Day 1 of the Chicago Bears offseason came sooner than I would have liked. But it came later than last year. Trying to find balance in the feelings I am sitting with right now when it comes to this team is a challenge. But it is one we will get through together.
Before I dive into the nitty gritty, I wanted to take this moment to thank you, dear reader. Thank you for reading, commenting, and sharing our content. We have had some lean and unpleasant years watching football around here. So to have an 11-win division champ that won a playoff game (against their arch-rival, no less) that was painfully close to making it to the NFC Championship game was a wonderful surprise. I think it brought out the best in all of us a a community. And while I don’t ever want to feel the way I did after that loss, I’m glad I got to experience it with you. Thanks for being here.MORE BEARS COVERAGE: Recap and Highlights | Player Grades | The Nightcap
That was the kind of Bears season that teaches you how to enjoy the ride. Sunday’s NFC Divisional Round defeat against the Los Angeles Rams almost perfectly encapsulates the 2025 season for Chicago’s football team. Pregame hype was on par with preseason excitement. Watching the team fall into an early 7-0 hole after coming up empty on the opening offensive possession felt similar to what it was like when this team was 0-2 to start the season. A halftime lead had me feeling like I did in the middle of the year when the Bears were establishing themselves as more than a team that was a feel-good story. And Caleb Williams’ miraculous game-tying touchdown toss had me feeling like I did in December — like anything was possible. In the end, a Rams overtime win was a cold reminder that a championship pedigree isn’t built in Year 1 of a new regime. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images Much was made about the Sean McVay revenge factor defending the honor of his coaching bestie Matt LaFleur as a sideplot leading into this game, it was Rams Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula who had a game plan that had answers for everything Ben Johnson’s offense threw his way. That is the type of defensive showing that could get Shula a head coaching gig this offseason. A true résumé building performance by L.A.’s DC. While Shula thrived, I didn’t love Ben Johnson’s game plan at points throughout the game. But with that being said, I don’t hate that he was aggressive. And you shouldn’t either. It would be hypocritical to champion Johnson’s aggressiveness in one breath, then wish for him to be conservative in the next. The Bears left points on the field, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. I thought that Joe Thuney and Jordan McFadden held their own as the starting left side of the offensive line last night. No complaints here.PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
This game will be remembered for the missed opportunities. Rome Odunze’s dropped pass on the opening drive that could have (possibly should have) been a touchdown. Two plays later, quarterback Caleb Williams was throwing an interception. A failure to convert on 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 led to a turnover on downs. Floundering on 3rd-and-1 later led to an empty possession and a punt. To get nothing out of a 1st-and-goal possession that started at the Rams’ 5-yard-line was torture. And to get the ball into L.A. territory, only to throw an interception, was straight up cruel. This loss will eat at folks. And it should. Ideally, this becomes fuel for the offseason. But who knows how the ball will bounce next year. Speaking of not knowing how the ball will bounce in a given year, every returning Bears player needs to spend extra time in front of the JUGS machine this offseason. I know it was cold. Both teams were impacted by the elements on Sunday. But having a case of the dropsies in the biggest game of the year is inexcusible. Maybe the Bears should pull from their stadium budget and reallocate some resources for more JUGS machines at Halas Hall. Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell saying “this may have been our only shot” after the team’s loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game a few years ago is one of the most honest things an NFL coach has ever said. And it’s true, too. No American professional sports league sees less linear growth from teams than the NFL. The Bears have a good foundation in place to get some more bites at the apple in the future. But because the NFL is a week-to-week and year-to-year kind of league, it would be foolish to presume that it will happen.BN BEARS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Twitter | Blue Sky
Key Bears players on the cusp of free agency: WR Olamide Zaccheaus, LT Braxton Jones, WR/KR/PR Devin Duvernay, FS Kevin Byard III, SS Jaquan Brisker, CB C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Those are just the names that come to mind off the top of my head. The 2025 Bears were fun. And their identity will be uniquely theirs. However, the 2026 team will have a bunch of new faces and will be its own distinct thing. On the bright side, these key players on offense figure to be back next year: QB Caleb Williams, RB Kyle Monangai, WR Rome Odunze, WR Luther Burden III, TE Colston Loveland, LG Joe Thuney, C Drew Dalman, RT Darnell Wright, and HC Ben Johnson. While Dennis Allen did well in confusing Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford with disguises and late blitzes, this one on 3rd-and-6 in overtime was a head-scratcher:All out blitz with the safety playing nearly 15 yds off Nacua? IDK BOUT THAT CHIEF[image or embed]
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes.bsky.social) January 18, 2026 at 10:56 PM I’ll say this about the Bears defense: It looks infinitely better with a healthy Kyler Gordon attacking from all sorts of different angles. Even though Gordon’s injury history is well documented, this year’s issues were unlike anything he’d experienced in the past. If Chicago can get a healthy Gordon for 14-16 regular-season games and a postseason run, the D will look different — and with good reason. I’m not sure what to make of the defensive picture. There are a bunch of Bears under contract for next season. It’s just that I don’t have a feel for who will be back or even who should be back. I expect for there to be some soul-searching on that side of the ball throughout the offseason as it creates a new identity that is more in line with what Dennis Allen likes to run. That might mean some established starters who were holdovers from the last regime might not make it to Year 2 under DA. But we can have those conversations later. I can’t believe they want to take scenes like this away from us with a domed stadium in Indiana: Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images Are you feeling conflicted about the future? Don’t worry. I understand. Let me try to help by putting it in this perspective: The Bears head coach made some questionable decisions and their quarterback threw three interceptions in an elimination game — and there is no doubt in the minds of fans in town about whether or not this team has the right guy moving forward at both spots. It’s OK to feel bad about this loss. But don’t let it linger too much. There will be football next season. Now that the offseason is here, we can turn some of our attention to a Bears stadium project that continues to take more unexpected twists than my abuela’s telenovelas. Speaking of abuelas and telenovelas, the pregame anecdote of putting cayenne pepper in your socks to fight the cold sounds like something someone would put in a script for a witchy abuelita would say in order to build out her character. Bills and Bears fans are going to discuss this over some adult beverages:Davante Adams was ruled DOWN on this 50/50 ball.Look away, Bills fans ? pic.twitter.com/o0RwE7JF6t
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 19, 2026 I think the officials made the right call in the Bears game. However, that means the officials on the call Saturday goofed. Or, if the officials on Saturday’s Bills-Broncos game were right, then that should count as precedent — right? It’s wild that we are in the year 2026 and figuring out what is and isn’t a catch is still one of life’s great mysteries. It is kinda wild that the Bills fired a coach who won 98 games and posted seven consecutive 10+ win seasons and promoted the general manager who had Josh Allen throwing to Brandin Cooks, Mecole Hardman, and Curtis Samuel.MORE BEARS FROM BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad-Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter
Matt Shaw and Nico Hoerner Address the Infield Crowding: Anxiety, Reluctance, the Plan, More t.co/e8X2REbz1V pic.twitter.com/kLNgduhbXs
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) January 17, 2026What If the Bulls DON’T Trade Their Expiring Contracts? t.co/XKWcg20O62
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) January 19, 2026Tonight, Jonathan Toews is going to be the center of attention – something he rarely wanted or got when he was a #Blackhawks player It's going to be an emotional night at the United Center. t.co/FIOG3x58vE
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 19, 2026Hence then, the article about what went wrong what s next what did we learn and other bears bullets was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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