up.
I refer to her family as the KKK [Krazy Kat Kult].
“Christmas Miracle!” I shout. They obviously think I’ve lost my mind nonetheless get excited.
“No way…” she says under her breath “See what I mean about cardiac Bears?” I excitedly respond, relieved as much jubilant.
I’m standing up now leaving the couch to the oblivious blissful felines.
Going to OT. “Serenity now…serenity now…”
Bears win coin-flip [minor-miracle #5 since this will allow Ben Johnson to essentially use 4 downs on offense. This shouldn’t be overlooked].
Packers get ball. Montez Sweat utterly destroys their RT, sacking back-up Malik Willis and seemingly hurting his shoulder. [At this point I should probably include Austin Booker kill-shotting Jordan Love, literally knocking him out of the game, as minor-miracle #6].
Montez Sweat this year so far
-44 TOT -16 QBH -13 TFL -9.5 sacks (8.5 in the last 10 G) -5 PD -3 FF -1 FR -1 game saving sack to force OT (here)
What a bounce back year for him. And s/o Dennis Allen for unlocking him in this scheme https://t.co/MYhymesR3g
— Just Another Year Chicago: Bears (@JAYChi_Bears) December 21, 2025
Despite this, Willis still gets the Pack to about their 42.
6:58 in OT. 3rd and 1. “Not a chance they stop them from getting 1-yd two downs in a row.”
Naturally, I’m talking to the TV per protocal, to which she interjects, “You’re like that commercial where you think the players can hear you!”
I forgot if I chuckled or totally ignored her zeroing in on the screen.
Willis takes the snap, scrambles – stopped. That shoulder may have slowed him down just enough on a cold night for TJ Edwards to stonewall him.
4rth and 1, naturally, Matt LeFleur is going for it.
Fumbled snap!
Miracle #-lucky 7!
I’m fist-pumping air trying not to curse like a sailor and appear the complete maniac. This is why I usually watch these games alone, but she made me a delectable hoagie and wings, so least I can do is not show-up shirtless and painted like Puddy.
Bears’ ball. 5:38 left in OT. 3rd and 3. Kyle Monangai shoots right up the middle to about Bears’ 53.
1st and 10, figure, Bears are just going to keep pounding it, bleeding the clock. They only need a FG, after all.
Apparently this is what the Packers assumed as well, as Caleb extends like a handoff to Monangai. The safeties bite, he pulls it down – launches:
Ben Johnson had been waiting for the Packers to be in this “low quarters” look all game long. #DaBears
Bears get in 13 personnel and go heavy play action at the perfect time & the safeties are at 6 yards on the snap 👀
This play will forever live in Chicago memory as “The Throw” or “The Catch”. TBH, I don’t even know which of the two was more remarkable. It may have been the most clutch play in Chicago sports, ever? Well, at least in decades.
That ball seemingly floated in the wind for eternities. “No way…” I gasped.
Then when I saw DJ laying there on his back half-dead, “No way…” I whispered, almost like a prayer.
DJ, in the endzone, rolls over, flops arms out…football drops as the ref runs by gloved hands in air…
“TD! TD! TD!” holy shit! this was one of the most ecstatic sport’s moments in my life.
Right up there with Hester opening the SB with a KO TD return. Right up there with Mike Tyson uppercutting [insert name], Kirk Gibson pumping his arms around the bases, MJ hitting that shot vs CLE… I wasn’t old enough for Miracle on Ice, but fuck it, throw that in retroactively.
DJ laying there like the Undertaker reminded me of when they carried MJ off the court in his flu-game.
It is perhaps the most fitting metaphor for us Bear fans up to now.
Just emotionally and maybe physically and psychically drained. Not just from this ’25 season, but perhaps for the past cumulative FORTY years [since ’85], and definitely for the past Favre-Rodgers’ era where the Packers have seemingly defeated the Bears in every soul-crushing fashion imaginable [Blocked FGs, Conte, Smoking Jay riding an exercise bike on the sidelines….].
I ran out of “Fuck yeahs!” or “Can’t believe this!” or “No way in hell!” or “Are you freaking kidding me!”
I was depleted of exclamation marks which were equal parts disbelief, terror and rapture.
Somewhere in the distance I faintly heard, “10 of 10, A+ Throw…the throw of Caleb William’s life. The catch of DJ Moore’s life…”
Like DJ, I just wanted to lay down, rest and/or absorb it all.
And like DJ, my circle probably had to also ask, “are you good?” before stabbing me through the sternum with adrenaline like in “Pulp Fiction”.
Bears win. Bears win. Bears win. #1 in division. Knock down bitter rivals to 7th circle of hell. Still in the hunt for the #1 over-all seed. All on prime-time for the world to witness on a Saturday Night.
Bears like DJ resurrected.
Cold dish of vengeance dealt by the chilly arm of the Iceman.
"Cardiac" Caleb Williams when trailing this season:
1. Caleb Williams was on point. [17/28, 242, 2 TDs, 112.5 QB Rating]
Been making a lot about his comp% because regardless of what some Caleb-stans want to believe, accuracy does matter.
So many games are lost on balls that are behind, drive dead. Game over. Ball too high, off hand, right into a critical INT. Or just plain ole misfires that leave a fan scratching his head.
I was actually surprised to see that Caleb’s comp% was ‘only’ 60.7% vs Browns.
Caleb Williams managed to crack the 60% completion percentage barrier for the 5th time this season (out of 14 games) vs. Browns. • Vikings 60.0% • Lions 63.3% • Cowboys 67.9% (Season-High) • Ravens 65.8% • Browns 60.7%
Luckily for the Bears, they faced an even less efficient QB!
Shedeur Sanders has a sub 60% completion percentage in 4 of his 5 games:
Caleb’s comp% felt higher because it wasn’t simply completing the passes, but the ball placement of said completions. They seemed to strike that hit-box over and over again.
The Kmet catch where he gets up-ended really excited me. It was nothing spectacular. A simple play-action boot to a wide open Kmet in the flats, but Caleb didn’t sail it, or throw it too low, or late. He floated it in there allowing Kmet to turn up field and convert a 1st down.
That was the theme of the day. YAC. And the receivers YACked it up ’cause Caleb for the most part hit them in stride on a chilly day.
If Caleb keeps playing like that consistently over 4 QTRs, I tell you now, they have a legit SB chance especially if Swift keeps running like Forte [what du fook did Swift eat!]and defense continues creating TOs.
From ESPN Research: The Bears pressured Shedeur Sanders on 20 of his 42 dropbacks (48%), their highest pressure percentage in a game this season. Chicago entered ranked 31st in the NFL with a 24% pressure percentage on the season.
2. Speaking of which, wowzers, Dennis Allen wasn’t screwing around. The NFL gods threw him a raw QB who struggles with recognition, accuracy and timing, and unleashed the hounds of hell. No quarter offered – nor given. I love it.
TBH, this is sorta what I expected. My only reservation was if the Bears could generate enough pressure on Shedeur Sanders for him to implode, and boy did they. As the Latin maxim goes, “If you’re not strong, you better be smart” and Allen completely outflanked the Browns’ O. Austin Booker specifically had himself a game.
In 6 games, he has 22 TOT, 14 Solo, 3 sacks, 2* TFL.
The Bears win by 28+ for the first time since 2020, get their first 5-sack game since October 2023, and have won 10 games for the first time since 2018.
The defense dominated. The 3 points only came because BJ failed on a 4rth and gave the Browns the ball at midfield. Add junk-time yards in that final drive where the Browns still couldn’t score, and that’s about it. This Browns teams wanted nothing to do with winning at a freezing SF.
Overtime: We’ve given the special teams the biz [and for good reason], but they were good on Sunday [Outside the Santos missed FG]. Nice returns from Duvernay, solid gunning, Tori/Blackwell pinning Browns inside 1. I think it had more to do with the Browns sucking than the Bears’ sp teams transforming into Toub-ers, but hey, I’ll take it.
All in all, by far the Bears’ most complete game this season. I didn’t even have to bust out my glue in the 4rth QTR! Only took 15 weeks, but hey, it’s better to be gelling late heading into the playoffs then falling apart like the Chiefs.
Maybe it’s the eggnog, but I’m getting 2009 Saints/2011 Giants vibe.
In those seasons, neither were SB favorites in August, and both squads were far from a perfect roster.
The Saints particularly remind me of this D
The 2009 New Orleans Saints defense, under aggressive coordinator Gregg Williams, wasn’t dominant in yards/points but excelled at forcing turnovers (2nd in NFL with 39), leading to their Super Bowl XLIV win, featuring key playmakers like Darren Sharper (9 INTs), Will Smith (13 sacks), Jonathan Vilma, and Tracy Porter, who sealed the championship with a famous pick-six
Meanwhile the ’11 Gmen [9-7] had a young QB with ‘so so’ stats, but all he did was make clutch plays to win games in Eli Manning.
Bears are some hybrid of those two SB Champs, and in a year where no true juggernauts exist, hey – why not the Bears?
I could go into all these stats, numbers, first half retardness, execution
But, you come here for something different
What this reminded me of was a boxer moving up in weight class
Now, I was going to try to remember some scrappy boxer moving up
Maybe Pacquiao, or Duran, or Hopkins…
They just kept moving up, and up, in class til they boxed someone who was just naturally bigger, longer, plus equally technically sound and athletic
At that point, no matter what the dog did, it just wasn’t enough.
He could’ve been technically perfect, but physics, math and empirical science are hard to overcome. Reason why most fighting sports use weight classes.
I could go into war analogies, but I digress…
Packers are just better right now Despite that, the Bears were just a throw away
Ok, so I’m still out and about so won’t be able to do a proper thorough breakdown, but it’s enough to say that the Bears are no longer “fun frauds’. They physically imposed their will on a team that absolutely demolished the Chiefs in the past SB. If you told a clueless viewer that one team was the champ and the other the underdog, he’d guess that the champs were the Bears and underdogs the Eagles. As Kirk Herbstreit remarked going into the half, “It’s only 10-3 but feels like Bears are winning 21-3,” and that momentum kept rolling basically ’til the final whistle.
All the Grinches, Santas and battery chuckers left early once the Bears went up two scores late.
Technically it could’ve been a measly one score game at the end if not for a truly dumfounding Nick Sirianni decision to go for two instead of kick a PAT.
The Bears looked hungrier, cleaner, cooler, more explosive and confident.
They totally steamrolled a vaunted Eagles’ Dline to the tune of 281 total yards rushing [and it honestly could’ve been more if Ben Johnson cut down on those baffling shotgun plays]!
Eagles’ offense turned it over the least to date, and the Bears still forced TWO TOs including stripping Jalen Hurts on their patented ‘brotherly shove’. That’s like catching Bruce Lee’s one-inch punch and snapping his fingers in half.
Caleb Williams had a rough day [17/36-47%; 1TD, 1 INT, 2 SKs; 56.9 Rating]. So did Jalen Hurts. It’s hard to discern if it was the wind, the drops, or his usually inaccuracy [likely all 3], but he’s still making plays when needed, and none bigger than this one.
If you dissect the play, Caleb could’ve easily dumped it off to Swift. He could’ve also kept it and used Swift as a blocker getting maybe 5-6 yds; however, Caleb didn’t Dalton-it. He went for the jugular – drifting left threw a ball that just floated into Kmet’s hands for a killer TD. Right about then the Boo-Birds started hitting the exits.
In the end, Bears are 9-3, atop the NFCN, gaining a conference win and possible tie-breaker for seeding, but most importantly the ’25 Bounce Back Bears sent a LOUD message to the rest of the league.
Theo down, Ozzy steps up All the LBs go down, Jackson and Co step up Jonah Jackson goes down temprorily, Luuuuke Newman steps up…
Pretty good day for Ryan Poles' 2025 #Bears draft class:
Loveland — 4-49, TD Burden — 3-46 receiving/1-15 rushing Trapilo — held his own at LT Hyppolite — 2 tackles before injury Newman — filled in at RG without incident Monangai — 12-48, 1 TD
LT for Chicago has been a weak spot along a rebuilt front five this fall… but not today. Heck of an afternoon for rookie Ozzy Trapilo against a veteran Steelers front (41 pass pro snaps): • 1 pressure • 0 sacks • 0 QB hits ~ 88.4 pass pro effectiveness grade
The offense had a chance to close it out by getting a measly first down, but they failed to do so, leaving it to the D to save the game. This is both worrying and comforting. Worrisome in that the Offense and not the Defense is supposed to be the strength of this team. Reassuring in that despite the Mash Unit on defense, they did indeed stop the Steelers from even attempting a FG.
The Bears are a somewhat sloppy team. Seems like they pull-off every win with bailing wire and duct-tape. Nevertheless they have WON 8 of 9 and still have yet to produce a complete game.
One thing though is Caleb Williams’ accuracy must improve. Remember, the stated goal in August was that he reach 70%. No way he sniffs that. It feels that at spells he sleep walks, missing badly, then suddenly wakes up and becomes Marino. No clue how BJ fixes that, but it definitely needs fixing if they don’t want Eagles, Puke or Lions to embarrass them. They’re not going to spot the Bears free QTRs ’til Caleb snaps into action.
FIRST ROUND MOCK@firstroundmock
Caleb Williams sub 60% completion percentage…Again.
Last 8 games:
59.5%
58.6%
57.7%
65.8%
58.8%
55.6%
50.0%
54.3%
Caleb and Rome particularly seem to be on different pages. Rome needs to play like a top 10 pick.
Chicago Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright intercepts a pass intended for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison during a football game, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Minneapolis.
(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
If I had told you on Saturday that Caleb Williams would go 50%, 183 YDs, 0 TDs, 2 sacks, 68.9 QB Rating -that Cairo would miss a vital FG, and Bears’ victory would hinge on a Duvernay KR, would you have even tuned into the game on Sunday?
Nevertheless, Bears won And almost as sweet, the Lions lost
Which means the Bears are the uncontested Kings of the North!
For game highlights, click here. Ben Johnson post-presser here.
Few general impressions.
1. Wasn’t overly enthused with Ben Johnson’s play calling. Way too much shot-gun on 3rd and short when the obvious strength of the O is the run; it’s not as if the Vikings were shutting it down on Sunday either. Too much “Nagy-ball” for my taste.
And bringing out Bagent as a decoy twice on critical 3rds? Eh
Punting on that 4rth and 5 was also dubious. It would’ve been wrong if not for an improbable Duvernay return or possible Caleb miracle.
2. Caleb still inconsistent especially versus aggressive DCs like Brian Flores.
It was obvious early on that Flores was going to shut down the perimeter attack. He continually sent edge blitzes to stuff the zone-stretch runs, and force Caleb to recognize the blitz and throw lasers over the middle from the collapsing pocket.
Result?
Well, see above stat line.
Caleb Williams had season-low marks in completion % (50.0) & first downs (6). EPA/dropback (-0.07), rating (68.9) & YPA (6.0) were second-lowest of the season. The Vikings also threw a ton at him, blitzing 66.7% of the time, per@TruMediaSports & he did not turn it over – Kevin Fishbain
Brian Flores blitzed Caleb Williams on 78% of dropbacks today. Bears hit a few explosives and Caleb broke contain a couple times. Just enough to squeak out an ugly win.
It may very well be that Vikings’ D is that dynamic. They did win 14 games last season and held Lamar Jackson to 58%, 176 YDs, 1 TD.
Regardless, Caleb would be the first to admit his performance is unacceptable. His end of game reaction says it all, and I for one am glad he expressed obvious frustration. Sign of a true competitor.
Powerful: Bears star QB Caleb Williams showed ZERO emotion after his team won on a walk-off field goal.
3. I wondered aloud, “Is Allen a better DC than BJ an OC?”
Maybe.
While BJ has definitely gotten results scoring 9 more PPG than ’24 Flus, he’s also played with practically a full deck especially when contrasted to the MASH unit Allen is working with, yet that D out-performed the O. It only relented on that very last series.
Now part of this was JJ McCarthy [in only his 5th start] inconsistency [sound familiar?]
I’m sure Rev will send Cairo Santos a congratulatory bouquet.
Kevin FishbainCairo Santos now has the Bears’ franchise record for most 50+ field goals (24).
On specials, well, they were terrible for a lot of the game, AGAIN, and that big Vikings’ PR essentially resuscitated them to a near victory. Then this happened.
Relying on improbable Wright INTs and Duvernay returns probably isn't optimal, but fuck it – a win's a win. https://t.co/qmS91HJZ1M
DJ Moore dropped passes Luther Burden dropped passes Caleb Williams missing open WRs OL got straight bullied Ben Johnson brain cells playing rock paper scissors
Nine throwing with his eyes closed Jordan Addison dropped passes TJ Hockenson dropped passes
