With December football in full effect, the Chicago Bears find themselves in a spot that they haven’t been in for five years: Meaningful games. Going into the season, most Bears fans would have taken a winning
record with clear improvements across the board. Sprinkle in the feeling of being “In The Hunt”, and I’m not sure many fans would have complained. Somehow, despite their (0-2) start to the season, this team walked into Lambeau Field not only in first place and winners of nine of their last 10, but as the NFC’s No. 1 seed. In many ways, this has been a dream season that not many saw coming. Even if we’re mostly along for the ride (regardless of the outcome), hopes have turned from potential playoff contender to winning the NFC North for the first time in seven years.
Riding high off an impressive win on Black Friday against the defending Super Bowl champs, the Bears came into Lambeau with a chance for another statement win. Unfortunately, the first 30 minutes of the game did not go as planned. The Packers were the much better team, and it seemed like they were multiple steps ahead of Chicago’s coaching staff. The second half looked completely different, but in the end, the Bears left Lambeau Field with their fourth loss of the season, but with a clear path to the playoffs still ahead of them. Before we turn the page on another stinker in Green Bay, let’s dive into our weekly 10 Bears Takes for Week 14.
1. The First-Half Offensive Struggles, Especially In The Passing Game, Are Becoming Extremely Concerning.
From the opening whistle until halftime, the Bears were thoroughly dominated on both sides of the ball, despite getting an early takeaway and the benefit of multiple calls going their way. The offense struggled to move the ball, and quarterback Caleb Williams was just 6-of-14 for 32 passing yards (2.3-yard average) through the first 30 minutes of the game. As a whole, the offense mustered just 71 total yards and three points.
For the most part, the passing offense has been trending the wrong way for the better part of the second half. Williams’ 4,000-yard pace is well off the mark, as is his completion percentage. For the most part, the offensive line has dominated, but that wasn’t the case on Sunday. I’d be lying if I said I was surprised that head coach Ben Johnson didn’t try harder to establish his dominant run game out of the gate.
The good news is that the offense looked like a completely different unit in the second half. Although the Bears’ night ended on an underthrown pass from Williams that was intercepted in the end zone, the run game helped get their passing attack on track. After scoring just three points in the first half, the offense rebounded for 244 yards and 18 points in the final 30 minutes of play. Williams had numerous impressive throws, and as a whole, the offensive line looked much more “on-brand” in the second half.
Even so, it’s fair to wonder why it’s taking this offense so long to get started. With a more well-rounded performance, do the Bears win the game? Maybe, maybe not. The Packers’ offense scored on 50% of their (actual) drives, but unfortunately for Chicago, all four resulted in touchdowns. The bigger point here is that this team continues not to be able to string together a full 60 minutes of “good football”. Last Friday’s Eagles game was the closest they’ve come, but even then, they had a few letdowns in the third quarter.
Somehow, some way, Johnson and this offensive staff must find a way to get back to starting faster. Even an extra touchdown in the first half would have been huge as the game played out. We’ve come to know this team plays its best football in the first quarter, namely the second half. All that said, this group needs to find a way to play more consistent football throughout the game, and a lot of that falls on Johnson to get his quarterback in a rhythm early and let his run game take over before the second half.
2. The Last Time The Bears Went Into Lambeau Field, They Won On A Last-Second Field Goal From Cairo Santos. Looking At The Starting Offensive Line, It’s Hard To Believe They Were Even Close.
The Athletic’s Dan Wiederer brought back some tough memories on Tuesday morning with a tweet that I had a hard time not thinking about throughout the week. Simply listed were the starting offensive linemen, reserves, and who was hurt.
In fairness, Darnell Wright, Coleman Shelton, and Larry Borom are all currently starting for their respective teams. Wright has developed into one of the better right tackles in the game, while Shelton has continued to be a reliable piece at center in his second stint with the Rams. Borom has played better than I expected, but the bar was extremely low to clear, so I’m not sure that’s saying a whole lot. Matt Pryor has spent the year on the Eagles’ active roster. However, it’s worth mentioning that since Lane Johnson has gone down at right tackle and Cam Jurgens at center, it’s clear that Pryor is more of a last-resort option than anything resembling starting-caliber. Shockingly, Jake Curhan has been on the Carolina Panthers’ active roster for 10 games this year, and has played 152 snaps, with all but three of those coming at right guard.
The three players on the bench (Chris Glaser, Doug Kramer, and Kiran Amegadjie) are not currently on an active roster. Amegadjie has been firmly placed on injured reserve and is not expected to be back for the remainder of the season. Teven Jenkins, the final name on this list, was inactive due to an injury for Week 18 of last season and has yet to start a game for the Cleveland Browns after signing a one-year, $3.05 million contract in free agency.
Despite some folks wanting to recite subjective analytics like “Pass Block Win Rate” as reasons for the offensive line performing better than they were, it’s easy to look back at last year and see why they couldn’t run the ball and gave up a league-high 68 sacks. Comparing that group to this year’s starting five should give Bears fans a great idea of just how far this entire team has come in a short period of time. What’s even more impressive is that they went out and created one of the best interior lines in football in the matter of six days, which, all things considered, is pretty impressive.
The Bears are far from a finished product and still have plenty of unfinished business in 2025. Still, these lookbacks are always fun, especially when the product is that much better on the other side of a nightmare scenario like 2024. We’ll see how significant a role they play down the stretch, especially as the weather gets colder and the need for a run game grows.
3. A Loss To The Packers Is Never Fun, But The Bears Still Have A Clear Path To The Playoffs In Front Of Them. Why It’s Not Worth Freaking Out Over Them Dropping From The Top Seed To The Seventh Seed.
This is the point of the season where I’d encourage everyone to take a deep breath. Sure, losing to the Packers always hurts, but the Bears once again proved that they can play with the best teams in the league. These aren’t the “Same Old Bears”, and we’ve seen it play out in real time more than enough to have confidence that they will figure things out following a loss.
Following a stinker on the road against the Ravens, I shared a similar sentiment in my 10 Bears Takes. At that point, we had no idea this team would go on a run so impressive that they would enter Week 14 as the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Although I’ve never fully bought in on them earning the top seed and a first-round bye, the division is still very much in play. For some, having a winning season was enough for it to be considered a “successful” season. For others, simply making the playoffs becomes the new bar to clear. For me, winning the division should still be very much in play.
Part of taking that deep breath is looking into the immediate future. With a home win on Sunday against the three-win Cleveland Browns, they’ll head into Week 16 with a chance to turn the tables on the Packers and take back the division with a win. Taking a deeper dive into Week 15, the Bears are the only one of the three top teams in the NFC North that will have a home game and play a team under .500. The Packers will head to Denver to face a Broncos team that currently holds the No. 1 seed. The Lions are also on the road and will take on the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams.
With one favorable week on Sunday, the Bears could not only be back in the division lead but also hold a two-game lead on the Lions with a Week 16 victory, clinching a playoff spot. Outside of the No. 1 seed, everything is still very much in front of Chicago if they take care of business over the next few weeks.
The Bears’ final four games of the season are less-than-ideal, but it’s not like the Packers or Lions have it any easier. In fact, Chicago’s remaining strength of schedule (.558) ranks lower than both other teams in the division (.596). Detroit and Green Bay will both play two current division leaders, the Vikings and, of course, the Bears.
Although the beloved are far from guaranteed a playoff spot with four games remaining, they are closer to wrapping up a playoff spot than to finding themselves outside the dance in the second week of January. According to The Athletic’s Playoff Simulator, Chicago’s current probability sits at 68%. With a win against Cleveland, those odds jump to 75%. Couple that with the Lions’ loss, and it goes to 79%. Combined losses by the Lions and Packers would have the Bears sitting pretty at 81% heading into their Week 16 rematch with Green Bay at Soldier Field.
This is all a long-winded way of saying that the time to panic is not now. The odds are still very much in the Bears’ favor, and an advantageous Week 15 would only further that.
4. After It Felt Like The Bears Had Finally Figured Out Their Health In The Secondary, Kyler Gordon’s Pre-Game Groin Injury Is Just The Latest In A Saga Of Head-Scratching Injury Fortune At Cornerback.
At this point, I’m completely speechless when it comes to Gordon’s consistent ailments in 2025. Now, I’m not saying he got paid, and then he doesn’t want to play. That’s not the point of this at all. I’m simply trying to understand how one player can have three soft tissue injuries in the same season, the way that Gordon has.
Their only saving grace is that C.J. Gardner-Johnson has been an outstanding mid-season addition, even if he didn’t play his best game on Sunday. Even so, it’s worth wondering if the Bears are going to shut Gordon down for the year and get him on a different off-season workout plan.
Speaking of injured cornerbacks, Jaylon Johnson has looked like a shell of himself since returning two games ago from core muscle surgery. You’d have to imagine that he’ll round into form the more he plays, but it’s clear he’s nowhere near 100% and it’s very noticeable when he’s on the field. Hopefully, they can get Tyrique Stevenson back at some point soon, because the depth behind their starters is still questionable at best. Nick McCloud is more known as a special teamer, and he’s been exposed on multiple occasions when he’s out with the starters on the boundary.
Health is still a concern with this group, and it’s worth wondering if they’re going to get a single game this season at full strength. Step 1 in that plan will be to figure out Gordon’s prognosis. Even without Gordon, getting healthier on the boundary will be a key down the stretch, especially with their lack of pass rush.
5. One Thing That Has Stood Out To Me Over The Back Half Of The Season Is Just How Well Coached This Team Is.
No one can forget how poorly the season started, or even some of the growing pains along the way. That said, the Bears have managed to string together a pair of extended winning streaks. None of which could be done without top-quality coaching along the way. Some might forget, but this was a roster with plenty of projected holes heading into the season. Whether it was starting jobs like running back or the defensive line that were being questioned, or concerns surrounding key positions of depth, this roster wasn’t seen as a perennial double-digit winner.
Now, that doesn’t mean that general manager Ryan Poles’ job is done or even close to it, but that’s kind of the point, right? No objective observer will sit down, watch this team, and come away with the thought that they are the most injured team in the league. Even so, they’ve experienced their fair share of adversity over the first 14 weeks of the season. Whether that was going multiple games without their Top 3 starting cornerbacks for an entire game, or missing the Top 4 linebackers for two games, the Bears have had to weather the storm, much like many other teams around the league.
Injuries (especially on the defensive side of the ball) have been a factor. As in 2018, the team has had plenty of “unlikely heroes” step up in their place. Some of that could be sheer dumb luck, but getting starter-level production from players like Nahshon Wright and D’Marco Jackson can’t just be easily explained away. Both players were newcomers this season, and both came at the recommendation of former coaches.
Despite being a third-round pick in 2021, Chicago was Wright’s third stop in four professional seasons. The 27-year-old had played just 272 snaps before signing a one-year, veteran minimum contract with the Bears on April 8th. When all is said and done, Wright is expected to come close to quadrupling his career snap count. Not to mention, he currently leads all NFL defenders with eight takeaways through 13 games. The signing itself wasn’t just dumb luck; it required a highly-regarded coach (Al Harris) wanting him. Considering the injuries this team has taken at the position, his ability to play in all 13 contests should also not be ignored. A similar story could be shared for Jackson, who was claimed off waivers from the New Orleans Saints before Week 1 due to his familiarity with Dennis Allen’s defense. The 27-year-old linebacker played just 76 total defense snaps before being called into action as the team’s starting linebacker over a two-game stretch.
Not convinced yet? That’s fine. Let’s take a look at two more players that many fans swore up and down weren’t going to be good enough to field an acceptable NFL rushing attack. First, we’ll start with D’Andre Swift. If the Bears had their druthers, would they have liked to start the season with a different feature back from April’s draft class? Absolutely. Their lack of an apparent upgrade in the running back room didn’t come from a lack of effort. Instead of Ben Johnson simply saying “this guy won’t work for me”, he’s reworked his scheme around what his players do well. Because of that, Swift is on pace for a career-high in rushing yards (1,097) and his most efficient season overall. If that wasn’t good enough, enter seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai. He was the 22nd of 25 running backs taken in April’s draft, and yet he has been one of the most productive. He ranks third in rushing touchdowns by a rookie running back and has averaged close to five yards per carry. Although his skill set is somewhat limited, he’s been the perfect one-two punch with Swift, as evidenced when they both went over 100 yards in Week 13. Running backs coach Eric Bieniemy also deserves his fair share of credit throughout this process, too. Swift is running more physically and decisively than he ever has in his six-year NFL career.
Outside of some of the more obvious situations highlighted above, key assistant coaches like Dan Roushar have played a significant role in remaking the team’s offensive line. It’s one thing to add a collection of talent. It’s another to get them gelling together and playing like one of the best overall units in football, despite featuring three different starting left tackles in the same season. What’s been even more impressive has been their functional depth. Whether it was Theo Benedet spelling Braxton Jones at the start of the year, or Ozzy Trapilo being played on both sides of the line on short notice, or even Luke Newman’s admirable job filling in at correct tackle for Jonah Jackson mid-game, there’s been plenty to feel good about in an area that was one of the worst in the league just a year ago.
Another hallmark of a good coaching staff is their ability to adjust in-game. That’s something that the Bears have continued to thrive on most of this season, especially from October on. Allen has had his hands full on defense, especially with the key injuries. Yet we never see the same game plan twice, and he’s done exceptionally well to adjust in the second half. Something similar could be said about Johnson and his offensive staff. The offense struggled in the early going, outside of the Cowboys game. Their run game was a mess, and the offensive line, despite completely retooling the interior, wasn’t working as one unit. During their early Week 5 bye, Johnson vowed to get the run game figured out, and that he has. Since the bye week, Chicago’s rushing attack has been the most prolific and dangerous group in the league. The fact that they were in the bye week as a bottom-10 unit and have since averaged close to 150 yards on the ground per game with the same personnel is a testament to the coaching staff.
In-game, Johnson has been evenkeeled and, despite taking some early lumps, has been smooth and fluid throughout each game with his decision-making. He has a clear plan on how he wants to manage timeouts, and hasn’t been nearly as aggressive on fourth down as he was in Detroit. While the latter portion of that statement might be seen as negative by some, it’s clear that he doesn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach, which is yet another example of a coaching staff that continually adjusts to its personnel. As Johnson gains more trust in his offense (and team), he’s tweaked his in-game approaches.
We’ve all seen this story before, and it rarely plays out well. The new hot-shot coach comes in, appears to get the team on the right track, and then everything falls apart in Year 2. We saw it with Matt Nagy, even with Trestman. This feels different, and while some of the reasons might be hard to quantify, there’s still tangible proof that the Bears finally have a coaching staff that can develop its talent and adjust its game plans to fit its personnel.
6. This Defense Will Go As Far As Their Opportunistic Takeaways Allow Them To Go.
Injuries or not, it’s time that fans accept that this unit will go as far as their takeaways allow them to go. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a deeper dive.
In the Bears’ nine victories this year, they’ve totaled 25 takeaways (2.78 average per game). In their four losses, they’ve taken the ball away just twice, while turning it over five times. Most advanced statistics place this group in the bottom third of the league. Their two big “pluses” have been takeaways and their third-down success rate.
It’s not a stretch to say that this has been a “bend, don’t break” unit, with a lot of “boom or bust” associated with their game. It’s better to be lucky than have no luck at all, and frankly, I’m not even sure I would classify their league-leading 28 takeaways as “luck” because there’s plenty of scheme and skill that have gone into their fortune this year. No matter the reasoning behind it, it’s the only thing keeping them from being one of the league’s worst defenses, and that does matter.
The good news is that they’ve forced interceptions on quarterbacks in back-to-back weeks who simply don’t turn the ball over. That leads me to believe it’s far more than luck, but it’s also fair to wonder how sustainable their (+17) turnover differential will remain over the final four-plus games of their season.
The biggest issue that we’ve continued to see with this group is their lack of pressure. Defensive end Montez Sweat has turned it on after a slow start, but in a good defense, he’s best suited as a complementary DE2, versus being the best player on the line. Losing Dayo Odeyingbo for the season with a torn Achilles was far from ideal, but the issue is that their next leading sack-getter is defensive tackle Gervon Dexter with four. Third is Gardner-Johnson, who has six games with the team as their nickel. As a whole, they have just 4.5 sacks between the rest of their defensive ends, and just one at defensive tackle, outside of Dexter. Highly-paid veteran Grady Jarrett has 22 tackles in 10 games, despite making over $14 million per year.
General manager Ryan Poles has his work cut out for him during the offseason to shore up the defensive trenches. Still, that help isn’t coming this season, which means that, barring a breakout from multiple players, this will continue to be an issue for the remainder of the season. All things considered, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has done an excellent job with the talent he’s had to work with, but it’s worth wondering how this group can hold up against the league’s elite offenses. That’s why for the rest of 2025, their takeaways will continue to dictate their success.
7. Your Weekly Update To The NFC Playoff Picture.
With one team idle in Week 14, the Bears were one of two teams currently in the Top 7 seeds to lose on Sunday. The NFC West continues to look like a juggernaut, and the NFC North isn’t far behind. The most interesting race moving forward appears to be in the NFC South between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers. Despite the Panthers being on a bye, they find themselves tied for first place (again) at (7-6). The best part? The two teams will face off in two showdowns over the final three weeks of the season. Outside of the NFC East, every division is still very much up for grabs with nine teams fighting for seven playoff spots.
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
- Green Bay Packers (9-3-1)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) * Will be in Los Angeles to face the Chargers on Monday night
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
- Chicago Bears (9-4)
In The Hunt:
- Detroit Lions (8-5)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6)
Not Eliminated… Yet:
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
- Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
Eliminated: New York Giants (2-11), Washington Commanders (3-10), New Orleans Saints (3-10), Arizona Cardinals (3-10), Atlanta Falcons (4-9)
Week 15 looks like a big one for the NFC playoff picture. While teams like the Bears, 49ers, Buccaneers, and Panthers will face teams with losing records, multiple elite games are on top. The Rams will host the Lions, the Packers will head to Denver to face the AFC’s top seed in the Broncos, and the Seahawks will host a desperate Indianapolis Colts team that needs a win in the worst way. With just four weeks remaining in the regular season, there’s plenty on the line, which should make for plenty of entertaining football down the stretch.
8. Speaking Of The Playoff Picture: There Was Plenty That Was Learned In the AFC In Week 14.
It might be hard to believe, but two unlikely names lead the AFC. Both the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos have season-high 10-game winning streaks, and neither team shows any signs of slowing down. Although the Patriots were on a bye, the Broncos took care of business on the road against a struggling Las Vegas Raiders squad. The biggest news of the week came in Indianapolis, where quarterback Daniel Jones was lost for the year with a torn Achilles.
What presented as a potential season-saving game for the Colts turned into a complete disaster. Not only were they blown out by the division-leading Jacksonville Jaguars, but they’ve lost four of their last five games and will be forced to complete the season without their starting quarterback. Believe it or not, teams’ seasons can change in the blink of an eye, even this late in the season. Despite multiple scares, Buffalo survived at home against Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
Rounding out the playoff picture, the Steelers came up with a massive win against Baltimore, and the Texans collected another statement win against the Chiefs in Kansas City. The Chargers remain idle until their Monday night matchup against the Eagles, and somehow, the Dolphins are winners of five of their last six, and continue to hold onto their slim playoff hopes down the stretch. Here’s an updated look at the AFC playoff picture with just four games to go:
- Denver Broncos (11-2) *Holds tie-breaker due to better conference record
- New England Patriots (11-2)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Buffalo Bills (9-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) *Hosts the Eagles on Monday Night Football
- Houston Texans (8-5) *Holds tie-breaker due to better conference record
In The Hunt:
- Indianapolis Colts (8-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-7) *Holds tie-breaker due to better conference record.
Not Eliminated… Yet:
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
Eliminated: Tennessee Titans (2-11), Las Vegas Raiders (2-11), Cleveland Browns (3-10), New York Jets (3-10)
9. NFC North Lookaround: Lions’ Win On Thursday Night Football, Packers Hold Off The Bears, And J.J. McCarthy’s Second Return Of The Season In An Impressive Win.
Following last weekend’s results, the NFC North has officially become a three-team race, with the Vikings all but mathematically eliminated.
First, we’ll start in Detroit, where the Lions hosted the red-hot Dallas Cowboys. In many ways, this felt like a playoff eliminator. Although the home team came in a half-game up in the standings, a loss for either team makes their margin for error in the final four games microscopic, at best. It was the Lions who came out and looked like a desperate team that knew they needed to win. Despite some back and forth in the latter part of the game, they hung 44 points on a Dallas defense that had been playing considerably better as of late. With Thursday night’s win, Detroit’s playoff odds are hovering a little over 50%. Things won’t get much easier over the next two weeks, though, with trips to Los Angeles to face the Rams, and then a home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Regardless, they came out with something to prove, and they did so convincingly.
For the Vikings, their very slim playoff hopes relied on getting a win against the Washington Commanders, who welcomed back quarterback Jayden Daniels a month after dislocating his elbow. McCarthy returned from a brief one-game absence due to a concussion, and although his numbers (and overall role) weren’t gaudy, he was efficient and threw for three touchdowns in a 31-0 victory, one week after being shut out in Seattle. At this point, Minnesota fans would gladly take a promising five-game stretch from their young quarterback. Either way, it seems like the Vikings will be bringing in some veteran competition this offseason.
For the Bears and Packers, this was the first of two matchups over the next three weeks. With both teams separated by a half-game, a sweep in the series could ultimately determine the division winner. Week 15 opponents are worth mentioning here because, at least on paper, the Bears hold a distinct advantage in both games against the Packers and the Lions. That’s why Green Bay’s 28-21 home win was a bigger “must-win” scenario for them than the Bears. That doesn’t take away from the Packers’ win, but with a matchup in Denver on Sunday, followed by the finale of the regular-season “series” against the Bears, this division is still very much up in the air.
Heading into Week 15, here’s what the NFC North Standings look like:
Green Bay Packers (9-3-1) Up next: At Denver Broncos
Chicago Bears (9-4) Up next: Vs Cleveland Browns
Detroit Lions (8-5) Up next: At Los Angeles Rams
Minnesota Vikings (5-8) Up next: At Dallas Cowboys (Sunday Night Football)
10. Week 15 Look Ahead: Back Home For The Season’s Only Two-Game Home Stand Starting With The Pesky (3-10) Cleveland Browns.
Make no mistake about it, this is a critical game, even if it’s one that they should win (on paper). The Browns are no slouch, and their defense is bound to give Johnson and his offensive staff plenty to think about. That said, this is their final “should win” game on the schedule, and that’s precisely what the Bears need to do.
Outside of the obvious statement that 11 wins will get the Bears to the playoffs, this will be an excellent test for an offensive line that has become one of the league’s most dominant forces. Although All-World defensive end Myles Garrett is ever-so-close to breaking the single-season sack record set by Michael Strahan (and tied by T.J. Watt), this is a defensive unit with plenty of talent. The Browns’ defense ranks second in yards per game and sacks, while limiting opposing passing games to under 180 yards per contest. Despite losing defensive tackle Maliek Collins for the year, Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire, and Mason Graham have all been factors in the pass rush. They are middle of the pack in takeaways, but this is an opportunistic defense that tends to play their best football in the first half.
Flipping over to the defensive side of the ball is a situation where the Bears might hold the advantage. Cleveland is in the middle of the pack when it comes to takeaways, but they rank in the Bottom 4 in both yards per game and points per game. They’ve had a solid run game behind rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, but they’ve struggled to move the ball through the air consistently. That’s likely a byproduct of having three starting quarterbacks in the matter of 13 games.
Again, this is a game the Bears “should” win, but, like the Giants and some of the other bad-record teams on their schedule, it won’t be a game where they can go out there and give it 50% and expect to come out with a win, even if the Browns had a let-down and lost to the Titans on Sunday. All eyes will be on a bounce back, and delaying Garrett’s history-making moment for at least another week.











