The Chicago Bears have been living dangerously all season, and on Sunday, it finally caught up with them. Their recurring issue?
Slow starts - especially on offense. And against a division rival like the Packers, that sluggish opening proved costly.
This wasn't just another game. It was a high-stakes matchup with playoff implications and all the heat of a classic Bears-Packers rivalry. But once again, the Bears came out flat, and that early-game inconsistency - particularly from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams - put them in a hole they couldn’t quite climb out of.
Let’s be clear: Caleb Williams has shown plenty of poise and playmaking ability in his first NFL season. But there’s a pattern that’s hard to ignore.
He’s struggled to find rhythm early in games, missing throws and making questionable decisions. While he hasn’t been turnover-prone overall, when he has thrown picks, they’ve often come in the opening minutes.
That trend continued in Green Bay.
One of the pivotal moments came in the first half when Packers corner Nahshon Wright picked off Williams. The Bears managed just three points off that turnover - a missed opportunity that quietly loomed large in a tight game. In a contest with playoff seeding on the line, those missed chances sting even more.
Still, the Bears didn’t go quietly. Williams rebounded in the second half with the kind of performance that’s made fans believe in his long-term potential.
He led three scoring drives, including a game-tying touchdown, and had the Packers defense on its heels. For a moment, it looked like another signature comeback was in the works.
But with the game on the line, deep in the red zone, Williams tried to force one to Cole Kmet in the end zone. Keisean Nixon was waiting.
Interception. Game over.
That final play will get the headlines, but the story of this game - and maybe the Bears’ season - is about what’s happening before halftime. Williams addressed it after the game, acknowledging the need for faster starts while also highlighting the value of playing in a playoff-like atmosphere.
“It’s a playoff atmosphere, going versus a rival and things like that,” Williams said. “It’s good for us to be able to find ways to rally... obviously, we want to focus on having a better outcome and starting faster... It’s something that we are going to use in the future and throughout my career.”
That’s the kind of perspective you want to hear from your franchise quarterback. Williams isn’t shying away from the moment. He knows where this team needs to improve, and he’s owning his role in that.
And here’s the thing: when the Bears are locked in, especially in the second half, they look like a playoff team. They’ve shown they can go toe-to-toe with top defenses.
They’ve shown they can rally. But the margin for error in December football is razor-thin, and you can’t keep spotting opponents a head start - not when seeding and survival are on the line.
This loss dropped the Bears from the top seed in the NFC to the seventh. That’s a steep fall, and it puts even more pressure on the final stretch of the season.
But there’s still plenty to build on. The second-half version of this team - the one that plays with urgency, confidence, and creativity - is dangerous.
The challenge now is getting that version to show up from the opening kick.
Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams haven’t let early-season success lull them into complacency. That’s a good sign. This team knows it hasn’t arrived yet, and that awareness could be the difference between a one-and-done playoff appearance and a legitimate run.
There’s no moral victory in a loss to the Packers - not in Chicago. But there is something to be said about how the Bears responded.
They fought. They adjusted.
They made it a game. And if they can bottle up that second-half energy and bring it into next Saturday’s rematch at Soldier Field, we might just see a team ready to take the next step.
The Bears don’t need a miracle. They need a fast start. And if they find one, the rest of the NFC better watch out.