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George Kittle and Trent Williams being out were huge losses for SF, and they still dominated. I don't know about that. Odunze's absence is big, too, but I don't think nearly as impactful as those two players. The caveat, for me, is what kind of weather there'd be at Soldier Field for a playoff game? Purdy is notoriously bad in wet conditions, because his hands are small. An ugly weather game would give the Bears a better chance, but SF would still probably just run it down their throats and score anyways. As I said before the game, for the Bears to beat SF (or any team with an elite offense), they have to dominate time of possession and win the redzone matchup on offense and defense. They didn't do either of those things last night.

He 25th in Rushing Yards himself, and the #1 RB2 almost 100 yards ahead of Montgomery who is the 2nd best RB2.

With one week left, this is quite surprising. I know injuries and playing time impacted the numbers, but it has been since Kendall Wright led the team in receiving that the Bears top Receiver had fewer than 750 yards receiving. Moore 49-671-6 Loveland 48-622-5 Odunze 44-661-6 Burden 44-617-2 There is an outside shot that the Bears end up with 4 Receivers with over 50 Receptions and 700 Receiving Yards. The fact that they are so close is really impressive.

With how the Bears have played at home vs on the road, it just feels like guaranteeing the most home games is the most ideal route. Their last 4 losses have been on the road and their only home loss was what ended up as the Week 1 fluke against MIN.

If the Bears played that game at home, they probably win by a TD.

I'm assuming BJ began using him as RB2 as soon as he was ready to take over the role. However, imagine. If he had quality reps starting week 1, he would have had a chance for 1000 rushing yards as a rookie 7th rounder.

I’m good playing whoever - house money. But I get the fact that 2 seed gets you potential 2 home games and if the 1 seed gets upset you have 3 (if you can handle your business). My presumption is they sit Rome but otherwise are going to play their starters. Is Kyler eligible to come off practice squad? I was surprised JJ was off the field for almost whole 3rd quarter - he says he’s healthy. Is he in doghouse or something or are they really managing snap count?

Yeah, the final drive was kind of hectic. From 2:15 to 0:40 secs, there were no CHI timeouts used. They used 51 seconds to gain 16 yards, then 39 seconds to gain another 18 yards. They also had to waste one on 3rd Down after an incompletion, which may have allowed them to get the 4th Down call right, but then it required another timeout after that play. It sucks because they got one play from 1st and goal at the 2 instead of 2 or 3. The odds of scoring from the 2 (like a 2-pt conversion is like 50%), so even a 2nd play, and they probably score.

and they are technically the easiest matchup as every other one is either SF, SEA, or LAR.

Pros & cons for both scenarios. However, the thought of sending Packer players and their fans home after eliminating them from the playoffs would add to an already fantastic year for Bear fans.

It's looking like the Bears got 4 high level impact players from last year's draft. Burden, Loveland, Trapillo, and Monangai are all starting caliber players who are not just out there, but have been major pieces in this offensive resurgence. You couldn't ask for a more ideal outcome. The Bears may have found their new #1 receiver, their LT, TE, and complimentary RB all in the same class. Remarkable.

It will be interesting to see what Dan Campbell actually does. Will he rest any key starters in what is a meaningless game for DET, who have lost 3 straight, and 4 out of 5? With a chance at the playoffs still on the line, they lost to MIN 23-10 and looked like they didn't care. My hope is DET doesn't risk Week 18 injuries for their core players and the Bears can handily win and put the game out of reach by halftime, then rest their own starters with the game in hand. Bears 30-10. Bears get locked into the #2 Seed with a home playoff game against GB the following weekend. GB would be in MIN having to travel back home, then to CHI for WC Weekend.

Here are the projected paths: #2 Seed - at least 2 home games, one vs GB, and the DIV round vs PHI or Week 18 loser of SEA/SF. Possibly a 3rd home game for NFCC vs LAR (LAR beats #1 Seed). #3 Seed - at least 1 home game, on road in PHI for DIV round or at home vs LAR in DIV Round (if GB beat PHI). The #1 Seeds make the SB 50% of the time, so there is a high chance that one of the two #1 seeds will make the SB. However, in the last 5 years, only one #1 Seed has won it (KC). If you take KC out of the equation, non-KC teams are 6-7 in the playoffs as #1 Seeds with only 2 SB visits (both losses).

Needs 82 scrimmage yards to hit 1K. He has 769 Rushing Yards, and 149 Receiving Yards. He has hit 82+ yards 4 times this season, all within the last 11 games. Crazy production from RB2 7th Rounder.

Absolutely not. #1. You want as many home games as possible. #2. You would rather play the Packers than any of the NFC West teams in the first round. #3. You don't want to walk into the playoffs on a 2 game losing streak. Whether you want to call it momentum or confidence, I think psychologically, you don't want to put the team in a situation where a sense of doubt starts to creep in right before the biggest game of the season. They need to bury the Lions, build on that offensive performance from last night, and hopefully rebound from that putrid performance on defense.

Caleb is 8th in Passing Yards, T-7th in Passing TDs, T-4th in INTs with a 90.3 QB Rating. Ultimately no need to keep track of his progress, he has arrived. This will be his worst season under Johnson statistically from here on out.

Yeah, he was too worried about leaving too much time left than he was scoring. They had 3 timeouts left at midfield with 1:10 left to play and still ran out of time. That can't happen. Not only that, but Ben Johnson said he got the final play call off late, which caused the offense to not have enough time to get set properly. Perfect example of why having that final timeout could have helped. Instead, you get a busted play before the snap where Caleb has to improvise in a helter skelter fashion, but comes up short.

Was going to say exactly that. By far this was the best the offense played from start to finish. Although the wife correctly predicted they’d go 3 and out on the first series they made up ground quickly after that.

Now has 48 receptions for 622 yards and 5 TDs on the season. That is the most for a Bears TE since Kmet's 719 in 2023 (on 73 receptions). In the Super Bowl era, Dikta, Dewveal, Bennett, and Kmet are the only TEs in Bears history to have 650+ receiving yards in a season. Desmond Clark had 626. Loveland is having the 2nd best season in Bears history for a rookie TE, only to Dikta's 1,076 yards and 12 TDs in 1961 (in 14 games which is insane). Loveland also has a +43.2 REC EPA, 3rd to only McBride and Kittle. McBride has 161 targets, Loveland has 69.

So is it better to play GB in CHI on short rest (with GB coming off a bye) or SEA/SF with equal rest?

Next will be interesting to see what Ben Johnson does. He does not seem like the type of coach that will rest people and concede anything, especially against DET. A win in Week 18, the Bears would be locked into the #2 Seed with a game against GB. A loss is basically a game against the loser of SEA@SF. So instead of GB coming back to CHI, you get either SF or SEA. SF is 7-2 on the road, SEA is 7-1 (would be 7-2 with loss to SF) while GB is 4-3-1 on the road. So do you rest players all but guaranteeing a game against SEA or SF, or do you play everyone and go into a game with no rest while your opponent got a week off resting their players in Week 18 (GB resting players against MIN because they can't change their seeding)?

Out of the entire game, I thought Johnson handled the timeouts pretty well, but I thought he was too worried about leaving too much time on the clock at the end, leaving very little room for error. Having to spike the ball wasted a play when you had over 2 mins and 3 timeouts to start with. A learning point for him, but tough to watch it play out.

Yeah, it was bad. Burden got facemasked coming across the middle, no call. Jarrett has his face mask pushed up, no call, then the next play Dexter does the same thing (both penalties), but that one was called.

the officials determined the outcome of this game, period. the NFL knows and allows it.

It was the difference in the game. It would've been tied and Santos would've been kicking the GW FG from 29 yards out.