Despite losing their Week 18 matchup against the Detroit Lions, the Chicago Bears clinched the No. 2 seed thanks to some help from the Washington Commanders. Out east, the Commanders knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles by a 24-17 score to set up a third matchup between Chicago and Green Bay this season. I hope you love a good trilogy as much as I do!
FINAL: Detroit Lions 19, Chicago Bears 16 (ESPN BOX SCORE)
Thoughts on the Bears loss
Washington dealt Chicago’s football team some real heartache last season, but all is forgiven with this win in Philly. After all, the Bears probably don’t end up with Ben Johnson if not for the Matt Eberflus-led collapse that began with the Fail Mary. The butterfly effect here is something I can’t stop thinking about. I’ll be sending my heartfelt thanks to friends of mine who are Commanders when I press publish on this post.CHICAGO BEARS WEEK 18 INSTANT GRADES
Even with the Bears facing a 16-0 deficit, you just knew that it was in your best interest not to turn the game off. And you were rewarded with a whale of a comeback effort by Chicago’s football team. The resilience this team has built throughout the year has every player and coach battle-tested going into the postseason. There is a good chance this group will need to channel what they have learned from being knocked down time and again this season. Caleb Williams in the second half: 14/23, 167 pass yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. That comes out to a 93.9 passer rating. That is a respectable showing, but I thought Williams could have done more. He missed some opportunities, which has been a common refrain this season. But he also wasn’t helped by his receivers as much as he could have been. The dropsies reared their ugly head throughout Week 18. Bears pass catchers should put in extra work in front of the JUGS machine this week.BEARS HIGHLIGHTS: Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet Make Insane Catches | Caleb Williams’ Record-Setting Throw |
I’m so glad the playoffs bring a clean slate. This week should be used as an opportunity to drive home the point of how important every little snap is in a game of this magnitude. You simply cannot afford to fall behind 16-0 to good teams. Unforced errors, such as pre-snap penalties on offense, cannot happen and are unacceptable. Chicago’s football team was not crisp on Sunday. I fully expect Ben Johnson to crack the whip (metaphorically) at practice this week. Aidan Hutchinson brings down Caleb Williams at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesWeek 18 highlights
Highlights from the Week 18 game against the Detroit Lions:
.@KevinByard comes up with the big INT ??: FOX pic.twitter.com/gLbFOfJyMr
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 5, 2026Big Bill was READY ‼️?: FOX pic.twitter.com/0b3amEoFjA
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 4, 2026.@_sweat9 & @GradyJarrett meet at the QB ??: FOX pic.twitter.com/1PjG6utin2
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 4, 2026Three Bears
Let’s talk about the standouts from this game…
Colstand Loveland — I went into this game thinking that one of the Bears’ rookies would cook up a good enough game to be the team’s leading receiver when the dust settled in Week 18. As it turned out, I was correct — but I bet on the wrong horse. Whoopsiedoodle. Instead of it being Luther Burden III ending the year as Chicago’s leader in receiving yards, rookie tight end Colston Loveland finishes the year with that distinction. Loveland was awesome again in Week 18, hauling in 10 of his 13 targets, racking up 91 receiving yards, and scoring a touchdown.
The Michigan product finishes his first regular season with 58 catches, 713 receivng yards, and 6 touchdowns. So … we’re all on board with GM Ryan Poles taking him with the 10th overall pick, right?
Kevin Byard III — If the Bears were to give out hardware for defensive MVPs, safety Kevin Byard would get it — and with no questions asked. Byard hauled in his league-leading seventh interception. What a way to end the regular season for the 32-year-old safety, who also earned his third Pro Bowl trip back in December. To say that Chicago’s defense needs some re-tooling in the offseason would be an understatement. However, I would be on board with Byard being back as an anchor in the secondary.
DJ Moore — Everytime I feel as if things have lined up for DJ Moore to pull off a grand game, he falls short of my expectations. The veteran receiver was targeted just three times and made just one 11-yard catch. Following Moore’s season has been an up-and-down experience. I have enjoyed watching him round out his game and relish the fact that he is part of a winning ball club for the first time since he was in high school. But the expectations are ratcheted up now that the Bears are competitive. Here’s to bringing the juice next week against the Packers.
WHAT’S NEXT: vs. Green Bay Packers in the NFC Playoffs
Be sure to subscribe to the Bleacher Nation YouTube channel when you get a chance. It is the best way to keep tabs on the BN Bears Podcast, which is presented by our friends at Obvious Shirts. We will be around on Monday to recap the Week 18 loss against the Detroit Lions and look ahead to the team’s upcoming playoff showdown against the wretched Green Bay Packers.
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