Losing in Green Bay is something the Chicago Bears have become familiar with over the years. That made Sunday's 28-21 result difficult to stomach. Once again, the Packers made just enough plays to emerge victorious while the Bears lamented missed opportunities. Even so, there were signs in this game that indicated these weren't the same old Bears. Green Bay did what they usually do, riding a fast start in the first half to build a 14-3 lead going into the 2nd quarter.
It looked like another blowout was forming. Then Chicago buckled down and battled back. Caleb Williams made some excellent throws to cut the lead to 14-11. After the Packers scored again, he led a field goal drive to make it 21-14. Things looked like they were shifting in the Bears' favor as they marched 83 yards on 17 plays to tie the game 21-21.
Sadly, this game came down to two plays. One was allowing a 21-yard Josh Jacobs run on 3rd and 2, enabling the Packers to score shortly after. The other was Williams' interception on the final play, when he underthrew it to Cole Kmet when it looked like he had D.J. Moore wide open underneath.
The Chicago Bears didn't back down.
While that might feel like a small consolation prize, it is still worth noting. Chicago Bears teams in past years would've rolled over after the start they had. Green Bay would've calmly built a three-score lead and cruised the rest of the way. Not this time. Their young quarterback endured the hostile atmosphere, made some plays, and got them back into the game. The chance to win was there. It wasn't a fleeting glimpse. They had it in their hands. Two unfortunate mental lapses shut the door before they could walk through.
This isn't the sort of loss that should impact the season in any way. The Bears are still 9-4 and have a very winnable game next week against the Cleveland Browns. They lost on the road to one of the best teams in the NFC. There is no point losing sleep over that. This team hung tough. That is a surefire sign they're heading in the right direction. The trick moving forward is learning how to start faster, which has been a persistent issue for them. Once that happens, the Bears will be the real deal.
