Bounceback Bears do it again.
Highlights here and here
Notable #Bears win percentages in key games they’ve won this year:
• Raiders: 19.3%
• Commanders: 15.9%
• Bengals: 14.1%
• Giants: 4.0%
• Vikings: 24.9%
• Packers: 3.0%
The probability of all those games being wins? 0.0001295%. Reverse Eberflus.
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 2 minutes. That’s impossible – Collinsworth
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!
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].
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:
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”.
So I can pop up and fucking party like it’s 1999!
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.
Bearlieve in Miracles.