Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears prove they have substance, not just sizzle, despite loss

The Chicago Bears are a good, not great, team, and that’s perfectly fine.

The Green Bay Packers held on for a dramatic 28-21 win over the Bears on Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field, seizing first place in the NFC North.

Getty

Caleb Williams had a chance to either tie or take the lead at the end of the game but threw an interception in the end zone, marking a disappointing end to an extremely impressive second half.

Head coach Ben Johnson liked the look they got from Green Bay’s defense on the play, but Williams unfortunately just didn’t execute.

“We had a lot options there,” Johnson said.

“Don’t know who’s going to pop necessarily but between the options that we have and then Caleb using his legs, I was hopeful that we could find a way to get a yard there.”

While Williams’ stat line won’t blow anyone away, throwing for just 186 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, anyone with a pair of eyes in the second half knew what they were watching.

And that was a quarterback and a team capable of winning games in January, but one that still needs to learn how to win these types of games.

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg summed up the play of the second-year quarterback perfectly.

“Caleb Williams is gonna be a superstar. Hasn’t even scratched the surface. Makes as many “I can’t believe what I just saw” plays as any young QB in years. Has the right coach, too. They’re gonna be unstoppable,” Greenberg posted on X.

Although they came up just short, Williams and the Bears proved they belong in the upper echelon of the NFC.

No, there are no moral victories in the National Football League, but for a team that has long been a punching bag and the butt of jokes over the last decade, Sunday proved these aren’t those Bears.

Getty

Getty

Coming into the game, the Bears were 9-3 and the top seed in the NFC, but they dropped all the way to the seventh seed after the loss.

There is no question that Johnson, Williams, and the Bears have far exceeded all expectations heading into the year, sitting at 9-4 and firmly in the thick of the NFC playoff race.

Fraudulent accusations have been thrown their way all season, especially as December arrived, with what seemed like narrow wins each week against subpar competition.

However, coming off their most impressive win of the season last Friday against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Chicago’s nail-biting loss on the road in Green Bay proved that no, these Bears are not frauds.

In fact, these Bears are legit.

Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more