The Bears needed something to ease the sting of a bruising week, and Thursday Night Football handed it to them. While Chicago sat at home after the 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Green Bay Packers got flattened by the Atlanta Falcons, 35-14.
For Bears fans, it was the kind of result that lands perfectly. Jordan Love struggled, the Packers’ defense allowed more than 200 scrimmage yards to Bijan Robinson, and Michael Penix Jr. carved up the secondary in his first game in nearly a year. On a national stage, Green Bay looked nothing like a team ready to steady itself after a shaky start.
That matters in Chicago, especially after a week that already featured the Caleb Williams injury scare and the fallout from fans criticizing the quarterback’s reaction to it. With Williams’ status still uncertain and the Bears trying to figure out whether he’ll miss time - and how long - the Packers’ collapse at least gave them a little breathing room.
The loss drops Green Bay to 1-2, and it also gives Chicago a chance to keep its grip on the division picture. Minnesota’s strong start can be brushed off as an outlier, at least for now, and the Bears still look like the most talented roster in the NFC North. They remain in control of their own fate.
The way the Packers lost only made the night sweeter for Chicago supporters. Green Bay has had the upper hand in this rivalry in recent years, so watching the same team stumble so badly - and on a primetime stage, no less - felt like a welcome change.
There are still real issues for the Packers to sort out, especially in the secondary and with the protection in front of Love. He was under pressure early and never truly settled in. How Green Bay responds from here will be worth watching, but for Bears fans, the bigger immediate concern is Williams and whether he can be back in time to take advantage of a division that suddenly looks a little more open.
If Chicago does take another loss, it will hurt less knowing Green Bay already has two ugly defeats on its record. The Packers have not had the comfort of a quarterback injury to explain away the damage. Right now, they just look like a team chasing the rest of the division.
For a Bears fan base that has spent too many recent years watching Green Bay stay in the mix, that was a very satisfying sight.
In Other News...
Bears Offensive Problem Just Got Harder For Ben Johnson To Ignore
The Bears offense was already in a tough spot before Caleb Williams left Sundays 9-3 loss to the Vikings with a hamstring injury. Chicago moved the ball better than Minnesota in total yards, but it never turned that into a touchdown, and the day turned into another reminder that sustaining drives and finishing possessions are still very much a problem. Williams went 15 of 26 for 138 yards with an interception before exiting, and the lack of rhythm around him made the entire unit look stuck in place.
Now Ben Johnson has a bigger question hanging over a team that already needed answers. The Bears are set to face the Eagles next, and if Williams cannot go, the offense will have to be reshaped on the fly while also trying to fix the same issues that showed up against Minnesota. For a staff looking for signs of progress, the timing could hardly be worse. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Head Into Monday Night With A QB Problem Nobody Wanted
The Bears are heading into Monday night with the kind of quarterback uncertainty nobody in the building wanted this early in the season. Ben Johnson said all three quarterbacks on the roster have a chance to play in Week 3, which leaves Chicago waiting on Caleb Williams as he deals with a hamstring injury and Tyson Bagent as he works through concussion protocol.
If both of those situations keep him out, Case Keenum is lined up to start, with Miller Moss positioned as the fourth-string option and an emergency backup. It is an uneasy place for a team trying to settle into a new rhythm under Johnson, especially with the spotlight of Monday Night Football waiting and no clear answer yet on who will take the first snap. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Found A Kickoff Edge The NFL May Not Let Last
Philadelphias special teams found a little extra juice on kickoffs in Week 2 by using a setup that put the ball at an angle on the ground without a tee, a wrinkle devised by special teams coordinator Michael Clay. The approach is legal right now, and it helped the Eagles get better results on a play that can quietly swing field position, which is exactly why other staffs around the league noticed.
Richard Hightower and the Bears are among the teams watching closely, because the NFL may not let the tactic linger for long. League officials are expected to address the rule before the upcoming Eagles-Bears game, with the possibility that a tee could soon be required again and take away the edge Philadelphia just found. [Read more 🡒]