DETROIT — The Chicago Bears faced another disappointing loss on Thursday, missing out on a chance for a dramatic upset against the Detroit Lions, which resulted in their sixth consecutive defeat. The game ended with a score of 23-20, marking a missed opportunity for the Bears to secure a tying field goal or a potential game-winning touchdown due to ineffective clock management in the closing moments.
During their final drive, the Bears reached a promising position when quarterback Caleb Williams connected with receiver Keenan Allen on a 12-yard pass to the Lions’ 13-yard line in the last minute of the game. This gave the Bears the perfect opportunity to try for a win, but a penalty for illegal hands to the face against guard Tevin Jenkins pushed them back to the 35-yard line, complicating their efforts.
On the subsequent play, the Bears decided to run a draw with Williams, hoping he could gain the necessary yards for a first down to set up a potential field goal. Unfortunately, backup tackle Larry Borom failed to block Za’Darius Smith, who came through unopposed, resulting in a 6-yard sack of Williams. “It got loud, and I don’t think Larry heard the count,” Williams explained. “Seeing Za’Darius coming, I felt it was best to take the sack rather than risk a turnover.”
As the clock ticked down, Williams scrambled to line up the team for the final play, but Bears head coach Matt Eberflus chose not to call a timeout, believing they could still be in a position to attempt a field goal. “I was hoping we could reset the play and snap it around 18 seconds left,” Eberflus noted, acknowledging that the clock eventually ran down past that mark without utilizing their final timeout.
Williams realized they were running out of time and tried to adjust by calling a deep pass to Rome Odunze, although the pass fell incomplete right before reaching the end zone. “With no time for a field goal, I made a change,” he commented. “I aimed to give Rome a one-on-one opportunity for a touchdown.” Despite the missed time management opportunities, Williams didn’t criticize Eberflus’ decision-making. “I let the coaches handle those calls. My job is to execute the plays,” he remarked, indicating maturity as he considers future decision-making roles in his career.
The game’s conclusion spoiled what had been an impressive second half for Williams, who recorded 222 passing yards with three touchdown throws and ran for 29 yards. “We struggled to get into a rhythm in the first half, so adjustments were necessary during the break, and we became more effective in the second half,” he explained of their second-half turnaround. Despite the team’s repeated struggles, there was still hope for a Thanksgiving comeback, but the Bears fell short once again.
Coach Eberflus reflected on the challenging finish, insisting they had the opportunity to close out the game effectively. “The execution just didn’t happen as we planned. We thought we could regroup for a successful play, but it ultimately didn’t work out.”