Yes they keep winning but I don't mean doing that. I mean they keep giving me mini-heart attacks every weekend.
For the sixth time this season, the Bears came from behind in the fourth quarter to win the game (and this isn't even counting two weeks ago when they almost did it again). I've never seen anything like this... and I've been a Bears fan for about fifty years.
This was the biggest Bears game since they somehow backed into the Super Bowl back in 2007. The game was so big that I turned a mini-college reunion into a Bears watch party. And these college friends aren't exactly huge sports fans. When I told them I was turning the party into a Bears viewing party I got responses like "Go sports!", "I hope the Bears hit a home run!" and of course "What's football?" But even my non-sports watching friends were glued to the TV Saturday night.
It was very kind of the Bears and Packers to pretty much do nothing for the entire first half so we could catch up and joke about the good old days of being young, drunk and stupid. After 30 minutes of game time and about 90 minutes of actual party (and drinking) time, the Packers lead the Bears 6 to nothing at the half. And then the second half started. Well at least it started for the Packers who went on to score 10 more points while the Bears kicked two field goals and did very little else.
To be fair, Chicago is called "The Windy City" for a reason (it's actually because of political blowhards but that is another story). The wind hit gusts of 30 mph during the game which made it hard to... well... play football. So the low scoring and lack of offense was understandable. Why Bears coach Ben Johnson got cute and tried to snap the ball between a tight end's legs to a running back during a windstorm is not as understandable. Of course that ball sailed over the running back's head and instead of getting points or a first down, the Bears turned the ball over to the Packers inside the Packers 20 yard line. ("He's a rookie head coach. He's a rookie head coach. He's a rookie head coach. OK I'm back).
This mistake became a little less important after Bears DE Austin Booker knocked Packers' QB Jordan Love out of the game. Unfortunately, backup QB Malik Willis entered the game and looked like an all-pro fro about 2 quarters.
Anyway back to the game. With about 3:40 left on the clock in the fourth quarter, a couple of friends who live in the city looked at me and said, "It's impossible now right? We are going to hit the road." I tried to explain that literally nothing has been impossible for this Bears team all year (except maybe winning without giving me a heart attack in the process). I told them "All they need to do is score either a field goal or touchdown before the two minute warning and then they'd have a chance." They didn't seem to buy it so they indeed hit the road.
About five minutes later, the Bears kicked a field goal.. but they did it about five seconds too late and the clock ticked under the two minute warning. Oh shit. Now the Bears were screwed. My remaining friends started looking for their coats while I rudely sat glued to the TV. They took the hint and sat back down. Now all the Bears had to do is recover an onside kick and score a touchdown to tie the game. I mean with the new kickoff rules, there is roughly a 5% chance of the Bears recovering an onside kick. So maybe I should have let them grab their coats. But this is just the kind of team that will hit that 5% long shot. And sure enough they did!
The Bears then marched down the field and Williams hit Jahdae Walker with a six yard touchdown pass to put them in a position to win or tie the game. It was Walker's second catch of his career. Wow!
The Bears decided to kick the extra point, tie the game, and take their chances in overtime. After stopping the Packers on their overtime possession, the Bears took the ball back. They gained some nice yards and were marching toward a field goal. Once the Bears reached the Packers' 46 yard line, it seemed they would run the ball a few more times, get to around the 30 yard line and trot their kicker out to try a game winning field goal in the gusting wind. But that is the old Bears. These new bears called a bomb. To be more specific, according to DJ Moore the guy who ran the route, he "made shit happen" and "ran his ass off" (those are his exact quotes from the live interview on the field after the game) and caught a perfectly thrown 46 yard bomb (in the freaking wind) to win the game.
Although the game didn't really decide anything, it gave the Bears revenge for their loss to the Packers two weeks ago and a 1 1/2 game lead in the division with two weeks left to play. It also gave the Bears an outside shot of having the best record in the NFC. There is no way anyone saw any of this being possible in week 16 of the NFL season.
You forget to mention some real shotty flags or lack of flags during that game. The first 2 plays I believe and Chicago had 3 penalties already.
As soon as they took that nasty cheap shot on DJ Moore in the back, I knew it was game over. The packers took 1 too many cheap shots and the Bears were pissed and knew what was on the line.
Oh yeah. I could do an entire post on Bears penalties alone. It has been insane!
Kind of hard not to be happy and excited for the Bears this season. I'm still holding out hope the Broncos can finish well now that the Lions are basically out of the running. Such a disappointment.
I was looking at the lions cap space. I saw somewhere they could free up about $50 million. But that involves cutting a ton of guys. They really need to rebuild their interior offensive line. That can be done in an offseason (see the Bears) but the big problem is that Goff cap hit is well over $55 million next year. That’s 22% of the cap. He’s a good QB… that looked great under Johnson. But he’s not 22% of the cap good. At some point the NFL needs to figure out the QB cap hit problem. Because right now it’s a huge problem.
I've never been much of a Goff fan. I think he has had some great games and great stats, but he has also had some horrible games and stats. I think we need a QB that is more mobile. It would really open some doors for us. You need a good line for that of course and our defense is just a dumpster fire.
What a fantastic story! It perfectly captures how a city's sports momentum can become a unifying cultural event, transcending even the usual fanbase. The quotes from your friends are hilarious—"I hope the Bears hit a home run!" is an instant classic. It's a true testament to the team's exciting energy that they managed to captivate a room full of self-proclaimed non-fans. Games like that, where the stakes and excitement are palpable, have a unique way of drawing everyone in and creating shared memories. Here's hoping the Bears' journey gives you more reasons to convert your friends into full-time fans (or at least into experts on football vs. baseball terminology!).
What a legendary comeback! There is nothing like a Bears vs. Packers rivalry.
I was laughing at your "He's a rookie head coach" mantra, lol. And I think the Bears owe you an apology for all those mini-heart attacks they have been giving you every weekend.
Your dedication to the team for fifty years is amazing. It is great to see you finally get a season that feels this special and unpredictable.
Almost 50+ years as a die-hard Bears fan? I say this shout out to you @hanshotfirst;
To a lifelong Bears supporter: Your dedication inspires every generation. From black-and-white TV games to now, thanks for representing Chicago's grit. Thank you.
As a Bears fan it was great to read about your thrilling experience. Especially the onside kick recovery in the final moments of the game and the historic combination of Caleb Williams and DJ Moore in OT was truly incredible.
The Bears being first in their division is something very few expected at the start of the season, but the important thing is the great work everyone is doing, most of whom are rookies, so there's still plenty of room for improvement. Besides, why not think about having the best record and winning the Super Bowl? That would be incredible.
This is the Bears' sixth last-second victory, which, to me, demonstrates their ability to overcome adversity in the game. Furthermore, the fact that it was against the Packers, their division rivals, makes it even more valuable because it practically guarantees them the division title and a playoff berth, where anything can happen. They had a shaky start, but they've known how to bounce back, and with young players, they have an excellent record with the potential to improve in the coming years.
Appreciate posts like this 🔍