From Chaos to Consistency: Bears showing growth in 2025 |
The NFL season is still in its early stages, and yet we have already seen four different styles of Bears football. The first game against the Vikings was a look at what could be in a close loss on opening night. The next game against the Lions was a reminder of what the past looked like for the last couple of seasons in Chicago under Matt Eberflus. Week 3 demonstrated just how good this Bears team can be when they play well on both sides of the ball, resulting in a victory against Dallas. This leads us to the matchup in Las Vegas, where the Bears came from behind to win a hard-fought road battle against the Raiders.
Caleb Williams will always face the most scrutiny for his mistakes, as that is the territory that comes with being the number one pick and the potential savior of the franchise. The truth is, a team needs every facet of its game to be played in unison to win a football game. It's never about one player and will never be about one player. If you watch Williams this season, you can see that his presence in the pocket has gotten better, and the sacks he took last year are not happening this year. Head Coach Ben Johnson has been hard on Williams in practice, and it's evident that it has paid dividends, as the QB seems to improve game by game. In the most recent game against the Raiders, where the offense struggled to get going until the second half, it would have been a loss last season. That right there is a measurement of progress being shown for the Bears. The defense has looked really good at times this season, but against the Raiders, they seemed to let them run at will as Ashton Jeanty had his breakout NFL game. When it mattered most, however, the defense did not falter and made the big plays when needed. Last season, whenever something went wrong, it would quickly escalate into a cascade of mistakes and poor play, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Change was needed all around, and week by week, you can start to see those changes take hold. A team that has had a few bad seasons, to say the least, is showing the baby steps of progress that winning teams thrive on. This team is not perfect, nor am I saying this is a Super Bowl-contending team. This was always going to be a season of progress and measurement for the Chicago Bears. A new coach who was highly sought after, year two for the franchise QB, and a mindset to change the losing culture that has been in Chicago for quite a while now. In the NFL, every game will always be different, and wins and losses will come in every other way throughout the season. The teams that play the most consistently are the ones who make the playoffs and get a shot at winning the Lombardi trophy. It has been quite a while since that trophy last called Halas Hall home. The 1985 Bears will forever be remembered for their uniqueness and fervor, which won over the city of Chicago and Bears fans worldwide. It's time for a new rendition of championship Chicago Bears football to be played in the Windy City. Having high hopes every football season has not been paying off for many years for the Bears' faithful. A new coach, a new style of play, and a team that seems not to quit - those seem to be reasons enough to have hope in this year's team. Will it pay off with a playoff appearance this season? We will find out soon enough, but if it does, it will be because a lot of progress was made for Caleb Williams and company.
