Last week, the Chicago Bears had the pleasure of facing off against the reigning AFC champions in prime time. This week, they had an even tougher test facing the reigning Super Bowl champions on their home field. It may have been a more difficult test on paper, but it was the same result for the Bears.
The Bears closed out Week 8 with a dominating 34-17 win over the Seattle Seahawks, improving to 6-2 on the year, and officially entering the conversation as legitimate Super Bowl contenders as we reach the midway point of the season.
Monday's game started out strong for the Bears, who orchestrated a scoring drive that chewed up over eight minutes of game clock to go up 7-0. They never trailed for a second, and even when things got dicey, such as
when Seattle scored near the end of halftime thanks to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, they never relented.
That was primarily thanks to their defense and the addition of All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. In his first game since coming over from the Titans, Simmons wreaked havoc to give the Bears defense plenty of opportunities to shut down Seattle's offense. The Bears kept their foot to the gas on offense and eventually pulled away in the fourth to ice the game.
The Bears controlled all three phases of this game to get the win and are playing their best football of the season. Here are our takeaways from Monday's victory.
1. This is a Super Bowl team
There are games or moments throughout any professional sports season that make you recalibrate expectations or hopes for what could be. For many seasons with the Bears, those games would be about simply making the postseason. We had it last season when the Bears improved to 5-3 after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals, or in 2020 when they took down Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
And then every once in a while, there's that really special season that has you thinking bigger. Super Bowl aspirations come into play, and they don't feel silly or farfetched. They feel attainable. I had that experience 20 years ago while attending (coincidentally) the Bears and Seahawks Sunday Night Football game at Soldier Field. The Bears destroyed Seattle with their punishing defense, and as I was exiting the concourse, fans began chanting "Super Bears, Super Bowl!" over and over again. It was a fun moment, but one that allowed me to truly believe for the first time that this team could make a Super Bowl run, which they of course did.
I've been chasing that feeling for 20 years, and it's popped up a couple times, like in 2010 and 2018. There was hope in 2025, too, but nothing like what I feel following this game. For the first time in years, I can confidentially say the Bears are a Super Bowl team. They have the right mix of players, coaches, leadership, and resiliency that is rare in NFL teams. And they just keep growing together. When they get knocked down, they get right back up and deliver an uppercut before you can blink. Every single test of adversity that comes their way, they pass with flying colors.
Championships are not won in November, and there is still a ways to go before the postseason even begins. But I'm dreaming of this team playing football in February.
2. Jeffery Simmons is better than advertised
When the Bears acquired Simmons from the Tennessee Titans last week, there was a surge of excitement and optimism among the fanbase. They had just landed one of, if not the best, defensive tackles in football to transform their defense. But did people really know what kind of impact Simmons would have? No disrespect to Titans fans, but I'm not sure too many people are dialed in on their games every week. Simmons re-introduced himself to the league on Monday night and was better than advertised.
Despite only being on the Bears for less than five full days, Simmons played in 87% of the snaps and tied for the team lead with six tackles (two for loss) and added one sack, one QB hit, and one pass deflection. He also added five pressures. His biggest attribute, however, was what we all hoped to see, and that was him elevating the play of his teammates. Montez Sweat was free to wreak havoc, while Devin Bush was a heat-seeking missile at linebacker. The entire defense moved at a different speed when he was on the field, which was backed up by the stats. Per ESPN, the Seahawks averaged just three yards per play with Simmons on the field. They averaged 13.3 yards when he was on the sideline.
Remember, all of this happened just days after he arrived in Chicago. Can you imagine what he'll look like when defensive coordinator Dennis Allen can get more creative with him? This trade is already paying dividends, and an overpay now looks like a steal.
3. D'Andre Swift is on his way to breaking Bears records
The Bears' rushing attack is not at its best without Kyle Monangai, but D'Andre Swift is doing everything he can to keep the chains moving. And he's being rewarded with many scoring opportunities. Swift struggled at times to get much going against the Seahawks' stout run defense, totaling just 69 yards on 27 carries. But he has a knack for the end zone, turning three of those carries into touchdowns.
Through eight games, Swift has 10 rushing touchdowns on the season, which is tied for the league lead, and the most for a Bears player in nearly 30 years. The last time a Bears player rushed for double-digit touchdowns was Raymont Harris in 1997. And he's only five more away from setting a new team record (15). Hall of Famers Walter Payton and Gale Sayers are tied with the franchise record of 14, and it's very possible Swift overtakes them both.
The Bears are sticking to what works in the red zone, which is running the ball, and that will only continue when Monangai returns from injury. Even then, Swift has proven he deserves to remain a priority on the goal line and should continue to see opportunities. Then, we will be talking about a new franchise leader at a position littered with legends.
4. Bears need to start tightening up going into halftime
If there is one lingering criticism surrounding this team over the last few weeks, it's their inability to close teams out going into the half. For the second week in a row, the Bears' defense has allowed their opponent to score a touchdown with under a minute to go. Against the Patriots, they were outraced by Rhamondre Stevenson on one play. Against the Seahawks, they allowed Jaxon Smith-Njigba to take advantage of a favorable matchup.
Smith-Njigba was one-on-one against Tyrique Stevenson and gave him a quick double move to easily get open for the score. It was Seattle's only conversion on third down all night, and it gave them life going into the half. Fortunately, this Bears team has overcome that momentum shift twice in a row, but they have got to stop putting themselves in those positions. Eventually, it will catch up with them.
Allen has been dialing up excellent coverages for much of the season, and sometimes, these plays come down to execution. This time, however, he failed by not blanketing Smith-Njigba, and it cost them a touchdown. I want to see him more prepared for the end-of-half drives going forward.
5. Caleb Williams is an elite quarterback
The more games Williams plays, the more he levels up. We're witnessing an elite NFL quarterback that plays for the Chicago Bears. This isn't just a heater or a great game every so often; this is a player that is consistently playing at a high level and knows how to operate an extremely difficult offense with ease.
Williams' numbers were once again spectacular, completing 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown. He missed a few throws here and there, primarily deep shots that were overthrown or weren't layered perfectly. The stats since he returned from his hamstring injury three weeks ago make him great, but it's his awareness and command at the line of scrimmage that make him elite.
Before the snap, Williams looks like prime Peyton Manning on the field. His communication and checks are all happening so fast but with very little panic. He's in total control of what's happening on the field. He's properly identifying blitzers, changing plays when needed, and seemingly having the answers to everything the opposing defense is throwing at him. We saw it so many times on Monday while on the road against one of the best defense's in the league.
The knowledge of the system is now blending with his physical talents, creating a dangerous weapon. It's like putting Manning's brain in Josh Allen's body while giving him Andy Reid as a head coach. Williams proved he's officially an elite quarterback in the NFL and can beat teams with not only his body, but also his mind.ad coach. Williams proved he's officially an elite quarterback in the NFL and can beat teams with not only his body, but also his mind.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 takeaways from the Bears' 34-17 dominating win over the Seahawks
