There’s no such thing as a trap game when the opponent has a rookie fifth-round pick making his fourth start at quarterback behind an offensive line missing 80% of its starters.
So it was appropriate the Chicago Bears rolled over the Cleveland Browns 31-3 on a frigid Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field, dominating from the start so they can quickly turn their attention back to the Green Bay Packers and a looming NFC North showdown.
Caleb Williams passed for 242 yards and threw two touchdowns to DJ Moore, D’Andre Swift ran for 98 yards and two scores and the defense intercepted Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders three times and sacked him five times in the Week 15 win.
10 thoughts after the most lopsided Bears victory in more than five years, since a 36-7 win over the Houston Texans in Week 14 of the 2020 season.
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1. Coach Ben Johnson had described his team as desperate for a victory over the Browns coming off the 28-21 loss to the Packers on Dec. 7 at Lambeau Field.
Bears coach Ben Johnson greets tight end Colston Loveland before the game on Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
“You come off a very highly emotional game the week before — and we ended up on the loss side of that one — and the easy thing to do is allow that to spiral out of control,” Johnson said. “And the guys didn’t allow that to happen. They came back to work and handled the process really well. They took care of business here.”
The Bears (10-4) reached double-digit victories for the first time since 2018 and have a huge rematch with the Packers (9-4-1) on Saturday at Soldier Field (7:20 p.m., Fox-32), with control of the NFC North at stake and three weeks remaining in the regular season.
Asked if having 10 wins means anything, Johnson didn’t even tap the brakes.
“Not really,” he said. “We’re on to the next one. Ten is great but it’s not enough.”
Through a quirk of the schedule — there’s usually more space between divisional rematches — it’s right back to the Packers on a short week.
“We left Lambeau like, ‘We should have won that game,’” strong safety Jaquan Brisker said. “We killed ourselves, you know, both ways. We ain’t show up last time. It’s time for us to show up this time.”
It’s everything the franchise could have hoped December would be about. In order to move seamlessly from Round 1 to Round 2 with the Packers, Johnson’s team did what was required in disposing of a lousy Browns team that fell to 3-11 and, at least offensively, looked like it was going through a preseason game at times.
An offensive plan that threw everything but the kitchen sink at Browns defensive end Myles Garrett limited him to 1½ sacks, leaving him at 21½ for the season — 1½ from breaking the NFL record. Garrett was a factor from the standpoint that he got a ton of extra attention, but he never changed the course of the game.
Special teams secured a significant edge in field position throughout the game. An 18-yard punt return by Devin Duvernay set up a short field for the Bears to go ahead 7-0 on their second possession with a 6-yard touchdown run by D’Andre Swift. It’s the fifth time in the last seven games the Bears have produced a touchdown on their second offensive series.
Caleb Williams’ dart deep over the middle to Luther Burden III turned into a 40-yard gain on the next possession. DJ Moore scored his first touchdown three plays later, and just like that, it was 14-0 and the Browns looked sunk.
“You want to start the game off every week like that,” said Williams, who completed 17 of 28 passes (60.7%) to end a streak of six consecutive games completing less than 60%. “But definitely this week. Not allowing them to get going, not allowing them to feel maybe some energy or feel they can beat us.”
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes in the third quarter on Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
The only question was whether the Bears would get their first shutout since the 2010 season, as the Browns couldn’t get anything going with Shedeur Sanders. Five of their first six possessions were three-and-punt.
They got on the board with a 50-yard field goal by Andre Szmyt early in the third quarter after the Bears failed on fourth-and-3 from the Cleveland 46-yard line. If Johnson had elected to punt there, the Browns may have left with a goose egg. But coaches who are aggressive to their core are going to go for it in that situation, knowing Sanders wasn’t going to get anything cooking anyway.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Browns had only four first downs. They finished with nine but couldn’t move the ball a lick. Running back Quinshon Judkins was limited to 21 yards on 12 carries, and Sanders finished 18 of 35 for 177 yards, which, with the three picks, produced a 30.3 passer rating.
“I’d like to have the majority of plays back for sure,” Sanders said. “They did a good job. Shout out to their defensive coordinator, the team. They did a lot of great stuff.”
The defensive front got after Sanders early. Left guard Joel Bitonio, who was questionable with back and knee injuries, was the only Week 1 starting lineman who played for the Browns. Maybe the least surprising development of the day was when right guard Teven Jenkins, making his second start of the season, was ruled out with a shoulder injury. The Browns could have looked at Jenkins’ history with the Bears to understand how consistently unreliable he would be.
The pass rush that sacked Sanders five times had touched Packers quarterback Jordan Love only once the week before. The Bears went to the wire in Green Bay after a disjointed first half. If they want to boost their chances of not only making the playoffs but also hosting a playoff game, they need to solve the riddle of the Packers in a game that will matter to both teams. Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur, whom Johnson poked in his introductory news conference, is 12-1 versus the Bears.
“We still feel like we control our own fate,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “Everyone is very excited. We’re already talking about it. We felt good about (the first meeting with Green Bay). There were a few plays that we should have made there, but that’s what it comes down to, those big games against good teams. It’s just a few plays — two or three.
“You don’t know which plays those are. Sometimes it’s the last play. Sometimes it’s the middle of the second quarter. It’s all over the place. We think we match up well. It will be fun to have them at our place.”
There will be some fascinating planning on both sides of the rivalry this week. At this point, each team has its staples, but both will want to introduce a new wrinkle or two.
“It’s an important game because it’s the next game,” Bears middle linebacker T.J. Edwards said. “We obviously know this opponent pretty well and they know us pretty well. Really happy about today, how we played and took care of business the way we were supposed to.”
It was a good win. Now, some might describe the Bears as desperate once again.
2. Rumors of DJ Moore’s demise were apparently grossly exaggerated.
Bears wide receiver DJ Moore celebrates catching a touchdown pass over Browns safety Grant Delpit (9) in the third quarter Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
The wide receiver had four receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns — the second time in four games he’s scored twice — and proved what he can do when given a chance to make plays in the open field.
Afterward, Moore was asked if he needed a game like that. He repeated the question.
“For what?” Moore said.
In terms of all the discussion about his lack of targets recently — he had just eight in the last two games combined, making three catches for 13 yards.
“I mean, if you say so,” Moore said. “Will it shut y’all up?”
Maybe.
“It ain’t gonna shut y’all up,” Moore said. “I mean, it felt good. Always good to score at home, especially twice. So I’m good.”
Afterward, Ben Johnson rewarded him with one of two game balls. It was a big game the offense needed as Rome Odunze, expected to play after sitting out last week with what’s reported to be a stress fracture in one foot, was ruled out after pregame warmups. More on Odunze, Luther Burden, who left the game with an ankle injury, and other health issues entering Green Bay week in a short bit.
Moore has become somewhat of a polarizing player on the roster since getting a $110 million, four-year extension, the final details of which were publicly aired by the Bears on “Hard Knocks” during August 2024. He’s got a base salary of $20.65 million this season and it climbs to $23.485 million in 2026 and for the next four seasons through 2029.
Moore earned that contract extension with a 1,364-yard season in 2023 and has been a proven performer with a series of bottom-tier passers in his career. His numbers dipped last year when he had four more targets (140) and two more catches (98) than he did in 2023 but wound up with only 966 yards.
He hasn’t had a 100-yard game this season and with Odunze as the primary No. 1 wide receiver in the offense, there are natural questions regarding Moore, ones that will have to be hashed out by the organization in the offseason.
But give him a chance — give him catchable balls where he can do something with them — and he’s still very much a playmaker.
“I just go with the flow of things,” Moore said. “And when my number’s called or if it’s called when I’m on the back side or something, I just gotta make a play. I’m gonna be there.”
Ben Johnson wanted Moore to improve his body language from last season and, to this point, I think it’s fair to say he’s very much done that. He’s the anti-diva wide receiver. You don’t hear him complaining about a lack of targets or anything like that, something that is commonplace for wide receivers in his pay range.
His second touchdown catch, which came midway through the third quarter on the snap after D’Marco Jackson made a really nice interception of a Shedeur Sanders’ pass, staked the Bears to a 21-3 lead. It was effectively game over at that point.
Moore remained poised just behind Browns safety Grant Delpit, who looked like he had a shot to intercept Caleb Williams’ throw or at least knock it down. Moore was just ahead of cornerback Tyson Campbell and hauled in the 22-yard touchdown.
Ill-advised throw considering the circumstances? It was first down and the Bears were on the edge of the red zone.
“No, I can make any throw,” Williams said.
Bears wide receiver DJ Moore catches a touchdown pass over Browns cornerback Tyson Campbell (7) in the third quarter on Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Moore was running a hero post, the same route Williams missed Olamide Zaccheaus on in the end zone two weeks ago at Philadelphia, and this ball was threaded.
“A little bit (surprised the ball came to him),” Moore said. “But at the same time, he’s been pinpoint with his accuracy on those things. So it was just, I gotta come down with it.”
You could sense during the week the Bears would likely have some stuff in the game plan for Moore and that was even if Odunze was going to return. Johnson clearly lamented the offense couldn’t get more action for Moore at Green Bay and often when that’s the case, there’s designed stuff to ensure a playmaker has opportunities.
There were some other chances for Moore too. On the 40-yard pass to Burden, when he was open in the middle of the field and then did what he’s great at — picked up yards after the catch — it looked like Moore was open on a deep over route.
“He’s been playing this way every week,” Johnson said. “It’s just we haven’t been able to get the ball in his hands. We were able to target him a few more times, and he came through with some big plays for us.
“Sometimes these things come in bunches. You kind of have a dry spell and then all of a sudden he could come on hot here over the next three games and just really take off. That’s the way it tends to happen, which would be a good thing for us.”
Moore has 43 catches for the season — one behind Odunze for the team lead — and 567 yards, 94 behind Odunze. It’s nowhere near what he probably envisioned for himself in this offense to this point. But Moore hasn’t complained once about a lack of opportunities and when the ball is there, he’s making plays.
It’s premature to consider how the Bears assess the situation after the season. For now, Johnson, Williams and everyone else need to continue finding ways to keep Moore involved.
3. Football is a game of attrition — and who isn’t available for Saturday’s meeting with the Packers at Soldier Field will be a huge storyline this week.
Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze warms up before a game against the Steelers on Nov. 23, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
The Packers are bracing for the worst news for defensive end Micah Parsons, who pulled up at the start of the third quarter with a non-contact injury to his left knee as he closed in on Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix on Sunday. It’s feared to be a torn ACL.
“It doesn’t look good,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters after the game. “I’ll leave it at that.”
Earlier in the 34-26 loss to Broncos, Packers wide receiver Christian Watson, who went for 89 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-21 win over the Bears in Week 14, left the game with what the team called a chest injury. Watson dove for an underthrown pass from Jordan Love and Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain fell on him with full weight.
Watson was reportedly taken to a local hospital for evaluation and LaFleur called it a “double whammy” losing both key contributors. The good news for Green Bay is that Watson was released in time to travel home with the team. But the loss of Parsons, the guy the Bears designed their game plan around last week, cannot be overstated.
“You don’t wish that on anybody,” LaFleur said. “It’s obviously tough. We all know what kind of player he is, and the impact he’s had on our football team. To lose someone like that, it’s tough. But no one is going to feel sorry for us. We need to find a way. Guys have to rally around each other.”
Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons reacts after an injury during the second half against the Broncos on Dec. 14, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
The Bears have some injury issues of their own. Rome Odunze had the green light to return Sunday after missing the first meeting with Green Bay with what was reportedly a foot stress fracture. But the Bears shut him down after pregame warmups.
“We’ll find out more (Monday),” Ben Johnson said. “Just the extent of that.”
Then, Luther Burden left the game with an ankle injury after making a catch along the Cleveland sideline. He had six catches for a game-high 84 yards and has been a spark plug for the offense.
“We need to take a look at (that),” Johnson said. “Hopefully, we’ll have more information (Monday).”
I don’t know if the Bears will be very forthcoming with injury updates. Johnson is scheduled to meet with reporters at 3 p.m. On a short week, there are questions regarding both players while the Packers’ injury situations appear more clear-cut.
Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III makes a long reception ahead of Browns cornerback Myles Harden in the first quarter Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Parsons didn’t have a sack in the initial meeting with the Bears, but he had seven pressures and Williams was on the run much of the game. Parsons did collect two of six quarterback hits for Green Bay.
“Losing Micah Parsons is a complete game changer,” a pro scout said. “That changes everything about their defensive front and their coverage and matchup ability in terms of schemed fronts and schemed pass-rush matchups. They were using Parsons all over that line. Both ends, moving him inside to defensive tackle, looping him inside on stunts.
“Outside of Myles Garrett, he is the biggest difference-maker in the NFL on the defensive line. When you lose a player like that, it is not next-man-up because the next man is not Micah Parsons and he’s not close.”
Former first-round pick Lukas Van Ness missed the first game against the Bears with a foot injury and he’s played in only seven games this season but he did start at Denver and is at least back in the mix as a next-man-up for a pass rush that will now be spearheaded by Rashan Gary.
“From a defensive perspective, they might have to change how they do some things,” the scout said. “They might have to be more zone heavy at times. Or they might have to say, ‘We can’t get home. We’ve got to start bringing more pressure.’ That might not be what they want to do but losing Parsons was the one injury they cannot have outside of Jordan Love.
“As far as maybe missing Watson, that really hurts them too because he was starting to take off. He was becoming more than just a deep ball target. But if you’re Green Bay, they drafted Matthew Golden in the first round. It’s time for him to get going. They’ve got Jayden Reed back. They have other pieces but they don’t have someone with the size, the speed and the big-play ability of Watson.”
The scout pointed out that, offensively, the Bears have had good fortune in terms of health this season. Missing Odunze, Burden or potentially both would add stress.
“If neither one of those guys can go, (Olamide) Zaccheaus has gotta play and when I say play, he’s gotta make plays. I would expect that if Odunze and Burden are out, you’re going to see a heavy dose of 12 personnel and they will use Colston Loveland as their No. 3 receiver. He can do that. You find ways to deploy him as a seam stretcher, crossers, unders, find ways to get the ball in his hands and move him as the backside X receiver to create matchups. And do different things with him.”
It’s a lot to process in a game that can be incredibly taxing on the players.
4. With first place in the NFC North at stake Saturday night for the Bears and Packers, there will be quick reviews of Sunday’s action and then it’s full speed ahead for a rare rematch in a span of three weeks.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams celebrates the win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
The division rivals obviously know each other well and Ben Johnson, having spent six seasons in Detroit, has a good understanding of all the teams in the circuit. Playing an opponent twice in three weeks isn’t unheard of in the NFL, but it doesn’t happen that often and it’s even more rare for the stakes to be this high.
Coaches on both sides will be grinding on game plans Monday with one fewer day than usual to prepare.
“It’s so fresh in your mind,” said a pro scout about having the rivalry scheduled twice in three weeks. “Each of them just brought their best game plan. NFL teams do not hold stuff, not this late in the season. So, each team got the best look two weeks ago. That would be the main focus in the game plan, preparing for those looks while understanding there will be changes.”
That’s where the teams will look for tweaks and maybe dust off some unique stuff in their schemes they used earlier in the season. Both clubs will also look to re-package some of their base stuff to make it look different.
“Ben Johnson will have some new install but he’s not going to recreate what he has as a football team at this point in the season,” the scout said. “Are there little nuances he can add? I think what Ben did against Philadelphia is a great example. He took his core schemes and added to them with more shifts, more movement and unique wham blocks they had with the tight ends against the Eagles. That’s a great example of saying, ‘This is who we are. But we are going to change some things in terms of how we present it.’ That’s going to be the challenge this week for both teams this week.”
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The Packers and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley have a lot of work to do as they likely move forward without Micah Parsons. That creates some complex decisions and, at the same time, the Bears won’t know quite what to expect after building their entire game plan around him for the first meeting.
“Hafley is forced to adjust big time,” the scout said. “The Bears are also going to look at some of those situations where they got beat. Are they going to say, ‘We’re not going to have Kyler (Gordon) and we can’t leave (C.J.) Gardner-Johnson out there in man coverage against Green Bay?’ Simple things like that.”
The Bears were defeated in Green Bay but didn’t leave Lambeau Field feeling that way. They turned what was a wide-open game into a close one with a chance to win at the end. Each game is a separate entity and it’s not as simple as picking up where they left off, having some modest success running the ball with a better second half from Caleb Williams.
“Obviously, scheme-wise we have a good feeling,” linebacker T.J. Edwards said. “There are going to be some new things that we haven’t seen before, right? We know them pretty well and they know us.”
Does playing the Packers down to the final minute leave the Bears with confidence?
“Nah,” cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. “We don’t have confidence because of that. At the end of the day, we have confidence because we’re a good team.”
As for the Packers, Matt LaFleur did his best to say his team will rebound after the critical injuries.
“We’ve got a connected team and I know how our guys will respond and we’ve got a great test coming up, going to Chicago, a game that went down a bit to the wire last time we played,” he told reporters in Denver. “Obviously they rolled today, so it’s to go back on top of the division. I know we’re going to get their best and they’re going to get our best.”
5. The Bears’ quest to have a 4,000-yard passer may have to wait another year.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams warms up in the cold to face the Browns on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Caleb Williams had a good game against the league’s top-ranked pass defense, throwing for 242 yards in the frigid conditions to bring him to 3,150 for the season. That leaves him 850 yards shy of the milestone with three games remaining.
It certainly remains possible but would require a three-game stretch like Williams has yet to put together. The last time a Bears quarterback passed for 850 yards in a three-game stretch was Nick Foles in the middle of the 2020 season. It might be more realistic for Williams to eclipse Erik Kramer’s franchise record of 3,838 yards, set 30 years ago in 1995. Williams is on pace to throw for 3,825.
The Bears will face another stiff test Saturday against the Packers, who limited Williams to 186 yards last week and are allowing an average of only 185.8 yards per game. The San Francisco 49ers (25th-ranked pass defense entering Week 15) and Detroit Lions (19th) also remain ahead.
The Bears have played six of the nine worst pass defenses in the league — the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Commanders, Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys — but they went against a good one Sunday, and Williams was in command and, once again, turnover-free.
It’s notable that Williams completed his 21st career game (31 total) without an interception. He’s has the fewest interceptions (12) in the first 1,000 pass attempts for a quarterback in NFL history, moving ahead of Jacoby Brissett, who had 14 from 2016 through 2021 with New England, Indianapolis and Miami.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams winds up to throw in the first quarter against the Packers on Dec. 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Joe Namath became the first quarterback to reach 4,000 yards in 1967, when he finished with 4,007 for the New York Jets in a 14-game schedule. It wasn’t until 12 years later that Dan Fouts of the San Diego Chargers became the second to join the club. Eight more teams had their first 4,000-yard passer in the 1980s. The Philadelphia Eagles became the 31st team to have a 4,000-yard passer with Carson Wentz in 2019 — a remarkable feat considering they didn’t have a wide receiver reach 500 yards.
Nine teams have had a quarterback reach the 5,000-yard mark. Somewhat surprisingly, only five quarterbacks — Dak Prescott, Drake Maye, Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff — entered Week 15 on pace for 4,000 this season. Mahomes sustained an ACL tear on Sunday against the Chargers. Ten quarterbacks reached the mark in 2023 and 2021, and 12 did it in 2020.
The Bears surely would trade having a 4,000-yard passer for a 10-4 record that has them squarely in the playoff hunt. With meaningful games the next three weeks, there’s no way Ben Johnson will be chasing statistics when calling plays. It remains one of the statistical anomalies of the NFL that the Bears stand alone, considering all the rule changes to promote the passing game and everything else that has happened in a passing league since Namath first did it.
Here’s a by-the-decades look at when the other 31 franchises had a quarterback reach 4,000 yards for the first time:
1960-69: Jets, 1967
1970-79: Chargers, 1979
1980-89: Browns, 1980; Chiefs, 1983; Packers, 1983; Cardinals, 1984; Dolphins, 1984; Giants, 1984; Washington, 1986; Rams, 1989
1990-99: Oilers/Titans, 1990; Broncos, 1993; 49ers, 1993; Patriots, 1994; Vikings, 1994; Falcons, 1995; Lions, 1995; Jaguars, 1996; Ravens, 1996; Colts, 1999; Panthers, 1999
2000-09: Bills, 2002; Raiders, 2002; Bengals, 2006; Saints, 2006; Cowboys, 2007; Steelers, 2009; Texans, 2009
2010-19: Buccaneers, 2012; Seahawks, 2015; Eagles, 2019
6. A real development that deserves attention, looking ahead to the final three games and a potential playoff run, is the continued return of cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
He made a Houdini interception of Shedeur Sanders in the third quarter, snaring a pass — with his back to the ball — that hit off Jerry Jeudy’s chest just in front of the pylon. Jeudy tried to shake Johnson with an inside move off the line of scrimmage and Johnson did a good job of recovering. It was a dart from Sanders.
“In the end, it just kind of fell in my hands, I would say,” Johnson said. “Just playing the ball through him, getting my hands in his catching pocket and then the ball fell in my hands.
“I have seen a lot of those interceptions (where the defensive player has his back to the ball) on the internet and stuff like that and always wonder how those happen. For me to be in that position, I understand it.”
Jeudy seemed mystified after the play, probably knowing he had a touchdown if he didn’t allow the ball to get into his body. It was still a terrific play by Johnson, just like the interception linebacker D’Marco Jackson made when he jumped and tipped a pass to himself.
The Bears rotated Tyrique Stevenson in to spell Johnson at times as they continue to ease Johnson back in. He played 33 snaps at Philadelphia two weeks ago and 35 last week at Green Bay. It might be unrealistic to believe Johnson, coming off core muscle surgery to repair a groin injury in September, will be at 100% before the end of the year.
But he’s getting a little stronger each week and that’s going to matter against Jordan Love and the Packers.
“You gotta tear through scar tissue and things like that,” Johnson said. “When you’re doing that in your groin, core, abdomen, I feel like it stops you from doing and playing at the elite, absolute best (level). The snap count is really helping me ease back into it and slowly adding that stress to my body to be able to take it.
“I am assuming I will be better (next week). God willing, having no setbacks and feeling good. Continue to stack weeks.”
How did Chicago Bears’ Jaylon Johnson recover from a season-threatening injury? Fasting — and faith.
Johnson’s interception came four plays after he was trailing Isaiah Bond on a 47-yard completion when the Bears opted to blitz and didn’t get home.
“Even a play like that, you’ve just got to keep playing,” Johnson said. “Things like that happen all the time, especially in the coverage. If they catch you in a zero (pressure) and they throw the ball across the field, there’s really not too much you can do outside of be in for the race. You know who that is (Bond, a former track star). That’s a tough race. He beat me to the ball.”
The Bears have a league-high 30 takeaways and are on pace for 36, which would tie the total they had in 2018 when Vic Fangio’s defense was one of the best in the league. Johnson and Jackson getting picks have the Bears eight defenders with at least one. They lead the NFL with 21 interceptions.
“You get what you emphasize,” Johnson said. “Every day we emphasize the ball, especially in the DB room. That’s something that is just always on our mind so I think the more that it’s on your mind, the more that you push yourself to get that done.”
The more Johnson is on the field, the better the Bears are going to be. He’s getting a little bit stronger each week.
7. Myles Garrett’s pursuit of the sack record continues.
Chicago Bears offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo (75) blocks Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) in the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
The Cleveland Browns defensive end had 1 1/2 sacks, bringing him to 21 1/2 and leaving him one behind T.J. Watt and Michael Strahan, who share the record for the most in a single season, and 1 1/2 away from owning the record by himself.
The Bears did a little bit of everything to keep Garrett at bay. Caleb Williams ran a play-action bootleg away from Garrett on the first snap of the game. On the first snap of the second series, tight end Cole Kmet came in motion to Garrett’s side to cut him on a pitch play to D’Andre Swift that went the opposite direction.
“Those kind of piss off those guys,” Kmet said. “He’s like, ‘Really, man?’ I said, ‘Hey, it’s gonna be that type of day.’ We had a lot of stuff for him, whether it was the chips and cutting, just trying to keep his head on a swivel. Different cadences too so he couldn’t just pin his ears back.”
Running backs, tight ends and wide receivers chipped him in helping left tackle Ozzy Trapilo. On the solo sack Garrett had, he won after a chip from Kmet and then beat Trapilo around the edge to bring down Williams. He split a sack with Shelby Harris when the Browns had good coverage downfield on a third-and-15 play in the fourth quarter.
Jared Allen knows a little something about pursuing the all-time sack record. He had 22 in 2011 with a big finish — 3 1/2 sacks — against the Bears in the season finale, three years before he joined them as a free agent.
The Vikings were 3-12 entering the game and simply playing out the string. But Allen was locked in a race for the sack lead against Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware, who finished with 19 1/2, and Philadelphia’s Jason Babin, who had 18. Allen entered the game with 18 1/2.
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen celebrates a sack on Washington quarterback Rex Grossman in the second quarter at FedEx Field on Dec. 24, 2011, in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
“I had a feeling going into it, and I was joking with a buddy of mine, I’m probably going to break the record today or I am going to fail miserably and have the worst day of my life,” said Allen, who was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in July. “There was energy in the air. It was one of those, you’re gonna go for the gusto.
“I wasn’t trying to get outside of myself. We’re trying to win the game, playing the Bears. We knew they would do some things blocking scheme-wise to try to limit that. The idea of potentially breaking the record — you know it’s there and you know what you need to get — but if I don’t get it done, I might not finish the season with the sack lead.”
The Vikings figured the Bears would have plenty of extra chip help for left tackle J’Marcus Webb. So defensive coordinator Fred Pagac, a tight end for the Bears in 1974, hatched a plan to create one-on-one rushes by frequently blitzing linebackers. If the Bears’ running backs went to chip Allen, a linebacker would have a free path to quarterback Josh McCown.
Allen split a sack with linebacker Erin Henderson in the first quarter. He got a sack in the second quarter and on the first play of the third quarter on McCown. Midway through the third quarter, he got home again, giving him 3 1/2 for the game and bringing him to 22.
“I look back on it now and there’s a play I am chasing McCown to the sideline and rather than stepping out, he throws the ball out of bounds,” Allen said. “I tease him when I see him. ‘You couldn’t have just ran out of bounds and given me that other sack?’
“Then, late in the game, I knew I was going to have one more 1-on-1 opportunity. I thought it was going to be a pass. I saw the tight end sit back and I jumped into a nine and I slipped out of my stance. I was like, ‘Oh, there it was! I’m not going to get another chance. They’re not throwing the ball again after this.’”
Vikings’ Jared Allen celebrates his sack on Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, as Kolb reacts, bottom left, during the fourth quarter on Oct. 9, 2011 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. (Sherri LaRose-Chiglo/Pioneer Press)
Allen feels he got jobbed by the NFL seven weeks earlier that season. The Vikings were playing at Lambeau Field on a Monday night and midway through the first quarter, Aaron Rodgers started to flee the pocket and fumbled on his own. Allen spun off left tackle Marshall Newhouse and was there to tackle Rodgers as he recovered the ball.
“They gave me the sack during the game and then they took it from me on Wednesday, said it was a team sack. My argument was he could have re-established possession and he could have thrown that ball. I physically tackled him. It wasn’t like muff, he laid down and I touched him which, by the way, when I first got into the league that was still a snap.
“I argue again, at least I get a half-sack. I’m the one that made the tackle and I am on the team. That would have put me at 22 1/2. It’s right there on tape. It’s clear today. That same game was heartbreaking. I had one (sack) and that play would have been two. There’s another one where I came through on a blitz and I hit Rodgers and I think I’ve got him sacked. I go and celebrate. I didn’t realize he stayed up and Antoine Winfield came and finished him off before he hit the ground. They gave the sack to Winfield. I thought I had three in that game. I walked away with one.”
Rodgers, in a video released over the summer, said he felt Allen deserved a sack for the play in question. It’s notable because when Michael Strahan broke Mark Gastineau’s record in 2001 with 22 1/2 sacks, it came on a bizarre play when Packers quarterback Brett Favre rolled out to the right and basically laid down in front of Strahan. It appeared as if Favre gifted the record to Strahan. Watt had 22 1/2 sacks in 2021.
As far as Garrett’s pursuit of the record, Allen says there’s a ton to like about his game.
“I have always been a big fan of his because he’s got that old-school mentality,” he said. “In a day and age where everyone seems to be specializing or a lot of people want to go to a 3-4 hybrid linebacker, you know what I mean, coming off the edge. He’s still that big, three-down defensive end that you gotta account for in the run game.
“I like the fact that he mostly lines up on the right side still so he’s playing left tackles and then he’s been doing it at a high level. It’s easy for someone to come on the scene and flash but when you know the attention is coming to you, how are you going to react? He’s putting up monster numbers. That is tough to do.”
The Bears avoided being part of the sack record on Sunday just as they did 14 years ago in the season finale at Minnesota.
8. Daniel Hardy entered Week 15 tied for fourth in the NFL with 17 special teams tackles.
Bears running back Kyle Monangai, left, and defensive end Daniel Hardy joke with people as they serve a holiday meal at the Salvation Army Chicago Temple Corps Community Center on Dec. 9, 2025, in Chicago. They served about 130 meals to people young and old. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
What stands out even more is he’s one of the few big guys in the league proving to be a menace on coverage units. The defensive end is one of only three players in the top 20 who weigh more than 250 pounds. Most of the leaders are linebackers who are 25 pounds lighter than the 6-foot-2, 255-pound Hardy.
That presents a challenge for opposing special teams units because it’s difficult to account for Hardy with a defensive back, running back or even some linebackers. He’s arguably the most effective big man the Bears have had on coverage units since Dave Toub utilized defensive lineman Israel Idonije, who played at 6-6, 275. Hardy is faster and more nimble in the open field.
“Major problems,” a veteran special teams coordinator texted when I asked what challenges a heavier guy who can move on coverage units presents. “You have to use up so much of your resources to account for that player that you can wind up being stretched thin somewhere else.”
Said Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower: “I always say this: Speed is good, but big speed is special. Hardy has big speed.”
That’s one way to explain how he tackled Packers kick returner Emanuel Wilson near the end of the third quarter last week at Lambeau Field. Hardy was the No. 3 on the coverage team — the third player in from the sideline on the opposite side of the field. He covered all of that ground to tackle Wilson along the far sideline before a teammate could make the play.
Bears defensive end Daniel Hardy (92) celebrates after tackling Packers running back Emanuel Wilson (23) at Green Bay’s 27-yard line on a kickoff return in the third quarter at Lambeau Field on Dec. 7, 2025. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
The other two big guys (over 250 pounds) in the top 20 in special teams tackles are Dallas Cowboys tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford (6-7, 270), who has 16 tackles, and Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Incoom (6-2, 265), who has 14.
Hardy is a chess piece for Hightower, who moves him around the formations during the game so the opponent can’t scheme a specific blocking plan in advance. He doesn’t play a static position, and of course the Bears have other talented special teams players to shift to different spots such as cornerback Josh Blackwell and safety Jonathan Owens.
Packers long snapper Matthew Orzech held Hardy on a punt after the defense forced a three-and-out on the opening possession of the third quarter in Week 14. The hold was a good move by Orzech because otherwise it likely would have been a blocked punt. The Bears made the Packers rekick after the penalty, and the result was a net of 16 yards. It’s the second time Hardy has come close to a block. He nearly had one last month against the New York Giants.
“Guys around the league will text me,” Bears long snapper Scott Daly said. “They’ll buy him dinner if he lays off during the game. He’s strong, fast and he’s got long reach. He’s everything you don’t want to deal with.”
Hardy will be a restricted free agent after the season and is the kind of core special teams player who might prompt the Bears to try to sign him to a multiyear contract.
“He’s a guy that was just scratching and clawing, having confidence in himself, a quiet confidence, when he came in here,” Hightower said. “Now he’s a leader. He speaks up in the meeting room. He’s very studious. He can talk about not only his position, but I have seen him be able to help others and talk about other positions and understand them.”
9. The Bears had an interesting formation for D’Andre Swift’s 6-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and again later in the game on the 40-yard pass to Luther Burden.
Bears running back D’Andre Swift (4) runs through the Browns for a touchdown in the third quarter Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
They had two tight ends lined up in the backfield as essentially wings around Caleb Williams. Swift’s run was just an inside zone play and he popped it to the front side.
“Usually those don’t hit front side,” said tight end Cole Kmet, who was in the backfield with Colston Loveland. “They kind of wind back. So, I don’t know what happened on the front side of it. Obviously, Swift saw something to bounce it and took it to the front pylon.
“They gave us a lot of fronts we weren’t expecting today, which was kind of a bitch. We were expecting four down fronts with the three backers. They looked pretty vanilla on tape and they just showed those (wide) nines that are really penetrating hard. But they gave us some looks that kind of tested our rules a little bit.
“Maybe not ideal for some of the run schemes we had up. A play like that is a pretty basic play. It’s kind of good vs. all. We repped it a ton in camp. But getting a mirrored set like that, we are able to run off of whatever look or front they want to show. If they set the front to my side, OK, we can kill it and run the other way. Or if they set the front to Colston’s side, we’ll run away from that.”
Kmet said the Bears have leaned into condensed formations the last two weeks to add protection against Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons. It’s an interesting formation for passing plays, too, like the deep shot to Burden.
The tight ends provide an automatic chip and the Bears can keep one in if they want. On the Burden play, Kmet and Durham Smythe both chipped before going out into the flat on each side. That drew coverage and created a huge window in the middle of the field for Burden.
In the run game, the mirrored tight ends in the backfield create more gaps for the defense to cover. It builds an edge right there based on the formation. In the passing game, it creates stress for the coverage, especially on the back side.
10. It was 8 degrees at kickoff with a wind chill of minus-2.
Here are the seven regular-season games at Soldier Field when it was 10 degrees or colder at kickoff:
Dec 22, 2008: 20-17 win over Packers, 2 degrees (-13 WC)
Dec 18, 1983: 23-21 win over Packers, 3 degrees (-15 WC)
Dec. 14, 2025: 31-3 win over Browns, 8 degrees (-2 WC)
Dec 9, 2013: 45-28 win over Cowboys, 8 degrees (-9 WC)
Dec 24, 2022: 35-13 loss to Bills, 9 degrees (-12 WC)
Dec 17, 1989: 40-28 loss to Packers, 10 degrees (-5 WC)
Dec 11, 1977: 21-10 win over Packers, 10 degrees (-3 WC)
Good news on the weather front for this coming Saturday’s game against Green Bay. The long-range forecast is for dry conditions and a high of 42 degrees during the day with an overnight low of 25.
Brrrrr down: The coldest Chicago Bears games played at Soldier Field
10a. The Bears are almost right in the middle of the league when it comes to the number of different starters used this season. They were at 39 entering Week 15. The league average is 40.03. Dallas is tops with 47 and the Rams have used the fewest — 34.
10b. Linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga left the game with a hamstring injury. The Bears have a couple of moves that could be made at the position. First, keep an eye on the possibility that the club designates Tremaine Edmunds to return from injured reserve this week. They could open the return-to-practice window for him and don’t rule out the possibility he’s in uniform against the Packers. Also, the club could sign Jalen Reeves-Maybin to the 53-man roster to take the spot vacated when cornerback Kyler Gordon was placed on IR. Reeves-Maybin is on the practice squad and has been elevated three times, the maximum.
10c. The Browns’ average starting field position on six kickoffs was their own 25-yard line. Kicker Cairo Santos, in the adverse conditions, did a really nice job with his kickoffs.
10d. Philip Rivers emerged from retirement, removing himself from consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot next month, and started for the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. At age 44, it was his first start since an AFC playoff game for the Colts on Jan. 9, 2021.
Former Bears starting quarterbacks within two years of Rivers’ age:
Jay Cutler: 42
Jason Campbell: 43
Kyle Orton: 43
Craig Krenzel: 44
Rex Grossman: 45
Josh McCown: 46
As far as the oldest starting quarterback in Bears’ history goes, I believe the distinction belongs to Todd Collins. He started in the Oct. 10, 2010, game at Carolina, a 23-6 victory over the Panthers. Collins completed 6 of 16 passes for 32 yards and was intercepted four times. Collins was 38 years, 339 days that day. He’s definitely the oldest quarterback to start for the Bears since at least 1970.
10e. It’s a quirk of the schedule that the Bears will face the Packers twice in three weeks. They have played NFC North rivals twice in a three-week span three other times since the league moved to eight, four-team divisions in 2002.
2018: Bears defeated Lions 34-22 on Nov. 11 at Soldier Field; Bears defeated Lions 23-16 on Nov. 22 at Ford Field
2012: Bears defeated Vikings 28-10 on Nov. 25 at Soldier Field; Vikings defeated Bears 12-10 on Dec. 9 at Mall of America Field
2003: Bears defeated Lions 24-16 on Oct. 26 at Soldier Field; Lions defeated Bears 12-10 on Nov. 9 at Ford Field
10f. The Fox crew of Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will call the Packers-Bears game from Soldier Field on Saturday night.
10g. The Packers opened as a 3-point favorite over the Bears for Saturday’s game at Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/15/chicago-bears-brad-biggs-10-thoughts-week-15/
