Bear Digest

Bears Report Card Against Packers: Finally They Learned to Close

After a series of calamities at the end of games, the Bears finally found a way to finish and did it on the field of their hated rivals for a 24-22 win.

Gene Chamberlain

DJ Moore scores on the 32-yard TD pass from Caleb Williams to put the Bears up 21-13 in the fourth quarter.
DJ Moore scores on the 32-yard TD pass from Caleb Williams to put the Bears up 21-13 in the fourth quarter. / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Bears saved their most complete performance since their Week 6 London trip for the finale at Green Bay, always a good idea considering the value place on this rivalry.

It should probably surprise no one they also won, although the statistics look lopsided in Green Bay's favor. Statistics seem not to matter in Bears-Packers games as they controlled the numbers in the first matchup and came away with a loss at the last second instead of the 24-22 win they achieved Sunday at Lambeau Field.

What the Bears did in this game that they hadn't during the past 10 games was play complementary football.

All year both of their head coaches preached it, but in this one they finally achieved it. They had done it in the first Packers game but the special teams failed them in the end. This time it delivered in the end.

Throughout their 10-game losing streak they'd win one or even two aspects of the game but their failure in one would unravel attempts to end the losing streak.

Even the running game surfaced in this one, though not in the form of total yards.

It probably wasn't enough to save the head coaching bid by Thomas Brown, but this can't be stated with certainty. Because they finally did finish a game and did it in Green Bay, it carries greater significance.

The coaching question will take front and center on Monday. So can the draft. As it turned out, they squandered two spots by winning the game as they would have been eighth after the Carolina Panthers pulled off a win to finish 5-12. They'll pick 10th with the win.

For now, here are the grades for this final Bears game and victory in a disgusting 5-12 season.

Passing: B-

One number jumps out and makes for a grade this high despite only 33 passing yards in the first half. That is the number one, as in one sack for a 7-yard loss. A makeshift line again with Larry Borom at left tackle gave Williams enough time to get off throws in the second half, or if they didn't they gave him enough time to get outside the pocket and throw it away. The lack of negative plays in the passing game did as much to improve their chances as many of their big catches. Caleb Williams also had an excellent sense of timing, as he produced 115 passing yards in the second half and the key 18-yarder on the game-winning drive after they had blown the lead. They constantly screened the Packers with DJ Moore and eventually it worked for the 32-yard TD he caught.

Rushing Attack: B-

They got outrushed by 100 yards and D'Andre Swift averaged only 3.3 yards a carry. Their running game produced only 3.2 yards a carry, but it's a win because they kept at it and ran the ball 26 times. Thomas Brown could easily have abandoned the run at any time but stuck with it and they made the yardage they needed on those rushing attempts. In fact, they were on the verge of running out the clock on the Packers using the ground game before Moore fumbled a short pass.

Pass Defense: B

The secondary gave up too many longer throws to Malik Willis after he replaced Jordan Love. In particular, a 41-yarder to Malik Heath and a 31-yarder to Jayden Reed were throws that hung up and allowed for the Bears secondary to easily break up but on one Tyrique Stevenson made a poor play on the ball and on the other Reed made a nice catch near the ground. Despite the longer games, the Bears pass defense did what it has done all year and tightened down things in the red zone. A strip-sack by Kevin Byard and the fumble forced by Jaylon Johnson proved big momentum plays. Their pass rush, inconsistent much of the season's second half, produced three sacks, or two more than the Packers had, and they had Willis hearing footsteps. The other thing they did well was keep Willis in the pocket. When he replaced Love in earlier games due to injuries, Willis burned defenses with his scrambling.

Run Defense: C+

A 183-yard day caused the Bears problems, particularly the running of Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks combining for 132 yards after the Packers put Josh Jacobs on the bench. Gervon Dexter had an inconsistent day with his gap control and they gashed the Bears outside when Montez Sweat lost containment on a touchdown. However, like with the passing game, they stiffened in the red zone and had the big stops to force field goal tries. It's not easy to contain the Green Bay running game when they put Willis in at quarterback because of his running ability, but containing it allowed the Bears to stay in the lead.

Special Teams: A+

The acting job by Moore and also by Josh Blackwell on the fake the Bears used for a 94-yard punt return should win an Academy Award or Emmy. Blackwell didn't even let on the ball was coming to him until it was almost upon him and Moore had everyone convinced he was fielding it. The sign they had faked everyone was how few tacklers even got within a few feet of Blackwell on the return. Santos could easily have choked the game away from 51 with that blocked kick on his mind earlier, but he set a Bears record for field goals beyond 50 yards with the clutch game-winner in the frozen air at Lambeau. Two punts inside the 20 by Tory Taylor and 29.0 yards on average for kick returns by Tyler Scott and Blackwell to Green Bay's 22-yard average completed the clean sweep by Bears special teams.

Coaching: A+

Beating the Packers alone should earn Thomas Brown sainthood in the eyes of Bears fans if not the head coaching job. Eric Williams' defense has made quite the transformation, from giving up 30-burgers in the first three games calling defensive signals to keeping things under control with 28 points total allowed in the final two games. Blocking on some of the Bears screens on offense needs to be credited to Chris Beatty and the receivers or the tight ends. Hightower had the fake punt on the docket for two weeks before deciding to use it in an homage to Dave Toub with the Chiefs, who had run the same fake with the Bears. Maybe Hightower's finest hour, but he has always enjoyed success against the Packers until the blocked field goal in Chicago.

Overall: B+

Losing two spots in the draft never felt so good.

X: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.