CHICAGO — As the Chicago Bears fought to score in the dying minutes of a 6-3 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, the home crowd voiced their frustrations vocally.
Instead of rallying behind a possible touchdown or field goal, fans made their desires clear with chants of “Sell the team!”
With a dismal 10-game losing streak, the Bears’ season, which began with aspirations for the playoffs, is coming to a painful end for their support base (4-12). Their final game of the season will be a visit to the Green Bay Packers on January 5.
“Winning games is my main objective,” quarterback Caleb Williams stated. “We don’t let external distractions affect us. Fans will express their feelings, whether it’s cheers or boos, but we have to stay focused and not react.”
Under the management of general manager Ryan Poles, the Bears have a record of 14-36 over three seasons, encountering two streaks of double-digit losses. Notably, the team lost their last ten games in 2022, an effort that was part of a franchise-record loss streak of 14 that extended into this season. Chicago has never experienced more than a 10-game losing streak in a single season.
The team had already lost six consecutive games when they decided to part ways with former coach Matt Eberflus the day following a Thanksgiving defeat to Detroit, which was marked by crucial miscalculations in late-game situations. Interim coach Thomas Brown has yet to secure a victory, as the Bears stand at 0-4 under his leadership, continuing a history of struggling against the Packers.
On a positive note, the Bears’ defense has shown some effectiveness. After starting the season ranked seventh in yards allowed per game, they have dropped to 25th. However, their effort against Seattle was commendable, allowing only six points— a season best— while holding the Seahawks to 265 yards, marking their second-lowest total this season.
“Our defense has a set standard, and we demonstrated that,” expressed cornerback Kyler Gordon. “We need to refocus and execute our game plan effectively.”
Despite the defensive highlight, there are significant concerns regarding pass protection. Williams faced seven sacks during the game, bringing his total to an astonishing 67 — a record for both the NFL and the Bears franchise. Previously set at 66 sacks allowed in 2004, the Bears’ offensive line challenges are well-known, as is Williams’ habit of holding onto the ball for too long, which often leads to unnecessary sacks.
“I acknowledge my part in this,” Williams admitted. “There were certainly mistakes made, and I took some avoidable sacks that cost us significant yardage, which is undeniably frustrating.”
Looking at individual performances, defensive end Montez Sweat has shown improvement. Following a shaky season due to ankle and shin injuries, he managed to record his first sack since Week 12 against Minnesota, demonstrating a stronger performance against Seattle after the team’s initial defensive shortcomings. Sweat’s performance contrasts his previous season, where he recorded a total of 12 1/2 sacks with Washington and Chicago combined.
In contrast, Williams found himself struggling again, especially after a brief resurgence against the top NFC team, Detroit. During the game, he completed just 16 of 28 passes for 122 yards—only slightly better than his season low and following a promising performance of 334 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions. His seven sacks resulted in a loss of 46 yards, matching some of his highest totals this season.
Fortunately, the Bears reported no injuries during the game.
A key statistic from the match highlights the Bears’ ongoing difficulties in maintaining offensive drives. They converted only 5 of their 15 third-down attempts and were forced to punt seven times during ten total possessions. The team’s total of 11 first downs tied a season low, and they managed a mere 179 yards throughout the game. Currently, Chicago ranks second worst in the NFL for third-down conversion rates at 31.8%, averaging a dismal 287.3 yards per game.
Looking ahead, the Bears are facing a challenging rivalry against the Packers, having fallen in 11 consecutive matchups— the longest such streak between the two teams in their storied history. Including playoff contests, the Bears have lost 26 out of the last 29 games against Green Bay, and they have not secured a victory at Lambeau Field since 2015, marking eight straight losses there.
