Bears Freeze Out Browns, Climb to Top of NFC North in Wild Game - and a Viral Pre-Game Moment
The Chicago Bears are having the kind of season that makes fans believe again. With a 31-3 dismantling of the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, they not only secured their 10th win of the year but also clawed their way back to the top of the NFC North. But before the first snap, things got a little... strange.
Let’s set the scene: Cleveland in December, and the weather was every bit as brutal as you’d expect. Wind chill hovering around -20 degrees, the kind of cold that’ll freeze your soda before you can take a sip - literally.
One fan reportedly opened an RC Cola only to watch it freeze solid in seconds. That’s the kind of day it was.
But the frigid temps didn’t stop Chicago from taking care of business. Caleb Williams, the rookie QB who’s been steadily finding his groove, tossed two touchdown passes and looked poised despite the icy conditions. The Bears dominated from start to finish, while the Browns struggled to get anything going offensively.
Before kickoff, though, a bizarre moment during warmups stole some of the spotlight. As Caleb Williams took snaps with center Drew Dalman, backup quarterback Case Keenum was off to the side - and appeared to be on the receiving end of a very unfortunate interaction.
A Bears trainer was caught on camera seemingly kicking Keenum in the groin area. Yes, you read that right.
The moment went viral almost instantly. A still image of the incident made the rounds on social media, and even the reporter who posted it admitted he hadn’t noticed what was happening with Keenum until the internet pointed it out.
It’s one of those “you had to see it to believe it” snapshots that somehow always seems to find Keenum. Remember when he had to take a victory formation for Washington because Dwayne Haskins was too busy taking selfies with fans?
Yeah, Keenum has a knack for ending up in these odd NFL footnotes.
But back to the game - and the bigger picture.
Chicago’s win, combined with Green Bay’s 34-26 loss, pushed the Bears to 10-4 and gave them sole possession of first place in the NFC North. According to the latest playoff projections, that puts their postseason chances at 70%, with a 27% shot at winning the division outright. If the season ended today, they’d be the NFC’s No. 2 seed - and would host the Packers in a wild-card matchup.
Of course, the season doesn’t end today. And what’s ahead is nothing short of a gauntlet.
The Bears are staring down three straight games against NFC playoff contenders - a stretch that will define their season. First up?
A massive home showdown against the rival Packers. Then it’s a trip west to face the 10-4 49ers, followed by a Dec. 28 clash at home against the 8-6 Detroit Lions.
That final game could very well decide the division in a winner-take-all scenario.
So yes, the Bears are in a good spot. But this is where things get real.
December football doesn’t care about records or momentum - it’s about who can execute when the stakes are highest. And with the way Caleb Williams is playing, paired with a defense that’s quietly putting together a strong second half of the season, Chicago looks like a team ready for the moment.
Just maybe keep an eye on the pregame warmups. You never know what might go viral next.