The ending was crushing.
Jake Bates' 42-yard field goal splitting the uprights as time expired. The Lions celebrating at midfield. The Bears walking off Soldier Field with a 19-16 loss to close out the regular season.
But about 10 minutes later, something happened that made the sting fade just a bit: Washington held on to beat Philadelphia 24-17, handing the Bears exactly what they needed.
The No. 2 seed. Home-field advantage in the divisional round. And most importantly, a wild card rematch with the Green Bay Packers next weekend at Soldier Field.
"Good opponent," said coach Ben Johnson. "I think that we're fairly evenly matched. Got a lot of respect for how well they're coached. I have a lot of respect for the talent level that they have in that building and I would expect it to be another exciting game."
The Bears (11-6) finished the regular season as NFC North champions for the first time since 2018 and will make their first postseason appearance in five years. But Sunday's performance raised some concerns heading into the playoffs.
Shutout Through Three
The offense looked flat from the opening kickoff. Lifeless. A far cry from the explosive unit that put up 38 points in a shootout with San Francisco last week.
Detroit dominated the first half, holding decisive advantages in yards (237-69), first downs (15-4), and time of possession (19:12-10:48). The Lions took a 13-0 lead on Jake Bates' field goals of 34 and 30 yards and Jared Goff's 15-yard touchdown pass to Jahmyr Gibbs.
It could have been worse. The Bears' defense made a critical red zone stand late in the second quarter, forcing Detroit to settle for Bates' second field goal. But Chicago's offense couldn't capitalize on the momentum.
Trailing 13-0 late in the first half, the Bears reached the Lions' 30. But on fourth-and-3, Caleb Williams' pass intended for Colston Loveland was broken up by linebacker Derrick Barnes, turning the ball over on downs.
Detroit extended the lead to 16-0 on Bates' third field goalโa 25-yarder to cap an 11-play driveโmidway through the third quarter. Chicago was shut out through three quarters for the first time all season.
"I think we came out a little flat maybe energy-wise," Williams said. "We've got to do a better job of having urgency from the jump and getting that going."
The Fourth Quarter Rally
But then, just as they've done all season, the Bears found a way to fight back.
Trailing 16-0 entering the fourth quarter, Chicago scored touchdowns and added two-point conversions on consecutive possessions to tie the game. It was the kind of comeback that has defined this team all yearโresilient, relentless, refusing to quit.
Williams got the rally started with a 25-yard touchdown strike to Jahdae Walker, cutting the deficit to 16-8. The scoring pass was significant for another reason: it pushed Williams past Erik Kramer's single-season franchise passing record of 3,838 yards set in 1995. Williams finished the regular season with 3,942 passing yards, the most in Bears history.
Kyle Monangai followed with a two-point conversion run to make it 16-8.
After the defense forced a punt, Williams went to work again. He orchestrated a masterful 12-play, 88-yard drive that culminated in a 1-yard touchdown pass to Loveland in the back of the end zone. Williams then connected with Cole Kmet on a two-point conversion pass, tying the score 16-16 with 5:25 remaining.
Soldier Field erupted. The Bears had clawed all the way back from a 16-point deficit. One stop, and they'd have a chance to win it.
So Close to a Miracle
With Detroit in field goal range at the Chicago 35, it looked like the Lions would try to play for the walk-off kick. But on third-and-20, Goff took a shot down the middle intended for Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Jaquan Brisker deflected the pass, and Kevin Byard III came down with the interception at the 5-yard line. The Bears' sideline exploded.
All Chicago needed was one first down to keep the drive alive and give themselves a chance to win. But the offense, which had been so efficient on the previous two scoring drives, stalled. Williams' intentional grounding penalty on second-and-10 pushed the Bears back to a third-and-20. They gained 16 yards but came up short on fourth-and-4, and punter Tory Taylor booted the ball back to Detroit with 1:48 remaining.
Goff went to work. A 26-yard completion to St. Brown moved the Lions into Chicago territory. A 13-yard pass to Jameson Williams reached the Bears' 29. Detroit let the clock run down, called timeout with three seconds left, and sent Bates out for the 42-yarder.
The kick was good. Lions 19, Bears 16.
"We can't dig ourselves in a hole like that," Johnson said. "[I] was disappointed with the offense as a whole; I let the guys know that and we'll be better for it. We'll address it, we'll get those things cleaned up and we'll be better for it."
A Season-Low Output
The Bears managed just 270 total yards, a season low and 84 yards below their average. Williams completed 18 of 33 passes for 185 yards with two touchdowns and one interceptionโhis first pick in three games after throwing for 330 yards and two scores against San Francisco.
D'Andre Swift, who ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the 49ers game, was held to just 52 yards on 14 carries. The offensive line struggled without starting left tackle Ozzy Trapilo, who was sidelined with injuries.
"Not good enough," Williams said of the offense's performance. "Not good enough to win this game. Not good enough to win the upcoming game. We've got to get better."
What Really Matters
The loss dropped Chicago to 11-6 on the season, but the final record hardly tells the story. The Bears went from finishing last in the division a year ago to winning the NFC North in their first season under Johnson. They're headed to the playoffs for the first time in five years. And thanks to Washington's upset of Philadelphia, they'll host the Packers in a wild card matchup with a divisional round home game on the line.
The Bears and Packers met twice in a 13-day span last month, splitting the series. Green Bay won 28-21 on December 7 in Green Bay before Chicago rallied for a dramatic 22-16 overtime victory on December 20 at Soldier Fieldโone of the most memorable games of the season.
Now they'll do it again, this time with everything on the line.
"We're fairly evenly matched," Johnson said. "I would expect it to be another exciting game."
The day and time for the wild card matchup will be announced later tonight. But one thing is certain: after a sluggish performance to close the regular season, the Bears know they'll need to be sharper when the playoffs begin.
A Magical Season Continues
Despite Sunday's frustrating finish, this has been a magical regular season for the Bears. They've won 11 games, captured their first division title in seven years, and developed Caleb Williams into a franchise quarterback who now owns the team's single-season passing yardage record.
They've won six games when trailing in the final two minutes. They've proven they can win close games and offensive shootouts. They've shown resilience, grit, and the ability to overcome adversity week after week.
Sunday was a setback. A poor performance at the worst possible time. But it was also a reminder that in January, you can't afford slow starts. You can't afford to spot the opponent 16 points and expect to claw your way back every time.
"We've got to do a better job of having urgency from the jump," Williams said.
The good news? The Bears have a full week to fix the issues before hosting Green Bay in what promises to be an electric atmosphere at Soldier Field. They'll have home-field advantage. They'll have a crowd that's been waiting five years to watch playoff football on the lakefront.
And they'll have another chance to prove they're ready for what comes next.
The regular season is over. Could this magical run just be getting started?