Rams kicker Harrison Mevis swept his leg and sent the football through the uprights, ending the Chicago Bears’ season in an overtime Divisional Round defeat. A gut-wrenching end to a truly magical year. 

A year that featured twelve wins, including seven fourth-quarter comebacks, a division title, and the team’s first playoff win in fifteen years, cut short with one kick. 

But as the players trudged off the white field with their heads low, knowing they were just a handful of plays away from victory, they weren’t met with silence or boos. They were met with applause. 

The 60,000 die-hard fans at Soldier Field stuck around on a cold, flurry-filled night to give their team a standing ovation. A thank you to the team for giving them a season they will always remember. 

THE LEADUP

Going into the match, the Chicago Bears came off a miraculous Wildcard victory over their rival Green Bay Packers, 31-27. They trailed 21-3 at halftime and stormed back to take the win, a win unlike any other the city had seen before. 

Their opponent in the next round, the Los Angeles Rams, were believed by many to be a Super Bowl contender, but had barely escaped Carolina with a 34-31 win against the Panthers. 

With this in mind, and the fact that a team from warm California was coming to frigid Illinois, where the temperature would be in single digits, there was much optimism that the Bears could keep their Cinderella run going all the way to the NFC Championship for a date with the Seahawks in Seattle. 

FROZEN IN ICE

Early on, though, this optimism appeared to be misplaced. On their opening possession, the Bears moved quickly down the field with a big catch-and-run from receiver D.J. Moore, but the drive immediately stalled as quarterback Caleb Williams sailed a pass that wound up in the arms of Rams defensive back Cobie Durant for a fourth-down interception. 

The Rams used this momentum to glide down the field with precision passes from MVP candidate Matthew Stafford. They capped off the drive with a touchdown run from running back Kyren Williams that gave them the first points of the night. 

Chicago managed to bounce back, however, as they drove down the field once again and scored on fourth down this time. Williams connected with Moore on a strike to the endzone, evening the contest at seven apiece. 

But after those drives, the scoring slid to a halt. The icy winter air coated the field with a thin layer of snow that stopped both offenses in their tracks. Chicago’s defense finally stepped up after being gashed all season, keeping a high-powered Rams offense in check. 

Sideline view of Soldier Field during the NFC Divisional Round game between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Michael Reaves / Getty Images).

The Rams pulled out all the stops to ensure they were prepared for the weather. They brought 2,000 pounds of cold-weather equipment, had copious amounts of hot chocolate and chicken broth on the sideline, and some players even jammed cayenne peppers into their socks. Whatever it took to get the win. Despite these efforts, they scored only a field goal for the rest of the half.

Unfortunately for Chicago’s defense, the other side of the ball couldn’t do much better as the hands of Bears receivers turned into solid ice, letting numerous balls fall to the grass. The offense also only managed a field goal, making the score 10-10 at the half. 

BACKS AGAINST THE WALL

The second half was much of the same, a defensive showdown. Punt after punt after punt, neither offense could gain much traction. 

Even after Williams threw another pick at midfield, Los Angeles still punted, unable to gain a single yard. 

For most of the game, Chicago’s defense successfully put pressure on Stafford with defensive backs blitzing off the edge, leading to four sacks and a multitude of errant throws. But in the fourth quarter, they found a way to exploit it. 

Chicago Bears defensive back Kyler Gordon (6) sacks Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) during the second quarter of the NFC Divisional Round game on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Matt Marton / Imagn-Images). 

Through short, quick passes, the Rams marched 91 yards down the field and took back the lead with another touchdown run for Kyren Williams. 

The pressure was back on the Bears to mount a scoring drive. They answered the call with a big scramble from Caleb Williams and several bulldozing runs from the duel threat of running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.

But as they got to the goal line, they could not bulldoze through the Rams’ wall of defenders. Another failed fourth-down conversion from just two yards out. Rams football with 3:06 on the clock. 

With their season on the line, the Bears’ defense matched the Rams’. They forced another punt that gave the Bears’ offense one last shot with 1:50 to play at the 50-yard line. 

Once again, a few good plays got the Bears close to paydirt until they got stuck. They faced a 4th and 4 at the Rams’ 14-yard line with 27 seconds remaining. Eerily similar to the end of the second game between the Bears and Packers, in which the Bears faced a 4th and 4 at the North endzone down by seven in the final minute. 

This play was even bigger than that one. The division wasn’t on the line, the season was. Last time, Williams managed to loft a pass to wide-open receiver Jahdae Walker in the endzone for the game-tying score. 

In a year full of miracles like that one, the Bears needed another to keep their hopes alive. The crowd was quiet, nervously waiting.

Williams took the snap and dropped back. Pressure in his face immediately. He scampered backwards as four Rams charged after him. 

Not until he reached the 40-yard line did he finally heave the pass into the endzone. The ball hung in the air for what felt like forever. 

In the corner of the endzone, there were only two players with a shot at the ball. Bears tight end Cole Kmet and Rams defensive back Cobie Durant, who already had two picks on the night.

In a 50/50 battle, Kmet came out the winner.

Touchdown. 

Absolute pandemonium. 

The Chicago Bears had done it again. Another last-second score. With the extra point from kicker Cairo Santos, the game was tied at 17. 

The Rams took a knee, and this game was headed to overtime. 

A QUIET END

Chicago won the coin toss and elected to kick, meaning Los Angeles would get first crack at scoring points. But yet again, they failed. 

Chicago got the ball back, only needing a field goal to win. They sauntered toward the endzone, piling up short passes and runs to midfield again. 

But they got a little too greedy. Williams’ deep pass was intercepted by Rams defensive back Kamren Curl, making a diving catch. On the play, it appeared as though Moore stopped running his route on the play, but regardless of fault, the Rams had the football back, and they made no mistake. 

A couple of dimes from Stafford led the Rams into field-goal range, where kicker Harrison Mevis sent his team to the NFC Championship with a 42-yard boot. A bittersweet climax to an emotional playoff battle and a remarkable season for the Chicago Bears.

Los Angeles Rams kicker Harrison Mevis (92) celebrates with his teammates after kicking the game-winning field goal against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times).

A TIME TO REFLECT

As the year comes to a close, there is much to be happy about in Chicago. The team had accomplished more than even the biggest of fans expected them to and has a bright future ahead with a plethora of stars in the making. 

Quarterback Caleb Williams improved greatly under first-year Head Coach Ben Johnson and young talents such as receiver Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland showed flashes of promise, leading the offense to be one of the best in the NFL.

The defense under first-year Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen, while giving up plenty of yards and points, also led the league in takeaways with veteran safety Kevin Byard tallying a league-leading seven interceptions and young cornerback Nahshon Wright having eight takeaways of his own. 

Johnson stated after the game that, “They all believed all year long that we could find a way to win each and every week.” Even though they could not find a way to win against the Rams, it is clear that a winning culture is beginning to come back to Chicago. The city is hungry. And only time will tell whether this new fire will result in the ultimate prize: the Lombardi trophy. 

The post Out of Magic: Rams Knock Bears Out of Playoffs in Overtime 20-17 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Die-hard Bear fans saw their team erase fourth-quarter deficits, score go-ahead touchdowns, and make last-second stops before, but this… was different. 

The crowd of over 60,000 in Soldier Field dressed head to toe in navy cheered even harder, even longer, even louder. Bars across Chicago could barely contain the noise the patrons made. The floors of households from Evanston to Naperville could barely hang on as the homeowners stomped across. 

This wasn’t just any old win. This was a playoff win. The first one this city had seen in fifteen years. A playoff win, they had to rally from an eighteen-point halftime deficit to win—a playoff win over the team’s most hated rival, the Green Bay Packers. 

A playoff win they’ll never forget.

DIGGING A HOLE

But for most of that night, it looked like the game would be unforgettable for the wrong reasons. As mentioned earlier, Green Bay stormed out to a 21-3 lead in the first half. 

Packers quarterback Jordan Love was on fire, lighting up Chicago’s defense with three touchdown passes in the first half. His receivers zoomed by defensive backs like speed demons on the freeway.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) scores a touchdown against Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) during the first half of the game on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Wm. Glasheen / USA Today Network-Wisconsin).

The Bears, on the other hand, were stuck in a ditch with their hazards on. Head Coach Ben Johnson seemed to go back to the philosophy he learned under Dan Campbell in Detroit by going for it on all of the fourth downs. 

Unfortunately, his team only managed to convert one of the fourth attempts, resulting in just three points at the break. The crowd’s energy from the start of the game dissipated. 

The deficit could’ve been even larger had Green Bay’s kicker Brandon McManus not hooked a 55-yard field goal wide of the goal posts as the first half ended. This most certainly would just be a one-time occurrence and have zero impact on the game later. 

RISE AND FALL

The second half presented some opportunities to get back into the game for the Bears, though. The Packer offense, which looked unstoppable in the first half, was stopped repeatedly. Four straight punts to begin the half. 

Slowly, but surely, the Bears managed to claw back into the football game. A couple of field goals from kicker Cairo Santos and a touchdown from running back D’Andre Swift made it 21-16. 

However, the Green Bay offense hummed back to life as rookie receiver Matthew Golden scored his first career touchdown by making Bears defenders look buffoonish on his way to the end zone. 

But then, McManus struck again. He pushed the extra point to the left, which kept the lead at eleven. Chicago wouldn’t need two touchdowns. 

But on their next drive, they would need to convert a massive fourth down. Eight yards to go on their own 43. If they didn’t get this, their hopes were as good as dead.

THE SPARK

Quarterback Caleb Williams took the snap and faced pressure up the middle. He did what he does best and escaped to his left, desperately searching for an answer to his prayer. Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie chased after him and dove at his ankles. Williams hopped into the air and let the pigskin leave his hand. 

It traveled through the air and descended into a sea of blue and white jerseys, where somehow, some way, it wound up in the arms of receiver Rome Odunze for the first down. Through sheer magic, Chicago was still in the game. 

They capped off the drive with a touchdown throw to receiver Olamide Zaccheus and the two-pointer on top to tight end Colston Loveland to bring the Bears to within three. 

Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland (84) makes a catch against Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) during the second half of the game on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (David Banks / Imagn-Images).

The Packers punched back, though. A bomb to receiver Romeo Doubs, and they were deep in Bears territory. With just under three minutes to play, they lined up for another kick, this one to make it a six-point game. 

But, of course, McManus missed. Strike three for Green Bay special teams, and all Chicago needs is a field goal with all the time in the world. 

TO THE SURFACE

They used this time to reach midfield quickly, with only two minutes to play. On 2nd and 4, Williams rolled to his right and fired a pass to receiver D.J. Moore. It fluttered off his fingertips and skipped onto the weathered grass. 

The crowd sighed. He has to catch that. 

He would. 

Two plays later, Moore found himself wide-open for the go-ahead touchdown. 31-27. 1:43 to go. 

ONE LAST GASP

However, the Packers now had all the time in the world and a timeout to boot. A dart to Golden resulted in a fourth-down conversion. A short pass to receiver Romeo Doubs got them on the Bears’ side of the field with 44 ticks remaining, no timeouts left. 

Love found receiver Jayden Reed for a deep completion over the middle, but an injury timeout meant an extra ten seconds ran off the clock. 

22 ticks.

After a few incompletions, the game came down to one final play. Seven. Seconds. Left. 

Every single fan in that stadium was on their feet. Hearts ready to burst out of their chests. They had seen these sorts of games before. The kind where the Packers rip their hearts out at the last possible moment. The 2010 NFC Championship, 4th and 8 in 2013, and the blocked field goal in 2024 are just a few plays that come to mind.

This year’s Chicago defense had prided itself on bending, but never breaking. They would need to hold serve, one more time. 

Love stood in shotgun formation, the snap rocketed back to him, and slipped through his fingers. He picked the ball right back up and scurried around, avoiding the pressuring Bears. 

He directed traffic in the end zone, but couldn’t do so for long. He had to just get the ball there. He lofted the pass, and it was… 

Incomplete. Bears win.

An explosion of joy in Chicago.

Against all odds, the Cardiac Bears delivered another victory. They had saved their best for the end yet again, as they scored 25 of their 31 points in the fourth quarter alone. They looked like a completely different team. 

When asked about his halftime speech, Johnson said that he had shown his players the New England Patriots’ comeback from down 28-3 in Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons earlier in the season to remind them that, “This has been done before and rather than saying “woe is me” and “we’re in a hole”, it’s more this is a great opportunity for us to turn this thing around into a game that we’ll never forget.”

They certainly did that. In a season where all three matchups against the Packers were battles that came down to the wire, the third chapter would be the one that proved to be the biggest of them all. 

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) leaves the field in celebration after the game against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Matt Marton / Imagn-Images).

GAME BALLS

Colston Loveland: His second game ball of the season for catching 8 passes for 137 years as a rookie in first career playoff game, the first rookie tight end with 100+ receiving yards in a playoff game since the Eagles’ Keith Jackson in 1988.

Montez Sweat: His second of the season for notching a sack and consistently pressuring the passer in the second half. He helped keep his team in the game in the second half.

Caleb Williams: His second game ball of the season for throwing for over 360 yards with a pair of touchdowns. He made the plays when his team needed it.

NOT FINISHED YET

This Wildcard win means that the Bears will be advancing onto the next round, where they will host the Los Angeles Rams, coming off a shootout win in Carolina. 

The Rams are legitimate Super Bowl contenders, and the Bears’ defense will have its hands full trying to slow down their offense. 

Chicago’s already used a lot of magic to get to this point, and no one would be surprised if there’s none left in the hat. But if a few bounces go their way, and the game’s close in the fourth quarter, they might just be able to find that little extra to survive and advance.

The post Good, Better, Best: Bears Steal Victory from Packers 31-27 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

A familiar sight for Bears fans, as this was the eleventh game of the season to be decided by one score. It was only fitting that this would be true for the finale as well. 

Only this time, the game wasn’t in the hands of Chicago; it was in Detroit’s. Their kicker, Jake Bates, lined up in the green Soldier Field grass for a 42-yarder with two seconds left that would give his team the win. 

Bears fans hollered out, doing anything they could to throw him off his game. The snap was good. The hold was good. And the kick sailed through the uprights.

Bates didn’t even need to watch it go. He knew he got the Lions a closeout win and sent the Bears tumbling into the postseason by a score of 19-16.

THE STAKES

Despite being a matchup between two solid teams in the final week of the regular season, there wasn’t a whole lot on the line in terms of the playoffs. 

The Detroit Lions were already eliminated from playoff contention following their horrific performance against the Minnesota Vikings in a 23-10 Christmas Day loss. That being said, a Dan Campbell-coached unit always lays it all on the line and plays spoiler against a divisional opponent, especially to secure a winning record for the year.

And while many teams rested their starters in the final week, Detroit didn’t. Chicago didn’t either. The Bears were playing the same Lions squad that molly-whopped them back in Week 2, 52-21, and they were eager to show the world that they were a different team now. 

Head Coach Ben Johnson, former Lions Offensive Coordinator, stated after the game that his mindset was, “Some teams, they rest their starters. We don’t. We play football.”

Chicago Bears guard Joe Thuney (62) and center Drew Dalman (52) run onto the field before the game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (David Banks / Imagn-Images).

FIRST HALF

This game began the same way the first one did, as Detroit marched the ball down the field with ease and bent Chicago’s defense to its will. This time, though, Chicago didn’t break and held Detroit to field goals on each of their first two drives. 

The Bears’ offense was a different story, however. The team struggled to do anything with the football, opening the door for the Lions to finally break through with quarterback Jared Goff throwing a touchdown pass to running back Jahmyr Gibbs to make it a 13-0 ballgame. 

That touchdown slap was finally enough to get Chicago’s offensive machine to run a little bit, but it ultimately sputtered on a failed fourth-down attempt deep in Detroit territory. 

Fortunately for the Bears, Bates’ field goal just before halftime hooked left, keeping the deficit at thirteen. 

At this point, Jared Goff had carved up Chicago’s secondary and served them for dinner as he had over 200 yards at halftime, while Bears quarterback Caleb Williams failed to cook anything with his measly 45 yards. 

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) readies to throw against the Chicago Bears in the game on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Matt Marton / Imagn-Images).

SECOND HALF

The kitchen disaster escalated as Williams threw an interception in the second half. At the same time, Goff let his offense simmer, controlling the clock and putting Bates in position to kick another field goal, bringing the score to 16-0 entering the fourth quarter. 

In a game meant to be a final statement just before the playoffs, the Chicago Bears were laying an egg bigger than Humpty Dumpty. 

But then, something funny happened. As soon as the final quarter began, the Bears seemed to transform into an entirely new football team. 

Williams fired a laser into the endzone for receiver Jahdae Walker, who made the catch for Chicago’s first points. Running back Kyle Monangai followed that up with a tough run on the two-point conversion to make it a one-score game. 

Next drive, same story. The Bears went down the field with ease, and tight end Colston Loveland stayed in bounds for the team’s second score. 

Fellow tight end Cole Kmet hung on through a big hit on the two-point conversion, and just like that, the scoreboard read sixteen all.

Where had this Bears team been all game long? The world may never know. The Cardiac Bears work in mysterious ways. 

Their magic appeared to continue to help them as Goff threw an ill-advised pass that safety Jaquan Brisker knocked up into the air and ended up in the hands of safety Kevin Byard III for a pick.

This was it. Chicago had the ball with all three timeouts at their own 26 with 2:11 remaining. This was the time when Williams would lead his team to yet another come-from-behind victory and storm into the playoffs ready to take on the world. 

But they didn’t. Williams threw an errant pass that resulted in an intentional grounding call, and the Bears punted the football back to Detroit. 

Goff redeemed himself with a big completion to receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to put the Lions in field goal range, one of eleven catches that he hauled in for 139 yards. 

Bates lined up his kick, planted his foot in the dirt, and ended Chicago’s hopes of a vengeful comeback. 

He was understandably pumped up and celebrated with all his teammates. On the other side of the coin, the Bears’ sideline looked the same way it did for most of the game. Dejected. 

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (39) celebrates with his teammates after hitting the game-winning field goal against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (David Banks / Imagn-Images).

Players timidly kept their hands in their pockets, let their heads hang low with drooping towels over their heads, and trudged to midfield to shake hands with their opponents. 

That’s exactly what the two head coaches did, too. Johnson and Campbell met each other halfway, shook hands, exchanged a few words, and went on their way. 

For Campbell, it was a bittersweet end to a disappointing season. For Johnson, a bump in the road whose effects he will hopefully mitigate in the coming weeks. 

THE FUTURE

Luckily for Chicago, thanks to Philadelphia’s 24-17 loss to Washington, they are still the No. 2 seed in the NFC and will take on their hated Packers on Saturday night in Soldier Field. 

These two teams have already met twice this season, splitting the series. Both games were filled with excitement and came down to the wire; the third contest is likely to be more of the same. 

It’s almost like a broken record, but this is Chicago’s biggest game in a long while. Their last playoff showdown against the Packers was in 2010, when Green Bay beat the Bears in Soldier Field en route to a Super Bowl win. 

It’ll be a tough road for Chicago to make that happen, given their inconsistent play and the sheer strength of the rest of the bracket, but in a weird season such as this one, NBA Legend Kevin Garnett’s famous quote rings true: “Anything’s possible!”

The post Stumbling to the Finish: Bears Rally Comes Up Short Against Lions 19-16 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams stood tall in the backfield, awaiting the snap. His team trailed by four, needing a touchdown to escape with victory.

Williams led his offense down the field, he’d made jaws drop all game and all season. He needed one more of those magician-like moments. 

The 24-year-old flipped the weathered pigskin in his hands, searching for somebody in the endzone. He scrambled. He waved his receivers left and right. He retreated. He fired.

The entire city of Chicago held their breath as they watched watched it sail through the air, kicking up dirt as it fell a yard short of the hands of Jahdae Walker, a near miracle in San Francisco.

42-38.

Bear, down.

THE LEADUP

Before this game even kicked off, the Bears had already jumped over the first couple of hurdles ahead of them. 

With their jaw-dropping win over Green Bay last week and Detroit’s controversial loss to Pittsburgh, Chicago had clinched their spot in the 2025 playoff dance. Even further, Derrick “King” Henry ran all over the Packers on Saturday night, and the NFC North belonged to the Windy City’s beloved Bears for the first time in seven years. 

It was already a fantastic year, surpassing the expectations of even the most optimistic of fans. But the Bears weren’t done yet. They still had a chance at the No. 1 seed and a date out west with San Francisco, an equally strong opponent also vying for first place. 

FIRST HALF

The game started with a bang as Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards intercepted the first pass from 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy taking it all the way to the house on the game’s opening play. 

“You could really feel the sideline come alive,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said after the game.

It was the perfect start for his team and would certainly be a sign of fantastic defense to come in this game. 

This sign turned out to be a lie as San Francisco scored two touchdowns in quick succession to take a 14-7 lead. So much for the perfect start. 

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws a pass against the Chicago Bears during the second quarter of the game on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco, California (Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images).

Chicago wasn’t going to back down, though. Williams launched a perfect deep ball into the endzone to rookie receiver Luther Burden III for his second touchdown of the season.

All game, a non-stop nail-biting competition.

49ers running back Christian McCaffrey ran one in on the next drive. Williams threw another deep bomb to tight end Colston Loveland for a free-play score. Purdy scored another rushing touchdown. 

The game was a scoring bonanza. The 49ers faithful were buzzing. These offenses were smacking the defenses around like a tetherball as the 49ers had a 28-21 lead…at halftime. 

The over/under before the game was 51.5, in case you were wondering.

SECOND HALF

After halftime, the shootout continued. A two-yard run from Chicago running back D’Andre Swift tied the game at 28, keeping the pressure on San Francisco. 

But Purdy was cool, calm. Cool enough in fact to turn into MC Hammer one drive. Bears defenders couldn’t touch him, he made magic with his feet, and he found fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the endzone for an easy touchdown. 

Purdy danced his way back to the sideline, deservedly so, knowing he just made Chicago’s defense look foolish.

Once again, it was up to Chicago’s offense to carry the load, and they did so in kind. Swift scampered for another touchdown that tied the game at 35. The fireworks were never-ending. 

Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift (4) scores a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter of the game on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco, California (Kyle Terada / Imagn-Images). 

But there was a brief pause. 

The fireworks jammed.

The Bears’ defense finally got a stop, giving the ball back to their guys on offense. Though only mustering a field goal, they took their first lead since 15 seconds into the first quarter.

The 49ers took advantage of this shortcoming as Purdy fired a pass to wide-open receiver Jauan Jennings, who ran 38 yards for the go-ahead score with 2:15 to play. 

This situation wasn’t new to Chicago. They’re the Cardiac Bears, specializing in giving their fans heart attacks before pulling out an improbable win.

A few completions and scrambles from Williams got them deep into 49er territory, but they soon faced a 4th and 5 at their 26 with the game in the balance. 

Williams found a wide-open Loveland to pick up the first down, and two plays later, he found Loveland again, who lateraled the ball to Swift and ran for a crucial first down a couple of yards away from the goal line. 

And now here they were again. A chance to win it from the two yard line.

Williams dropped back and immediately felt pressure to his left. He made the defensive end miss and scrambled to his left to find a receiver. Looking, looking, looking. Another 49er defender ran at him, screaming. He had to get rid of it.

He tossed a prayer to the endzone… and it wasn’t answered. It fell just short of receiver Jahdae Walker’s grasp into the Levi’s Stadium grass. 

Game over. 

Bears and 49ers both lay down on the field, exhausted from their duel that just took place. The Bears gave it all they had and came up just short. 

“Gotta be on top of your mess, and we just weren’t,” Coach Johnson remarked after the game.

His players had plenty of chances to win and just didn’t take advantage. 

Williams and Purdy both balled out, with the former throwing for 330 yards and a pair of scores, while the latter had 303 yards for three touchdowns through the air and two more on the ground. A true battle of gunslingers.

Both fan bases likely had the same thoughts after their match. Those being, “Man, this offense is amazing!” and “Man, this defense is terrible!” Regardless of feeling, both teams were locked into the postseason. And if fate allows, they may play each other again in a few short weeks. 

THE FUTURE

Chicago has just one more game on the schedule for this regular season, a home game against its divisional foe, the Detroit Lions, a team already eliminated from playoff contention. 

At this point, many teams rest their starters. But if you don’t know Ben Johnson yet, you never will. He lost to his team earlier this year, 52-21. Ouch. So this is not just a seeding battle, but a revenge tour.

“We’re playing to win this week,” he said.

Of course the team is still dealing with nagging injuries to key players such as receiver Rome Odunze and defensive back Kyler Gordon, so the fanbase may not see every star on the field.

They say that you need luck in the playoffs. Especially when you want to make a deep run. The Bears have picked up some of that luck all season. But they’ve also shown great promise, this game being another example. If the offense keeps firing on all cylinders and the defense can get something together, this team might just have a chance at that miracle run.

The post Just Like the Wild West: 49ers Outlast Bears in 42-38 Shootout appeared first on KRUI Radio.

And even after seeing what happened last night, some fans probably still can’t believe it.

On Dec. 20, in utterly insane fashion, the Chicago Bears knocked off their most hated rival, the Green Bay Packers, 22-16, to extend their division lead.

If you told a Bears fan, a Packers fan, or any NFL fan that the game would’ve ended the way it did, they probably wouldn’t have believed you. They especially wouldn’t have believed you if you said that when the Packers took a ten-point lead with five minutes remaining. 

THE FINAL MINUTES

Let’s set the scene. It’s a Saturday night in Soldier Field. Another windy one in the Windy City, with temperatures in the mid-20s and gusts of wind in the low 30s. Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus has just squeaked in a field goal to give his team a 16-6 lead on the road. 

The crowd is deflated. The 60,000 fans who had been whipping white towels through the air for most of the game were now timidly holding those towels at their side. Their cold breaths were deep and heavy.

Fans likely had one, cohesive thought:

“This team is breaking our hearts again.”

Chicago’s young quarterback Caleb Williams led his offense out onto the field, but his unit had done little to inspire confidence to this point. The offense had scored just six points through 55 minutes of action against a defense missing its star pass rusher and losing even more starters to injury. 

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) prepares to throw a pass against the Green Bay Packers in the first quarter during the game on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Mike Dinovo / Imagn-Images).

The Bears were missing some playmakers of their own; receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III were both out due to injury, but this was still no excuse to lay an egg in the team’s biggest game all season. They simply had to play better. 

Williams began to march his team down the field, completing passes and scrambling for first downs, but a couple of incompletions and a holding penalty left them facing a 3rd and 20 at Green Bay’s 46. They weren’t even in field goal range. 

Williams dropped back to pass and bounced around in the pocket, looking for some kind of answer, but couldn’t find one. He was dumped into the beaten-down Soldier Field grass for a sack by rookie defensive tackle Warren Brinson, a likely death blow to Chicago’s chance.

Or perhaps not. 

Brinson grabbed Williams’ facemask. 15-yard penalty. Automatic first down. 

Chicago still had life, but didn’t do much with it right away. They failed to get another first down, partially because receiver D.J. Moore was so exhausted that he couldn’t get set in time for a crucial 3rd down snap. Can’t blame him too much. With all the receiver injuries, Moore was doing more heavy lifting than a bodybuilder during their winter bulk. 

The Bears were forced to settle for a 43-yard field goal from Cairo Santos, not easy in the bustling wind, but he still put boot to leather and nailed it for his third make of the day. 16-9. 1:59 to go. 

Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos kicks a field goal against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter in the game on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Patrick McDermott / Getty Images). 

With little time remaining, Chicago needed to get an onside kick. Before this, all NFL teams were 4-for-47 on onside kicks during the season, so about an 8% chance. Not great odds, but still worth a shot. 

Santos pooched the ball into the dirt and bounced toward Green Bay receiver Romeo Doubs, the man tasked with securing the kick. His eyes were on the ball, laser-focused on it. The ball bounced off his chest, and he scrambled for it. So did the Bears.

A rugby scrum ensued as everyone on the field fought for it.

Everyone held their breath.

The referee pointed.

Bear ball.

Pandemonium.

The crowd is back in it. By God, this team has a chance. 

Williams and the offense came back onto the field. They sliced and diced their way deep into the red zone, but the drive got stuck. A few incompletions meant a 4th and 4 at the Packers’ 6. This was the game. 

It was all too similar to when these two teams faced off in Lambeau less than two weeks ago. The Packers up by seven in the final seconds, and the Bears deep in their territory with a chance to tie. 

Last time, Williams threw a game-sealing interception. Would he do the same again? 

No.

This time, with pressure in his face from hungry Packers defenders, he threw up a prayer to the back corner in the endzone, where a wide-open Jahdae Walker leaped into the air for the game-tying score. 

Bears fans erupted in celebration. Walker, an undrafted free agent from Texas A&M, who hadn’t caught a single pass since the preseason, just scored the biggest touchdown of his life. 

But the game wasn’t done. Overtime awaited. 

OVERTIME

The Bears won the coin toss, and the Packers would get the ball first. They were led onto the field by their backup, Malik Willis. Packers starter, Jordan Love, had been knocked out with a concussion in the second quarter, but the Packers’ offense didn’t skip a beat. 

Willis played like he was the main man, making timely throws for 84 passing yards and killing the Bears’ defense with his legs when needed for 44 yards. His white jersey was still clean. 

He was also aided by backup running back Emmanuel Wilson, who went for 79 yards, replacing starter Josh Jacobs, who also left the game with a knee injury. 

Willis started the overtime period with a big 31-yard pass to receiver Jayden Reed, leaving the Bears’ secondary reeling and Packers fans thinking they still had a win in the bag. 

Facing a 3rd and 1, Willis tried once again to scramble for a first down, but this time, linebacker T.J. Edwards met him at the line and held him back. It was their turn to convert a 4th down. 

Willis lined up under center to take the snap, eyeing up the Bears’ defense. He should’ve kept his eye on the ball. 

In a nightmare play for Green Bay fans, Willis dropped the snap, turning the play into a complete mess. Wilson tried to pick up the ball to make something out of nothing, but couldn’t get back to the line. Chicago’s defense made a stand, and the offense got to trot back onto the field, with a chance to steal a win. 

A scamper from running back Kyle Monangai gave his team the ball at the Packers’ 46—closer to field goal range to give Santos a chance for the win. That wasn’t good enough, though. Chicago wanted to win right now. 

Williams extended the ball to Monangai, but didn’t let it go. He set his feet in the middle of the “C” at midfield. He reached back and launched a missile toward the endzone. He was going for it all. 

Moore, exhausted, was running toward it. He was tracking the ball with his eyes, Packers defensive back Keisean Nixon draped all over him. 

But as legendary quarterback Dan Marino once said, and as fellow legendary quarterback Tom Brady quoted while commentating the game, “There’s no defense against a perfect throw.” 

Williams put his hands in his warm pockets with the ball still in the air. Moore made the catch and scored the game-winning touchdown. 

Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore celebrates a game-winning touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in overtime with his teammates during the game on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (David Banks / Imagn-Images).

By a score of 22-16, the Bears had done it: for the first time in over seven years, they had beaten the Packers at home. In a season full of big wins, this was by far the biggest. The monkey was off their back. 

They defeated Green Bay, the team that “owns” them, the team that had won twelve out of the last thirteen meetings, the team that always seems to break their heart at the last second, but not this night. It was Chicago’s turn to break hearts. 

GAME BALLS

After the game, head coach Ben Johnson gave out four game balls, two more than he usually does, but it’s fitting given how massive a win this was. 

Cairo Santos: This was his third game ball of the season. Santos made all three of his field goal attempts to keep the Bears in the game. 

Jahdae Walker: This was his first of the season, earned for stepping up to the plate and catching 2 passes for 21 yards, including the touchdown that sent the Bears to overtime. 

Josh Blackwell: He secured his second game ball of the season for recovering the onside kick that allowed Chicago the opportunity to tie the game. 

D.J. Moore: Earned a game ball for racking up 109 scrimmage yards and hauling in the game-winning touchdown. He got a game ball for the second week in a row. 

NEXT WEEK

Chicago returns to action next Sunday on the road against the San Francisco 49ers. This will be another primetime showdown on Sunday Night Football against a strong playoff team. 

The Bears will be tested again, but whatever the result of this test will be, one thing is clear. These are not the same old Bears. 

The post Never Let It Rest: Bears stun Packers 22-16 in overtime thriller appeared first on KRUI Radio.

A nice, stress-free win for the Chicago Bears. In the fourth coldest game in Soldier Field history, the Bears dominated from start to finish against a lowly Cleveland Browns team that has fallen to 3-11. The Bears, on the other hand, improve to 10-4, and head coach Ben Johnson becomes the third in Bears history to win ten games in his first season after George Halas in 1920 and Matt Nagy in 2018.

Offense

On the offensive side of the ball, Chicago was moving the pigskin effectively throughout the entire game. There was a healthy balance between the rushing and passing attacks as they combined for a solid 361 total yards (142 and 219, respectively). 

Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden (10) celebrates a first down during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (David Banks / Imagn-Images). 

The ground game was led by running back D’Andre Swift, who totaled 95 yards and a couple of touchdowns on the day, as he picked up the slack that his running mate, Kyle Monangai, who struggled with a case of butterfingers, left behind.

Quarterback Caleb Williams looked as cool as ice in the pocket as he threw for 242 yards and a pair of touchdowns, both going to wide receiver D.J. Moore. Moore received a game ball from Johnson after the game.

The second pass, in particular, was a real beauty. The Bears were at the Browns’ 22-yard-line, just shy of the red zone. Williams rolled to his right as he kept his eyes downfield for a receiver to throw to. He proceeded to commit the cardinal sin of NFL quarterbacking.

He threw across his body.

As the ball sliced through the air, multiple Cleveland defenders waited eagerly to pluck it out. However, D.J. Moore was also there to pluck it out. He leaped high into the air and snatched the ball for an improbable score. The epitome of “No, no, no, no, YES!” 

After the game, when asked if that was an ill-advised pass, Williams simply responded, “Nah, I can make any throw.”

If there was anything negative to say about his game today, though, it would be that he didn’t show his trademark escapability as he took three sacks on the day, including one and a half to edge rusher Myles Garrett, who inches ever closer to the single-season sack record. 

Williams looked noticeably slower during the game than he had in previous weeks, although this may be due to the injury he appeared to suffer just before halftime and the fact that it was very cold. Hopefully, not too much to worry about. 

Defense

Defensively, it was a superb performance. The unit tallied another three interceptions to add to their league lead and even managed to get plenty of pressure, resulting in five sacks. 

They were facing off against rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who last week had nearly 400 total yards and four touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans (yes, they’re at the bottom of the NFL, but still). This week, Sanders was held to less than half the yards and not a single touchdown. 

Two of the sacks were generated by defensive end Austin Booker, who must’ve had a great time celebrating his 23rd birthday and getting the win. His efforts also helped hold Cleveland to just 50 yards on the ground, freezing their rushing attack solid.

The interceptions all occurred in the second half as linebacker D’Marco Jackson tipped a pass to himself for one, and defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson got another. 

Star cornerback Jaylon Johnson even got one as Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy let a pass bounce off his chest into Johnson’s lap for a pick. Jeudy must’ve been in the giving spirit. 

The defense was burned a few times by some plays that were part of the Browns’ game plan called “Isaiah, go deep!”, referring to receiver Isaiah Bond, but you can never be mad at a defense for holding a team to three points.

Special Teams

The third phase of the game got in on the action as well.

Return man Devin Duvernay had multiple returns that set up the offense in great field position. Punter Tory Taylor also downed three punts inside the twenty to make the defense’s lives easier. Teamwork makes the dream work.

Chicago Bears cornerback Josh Blackwell (39) downs a punt at the 1-yard line during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Matt Marton / Imagn-Images). 

The only struggle was kicker Cairo Santos missing a 35-yard field goal, which likely indicates that Chicago could be looking for a change at kicker in the offseason.

The Future

All in all, these factors total out to an efficient Bears win in what is certainly their last “easy” game of the season to get to ten victories. But as Ben Johnson said in his postgame presser, “Ten is great, but it’s not enough”. 

He’s right. In an NFC Playoff Picture that looks like a warzone, Chicago will likely need at least one or two more wins to secure their spot in the postseason. 

Next week, the Bears will have a rematch against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night at Soldier Field in a game that will likely decide the division. With the Packers dropping a game to the Denver Broncos, the Bears are back in first place.

But the biggest loss for the Packers is Micah Parsons, the star edge rusher who was just confirmed today to have torn his ACL.

To put it simply, the Packers are weak. They’re hurting. If you’re the Bears? It’s time to get revenge.

The post Wish It Was Colder: Bears cruise past Browns, 31-3 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

This was the 211th meeting between these two bitter rivals, on a familiar, cold afternoon in the frozen tundra. This was also the first time in many years that this game had massive playoff implications on both sides, and they needed to bring their A game to win. “This is what football’s all about,” head coach Ben Johnson said after the game. It’s hard to disagree with him. Meaningful, frigid, gritty December football is something special.

A Chicago Bears fan and a Green Bay Packers fan listen to the National Anthem on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin (William Glasheen / USA Today Network-Wisconsin).

Unfortunately, the Bears’ A-game seemed to be stuck in traffic, as despite an early interception by C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the offense looked out of sorts, and the contest was scoreless after the first quarter. 

The Packers finally broke through the dam in the second, with quarterback Jordan Love firing a strike to receiver Christian Watson for the game’s first points. 

The Bears trudged down the field in response and, with the help of a few penalties, cut the deficit to four on a field goal from kicker Cairo Santos. 

Green Bay once again showed off its big guns on the next drive as Love launched a missile caught by receiver Bo Melton in the endzone to make the score 14-3 at the halftime break. 

To say that Chicago had a slow start to the game would be an understatement. Despite multiple key starters such as linebacker T.J. Edwards and cornerback Jaylon Johnson being back to full speed on defense, the unit looked no better than it had in previous weeks. Still getting very little pressure and giving up too many points. 

The offensive side of the ball was even worse, however. To give you a quick snapshot, quarterback Caleb Williams started this game 1/7 for just 3 yards. That’s not a typo. Whether it was missed passes, drops, or the offensive line giving up pressure, it felt like the Bears couldn’t do anything right. 

In the second half, though, the offense finally showed up as a healthy mix of ground-and-pound and aerial assault led to Chicago’s first touchdown as Williams zipped a pass to receiver Olamide Zaccheus that was so close to being intercepted. The offensive line powered running back Kyle Monangai in for the two-point conversion to make it a three-point game. 

Green Bay came right back with Watson scoring his second touchdown on a short pass that turned into a long run, extending the lead back to ten. 

Chicago kicked another field goal to stay in the game, and the defense forced another punt, allowing the offense an opportunity to tie the game. 

After seventeen plays, eight minutes, and thirty-two seconds, the Bears did tie the game on a Williams floater to tight end Colston Loveland. After a rough first half, they made it a new ballgame with eight minutes to play. 

Chicago Bears tight ends Colston Loveland (84) and Cole Kmet (85) celebrate a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin (Jeff Hanisch / Imagn-Images).

The Packers struck back with a strong drive of their own, but faced a 3rd and 2 at the Bears’ 28-yard line. Love pitched it to running back Josh Jacobs, who had four defenders closing in on him, ready to make the tackle-for-loss. 

Perhaps they weren’t ready enough, though, as Jacobs squeezed through and turned a loss into a 21-yard gain. He would go on to rumble as he had all game into the endzone to give Green Bay a 28-21 lead with 3:32 to go. 

Like many of Chicago’s previous matchups, this one was coming down to the wire, and they had the ball with a chance to tie the game again. Williams lasered some nice passes that got his offense into Green Bay’s red zone, but they had slowed down once again. 

4th and 1. 27 seconds left. This is the game. Every fan in the stadium and watching at home is on the edge of their seat, biting their nails if they can still feel them in the cold. 

After a couple of timeouts to get the heart rate going, Williams finally took the snap. He faked the handoff and rolled to his left, Packers swarming to him and his receivers. 

Finally, he floats the ball into the endzone toward tight end Cole Kmet, just like he did against the Eagles last Friday. But this play wouldn’t have the same outcome as the one last Friday. 

This throw was too soft, too late, and intercepted by Green Bay defensive back Keisean Nixon, sealing the game. 

The Packers beat the Bears for the twelfth time in thirteen matchups, historic dominance over their rival, and assert themselves as the class of the NFC North… for now.

Fans were quick to point out many other things Williams could’ve done besides throw a game-losing interception, such as running for the first down himself or throwing to receiver D.J. Moore, who appeared to be coming open. 

Whatever the smartest path was for Williams to take on that play doesn’t matter now. He had a receiver wide open in the endzone, but he committed a cardinal sin for any NFL quarterback. 

He hesitated. He waited one second too long to throw it, and in this league, one second is the difference between winning and losing, and potentially even between playoffs and no playoffs. 

After the loss, Chicago will look to bounce back at home next week against the 3-10 Cleveland Browns, who just lost at home to the worst team in the league. While Myles Garrett and his pursuit of the sack record are scary, this is a game Chicago better win. This is their only game against a team with a losing record left, and quite frankly, if you can’t beat the Browns when it matters most, you don’t deserve a playoff spot.

The post Same Old Story: Bears lose to Packers, 28-21 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

That’s what analyst and former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman had to say about the game, and it’s exactly what the Bears did. Manhandle them. Like moms on Black Friday trying to get Christmas presents.

This year, the Chicago Bears gifted their fans a statement win over the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, 24-15. This marks the Bears’ fifth straight win and guarantees a winning season for them for the first time since 2018. The vibes are so up.

A big shot of adrenaline for the Bears came from the return of defensive backs Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon from injury. Even with the linebacking core decimated, it was nice to see the secondary getting back up to speed once again. 

The game started with an omen of things to come as the two-headed monster of running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai powered Chicago deep into Philadelphia territory, but ultimately came up short on a fourth down. 

Next drive, they finished what they started as Swift galloped into the endzone to give the Bears the first points of the day. 

Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift (4) celebrates a touchdown in the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, November 28, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Bill Streicher / Imagn Images)

The Eagles began to build some momentum of their own by driving down the field, but quarterback Jalen Hurts missed wide-open receiver Devonta Smith over the middle, forcing them to settle for three. 

The Bears responded with a field goal of their own after some bad misses from their quarterback, Caleb Williams, and that was all she wrote for the first half. 

“The score’s only 10-3, but it feels like it’s 21-3”, commentator Kirk Herbstreit remarked about the half. He likely felt this way because, despite the fact that Philadelphia was 8-3, down by seven at home, and had won the Super Bowl nine months ago, their offense was thunderously booed after nearly every play. The defense was also being routinely pushed around by the Bears’ offensive line, creating rushing lanes so big a school bus could drive through them. 

The other side of the coin, though, is that while the Chicago felt like they were dominating, they weren’t dominating on the scoreboard, which is very dangerous against a team as talented as Philly. 

The second half initially gave credence to this feeling, as after Hurts threw just his second interception of the season to Bears safety Kevin Byard, the offense got no points to show for it. 

The Eagles punished the Bears for this mistake as receiver A.J. Brown snatched a pass out of the air for a touchdown. Kicker Jake Elliott’s missed extra point kept the score at 10-9, but the Bears needed to keep their foot on the gas if they wanted to get out with a win. 

Williams didn’t seem to get this memo, as he threw an interception to Eagles defensive end Jalyx Hunt. Off the takeaway, they moved the ball effectively and prepared to use their “unstoppable” tush push to get another first down. 

Somehow, though, Chicago defensive back Nahshon Wright discovered a way to stop this tush push. Just force a fumble. It worked to perfection and gave his team the ball back. 

The offense managed to take advantage of this takeaway as Monangai got his touchdown to make it 17-9 in the fourth quarter. A touch pass from Williams to tight end Cole Kmet made it 24-9. 

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (25) carries the ball for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, November 28, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Bill Streicher / Imagn Images)

Woah. With 6:19 left, the Bears had a fifteen-point lead on the road in a game that many expected them to be blown out in and exposed as “frauds”. Through 54 minutes, it looked like they weren’t.

The time limit is the important part there, as once again, the Eagles remembered they have a surplus of talent on offense, and A.J. Brown scored another touchdown. They attempted a two-point conversion to make it a seven-point game, but came up empty. Still a two-possession game. 

Chicago grinded out the clock and forced Philadelphia to use all their timeouts, but couldn’t extend the lead, giving Philadelphia the ball with 1:12 to go.

They got into field goal range to give Elliott a chance to make it a one-possession game, but his kick was wide. The Bears’ victory was sealed. Even away from the Windy City, wind is still Chicago’s best friend. 

The Bears had done it, their biggest win in years. It wasn’t like many of their other wins this season either. No last-second comebacks, no game-winning kicks, no fluky plays. Just total control from start to finish. 

The Chicago Bears just might be a legitimate team in Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach. A year ago, on Black Friday, the Bears fired their head coach, Matt Eberflus, after his awful game management embarrassed the team on Thanksgiving. 

This year, their head coach took his shirt off to give Chicagoans free hot dogs from the Weiner Circle. This is the most optimistic Bears fans have been about the team in a long time, but as Johnson said in his locker room speech, “they’re hungry for more.”

Next week, the Bears face an even bigger test. Their hated rival, the Green Bay Packers, at Lambeau Field. Whoever takes that game takes the division lead. It’s going to be nothing short of mayhem. All. Out. War.

The post Making a Statement: Bears run over Eagles, 24-15 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

This win marks their eighth in nine games, going to 8-3 on the season. Pittsburgh falls to 6-5 with the loss after a 4-1 start. The journey to 9-8 is still on track for them.

Despite reports that he was pushing hard to play, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed Sunday’s game at Soldier Field, much to everyone’s dismay as the Bears missed out on what was likely their final chance to get a win over their “owner”. 

On the flip side, Chicago’s top three linebackers and three out of their top four cornerbacks were unable to play in the game, adding to the laundry list of defensive injuries for them this season. 

This wasn’t a problem early in the game, though, as defensive back Nahshon Wright added another impressive interception to his tally this season, helping the Bears strike first on a touchdown pass to receiver D.J. Moore. 

Chicago Bears defensive back Nahshon Wright (26) intercepts a pass against Pittsburgh Steelers receiver D.K. Metcalf (4) in the first quarter on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Mike Dinovo / Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images).

Pittsburgh responded with an endless barrage of swing passes on a 95-yard drive, culminating in a touchdown from D.K. Metcalf to tie the ballgame. 

During this timeframe, commentators Ian Eagle and J.J. Watt were talking a lot about how well the Bears were doing at not giving the ball away. “The Bears don’t turn the ball over a lot,” they said. While the numbers certainly back this up, there is no defeating the announcer’s jinx. 

Chicago’s next drive ended with quarterback Caleb Williams being stripped in the end zone by Steelers’ edge rusher T.J. Watt and recovered in the end zone by fellow edge rusher Nate Herbig. 

They also fumbled on their next drive as running back D’Andre Swift lost the ball on a halfback dive. Fortunately, the Bears’ defense managed to come up with a stop on an awkward-looking quarterback sneak by the Steelers.

Chicago took advantage and marched down the field to tie the game again with a reception by rookie tight end Colston Loveland. 

On Pittsburgh’s next drive, Chicago looked like they were going to get another fourth-down stop on a QB sneak, but this time they ran a fake that worked to perfection against a dumbfounded defense all the way to the one-yard line. Steelers backup Mason Rudolph threw a touchdown to Jaylen Warren to finish the job. 

The Bears notched a 47-yard field goal to make the score 21-17, Steelers, going into halftime.

They continued to pack on some points after the break. Williams threw a dime to a a wide-open D.J. Moore for a touchdown pass, his second of the game. This play was redemption for Moore, as a couple of plays earlier, he committed an unacceptable taunting penalty. At least he backed up his trash talk.

The train kept rolling as defensive end Montez Sweat knocked the ball out of Rudolph’s hands to add another takeaway to the Bears’ impressive resume. Sweat said after the game, “I want to make those types of plays, so it feels good to get recognized.” Well, if you keep getting strip-sacks and living up to your contract, you’ll definitely keep getting recognized.

The fourth quarter opened up with rookie running back Kyle Monangai making good on this fumble with a rushing touchdown to extend the lead to 31-21.

The Steelers offense woke up again as Rudolph led his fellow reindeer to another long touchdown drive ending in a pass to the endzone for tight end Pat Freiermuth. 

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) runs against the Chicago Bears’ defense during the second half of the game on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (David Banks / David Banks-Imagn Images).

Nothing to worry about, though, the Bears had the ball with under two minutes to play, and one first down would ice the game. But here’s the thing: this was far too early for the 2025 Cardiac Bears to end a game, meaning they didn’t get a first down, and the Steelers had the ball again to tie or take the lead.

The Steelers slowly trudged down the field and came to a 4th and 6 at Chicago’s 47 with 21 seconds remaining. Rather than send kicker Chris Boswell out to tie the game, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin opted to trust his offense. 

This strategy backfired as Rudolph’s pass was batted at the line by defensive back Jaquan Brisker. That’s right, the Bears won again. This time, against a team WITH a winning record.

They remain atop the NFC North despite having a negative point differential on the season. Is this a sustainable way to win games? Absolutely not, but it’s nice that they’re winning these games. 

On Black Friday, the Bears will travel to Philadelphia to take on the 8-3, defending champion, hungry for a win, Eagles. This is easily Chicago’s biggest test so far, and possibly the biggest test they will face all season. 

It’s always difficult to pull off an upset. But after all of these wins, we must remember what famous philosopher K.G. once said: “Anything is possible.”

The post Not Christmas Yet, Rudolph: Bears hold off Steelers, 31-28 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

On Sunday, Nov. 16, the Chicago Bears defeated their division rival, the Minnesota Vikings, on the road by a score of 19-17, thanks to a game-winning 48-yard field goal from kicker Cairo Santos. 

The Bears, now 7-3, are on a three-game winning streak and hold sole possession of first place in the NFC North. The Vikings fall to 4-6 on the year. 

From start to finish, the game was an absolute slugfest. Quarterbacks Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy were missing passes left and right. Even on the rare occasion where the passes were on target, their receivers were dropping balls like it was New Year’s Eve. 

The Vikings managed to put points on the board first with a field goal from kicker Will Reichard, but a 15-play, 8:25-long drive culminating in a Kyle Monangai rushing touchdown gave the Bears the lead. 

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (25) scores a touchdown in the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sunday, November 16, 2025 (Brad Rempel / Imagn Images).

McCarthy also aided Chicago’s effort to keep the lead as he threw interceptions on each of the next two drives. One to safety, Kevin Byard, who now leads the NFL in interceptions, and another to Nahshon Wright in the endzone, where he made a spectacular play on the football.

The Bears only managed a field goal off these two takeaways, though, and had just a 10-3 lead at halftime.

They moved the ball down the field well in the third quarter, but both of their drives ended in measly field goals, making it 16-3 with fifteen minutes left. 

Chicago’s special teams had their weekly screwup as a long punt return from Minnesota returner Myles Price set up a touchdown run from running back Jordan Mason to get them right back in the game. 

This was becoming all too similar to the Week 1 matchup between these two foes. In that one, the Vikings came back from a 17-6 fourth-quarter deficit to win 27-24. 

The Bears tried to keep momentum on their side as they methodically went up the field to set up a 45-yard field goal to make it a two-score game once again. Santos would miss this kick wide left, and the score remained the same.

With 3:14 left in the contest on their own 15-yard line, McCarthy finally awoke as he tore apart a Bears secondary on its last legs and ripped a touchdown to receiver Jordan Addison with 50 seconds remaining. The extra point gave them the lead, 17-16. 

It happened again. The Bears had once again blown a double-digit lead to the Vikings in the fourth quarter. They were going to fall to a divisional opponent again. Sure, they have 50 seconds and all three timeouts, but the offense hasn’t done anything all day, there’s no way they’re going to–what’s that?

Nothing, it’s just return man Devin Duvernay getting a 56-yard kickoff return to set up Chicago on Minnesota’s 40. Huh? How is this happening? 

The Bears would get nine yards on three D’Andre Swift handoffs to set up a 48-yard field goal for the win. It all came down to this. From that distance, this was no gimme. Santos had missed from a similar distance not too long ago as well. 

He had also been in a similar situation two years earlier, as he kicked the game-winner in Minnesota to win 12-10. But then again, these are the Bears; they can never have nice things… except for today. 

Santos squeaked in the field goal to deliver the win for Chicago. Yet again, it wasn’t pretty, but as head coach Ben Johnson said a few weeks ago: “Never apologize for a win in this league”. The Bears keep finding ways to win tight games they wouldn’t have in years past. Maybe there is something different about this team.

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson looks on during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sunday, November 16, 2025 (David Berding / Getty Images). 

The Bears return to Soldier Field next week to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are led by the supposed owner of their franchise, Aaron Rodgers. Will this “new” Chicago Bears team finally vanquish their old demons? Whatever the answer may be, it’ll certainly have you on the edge of your seat. 

The post Still Getting Away With It: Bears survive against Vikings, 19-17 appeared first on KRUI Radio.