Bears try to regroup after latest comeback attempt falls short in loss to Packers

By Canadian Press on December 8, 2025.

CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears were threatening to do it again, to pull out yet another tight victory just before they ran out of time.

A last-minute interception in the end zone squashed the comeback and sealed the latest gut-wrenching loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. But for all the focus on the way the game ended, the Bears got off to another slow start. That’s been an issue for them.

“We just didn’t start well enough,” coach Ben Johnson said Monday. “You’ve got to utilize all 60 minutes of your brand of football and we dug ourselves into a hole and it certainly wasn’t where we want to start that game.”

The Bears (9-4) came in rolling with five straight wins and nine in their previous 10 games. They were looking for back-to-back victories over the Packers, after beating them in last year’s finale at Lambeau Field to end an 11-game losing streak in the NFL’s longest-running rivalry. But the result was an all-too-familiar one for them.

The loss not only dropped Chicago to second place in the NFC North behind Green Bay (9-3-1), it knocked the Bears from the top seed to seventh in a tight conference race. They host struggling Cleveland next week before a rematch with the Packers at Soldier Field on Dec. 20.

What’s working

The offensive line. The Bears’ blockers limited an aggressive Green Bay defense led by Micah Parsons to one sack. They also pushed the Packers around in the second half, creating openings in the run game, particularly on the drive that led to the tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined to carry eight times for 53 yards on that possession.

What needs help

The Bears were able to contain Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ playmakers in last week’s win at Philadelphia. But it was a different story against Green Bay. Jordan Love regrouped after a somewhat shaky start, completing 17 of 25 passes for 234 yards and three long touchdowns. On Green Bay’s first possession, he got sacked by Montez Sweat for a 14-yard loss with the ball on the Chicago 38 and had a deep pass intercepted by C.J. Gardner-Johnson on the next play. But Love also burned the Bears, connecting with Christian Watson on 23-yard and 41-yard touchdowns and with Bo Melton on a 45-yard score.

Stock up

TE Colston Loveland. The No. 10 pick in this year’s draft, Loveland is tied for the lead among rookie tight ends with four touchdown catches. His 1-yard TD in the fourth quarter tied it at 21-all.

Stock down

Williams. The second-year pro has delivered big late in games this season, leading five fourth-quarter comebacks. The Bears were in position to pull out another one in the closing minute, with the ball at the 14. Monangai got stopped on third-and-1, and Williams was intercepted in the end zone by Keisean Nixon with 22 seconds remaining when he was late and underthrew Cole Kmet on a corner route. The Bears ran a similar play the previous week at Philadelphia, with Kmet hauling in a 28-yarder.

The interception capped another inconsistent outing for the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner. Williams was 19 of 35 in his sixth straight game completing fewer than 60% of his passes with 186 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He was more productive after throwing for 32 yards in the first half, but things ended on a sour note for him.

“We think we’re gonna have a really good quarterback in this league, a really dangerous quarterback in this league, a really dangerous offense, a really good team for a long time when we’re really able to combine both of those thought processes,” Johnson said. “We’re not quite there yet. We’re working diligently every day. I’ve said it every week, that you see growth in so many other areas that when that last little bit comes along, I think we’re gonna be really pleased with where we are.”

Injuries

CB Kyler Gordon was a late scratch after injuring his groin during pregame warmups, his latest setback in an injury-riddled season. Signed to a three-year, $40 million extension in April, he has played in just three games. Gordon missed the first four because of a hamstring injury and five more games because of a groin issue before returning in the win at Philadelphia in Week 13.

Key number

1 — The Bears had one takeaway, boosting their NFL-leading total to 27. Gardner-Johnson picked off Love on Green Bay’s first possession — his first interception in six games for Chicago and the Bears’ league-best 18th this season.

Next steps

The Bears will try to improve to 5-1 at Soldier Field when they host Cleveland next Sunday. The lone loss at home was to Minnesota in the season opener.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Andrew Seligman, The Associated Press

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