Caleb Williams puts his name next to Peyton Manning’s in the history books, but it also underscores a hidden problem for the Bears
Chicago continues to stack wins in an unsustainable way.
The Chicago Bears did the unthinkable, once again, on Saturday by rallying back in the fourth quarter and in overtime to pull off the improbable win against the Green Bay Packers. It extended their lead in the NFC North with two games left in the regular season.
With five minutes left in the final quarter of regulation, the Bears trailed 16-3 and had some of the most insane breaks you’ll ever see go a team’s way. Be it luck or preparation, the Bears pulled off another fourth-quarter comeback to win it 22-16.
Caleb Williams joins Peyton Manning in an exclusive club following win over Packers
The part that makes Saturday’s win lean more toward preparation than luck is the fact that the Bears have been pulling off wins like this all season long under head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams.
With a sixth fourth-quarter comeback in 2025, Williams joined Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning for the most fourth-quarter comebacks in a season by a player under the age of 25 in NFL history. Williams has since earned the nickname “Iceman” for his ability to remain cool in late-game situations, showing off a confidence that clearly rubs off on his teammates.
In the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game alone, Williams had 164 total yards and two touchdowns with a 105.9 passer rating, willing his team back into the game when it mattered most. And that’s been the case all season long for the Bears’ young quarterback. But this all underscores a hidden problem for the Bears’ offense.
Bears continue to get away with slow starts, and surely it’s not sustainable
For 3.5 quarters, the Bears did not deserve to win that game, playing against a Packers team that was without star pass rusher Micah Parsons and starting quarterback Jordan Love.
Chicago’s offense started the game with a strong drive, but it ended short after a botched snap on a potential fourth-down trick play, when Johnson got too cute with the play call. Four of the team’s following offensive drives ended with a punt.
I’m a firm believer in playing for all 60 minutes and never losing any faith, but the Bears can’t afford to continue playing like this and expect to pull off miraculous late-game magic every week. At the same time, it continues to work out for the Bears, considering their 11-4 record with over half of those wins coming via fourth-quarter comebacks.
“We’re going to fight until the clock says zero,” Williams told Tom Brady after the game. “From there, we’ll give it our best shot.”
The Bears understand it’s not sustainable and know there are clear areas that need to be properly addressed to start games faster and avoid putting themselves in a hole they’ll have to crawl out of. It’s been a season-long issue, but wins are wins, and the Bears won’t apologize for it.
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