Bears beat Packers to end disastrous season on a high note
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Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball while being chased by Edgerrin Cooper #56 of the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Photo: John Fisher/Getty Images
The Chicago Bears (5-12) wrapped up their awful 2024/2025 season Sunday with a 24-22 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
Why it matters: Sunday's win doesn't. The season slipped away months earlier after a Hail Mary loss in Washington.
- Yet, Sunday was the first time the Bears beat the Packers since 2018. The win also ended a 10-game losing streak this season.
Zoom in: The Bears had several opportunities this year, but the losses exposed former head coach Matt Eberflus' inability to win close games, resulting in a firing mid-season.
The big picture: This Bears season was a far cry from what was expected by fans after a wild offseason brought the team several new players and a feature on HBO's "Hard Knocks."
- After last year's 7-10 finish and trading quarterback Justin Fields, sights were set on a playoff run.
Reality check: No one expected this team to flop so hard, which now has general manager Ryan Poles' rebuild under serious scrutiny.
Caleb Williams and the offense
The first overall pick in last year's draft was called a "generational talent." He had all the attributes of a quarterback that could finally end historic futility at the position. The only question was whether the Bears organization would develop the young flamethrower.
- That question was largely answered after a rollercoaster season that saw Williams and the Bears rank dead last in yards per game.
- There were flashes of brilliance by the young quarterback who set the Bears rookie record for passing yards. Yet, overall, the offense failed, setting another franchise record for lowest first-quarter scoring, while playing from behind in every single game this season.
- Williams was sacked 68 times, which, you guessed it, is another franchise worst.
Reality check: Williams was not helped by one of the worst offensive lines in football, which struggled to protect and to block in the running game, which sputtered throughout the season.
Zoom out: Williams and the offense will get a new coordinator this offseason, which would be Williams' fourth.
The defense
After the Bears started the season 4-2, the defense looked like it was going to be one of the best units in football. Yet, after Tyrique Stevenson's meltdown in Washington and a key injury to safety Jaquan Brisker, the defense fell to 25th in the league by the end of the season.
- For the second season in a row, Poles decided to wait until after training camp to address holes in the defensive line, which ended up being a weak point all year.
- All-pro Montez Sweat played injured most of the year, only registering 5.5 sacks.
Yes, but: The bright spot was cornerback Jaylon Johnson, the lone representative for the team on this year's NFC Pro-Bowl roster.
Special teams
Rookie punter Tory Taylor boosted the special teams, but kicker Cairo Santos and the field goal unit let the Packers block a game-winning field goal attempt in November.
- Santos redeemed himself Sunday with the game-winning kick.
- They also ranked near the bottom in field goals and only returned one punt for a touchdown, using a trick play to score Sunday at Lambeau.
What's next: A coaching search. Several names have been floated, including former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and current Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
The bottom line: The win over the Packers may boost local pride, but the season was a huge letdown. Now fans prepare for another offseason hoping the organization makes the right maneuvers to move past rebuilding to playoff contention.