The Chicago Bears had their biggest test of the year battling the Green Bay Packers, which resulted in a 28-21 loss at Lambeau Field.
The Bears have been a competitive team this year and came in 9-3 for a reason. Their win over the Philadelphia Eagles proved their worth and legitimacy, but this franchise still always wants to beat the Packers. It’s among the most important things on their organization’s agenda.
Chicago didn’t have a good start against the Packers. Their offense wasn’t clicking, which forced some trouble on their bend-don’t-break defense, and it was 14-3 Green Bay over Chicago at halftime. In the second half, the offense started to turn it on. As they’ve shown all season under head coach Ben Johnson, they are never out of a game. They fight until the very end.
In the fourth quarter, the Bears mounted a comeback to tie the game, 21-21. It was looking like a game that Chicago would win, extending their NFL lead in fourth quarter comeback victories. However, an eight-play drive after the Bears tied it led to the Packers taking a 28-21 lead.
Quarterback Caleb Williams then drove Chicago down the field himself, but he threw an interception in the end zone to effectively end the game. They were that close to tying it again, but Williams made an errant decision that cost them an opportunity to play for the win or overtime.
Overall, Williams would tell you it wasn’t his best game. He made some impressive plays with his scrambling ability, but the accuracy downfield is still an issue. He completed 19-of-35 passes for 186 yards with two touchdowns and the game-deciding interception.
In the air attack, everyone had a piece of the pie, but nobody stood out in Rome Odunze’s absence (although Luther Burden III had some nice plays). Between the running back duo of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monagai, the rushing attack totaled 138 yards. Utilizing both better will be the key to winning games like this in the future.
Johnson still needs to find his first win against Green Bay. He has been incredible this year, but as mentioned before, beating the Packers is very important to the franchise. They won’t have much time to wait for their next opportunity, as they play each other again in Week 16 at Soldier Field. Just like this time, it will be a game that has division and playoff implications.
Now, the Bears have to get back to work quickly. Their Week 15 matchup against the Cleveland Browns is a chance to rebound after this tough loss. Although they are 3-10, it’s an NFL team that will be a huge challenge that they can use to get back in the win column before that second Packers game.
It was a competitive game for the Bears against their arch-rival in a spotlight national broadcast. It didn’t start or end how they wanted, but there was some good to build on in the middle. Addressing some of the issues will only help Chicago in the long run.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Instant analysis of Bears’ loss to Packers in Week 14
Reporting by Vincent Parise, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
