10 Bears Takes After a Convincing Blowout Over the Browns

Facing a three-win Cleveland Browns team might not score many “style points,” but in the end, the Chicago Bears’ 31-3 blowout victory was more than enough to get them to 10 wins and keep them right in the mix

for the NFC North crown. Although I’m not sure I would consider this a “complete” performance from all three phases, Sunday’s win was about as close as we’ve seen this season. The defense was elite, the offense put up 31 points, and the special teams consistently put them in plus field position on the back of Devin Duvernay’s big performance in the return game.

With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Bears are ever-so-close to heading back to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. The job isn’t quite done yet, and it will require at least one more win, but this was precisely the type of bounce-back game you’d like to see after a heartbreaking seven-point loss in Green Bay last weekend. For more on our 10 Bears Takes, let’s dive into a fun and non-anxiety-inducing win. 

1. It Feels Like I Say This Each Week, But The Bears’ Offense Is So Close To Taking The Next Step. Cleaning Up Small Mistakes Is The Key. 

Following a rough first series in excellent field position, the Bears’ offense followed up with back-to-back touchdown drives. Despite taking a commanding 14-point lead in the first quarter, it felt like there was plenty more to come. After a drive stalled and Cairo Santos missed a relatively easy field goal, the offense felt like it went into hibernation. 

That’s been something Bears fans are all too familiar with this season. Start hot and fade away into oblivion until the fourth quarter. Some of that comes down to simple things like drive-killing penalties. Santos’ missed kick didn’t help matters either. When diving deeper, there are always a multitude of small mistakes that seem to stop the team’s offense in its tracks. Drops from Luther Burden III and Cole Kmet killed drives, too. 

The good news is that this offense is still averaging over 26 points per game, which is more than a touchdown better than last year. In total, the offensive turnaround in one season has been nothing short of miraculous. Even so, it’s easy to see how much this offense leaves on the field. Once the rhythm is lost, the confidence and fluidity seem to go with it. Most of that is on the players, but even head coach Ben Johnson shares some blame for the play calling. This is a run-first team that needs to dominate the line of scrimmage to play at its best. Johnson has shown a tendency to get away from the run game, chasing bigger plays in the passing attack. 

To a certain extent, there’s only so much progress that can be expected to occur over one season. What makes it more frustrating is that it’s clear they are close to being the league’s most explosive offense. Quarterback Caleb Williams’ accuracy needs to improve, and taking the checkdowns in key third-down situations also needs to change. That said, it continues to feel like the offense is a complete performance away from “figure it all out”. It helps when a team can play this inconsistently and still find a way to hang 30-plus points in four games. The key to making the post-season and finding success might rely on the offense taking the next step, though. 

2. Dennis Allen’s Run Against Rookie Quarterbacks Continued On Sunday Afternoon. The Defense Dominated The Entire Game While Coming Away With Three More Takeaways.

Any time a team comes out of a 60-minute football game with triple the first down as points, there’s an issue. That’s precisely what the Bears’ defense was able to do on Sunday. For further reference, Chicago’s defense had as many interceptions (3) as the Browns did points (3). Not only did the Browns gain just nine first downs, but they failed to eclipse 200 team yards. 

It became clear early in the game that the defense was a step (or two) ahead of Cleveland’s offense. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering Allen’s history of success against rookie quarterbacks. Now, that’s not meant to take anything away from Shadeur Sanders, but coming into the game, he didn’t stand much of a chance. Especially when factoring in that four of his Week 1 starting offensive linemen were out of Sunday’s game. 

Most impressive was the Bears’ success against the run game. Second-round rookie Quinshon Judkins has had plenty of success and, at times, has been the straw that stirs the offense’s drink. Yet, on Sunday, they held the Browns to just 50 yards rushing on 16 carries. Sanders was their leading rusher with 24 yards on two carries. Chicago’s run defense has been an Achilles heel for them most of this season, and because they were able to keep the Browns so one-dimensional, they had a season-best performance. 

On the day, the Bears’ defense came up with five sacks and eight tackles for loss. Although fans shouldn’t expect their success from Week 15 to translate over to better opponents, they’ve shown they are capable of shutting teams down. More impressively, their run of takeaways has continued throughout the season. They now have a league-high 30, with their 21 interceptions headlining their impressive turnover margin. 

Shockingly, Montez Sweat did not factor in their five sacks on Sunday, but the hope should be that Austin Booker’s two-sack performance can lead to a more consistent presence off the edge opposite of Sweat. No matter how you cut this performance, it was impressive, and a much-needed confidence-building heading into the rematch with the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. 

3. Despite A Few Cold Streaks, It’s Fair To Say That Sunday Was The Best We’ve Seen Caleb Williams Play In Well Over A Month. 

On the first drive of the game, Williams and the offense had a quick three-and-out, headlined by him starting 0-for-2. One of those throws was one that he should have tucked and run for five yards. The other was a perfectly executed screen that rookie running back Kyle Monangai just couldn’t hold onto. 

Following that start, he completed his subsequent nine passes, and before we knew it, he had 100-plus passing yards and a passing touchdown. On the day, he finished 17-of-28 for 242 passing yards and two touchdowns. His completion percentage took a hit toward the end of the game, but all in all, Sunday was his most accurate game of the season. Considering the defense they faced, that should give the coaching staff (and fans) optimism that their passing game can be successful against the league’s best defenses. 

My one real complaint about his performance was taking too many sacks. How far have we come where I can freely complain about a three-sack performance, huh? While his sack avoidance has been considerably better in Year 2, it felt like at least two of the three sacks were on him simply trying to do too much and not feeling Garrett off his blindside. 

Williams’ development was never going to be linear, and we’ve seen plenty of that rollercoaster throughout 14 games so far this season. That said, if he can find a way to string together more performances as he did on Sunday, this passing offense is going to be in good shape, and they should be able to score on anyone. These types of performances are also what should make fans so excited about the future. More time in this complex system should lead to a more complete passing game, especially with Williams’ God-given abilities. 

4. The Training Staff’s Inability To Avoid Rushing Players Back Is A Big Issue. Rome Odunze Became The Latest Victim To A Pre-Game Warmup Injury. 

Last weekend, it was Kyler Gordon; on Sunday, it was Odunze. Last year’s No. 9 overall pick missed Week 14 with what was revealed to be a stress fracture. Considering how cold Sunday’s game was projected to be, sending out a player dealing with a foot issue seemed like an unnecessary risk, especially given the quality of the opponent. In the end, Odunze was ruled out of the game about 15 minutes before the opening kickoff, and his prognosis is now in question. 

Johnson was asked about his setback postgame, but he ultimately didn’t expand much and said they’ll need to see where he’s at on Monday and beyond. The hope is that the team realized that it was an unnecessary risk, and having him for the final three games (and potentially the playoffs) meant a lot more than Sunday, but only time will tell at this point. The chances of making the injury worse aren’t high, but it’s absolutely possible, which is why they should have been playing it safe by giving him another week of rest in the first place. 

Gordon was placed on Injured Reserve for the second time this season on Friday, and ultimately, I’d be surprised to see him again this year, regardless of how deep a potential playoff run could go. The fourth-year nickel has dealt with soft-tissue problems all season, playing just 117 snaps. In my view, it would be almost more detrimental to remove C.J. Gardner-Johnson from the starting lineup for a player who hasn’t seen many snaps in a new defensive scheme. 

Of the other injuries to note (that can’t be blamed on the training staff, Luther Burden III left the game with an ankle injury, and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga left with a hamstring injury. Neither player returned. 

We’ll see how the Bears handle things on a short week. Although it’s not as short a timeline as a Thursday night would be, it’s one less day of recovery, which doesn’t exactly work in the favor of players like Odunze and Burden. Cole Kmet also left the game with a leg injury, but did return. He’s another player worth keeping an eye on in a short week. 

As a whole, the Bears have used the last few weeks to get healthier, but in a “must-win” game against the Packers in front of a home crowd, they’ll want to be as close to full-strength as possible. 

5. With Sunday’s Victory, Ben Johnson Becomes Just The Third Head Coach In Franchise History To Win 10-Plus Games In His First Season.

This feels different from 2018 under Matt Nagy, but that would leave out how high the hopes of this fanbase were heading into 2019. The most important differentiating factor between the two seasons is the quarterback situation. Mitchell Trubisky had his moments, but he didn’t have near the ability that Williams possesses. It’s also worth mentioning that Johnson is far more of a proven commodity as an offensive play caller than Nagy was. 

Sustained success has never been a given for the Bears, and fans shouldn’t approach 2026 any differently. As promising as Year 1 has been under Johnson, next season will be all about proving that this team can sustain success and that Johnson can continue to develop his franchise quarterback. I have all the faith in the world that he can do it, and frankly, fans should be excited to see Year 3 of Caleb Williams and Year 2 of this offense. That said, what Johnson has been able to accomplish in such a short period should be celebrated.

Johnson’s offense is averaging close to eight points per game more than they did a year ago with similar personnel. Although the defense has taken plenty of hits on the injury front, they’ve continued to play “good enough” ball down the stretch to keep up with their winning ways. As I pointed out a few weeks ago, this is a well-coached team, and it has shown. Whether it’s general game plans or in-game adjustments, the difference between this year’s staff and last year’s is night and day. It also helps that he’s coming from a winning organization with postseason experience. 

There’s still plenty to prove in 2025, but Bears fans have to feel good about the future, even if looking too far ahead can be scary. Gaining experience as a winning team is one thing; finding some semblance of postseason success would make this year even more of a success. 

6. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not: The Bears Can Clinch A Playoff Spot With Two Results In Week 16.

It might be hard to believe, but we’ve officially entered “playoff watch” territory. Two teams clinched on Sunday, leaving 12 spots up for grabs. For the Bears, it’s pretty simple: A win on Saturday night locks them into 11 wins, and they would need just one more victory over their final two games to clinch the division. If you’re not ready to aim for the stars yet, I understand entirely, so let’s start slower. 

With a Bears win on Saturday night against the Packers and a Lions loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago would clinch a playoff spot based on Detroit’s seven losses. The Lions will host the Steelers at home, and they have yet to lose two in a row since 2023, but it’s not that simple. With two more wins in their final three games, they would also clinch a playoff spot. 

With both the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks sitting at (11-3) with three games remaining, the chances of the Bears regaining the top seed in the NFC seem unlikely, especially following Seattle’s comeback win on Sunday. Even so, an NFC North title would give them a guaranteed two playoff home games (if they won in the first round), which is a lovely spot to be sitting in as the 2nd Seed. 

Although we keep saying “there’s a long way to go,” there really isn’t. Three games are remaining in the regular season, and for those out of the playoff picture, the margin for error has shrunken tremendously. As of Monday morning, Chicago holds an 81% chance to make the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s Playoff Simulator. In most seasons, 10 wins would get you into the dance, but it’ll take 11, maybe 12, depending on how the Lions finish out their season. A Steelers win on Sunday (regardless of the Bears’ result) would all but lock them into a playoff spot. Buckle in, Bears fans. We’re in the midst of the stretch run, and our beloved is on the brink of playing meaningful football in the second week of January. The only thing standing in their way of a playoff game is the Lions. We’ll see if that’s the case heading into Week 17.

7. Five Thoughts From Around The League Following The Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals Being Eliminated From Playoff Contention.

• Who would have thought that the Chiefs getting eliminated from the playoffs for the first time in a decade wouldn’t even be the worst news they received on Sunday?

Justifiably so, the headlines around the league centered on the Chiefs and their shortcomings. Not only were they officially eliminated from the playoffs after dropping to (6-8), but star quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL. Not only is Mahomes done for the remainder of the season, but due to the timing of the injury, it’s going to be a race to have him ready for the start of the 2026 regular season. I guess that Sunday was the last time we’ll see the Mahomes, Travis Kelce connection. The bill is coming due on an expensive roster, and the Chiefs will need to get creative to stay afloat. Their window appears to be closing, but that’s nothing a creative offseason can’t fix. Kansas City might be down and out for 2025, but I’m not ready to close the chapter on their current dynasty. 

• ACL injuries took out a pair of star players on Sunday. How of a blow will that be to the Packers’ defense for the remainder of the season? 

All was going well for the Packers in Denver, especially coming off a 28-21 victory against the Bears at Lambeau Field a week ago. They found themselves up two scores on the Broncos and were cruising toward another impressive win. Then, disaster struck. In the span of one play, Micah Parsons went from nearly sacking the quarterback to tearing his ACL and being out for the remainder of the season. Green Bay still has plenty of talent on its roster, but any team that loses its best defensive player is going to feel the effects. Are they deep enough in the trenches to withstand such a loss, or will this look like a different team? We’ve got three more regular-season games to figure out the answer to that question. 

• Experienced teams find ways to win games. That’s precisely why it’s foolish to count out teams like the Buffalo Bills or Philadelphia Eagles heading into the playoffs. 

I’m not saying the Bills will win the division after one game, but they proved to everyone on Sunday why they can’t be counted out. They were thoroughly dominated for the first half, but figured out a way to pull out the win on the road. This isn’t to take anything away from teams like the New England Patriots, either. They are a very good team that is way ahead of schedule. A big reason why is their MVP-caliber quarterback, Drake Maye. He had one of the worst games of the season, and in the end, the Patriots’ 10-game winning streak came to an end. Before writing off highly experienced teams in the playoffs, like the two listed above, remember that experience holds plenty of value once the calendar flips to January. 

• I say it every week, but who the heck are the Carolina Panthers? 

Carolina has had a few prime opportunities to take control of the division and put the pressure back on Tampa Bay. Although it’s worth noting that the two teams play each other twice over the final three weeks, the Panthers’ missed opportunity to give themselves a buffer is legitimately baffling. Especially when they lose both games to the lowly New Orleans Saints, it’s almost like they choose to play their best football against good teams. Either way, they missed a significant opportunity and will need to find consistency over the final month of the season if they hope to make the playoffs. 

• Phillip Rivers signing with the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday (after almost five years in retirement), starting on Sunday, is not something you’ll see very often. 

I’m still not sure I understand entirely why either side thought this was the best idea, but it sure made one heck of a storyline in Week 15, didn’t it? “Grandpa Rivers” was almost five years removed from taking an NFL snap, yet he rolled off the couch on a Tuesday and started an NFL game on Sunday. All things considered, he didn’t look too bad either. Despite the valiant effort, the Colts fell short, and their playoff hopes are on life support. I guess on the plus side, Colts fans can enjoy turning back the clock with Rivers for another three games? 

8. Your Weekly Update To The NFC Playoff Picture.

The NFC’s playoff picture is shaping up well, and by the conclusion of Week 16, there could just be eight teams in contention for seven spots. The Rams have bounced back well from their surprising loss against the Panthers, with two straight wins. Seattle is hot on their tail, and the 49ers are just a game back of both teams. As a whole, the NFC West is stacked and will very likely send three teams to the playoffs. 

After a hard-fought loss in Green Bay last Sunday, the Bears bounced back with a convincing win against the struggling Browns. The NFC North’s margin for error is as slim as it gets, and we’ve seen that play out over the last three games. One week after the Bears dropped from the 1st seed to the 7th, they are back up to the 2nd seed, while the Packers fell from two to seven. 

The NFC South has turned into quite an island of misfit toys with the Saints continuing to wreak havoc on the division’s top two teams. Both Carolina and Tampa Bay lost, which means the Bucs will keep their slim tie-breaking lead heading into a pair of head-to-head matchups over the final three games of the season. It feels like the Panthers have blown multiple opportunities to take command, but we’ll see if they can make their hay when they are head-to-head with Tampa Bay. 

Finally, there’s the NFC East. Really, it’s the Eagles and their in-season circus and maybe the Cowboys with an undefeated finish. Philadelphia coming out with a 31-0 blowout victory might not seem like much to most onlookers, but it was a win they desperately needed. With games remaining against the Commanders and Bills, getting to 11 wins feels realistic, which would win them the division, no matter what the Cowboys do. At this point, the Eagles need just one more win or one Cowboys loss to seal up the division for a second-straight year.

1. Los Angeles Rams (11-3) *Holds tie-breaker due to head-to-head with Seattle
2. Chicago Bears (10-4)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
5. Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
7. Green Bay Packers (9-4-1)

In The Hunt:

8. Detroit Lions (8-6)
9. Carolina Panthers (7-7) *For the NFC South

Not Eliminated… Yet:

10. Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)

Eliminated: New York Giants (2-12), Arizona Cardinals (3-11), Washington Commanders (4-10), New Orleans Saints (4-10), Atlanta Falcons (5-9), Minnesota Vikings (6-8)

9. NFC North Lookaround: 

Sunday’s slate of action featured multiple “must-watch” games, including the Packers at the Broncos and the Lions and the Rams. In reality, this was the Bears’ last real “reprieve” of the season, especially when they were hosting a severely understaffed Browns team that struggled to move the ball on Sunday in frigid conditions. Heading into the weekend, the best-case scenario was exactly what happened—a Bears win, coupled with losses by the Packers and Lions. 

Starting in Denver, Sunday afternoon’s national matchup went from a promising first half to a disastrous loss. The loss itself wasn’t overly groundbreaking, but the loss of Parsons for the season was. To make matters even worse, right tackle Zach Tom, star receiver Christian Watson, and Evan Williams also left the game early, and none of them returned. Postgame, head coach Matt LaFleur said the belief is that Tom and Williams aren’t going to be long-term, but Watson’s injury was still being evaluated. Dropping an eight-point game is easy to overcome, but the health of multiple key players hanging in the balance might be tougher to overlook. We’ll see how they look Saturday night in Chicago. 

Similar to the Packers, the Lions were in a great position heading into the second half. That was before the Rams took complete control of the game and cruised to a seven-point win. Because of Detroit’s record, its margin for error has become almost non-existent. Regarding the Bears, they are a pair of wins (or a win and a Lions loss) away from keeping them out of the playoffs. The Lions’ remaining schedule isn’t easy, but they continue to show flashes of being the dominant team they were over the last few years. Sunday was a gut-punch, and now they’ll need plenty of help to get back to the playoffs for a third-straight season. 

Finally, the Vikings’ future outlook could be looking a little brighter over these past two games. Since returning from his concussion, quarterback J.J. McCarthy has looked much more poised throwing the football. This team still has some questions to answer in the offseason and will have to make some tough decisions with a tricky cap situation, but if McCarthy can even play to a league-average level, the floor for the Vikings is closer to a Wild Card team. With the Bears’ win, the Vikings were officially eliminated from postseason contention, just one year after going (14-3). It’s incredible how much things can change in one season. 

Heading into Week 16, here’s what the NFC North Standings look like: 

Chicago Bears (10-4) Up next: Vs Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) Up next: At Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions (8-6) Up next: Vs Pittsburgh Steelers

Minnesota Vikings (6-8) Up next: At New York Giants

10. Week 16 Look Ahead: Round 2 Against The Green Bay Packers.

Following a disappointing 28-21 loss at Lambeau Field in Week 14, the Bears rebounded in Week 15 with a convincing 31-3 victory at Soldier Field. They will stay home on a short week to host the Packers on Saturday Night-ish Football. This game could ultimately decide the NFC North, especially with just two games remaining after Saturday. Chicago will enter Week 16 with a half-game lead, but as we’ve learned, that goes away in a hurry with a loss to the team directly behind them.

Green Bay has continued to play good football, but following Sunday’s big injuries, it’s fair to wonder how healthy they’ll be on a six-day week. The loss of Parsons will be felt, and it puts more pressure on the rest of the defensive line to get after the quarterback. Offensively, Watson was a killer in their first matchup, so his status concerning his chest injury will be something to monitor closely. Without him, they’ll need to rely more on Jayden Reed and first-round pick Matthew Golden. 

The division race has tightened up, but in the end, this appears to be a two-team race with the winner potentially decided this weekend (even if it’s not official). With a Bears win, they would hold a 1.5-game lead with two games remaining. With a Packers win, they would be a half-game up and have a more favorable schedule in their final two contests. Couple that with a Lions loss, and both teams will be all but guaranteed a playoff spot. 

There’s plenty on the line for both teams, and this game could come down to which team is the healthier one. Both teams have questions on the offensive side of the ball, but barring any surprises, the Bears should have the advantage on that from come Saturday night.