3 reasons why the Bears’ loss to the Packers was actually a good thing

I am a rationalizer, which means I always try to find a silver lining even after the most heartbreaking losses. It’s something I have to do because I care so much about the sport and I don’t want to go crazy with my teams disappointing me spectacularly year after year.

As a fan of the New York Mets Chicago BearsTrust me when I say this is a necessary survival mechanism. Normally it’s the Mets who find creative new ways to lose and drive me to the brink of despair, but after a deep postseason run filled with improbable victories, the tide appears to be turning at Citi Field. Fear not, though, because the Bears are filling the void.

The past month has been one punch to the gut after another, and this Sunday was just the latest weekly example of that. Just like when Noah Brown caught the game-winning Hail Mary for the Commanders, I was once again left standing in front of the television in stunned disbelief as the Bears lost. This time Cairo Santos’ last second shot attempt was blocked and fell harmlessly onto the field.

Spooky season may be over now that Halloween is over, but it was spooky how similar the ending of this game was to the Eagles’ infamous “Double Doink” playoff loss. In both games, the vaunted Bears defense failed to take the lead in the final minutes, and in both games, the young Bears quarterback led the team down the field and put them in position to win. Instead of trying to throw for more yards each time, the Bears opted for a long throw. Unfortunately, we know how every game ends.

Now that I have nearly 24 hours to get over the Bears’ 11th straight loss to the Packers, I do what I always do and rationalize it, try to find a way to push myself over the edge.

Obviously we fans want to win, especially against our arch-rival who has been in our numbers for so long. Chicago came into the game 4-5 and was still in playoff contention despite having a poor schedule. A win over Green Bay would put the Bears into the Packers’ game and set up an inside tiebreaker. Maybe I’m crazy, but I think like this; The way this game played was the best thing that could have happened to this series. Here are three reasons why.

The Bears shook things up this week by firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and replacing him with passing game coordinator Thomas Brown. Even though Waldron was only halfway through his first year on the job, the move didn’t come too soon, as there was no way to explain how such a talented offense could be held to just one touchdown in three weeks.

Brown briefly called a play for the Carolina Panthers last year and has a strong reputation around the league. After Sunday, it’s easy to see why.

Brown’s game plan actually made sense. He identified the strengths and weaknesses of his offense and adjusted his playcalling accordingly. The Bears have a bad and injured offensive line, so Brown made a lot of quick reads to get the ball out of Caleb Williams’ hands quickly.

Brown used Roschon Johnson’s bruising running style between tackles. He used D’Andre Swift’s open field ability on the perimeter, which led to a beautiful 39-yard field goal near the end of the third quarter. He drew up plays for every Bears receiver and, unlike Waldron, didn’t forget about Cole Kmet.

Waldron wasn’t a good fit with this team, so the Bears players’ rhetoric this week and their body language during the game were much better with him gone. The Packers have a good defense, but with Brown calling the shots, the Bears were able to move the ball and control the game. If the defense and/or special teams had held up their end of the bargain, the Bears would have won.

As fans, we are prisoners of the moment, especially when it comes to negative outcomes. We see a poor performance from a rookie quarterback and are ready to label him a bust. This is not a healthy way of working.

Caleb Williams had his ups and downs in his rookie season. His play was criticized and he was compared harshly to fellow first-round rookies Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix (both of whom he played against and lost).

Caleb came to Chicago with the hope of an entire city on his shoulders; It’s an unreal burden that not everyone, even someone as talented as him, can carry. Still, he handled the pressure admirably. Concerns that she would be a diva or a locker room problem have been proven completely wrong. Even though the Bears failed to protect him with a weak offensive line and inadequate game plans, he left it all on the field, good or bad.

The number one goal this season wasn’t to win the Super Bowl, make the playoffs, or beat the Packers. It was to make sure Caleb Williams was the right person. The Bears had 17 games to prove they had finally solved their quarterback dilemma.

It has been so frustrating to hear and read the criticism directed at Caleb in recent weeks. Can’t you see that he has no protection? Can’t you see that Shane Waldron doesn’t know what he’s doing? Yes, there are areas where Caleb can improve; such as his deep ball accuracy and his tendency to sometimes hold the ball for too long. These are rookie jobs that could easily be improved upon as the game slows down for him.

Caleb has made some special plays this year, but this game against the Packers should finally put all Bears fans at ease. We have our man. We finally found our man.

Caleb was quick to take the ball away all day. He made quick, decisive reads and took what the defense gave him. He put the Bears in position to win, and when the defense let it slip away, he responded once again.

Caleb was sacked on first and second on Chicago’s final drive, but from that point on he was able to show off every tool in his extensive toolbox. He was in danger of going down once again in the 3rd and 19th, but recovered from the pressure and rolled to the right before firing a bullet to Rome Odunze for the 16th over.

A 4th and 3. He looked to Odunze again and this time he made a perfect back shoulder throw to the sideline for a 21 lead. Caleb has yet to hit that style of shot this season and has even nearly missed. The same shot was made on the final play of the Week 2 loss to the Texans, but this one was right on the money.

The Packers then launched an all-out assault on him, but he remained composed and allowed Keenan Allen to get into shooting range. Watch the entire sequence here and tell me this kid won’t be special:

Caleb checked every box on this series. He overcame the negative plays. He demonstrated the ability to evade and evade pressure. He showed off his arm strength, touch and ball placement. And he was fearless in the face of an all-out attack.

No matter what happens between now and the end of the season, the Bears can rest easy knowing they’ve finally solved their quarterback issues. I’m happy for Daniels, Maye and Nix and wish them continued success, but there’s no one I’d rather be than Caleb as my team’s point guard.

Just when we thought we’d run out of ways to show how unfit Matt Eberflus is to be the Bears’ head coach, he steps out and does it again, letting victory slip away because he’s coaching out of fear.

Watch the video above again. Caleb completed the throw to Keenan Allen with 49 seconds left. The Bears had a timeout, but they only ran one more play before Cairo Santos tried to win it from 46 yards out, and it was a short run by D’Andre Swift. This is a coaching error.

We’re in a golden age of the NFL, but any Bears fan can tell you that when the whistle blew a 46-yarder at Soldier Field, WINDY HERO CITY, against a team that had owned them for decades, a traumatic experience with late field goals before For a living team, this is far from a sure thing.

Cairo Santos is a very good shooter. Was I sure he would land that kick? It wasn’t me. I can describe my mood as “hoping despite all hopes”. The only person surprised when the shot was blocked was Matt Eberflus.

Santos’ previous hits that day were all low. This is typically how he kicks, especially when he needs distance. The Packers knew this; why did they trust that they could take over one of his enterprises.

Santos has never missed from 40 yards since joining the Bears. It should have been a simple matter of playing one or two more games to almost guarantee victory, but instead Eberflus was happy to settle for a longer inning.

This was another example of Eberflus being afraid to maximize his team’s chances of winning. We’ve seen this countless times and the evidence is overwhelming. It’s objectively terrible in the later stages of the game.

Eberflus is now 14-30 since replacing Matt Nagy in 2022. According to Paul Hembekides, 5-17 in one-score games. To wake upIt’s an unimaginably horrifying statistic that shows that not only did he lose far more than he won, but he inflicted maximum pain on Bears fans in doing so and raised our hopes before falling short.

The Bears are 4-6 and eliminated from the playoffs. We know Caleb has the goods. This is the third year of the Matt Eberflus experience and we more than enough reason Knowing that nothing will work. If Sunday’s heartbreaking defeat has anything to do with it, it’s that it doesn’t let us forget it.