Windy City Gridiron
The Chicago Bears were hoping to end the 2025 regular season with some momentum, but following their loss to the Detroit Lions, they seemingly ended the season with more concerns than reasons to feel optimistic about the playoffs.
The game was certainly a much closer affair than the 31 point loss the Bears suffered to the Lions back in week two. This one came down to Lions kicker Jake Bates hitting a 42 yard game-winning field as time expired, and the Bears had their chances down the stretch after clawing their way back from a 16-0 deficit.
But even after having a chance to win the game and falling just short, it’s hard to not be concerned about the offense’s (continued) slow starts and the defense’s inability to slow any opposing team outside of the red zone. Detroit amassed 433 yards of offense and held the ball for 35:45, though that time of possession advantage was even more lopsided prior to the Bears offense waking up from their slumber in the fourth quarter.
The Green Bay Packers await this Saturday in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs, the Bears’ first postseason game in five years. In order to come away with a victory, the Bears defense will have to find some answers on a short week of preparation.
Let’s get to the game balls.
With Rome Odunze missing his fifth consecutive game, Loveland continued his trend of becoming QB Caleb Williams’ most reliable pass catcher.
Loveland finished the day with 10 catches for 91 yards and one touchdown. He was targeted on 13 passes, the third-highest total ever in a game for a Bears rookie. Loveland’s touchdown with 5:25 left in the fourth quarter ultimately helped the Bears pull into a 16-16 tie.
Loveland finished the 2025 season as the Bears’ leading receiver with 713 yards, the first Bears rookie TE to lead the team in receiving yards since Mike Ditka did it in 1961. He’s the first rookie to lead the team in receiving since Willie Gault in 1983.
But even with those accolades, the rookie still had some issues. This team continues to suffer from a serious case of the “drops,” and Loveland was no exception as two of his three incompletions were definitely catchable balls that need to be hauled in. This is a recent phenomenon for the rookie, though, as Loveland had zero dropped passes through mid-December of this year.
The Bears ultimately led the league in lost receiving yards due to drops this season, and the problem became more pronounced over the last month. Not a trend you like to see heading into the postseason.
This was a difficult exercise given the defense’s performance, which may have been just slightly better than “putrid” — only because they were able to hold the Lions to field goals in the red zone and save face just a little bit.
The...
