Going into Sunday, the Chicago Bears had a chance to rid themselves once again of the demons that haunted them in 2024, breaking through a (4-2) start with an additional win to match their 2024 win total seven games into the season. Instead, the team will leave Baltimore with many more questions than answers after being thoroughly dominated from the second quarter on. In many ways, it was the same team with the same mistakes we’ve seen all year. The most significant difference on Sunday afternoon
was that their ridiculous streak of takeaways ended, and the offense still couldn’t find the endzone consistently enough to keep them in the game. With mistakes persisting and quarterback Caleb Williams’ development stalling (if not regressing), the Bears will be tasked with figuring things out over the next six days before another winnable road game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Before we close the book on an altogether disappointing Week 8 loss, let’s dive into our weekly installment of 10 Bears Takes.
1. The Way The Ravens Handled Lamar Jackson’s Injury Status Went Far Beyond An Attempted Gain Of A Competitive Advantage. I Would Expect The NFL To Look Further Into It And Eventually Levy A Punishment.
There are many layers to what happened between Friday and Saturday. None of them are excellent optics for a league that has prided itself on public transparency regarding the accuracy of injury reports, in the wake of a pair of NBA gambling scandals that landed both Terry Rozier and head coach Chauncey Billups in federal custody. Now, I’m by no means suggesting that this deception had anything to do with gambling, in fact, I would say the bigger issue is the opposite: It was an extremely tone deaf decision by 17-year head coach John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens organization to try and pull a “quick one” when it impacted the betting lines as much as it did. At one point, the Ravens were favored by as much as 7 points. That line quickly shrank to 1.5 for most books by mid-afternoon on Saturday.
Despite the Ravens’ (1-5) record, the stark differences between Jackson under center and any other backup during the Harbaugh era have been notable. Baltimore is just (4-12) in the Jackson era when he’s not the starting quarterback, while averaging just 15.3 points per game. Suffice to say, the difference between Jackson and Huntley (or Rush) under center is worth at least a full touchdown, if not more.
In Baltimore, they claimed that they thought they could label Jackson as a “full participant”, even if he only took snaps as the scout team quarterback. Despite that flimsy claim, the rules are clear, and no one should be convinced that a 17-year head coach magically forgot (or didn’t know) the set of rules that have been in place far longer than he’s been in the league. It seems clear that the Ravens intended to keep the Bears guessing, but in the process, they were dishonest, and it should cost them. Considering the fallout around the NBA, it’s hard to imagine that the league will find a way to overlook this. Until then, we just have to sit back and hope the NFL holds them fully accountable. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but this wasn’t the way, and John Harbaugh damn-well knows that.
2. Although It Might Not Feel Like It, Sunday’s Loss Was The First Time In Six Weeks The Bears Have Lost A Game. Here’s Why Fans Shouldn’t Be Too Hasty To Overreact To One Game.
Did Sunday’s loss string? Absolutely. Should it bring a “here we go again” feeling? No.
There’s no way around it– The Bears have to play a lot better than they have for most of the season. They’ve had one relatively “complete” game in Week 3 against Dallas, and we are already a month removed from that showing. As head coach Ben Johnson has pointed out, the Bears have not been playing complementary football for the majority of the season. When the defense plays well, the offense can’t capitilize. When the offense plays well, the defense can’t stop a nosebleed. When things go wrong, they tend to snowball in all three phases. This is the unfortunate reality for a team that is still learning how to win, after six straight years of losing records.
Losing to a backup quarterback on what was a (1-5) team stings. There’s no real way around that, but even so, it’s one game. Three weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles were embarrassed on National Television by the New York Giants. The postgame reactions ranged from questioning the Eagles’ viability for the remainder of the season to crowning the Giants a young team on the rise. Since that point, the Giants are winless, the Eagles have two dominant wins under their belt, and on Sunday, the Eagles blew out the Giants 38-20 in front of a home crowd.
Need another example of not jumping the shark after one game? How about the 2018 Bears coming out of their bye week, losing to a Miami Dolphins squad that had to start Brock Osweiler at the last minute, after Ryan Tannehill couldn’t go? In the moment, it felt like the world was crashing down on what felt like a promising season. Fast forward to Week 17, and the Bears finished (12-4) and found themselves as the NFC North champs.
Now, I’m not saying that fans should expect a similar bounce back in 2025. In fact, it seems clear that health and overall depth will be concerns moving forward. That’s the byproduct of a losing team that has fielded some of the league’s worst rosters over the last three seasons. We’ll dive more into potential deadline possibilities a little later, but for now, it’s essential to maintain a proper perspective when reacting on a game-to-game basis.
3. Quarterback Caleb Williams Is Slowly Falling Behind Over The Last Few Weeks. Being Outplayed By A Backup Quarterback Is Concerning. The Lack Of Progression From This Offense As A Whole Is Even More Concerning.
We have continued to see “hot starts” from the Bears, but none of those starts have felt like complete offensive performances. As a whole, the offense has struggled in the red zone. They have many moments of being able to march down the field, but rarely have they had an easy time punching the ball into the end zone. Part of that is the expected growing pains of a new and complex offense. Even so, there’s only so much that can be excused before someone is just ignoring the red flags littered all around this group.
It starts with the quarterback. Year 2 or not, Williams’ progress has been far from linear, and I would argue that he’s gone in the wrong direction over the last few weeks. If we’re being honest with ourselves, his overall numbers have been propped up by his big-time performance in Week 3 against the Cowboys. Even so, it’s common for one (good or bad) game to skew early-season numbers. The bigger concern, at least for me, is that Williams’ accuracy has not improved, his turnovers are becoming a bigger issue, and the touchdowns have ceased entirely over the last two weeks.
In Williams’ last two games, he has completed 40-of-64 (62.5%) for 457 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. He’s also averaging just 7.1 yards per attempt, posting a rating in the low 70s. Without sugarcoating it, these numbers are not acceptable. Not only are they inadequate, but they’ve also played an active role in the offense’s struggles to convert long drives into touchdowns.
It’s not all on Williams, though. The pre-snap penalties continue to be an issue, and key players like Rome Odunze aren’t making the difficult catches when they need them the most. The offensive line’s pass protection has taken a slight step back, and they weren’t nearly as effective in the run game on Sunday. Despite landing the offensive guru head coach, completely reworking the interior of their offensive line, and spending their top two draft picks on offensive weapons, things haven’t come together nearly as planned.
Considering the injuries on the defensive side of the ball, the offense is going to need to start pulling its own weight at some point soon. We can only say “they are close” for so long before we start asking, “Is there a season-long problem here?” Although we are not there yet, the offense needs to figure it out —and do so in a hurry. Once again, it starts with the quarterback elevating his play into a difference-maker, which to this point, he hasn’t done consistently enough.
4. Injuries Are Mounting, Which Should Force The Organization To Take A Long Look At Its Goals For 2025. At (4-3) And Two Winnable Games Ahead, What Will The Bears Choose To Do?
I don’t think you’ll find even the most loyal and optimistic of fans who will say the Bears are a Super Bowl contender in 2025. The reality is quite simple — this is a team that underwent another facelift and has a first-year coaching staff with a second-year quarterback who is behind the developmental curve, in large part due to the events of 2024. Being realistic about where the Bears are in the short- and long-term is something the front office and fans alike must be prepared to do.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, the next step of this process comes down to goals for 2025. Are you Super Bowl or bust? Or do you see value in the experience of a young team pushing toward a playoff spot, and potentially gaining some of that playoff experience in January? Johnson’s expectations have been clear– he expects to win. We’ve seen plenty of “surprise” teams defy expectations and make deep playoff runs. The most recent example that comes to mind is last year’s Washington Commanders.
For my money, there’s plenty of value in gaining post-season experience, even for a young team without much hope of making it all the way to the big game. It’s all price-dependent, though.
Should the Bears sell out for a key player like Trey Hendrickson or Maxx Crosby? From my seat, absolutely not. Not only will the financial commitment be prohibitive to their 2026 offseason flexibility, but the cost in draft capital alone is enough to make it a no-go. That said, maybe one or two smaller moves make sense at the correct price? Especially on the defensive side of the ball. We’ll dive into that a little more next, but for now, the thought process behind the rest of this season needs to be examined a little deeper. What they do (or don’t do) in the coming days leading up to the trade deadline might be telling enough for fans to adjust their expectations accordingly for the remainder of the season, which isn’t even at the halfway point.
5. If The Bears See Themselves As A Playoff Contender In 2025, Making A Deadline Move For A Cornerback Is A Must.
Following Saturday’s roster transactions, including Kyler Gordon heading to Injured Reserve with a groin injury, the Bears were extremely short-handed on Sunday, even going against a backup quarterback. No matter how healthy they think they can get at the position, they need to be serious about pursuing outside options in the coming days.
An argument could be made for bigger long-term needs this season, like defensive end, but in the end, it’s clear that cornerback is going to be a season-long issue for this team. Even if we assume that Jaylon Johnson returns in December, how confident can anyone be that all three starters will remain healthy through the rest of the year?
Going back to a previous point made last week, it makes the most sense to target a player who is either in a contract year or needs a change of scenery. There should be plenty of options out there, with headlining names like Alontae Taylor, Tariq Woolen, and Cam Taylor-Britt. Taylor is the best of the bunch, but even in a contract year, he could have the highest price tag. Woolen, the former Pro Bowler, has not excelled in Mike McDonald’s defense, and it feels like he’s being phased out in Seattle. He’s had the worst production of his four-year career, but he is a perfect fit in Dennis Allen’s defense. Taylor-Britt is another player in a contract year who has struggled and has ultimately found himself on the bench with a new defensive coaching staff. Another addition that could make sense is Roger McCreary, especially with the disaster unfolding in Tennessee. The former Auburn product is yet another cornerback from the 2022 class who could —and should — be available. His only real knock has been availability at points during the last two years, but even then, he’s played in all but four games in his young career.
Considering the likely price-point limit of a Day three pick (likely a fifth-rounder or later), it’s unlikely that the Bears will be fishing in the big pond for any deadline targets they might have. With that in mind, that’s why taking on a bounce-back candidate in a contract year might make the most sense. We’ll see what happens in the coming days, but it’s worth noting that the trade deadline isn’t until Tuesday, November 4th, which could allow the Bears another game to figure out what they already have on the roster.
6. How Close Are We To A Serious Conversation About The Bears Having A Kicking Problem?
At this point, the conversation needs to start. Is Cairo Santos bad? Absolutely not. Does he have the requisite leg strength to be a top kicker in the modern-day NFL? Also, no. That’s where the conundrum starts. Inside the top 50, Santos is about as reliable as they come. Still, his inability to kick outdoors beyond 50 yards is a huge issue, especially when half (if not more) of the league’s kickers are regularly hitting from 55-plus.
Not only are long field goals an issue, but Santos is limited in the kickoff department. While other teams are deploying creative ways to get teams to return kicks in disadvantageous ways, Santos is using his entire leg to get the ball right around the goal line, which has led to multiple significant returns because their coverage teams aren’t up to the task. As the league and its rules evolve, so does the kicking game. Simply having a kicker who is good from inside 45 yards is no longer good enough, and it showed up on Sunday. After a crushing intentional grounding call, the Bears were able to complete a pass to set themselves up for a 58-yard field goal that would have drawn the game to a one-point deficit heading into the half. Despite Santos’ kick being dead-center, he was short by about five yards.
At the moment, I couldn’t help but think to myself that Jake Moody, who is currently sitting on the practice squad, would at least have had enough distance on the kick to make it a viable option. Moody’s issue has rarely been about length strength, but much more about kicking the ball straight. Through two games with the Bears, his lone miss was a low kick that was blocked. At this point, it’s worth questioning whether or not it’s time to give Moody an extended look.
In an ideal world, they would bring Moody back in 2026 and give him some viable competition, whether that was a late-round draft pick and one of the top undrafted free agents. I don’t see many scenarios where Santos is the team’s kicker beyond 2025, one way or the other. Luckily for the Bears, no outside team has forced their hand into a premature roster move, but with the rate that kickers are getting hurt around the league, it’s just a matter of time. Now is the time for this coaching staff and front office to start having those tough conversations. Missing long kicks in a non-Super Bowl year is easier to swallow than it could be in 2026 and beyond.
7. At (4-3), The Bears’ Playoff Hopes Hinge Heavily On The Next Two Games. Here’s A Deeper Dive Into Playoff Odds And How Each Game Impacts Those.
When dealing with playoff chances, it’s always key to acknowledge the nuance in the numbers, given the change in playoff teams from six to seven in each conference. Any time you’re looking at historic playoff percentages based on record, it’s best to factor in both the pre- and post-2020 dates.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s dive into the Bears’ playoff chances.
Heading into Week 8, they had a 60-65% chance (based on each historical market). Their loss dropped them to (4-3), making their odds shrink to 39-45%. As we’ve discussed over the last couple of weeks, this five-game stretch will be a key factor in whether the Bears are “in the hunt” come late November and December. So far, Chicago is (2-1) during that stretch, with two key (and favorable) contests remaining.
We’ll start with Cincinnati. With a win next Sunday, their odds increase to 60-70%. With a loss, their chances would drop dramatically to a measly 30-35%. The only saving grace with a loss to the Bengals is that it would be a non-conference game, which helps in the tie-breaking department later in the season.
Moving on to the Giants, this is where tie-breaking scenarios get more critical. With a win, the Bears would move to (4-2) in the conference, which is better than the Seahawks, Lions, and Rams. Obviously, for the time being, the Lions would hold the head-to-head tie-breaker due to their Week 2 victory. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s look at how the three different potential records would impact their playoff chances. With a win in both games and a (6-3) record, their playoff probability rises to 75-80%. It would allow the Bears to go .500 over their final eight games and still finish with 10 wins. Splitting the two games (5-4), their odds drop to 50-55%. Finally, losing both games (4-5) would give them an alarming 20-25% chance, which all but ends their hopes without an improbable run.
Again, there’s no denying that the Bears need to start playing better football. Some would argue that better football is required to be considered a true playoff contender. Still, back-to-back wins would give the Bears a real chance at a Wild Card spot heading into the final two months of the season, and that’s all any fan can ask for, considering they combined for 15 wins from 2022-2024.
8. Looking Around The League, Here Are My Three Biggest Surprises And Three Most Predictable Outcomes Through Eight Weeks.
Every year, we see a level of parity in the league that almost feels unbelievable. By the numbers, the NFL has averaged nearly six new playoff teams each year. If the season ended today, there would be five new teams.
Three Surprises:
- Indianapolis Colts (7-1)
Sure, we’re only eight weeks into the 2025 regular season, but I’m ready to admit I was dead wrong about the Colts. Not only did I have them finishing at (7-10), but I had them in third place, and going back to third-year quarterback Anthony Richardson by the end of October. Suffice to say, I was dead wrong on at least two of the three, but it’s trending on a hat trick. Daniel Jones has been incredible, and this roster is a lot better than I thought it was.
- New England Patriots (6-2)
I figured that Mike Vrabel would get the Patriots back on the right track. I was also confident that quarterback Drake Maye would take a big step into the Top 12-15 conversation. What I did not account for was Maye being in the MVP conversation, and the defense being as good as they’ve been. I’m still not buying they’ll win the division when all is said and done, but they seem destined not only for the playoffs but to eclipse my seven-win projection by mid-November.
- San Francisco 49ers (5-3)
Count me as one of the many people who believed that the 49ers’ window had slammed shut after an injury-riddled 2024 season. Not only did they lose plenty of talent, but their cap situation looked pretty rough after extending quarterback Brock Purdy. What’s even more shocking is that they’ve been one of the more injured teams in the league so far this season, yet they’ve managed to win five games so far. San Francisco was yet another team I had projected at the (7-10) mark. Kyle Shanahan and his staff deserve a lot of credit for keeping this ship above water.
Three Most Predictable:
- New Orleans Saints (1-7)
Years of awful cap management from general manager Mickey Loomis were bound to catch up with them eventually, and it finally has. Their quarterback situation is tenious at best, and frankly, there’s not a whole lot of upside on this roster, outside of a few players. Head coach Kellen Moore has his work cut out for him, and it’s going to take multiple offseasons to overcome close to a decade of blatant disregard for an aging roster.
- Cleveland Browns (2-6)
The Browns have felt like another team that is holding onto past success far too long. The two teams have different situations, but the way they’ve operated has felt somewhat similar. Quarterback is a mess, and it seems clear (to me) that Dillon Gabriel isn’t the long-term answer. The only real good news is that they can get out of Deshaun Watson’s contract in 2026, and they’ll have a pair of first-round picks to help figure out the quarterback position.
- New York Jets (1-7)
It only took eight games, but the Jets are finally in the win column. It’s hard not to feel bad for Jets fans, especially with the way they’ve operated over the last decade-plus. They finally decided to rip the band-aid off this offseason, and it felt like they at least had a starting point for core talent. The issue is that none of those players have looked the same, and the rest of their roster is a mess. The most surprising factor so far (to me) has been the coaching staff. I expected much better from Aaron Glenn. This is yet another team that will be going into the offseason looking for a long-term answer at quarterback.
9. NFC North Lookaround: It’s J.J. McCarthy Time Again In Minnesota, While The Aaron Rodgers Reunion Was Perfect For PrimeTime.
The red-hot Detroit Lions found themselves on a bye week, with a pivotal Week 9 meeting when they host the reeling Vikings. On paper (and the eye test), Detroit looks like the best team in the division and the conference. Even so, they’ll need to prove that they can beat the Packers and ultimately show more consistency down the stretch.
For Minnesota, it’s gut-check time. They’ve lost three of their last four games and have serious questions at the quarterback position. Carson Wentz, who has started the previous five games, appears destined to head back to the bench, which means that McCarthy is likely to make his third career start against a highly aggressive defense in Detroit. More concerning for the Vikings has been their defense. Despite their exotic tendencies, they’ve given up 65 points over their last two outings. In addition to those concerns, they aren’t forcing turnovers (just one since Week 3), and they aren’t getting after the quarterback nearly as often. With the league’s most brutal remaining schedule, the next few weeks will be key for the Vikings if they plan to compete for a playoff spot in November and December.
In Green Bay, it was a blast from the past with Aaron Rodgers facing his former team for the first time in his career. Although the game was in Pittsburgh, one could consider it a homecoming for the 41-year-old quarterback, who has made it sound like 2025 will be his 21st and final season in the NFL. Although the first half went well for the Steelers, they completely unraveled in the final 30 minutes, and the game turned into a blowout. The Packers moved to (5-1-1) on the season, and are in firm control of first place moving into Week 9.
Right now, the division race is going to come down to the Lions and Packers. We’ll see how the next two weeks unfold, but if that’s the case, the focus for the Bears and Vikings will turn to a Wild Card spot. We should know much more by the conclusion of Week 10.
10. Week 9 Look Ahead: A Bookend Road Affair With Joe Flacco And The Cincinnati Bengals
What once appeared to be a four-game stretch coming out of the bye for the Bears has now turned into their final reprieve before a difficult finish over their final seven games. Back-to-back road games are never ideal, but considering they were able to avoid both Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow is nothing short of good fortune. To take advantage, they must find a way to win in Cincinnati after a disappointing loss on Sunday.
We’ll see what the Bears’ health looks like heading into that Week 9 matchup, but the secondary will remain an issue barring a trade. This will be yet another bottom-end defense where Williams should find some success in the passing game. We’ll see if he can finally deliver.
For the Bengals, their slim playoff hopes hinge on a big run until Joe Burrow can return in the next few weeks. Their (2-0) start gave them some margin for error, but until Joe Flacco settled in, the team looked like a disaster. Sunday’s 39-38 loss to the New York Jets at home was a brutal hit to their hopes. That means the Bears will be facing a desperate team for a second straight week, one facing a must-win to salvage its season.
We’ll also get our first chance to see how Chicago rebounds after being thoroughly outplayed against a short-handed Ravens team. Through seven games, they have the same record as they did a year ago. We all know how last year played out. This is a different roster with a different coaching staff. They claim things are different this year, but now it’s time for them to prove it.
