Bears report card: How we graded Chicago in Week 18 loss vs. Lions

6 days ago 2

The Chicago Bears played a lackluster game against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on Sunday, and they still had a chance to win. In the regular-season finale, the Bears were looking to lock up the No. 2 seed, which they did anyway via a Philadelphia Eagles loss.

Whether it was head coach Ben Johnson closing up the playbook in preparation for the playoffs or not, the Bears had zero points going into the fourth quarter. They rattled off 16 points to tie the game, but it wasn’t enough.

This was a loss that ended up not stinging because of the Eagles’ situation, combined with the fact that the Bears are still NFC North champions with the postseason starting next week. Still, there is a lot to work on before the playoffs begin next Saturday. This is how the Bears grade out from this loss to the Lions:

Offense: C

The Bears offense was not good enough in this one. They had a chance to win thanks to what they did in the fourth quarter, so they can't get a horrific grade, but a C makes the most sense. They entered the final quarter of the game with zero points on the scoreboard. Meanwhile, the Lions only had 16, so the game was still in reach if they turned it on in the late stages of the game. And they did. Chicago went on to score back-to-back touchdowns and convert two-point conversions on both. That tied the game before the Lions had their game-winning field goal. When things matter most, this offensive unit finds a way to give the team a chance.

Most of these types of games have turned into wins, but this one was a failure in the end. If they want to win in the postseason, they are going to need more than what they showed in the season finale. Maybe that was the point. Caleb Williams came less than 100 yards shy of being the first 4,000-yard passer in franchise history. However, he did break the single-season franchise record for passing yards in a season. By the time his career is over, Williams will likely have 10 or more best seasons in that regard. Williams did a great job spreading the ball around, but Colston Loveland was the main character in this game. Rome Odunze was out again, and it seemed like this game was full of load management for the other weapons, so Loveland stood out above the rest.

Defense: B

The defense was not great, but its bend-don't-break way showed out in this one. They would allow the Lions' big gains, but mostly stood tall whenever they found themselves in Bears territory. Their run game and Jared Goff did their jobs, but they didn't punch it into the endzone enough to put the Bears away earlier in the game. For that reason, they get a B. They didn't do enough to earn a win or an A, but they gave the team a chance to win on a night that the offense had zero points through three quarters.

Kevin Byard had an interception late in the game that gave the Bears a chance to drive down the field and win, but they did no such thing. Still, the B grade is also impacted by the fact that another turnover was there when the team needed it. If they play this exact defensive game against the Green Bay Packers on Wild Card Weekend, they will likely win. However, you'd like to see them get that stop on the drive that the Lions kicked the game-winner. All of the good work is forgotten if you don't step up when it matters most.

Special Teams: A

Cairo Santos wasn't asked to kick a field goal or make an extra point. The special teams units made their kicks and punts when they were asked and didn't mess anything up. Normally, they deserve an A when there isn't anything too noticeable about them in a negative way. Of course, there are plays made on special teams that help teams win games, but that wasn't the case in this one. They simply showed up, did their jobs, and the offense let them down for most of the game.

Coaching: B

Coaching has been great for the Bears all season long. With less talent than some of the other playoff teams, they are the No. 2 seed in the NFC in Year 1 with this staff. It was a remarkable year for them all. Without this coaching staff, the team would have never had any relevance past the halfway mark of the year. This game against the Lions wasn't perfect, but it was another example of the team remaining in the game despite things not going perfectly. They always have a chance to win. It seems like they were being conservative at times, knowing that Wild Card Weekend is where the games truly begin. If that is the case, they had better be fully ready against the Packers, especially on offense. Receiving a B for their Week 18 performance as a staff seems fair, knowing all of these things.

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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears report card: How we graded Chicago in Week 18 loss vs. Lions

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