10 Bears Takes: Another Heart-Stopping, Last Second Win!

It might be hard to believe, but the 2025 NFL regular season is starting to wind down. Following Monday night’s results, there will be just seven games remaining before the start of the playoffs. With

so many bad teams in the league this year, the playoff picture is more condensed than it has been in quite some time. For the Chicago Bears, a win on Sunday brought a sizable jump for their playoff chances, and a Vikings loss all but knocked Minnesota out of the mix. There was plenty on the line this weekend in the NFC, and the results delivered. Somehow, some way, the Bears found yet another way to win a football game. With everyone’s heart rates still elevated a day later, we’ll dive into the game and a whole lot more for your first-place Bears.

1. Following Another Last-Second Win (And Some Help Within The Division), Sunday’s Win Not Only Drastically Improved Their Playoff Chances But Has Given The Bears Sole Possession Of First Place Heading Into Week 12

Heading into Sunday afternoon, the Bears found themselves at a statistical crossroads, if you will. According to Pro Football Focus, the Bears’ chances of making the playoffs at (7-3) were 64%, versus a loss that brought them to (6-4), which drastically shifted their playoff chances to 31%. Not only did a win give them a real chance at a playoff spot for the first time this season, but it all but eliminates the Vikings (would likely need to go 6-1 to have a shot). 

Make no mistake- The NFC is stacked this year. Even if there aren’t many “elite” teams so far, there are a host of teams competing for seven playoff spots. Tie-breakers tend to play a significant role at the end of the season, and with the Bears improving their conference record to (5-2), they are setting themselves up to be in a good position down the stretch. It’s worth noting that they’ll face the Packers twice, the Lions, and the 49ers over their final seven games. Head-to-head is the ultimate tie-breaker, but divisional and conference records will come into focus if that doesn’t help. 

Of the team’s final seven games, all but two will be in the conference. Assuming they were to finish at (10-7) and split the two AFC games, they would finish (7-5) conference record, which is a quality mark, but might not be enough to win them a tie-breaker in that scenario. Heading into the season, it was reasonable to focus on the Wild Card, but considering their current standing within the division, fans should start to shift their focus to the NFC North crown. After a (0-2) start in the division, they’re going to need to finish strong for that to work in their favor. The good news is that at (1-2), they are tied with the Lions in that regard, and the Packers still have five divisional games to go. 

Believe it or not, it’s time to start looking at the playoff picture. The Bears aren’t just “in the hunt”; they are part of the playoff picture. In fact, they currently lead the NFC North by a half game.  Buckle in, these final seven games are going to mean something, and that’s not something anyone has been able to say in five years. 

2. On Friday, The Bears Announced That They Were Opening Up All-Pro Cornerback Jaylon Johnson’s 21-Day Window To Come Back From Injured Reserve. In Addition, Kyler Gordon and T.J. Edwards Are Expected Back Soon. What Could This Defense Look Like Going Into December?

Count me as one of the many people surprised that Johnson’s window opened as early as it did. After missing Week 1, the team’s best defender played less than a half of football before undergoing surgery for a groin injury. It was far from a minor surgery, and at the time, the Bears were “cautiously optimistic” that Johnson could return for the final few games of the season. If they used all 21 days of his window (which I would not be surprised about), they’ll still get him back for the final five games of the season, including two games against the Packers, and a Week 18 home matchup against the division-leading Detroit Lions. 

The assumption when determining whether Johnson would return was always contingent upon their being in the playoff race. With them firmly in the mix, it makes perfect sense. The secondary has been a noticeable issue all season, and a big part of that has been at cornerback, where it’s been injuries galore. On top of getting Johnson back, Gordon is now eligible to have his 21-day window opened at any point moving forward. Taking head coach Ben Johnson at his word, it appears that could happen soon. 

It is worth mentioning that just because a player’s window opens doesn’t mean the team will rush them back to get on the field. Johnson underwent a serious procedure. I’m still not expecting him back until their first December game, but it wouldn’t exactly shock me to see him active for the Black Friday game. For Gordon, it’s a recurring injury, so the Bears need to make sure he’s fully healed and ready to go. On top of the two players, Edwards should be expected back soon, as well. Considering they didn’t place him on Injured Reserve, it’s fair to assume that a return to play (with a club on his broken hand) could come as early as Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. We saw a similar timeline with Dominique Robinson, granted their two injuries were different. 

Getting back three of their best defensive players can only help improve one of the worst defenses in the league, right? It would also allow them to move C.J. Gardner-Johnson around at both nickel, linebacker, and safety. Soon enough, the Bears’ secondary could go from being extremely short-handed to back to being one of the team’s strengths. Although Edwards lacks speed, his presence over the middle has been felt, both in and out of the lineup. Recruiting three savvy veterans could go a long way in bringing this unit back to a league-average range, which would significantly aid their playoff push. 

3. Sunday Was The First Game of All Season. The Bears’ Offense Didn’t Score On One Of Its Two Opening Offensive Drives.

Little did we know that would be a predictive sign of the team’s offensive struggles. Going back to the original point, it’s a little hard to believe, isn’t it? When was the last time the Bears had scored offensive points on one of their top opening drives for nine straight games? If you have the answer, let me know, because I certainly don’t. 

Any time a team faces a Brian Flores defense, it’s always going to be a struggle. Not only does Flores keep the pressure on, but he also tends to mix up coverages and confuse even the most veteran of quarterbacks. Despite some success last year, the Bears’ offense has struggled in both games against the Vikings this year. Minnesota blitzed on 78% of its defensive snaps, which is astonishing to consider. It was clear that it not only impacted quarterback Caleb Williams (16-of-32, 193 passing yards, and 26 rushing yards), but also head coach Ben Johnson’s aggressive mindset. We are all used to seeing Johnson push things to the next level, but on Sunday, we saw a much more conservative approach, which led to one missed field goal and the game-winning field goal. 

We’ve all been waiting to see what this offense could do against a better defense, and the results weren’t overly promising. That said, it’s worth keeping in mind that the Bears won’t see anyone as aggressive as Flores for the remainder of the regular season. We’ll see if the offense can get back into a rhythm after two down weeks. The offensive line also needs to be better at picking up blitzes. A win is a win, and ultimately, that’s all that matters at the end of the day, but if this offense is going to be considered one of the best, they’ve got to produce better against defenses like Minnesota. We’ll see if they can get back on track against a Steelers defense that has been about as inconsistent as it gets. 

4. It Was Another Multi-Takeaway Day Again For The Defense, But Nahshon Wright’s Late Second-Quarter Interception Just Meant More. 

Earlier in the week, news broke that former Last Chance U head coach John Beam was shot and killed near the football field at Laney’s campus. For avid football fans, many will likely remember the teams featured on the show. Although Nahshon had already moved to Oregon once the show relocated to Oakland, he was seen in a few episodes supporting his younger brother, Rejzohn. Beam came across as a super down-to-earth coach who actually cared about his kids beyond a football level. The same could not be said about the other two coaches in previous seasons. 

It was no surprise to see the older Wright brother post a heartfelt tribute to his former coach on social media. What many didn’t know was the extent of Beam’s involvement in the Wright brothers’ lives. Their father passed away in 2017, and Beam was the first one to come over and break the horrible news and offer support. When asked about it postgame, Nahshon noted that after that tragic incident, Beam became like a father figure to him. Since Beam’s sad murder, there have been many similar stories about the man that he was. 

For Wright, Sunday’s interception just had to mean a little bit more. Despite being drafted, Wright’s NFL career hasn’t gone nearly as planned. He has bounced around between three different teams and has experienced his fair share of ups and downs in Chicago through 10 games. When he was signed earlier in the offseason, he wasn’t someone many people projected to make the roster. Instead, he has started all but one game this season, and despite being tied for fourth in the league with four interceptions, he has struggled far more than ideal. 

Wright was seen emotional on the bench following the interception, which held the Vikings off the scoreboard heading into the half. That play ultimately proved to be a significant factor in the Bears’ two-point win, but it also highlights that sometimes things are bigger than football. No matter how you feel about his play on the field, being able to come down with an interception just days after a tragedy is always something every fan should celebrate. 

5. With The Offensive Line Struggling, Caleb Williams’s lack Of Deep Ball Accuracy Was On Full Display. As Was His Continued Illusiveness.

As highlighted in a previous point, the offense as a whole struggled against the league’s most aggressive defense. The offensive line had an uncharacteristically bad game, giving up far too many pressures and two sacks (after surrendering none against a better defensive line last weekend). Despite plays being open downfield, Williams struggled with accuracy. It’s worth noting that another trio of drops didn’t help him, but early in the game, he missed a pair of deep balls that could have been game-changing plays. Every NFL quarterback has down games, and Williams is no different. There’s not much cause for concern, but spectators have grown accustomed to an explosive Bears offense that hangs 380-plus yards and 26-plus points per game. For a second straight week, they struggled to find the endzone. 

On the day, Williams’ numbers weren’t terrible. A few drops didn’t help his 50% completion percentage, but he also did little to help himself out. Accuracy has been a continued issue for most of the season, and it’s clear that the second-year quarterback is going to fall far short of Johnson’s 70% goal set back in the preseason. 

On the plus side, Williams’ sack avoidance continues to resemble something similar to magician-like quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. At some point soon, the hope would be that he can start turning some of those broken/extended plays into big chunks down the field. Part of that has been on Williams, but there has also been a severe lack of “fundamentals” when it comes to the scramble drill and receivers. 

Wins aren’t a quarterback stat, and fans should do their best to stay away from citing that as a reason for improvement with Williams, but there’s still plenty to like when it comes to the young quarterback’s game. Hopefully, at some point soon, we’ll see him consistently take the next step and lead a more prolific passing offense that doesn’t get stifled by the league’s best defensive minds. 

6. How Do The Bears Keep Finding Ways To Win These Games?

I touched on it at the top, but I’m starting to wonder how many more of these games I can get through without having a complete mental breakdown. 

Unlike Week 10, the Bears controlled the bulk of Sunday’s game. In fact, they lead for more than three quarters. Despite a strong defensive gam, and the offense being gifted every opportunity to put the game away, it once again came down to a last-second play to win them the game. 

As a whole, the defense played an outstanding game against a struggling quarterback who entered his final drive having completed less than 50% of his passes. Even without a sack on the day, they were able to hold Minnesota to 3-for-11 on third down, and just 265 total yards. When the team needed them to step up, they did for all but one drive of the game. Sure, there was some luck involved, but McCarthy had some luck involved with what should have been his third interception of the game, but was dropped following a collision by Tyrique Stevenson and Jaquan Brisker. 

In the end, it’s almost impossible to “blame” the defense, though. The offense had every opportunity to put the game away, and continually settled for field goals. Of their 19 points, they had just one touchdown. Johnson’s play-calling was conservative to a fault, and frankly, it almost cost them the game. All’s well that ends well, but at some point, the Bears need to play better complementary football. As I’ve mentioned multiple times before, when the offense plays well, the defense tends to struggle. When the defense plays well, the offense does just enough to secure a win in the final seconds. I’m not sure I would classify this as a “complaint”, especially considering they’ve won seven of their last eight games. Still, at some point, regression is inevitable in these close-game situations. 

For now, Bears fans just get to pick their emotions up off the ground following each exciting win, and hope that in the near future, they can start putting games away before it gets to the point of these heart-stopping comebacks. 

7. Three Up And Three Down From Sunday’s Win.

Three Up:

• RB D’Andre Swift
• TE Cole Kmet
• S Kevin Byard

There wasn’t a whole lot of “good” in today’s game on either side of the ball. Frankly, the same could be said for the Vikings, as well. Even so, there were still a few “top performers” worth noting, and we’ll start with Swift. It was an uneven game over for him, but when it mattered the most, he came up with some challenging runs. As a whole, Swift is still making too many mistakes in pass protection and missing holes, but there’s no doubt that he’s the most explosive of the two runners. The veteran running back finished with 90 rushing yards on 21 attempts. This might be surprising to some, but Kmet was the team’s leading receiver on the day with five catches for 45 yards. His numbers weren’t overly gaudy, but he had two big catches where he was able to gain valuable extra yards after the catch. Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Byard. The 32-year-old safety’s interception on Sunday was his league-leading fifth in 10 games. Not only is he a valuable veteran to have in the locker room, but he’s keeping the team’s secondary remotely together. 

Three Down:

• LB Noah Sewell
• Receiver Drops
• The Defensive Line

It was good to see Sewell return from injury, but his play for a second-straight week was suboptimal. Any time a team loses a starter, the “next man up” mentality pops up like a cliché. Although it’s unrealistic to expect a one-for-one transition, when the backup is so bad that he’s the most noticeable player on the field, it’s an issue. Sewell has struggled with poor tackling angles and overpursuit all year. His struggles in coverage are no surprise, but when the fundamentals continually lack, it’s a big issue. Hopefully, Edwards can return soon. Drops continued to be an issue on Sunday for a second consecutive week. Johnson said he wasn’t overly concerned last week because it wasn’t a trend, but I’d be willing to bet there’s going to be a complex correction made during practices this week. D.J. Moore, Durham Smythe, and Luther Burden III all had pretty rough drops that cost the team first downs. Williams wasn’t great today, but this was yet another week where his highly invested pass catchers let him down. Finally, the defensive line didn’t do nearly enough against an offensive line (and quarterback) that has struggled with sacks all year. Officially, the Bears didn’t have a sack. They also accounted for just five hits on the day, which is a huge issue. Luckily, they faced a struggling quarterback, or the game could have been much worse.  

8. An Updated Look At The NFC Playoff Picture Headed Into Monday Night.

Are you not entertained???

The NFC playoff picture is shaping up to be a great one down the stretch, and thanks to the Bears’ surprising start, we get to talk about it! 

Heading into Monday night, this feels like a nine-team race for seven open spots. Both the NFC West and NFC North have proven to be gauntlets once again this year, but one could argue that the West is the cream of the crop. Thanks to the 49ers’ win, there’s a clear leader headed into Week 12. Even so, that race is far from over, and the same could be said for all divisions outside of the NFC East. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the Top 10 heading into the final seven games of the season.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) *Wins tie-breaker based on head-to-head win*
2. Los Angeles Rams (8-2)
3. Chicago Bears (7-3)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4)
5. Seattle Seahawks (7-3)
6. Green Bay Packers (6-3-1)
7. San Francisco 49ers (7-4)
8. Detroit Lions (6-4)
9. Carolina Panthers (6-5)
10. Minnesota Vikings (4-6)

The top of the NFC feels solidified. Whether it’s the Rams, Seahawks, or 49ers in the West, there’s a good chance that at least two of those teams make the final cutoff. The Eagles are well on their way to repeating as NFC East champs for the first time in over two decades, while one of the Buccaneers or Panthers is the most likely to pull out the crown in the NFC South. Admittedly, it’s hard for me to buy the Panthers too much with their remaining six games featuring games against the 49ers, Rams, Seahawks, and two against the Buccaneers. The North is in a similar boat where two, if not three, teams are likely to make the playoffs. The runner-up in the division should be good enough to get one of the top Wild Card spots, while third place could be fighting the 49ers (or Seahawks) for the seventh seed. The Dallas Cowboys are also on the outside looking in at (3-5-1) heading into Monday Night Football, but they would ultimately need to go (7-1) down the stretch to get to 10 wins and have a real chance. 

Barring multiple teams stumbling down the stretch, 10 wins feels like the cut-off, and even with that, tie-breakers are very likely to play a role. With plenty of head-to-head matchups ahead within each division, there will be plenty of chaos in the coming weeks. It’s worth noting that tie-breakers aren’t likely to apply for the Packers (and maybe Dallas if they have a miracle run) because of their tie. It’s hard to tell whether or not that could work out in their favor, but again, 10 wins feels like the cutoff to make the playoffs in the NFC for 2025. 11 wins could act as a lock, which should be the goal for some of these Wild Card contenders. 

Either way, it’s time to buckle in, Bears fans. This is the first time in five years that the Bears are legitimate playoff contenders heading into the latter part of November. Enjoy it, and don’t be afraid to keep track! 

9. NFC North Lookaround: The Bears Knock Off The Vikings, The Packers Survive Against The Giants, And The Lions’ Loss Drops Them To Third Place

After just four divisional games in the first 10 weeks of the season, the “Black and Blue Division” is ramping up its intra-division play, and that started in Minnesota with the Vikings and Bears. Despite controlling the majority of the game (as they did in their first meeting), the Bears once again blew a late fourth-quarter lead. This time, they were able to piece it back together and won it on a last-second field goal. 

For the Bears, it keeps them at the top of the NFC North with a (1-2) record within the division. They’ll face just one more team under .500 for the remainder of the season, but they’ve put themselves in a favorable position to make the playoffs with just seven games remaining in the regular season. For the Vikings, it puts them in a spot with no margin for error the rest of the season. Quarterback play continues to haunt Minnesota, especially in the turnover department. The frustration with star receiver Justin Jefferson has continued to mount, and it’s worth wondering how much longer of a leash J.J. McCarthy will get before they consider another quarterback change. The defense is still strong, and the roster boasts plenty of talent, but things aren’t clicking, and their season is on the brink. We’ll see how head coach Kevin O’Connell reacts in the stretch run of the season. 

The Packers won, but I’m not sure that’s a win that will quell many of the concerns that were surrounding them heading into their matchup with the New York Giants. It took a last-minute interception to seal the deal, and their offense has continued to struggle to produce a consistent product on the field. While the Packers are still very much alive in the divisional race, the same can’t be said for the Vikings. The two will square off in Green Bay on Sunday, which could have profound implications for the other two teams in the division. 

Finally, the Lions had the challenging task of going on the road in primetime to take on a streaking Eagles team that had already knocked off the Packers the week prior. Head coach Dan Campbell continued to call offensive plays on Sunday night, but the results didn’t match those of the previous week. The Eagles controlled the majority of the game, and the Lions’ offense looked like a shell of itself with quarterback Jared Goff under constant pressure. Luckily for them, they’ll host the Giants in Week 12. For now, one loss dropped them from first place, all the way down to third (and technically out of the playoff picture). We’ll see if the Bears can experience a second-straight week of good fortune next Sunday. 

10. Week 12 Look Ahead: The Return Of Aaron Rodgers… This Time In A Different Uniform.

A game that some Bears fans have had circled on their calendar since the schedule release in May is almost here. The (6-4) Pittsburgh Steelers once had a commanding lead in the AFC North, but that has since shrunk tremendously following an uneven stretch of games. In total, the Steelers are a talented team, but this has been a group that has struggled to break through and reach the next level once the playoffs begin. With the soon-to-be 42-year-old Rodgers under center, the hope is that his experience and overall savvy can get them over the hump. Similar to last year, Pittsburgh is dangerously close to blowing the division lead, despite the Baltimore Ravens’ disastrous start. 

The Bears will open up as favorites, but after almost two decades of Rodgers tearing the Bears apart, it’s hard to feel overly confident moving into Sunday’s game at Soldier Field. The Steelers have plenty of star power, but they have yet to put it all together consistently. Does the latter part of that assessment sound familiar? In many ways, the two teams have shown a similar lack of consistency. Rodgers and running back Jaylen Warren both exited Sunday’s game and did not return. We’ll see if either one of them misses the game. 

This should be a close game, and one that the Bears can absolutely win, but the playoff pressure will be on both teams. Luckily for Chicago, they’ll get to do it in front of a home crowd at Soldier Field. Getting pressure on Rodgers (or Mason Rudolph) and minimizing the impact of the run game will be two key factors in slowing down this offense. For whatever reason, these teams tend to play close games, so there’s no reason not to expect another one on Sunday.