🎙 The Quick Take
The Bears’ two-game winning streak ended with a 31-7 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field. Green Bay controlled the game from the start, jumping out to a 14-0 lead with a 91-yard opening drive capped by a 42-yard Jordan Love touchdown pass to Christian Watson, followed by a 7-yard MarShawn Lloyd touchdown run.
The Bears’ only offensive highlight came on a 16-play, 78-yard drive in the second quarter. D’Andre Swift scored on fourth-and-goal to cut the deficit to 14-7 at halftime.
The second half was a disaster. Love torched the Bears’ secondary, including a 53-yard touchdown pass to Watson. Meanwhile, the Bears’ offense committed five turnovers and never mounted a serious comeback.
Ben Johnson benched Tyson Bagent for Case Keenum in the fourth quarter, but the switch failed to produce points. Love finished with 367 passing yards and two touchdowns as the Packers dominated on both sides of the ball.
The loss drops the Bears to 3-2. They must clean up the turnovers and shore up their defensive coverage before heading to Atlanta in Week 6.
🔢 The Game in Numbers
27.4 — Tyson Bagent’s Passer Rating
Bagent completed just 12 of 21 passes for 87 yards and two interceptions in a disastrous outing.
81 — Rushing Yards
The Bears managed just 81 rushing yards despite entering the game with the league’s best rushing offense.
5 — Turnovers
The Bears committed five turnovers compared to zero for the Packers. That disparity made a comeback nearly impossible.
2 — Austin Booker Sacks
Booker recorded two sacks and provided a bright spot on defense, but received little help from his fellow defensive linemen.
3.8 — Yards Per Pass Attempt
The Bears averaged just 3.8 yards per pass attempt, highlighting their inability to push the ball downfield. Jordan Love and the Packers averaged a staggering 10.8.
↪️ The Turning Point
The Bears carried a little momentum into halftime. Maybe they had finally slowed the Packers’ early onslaught. That hope lasted about one minute into the third quarter.
On Green Bay’s first play of the second half, Jordan Love hit a 31-yard pass to move into Bears territory. After a two-yard loss on a failed run, the Packers went deep…
Three straight times.
First down: Love narrowly missed Christian Watson on a deep shot.
Second down: Love connected with J. Michael Sturdivant for an apparent touchdown. He beat Jaylon Johnson, but a hands-to-the-face penalty wiped out the score.
Third down: No problem. Love went right back to Watson, connecting on a deep touchdown pass.
It looked like a Madden player spamming the infamous “All Streaks” play. Forget the run game. Forget the short stuff. Just send everyone deep and chuck it. Eventually, someone will get open.
Against the Bears’ secondary, that strategy worked.
The Bears had a chance to respond on the ensuing possession. Instead, they missed a field goal. Just like that, any hope of building on their first-half momentum was gone.
💲 The Stock Market
📈 Stock Up
Devin Bush (LB) — Bush led the Bears with eight tackles, including two for loss. He was active around the ball and one of the few defensive bright spots.
Austin Booker (DE) — Booker continues to show a knack for making plays against the Packers. He recorded two sacks and three tackles for loss while consistently disrupting the backfield. He needed more help from the rest of the defensive line.
📉 Stock Down
Tyson Bagent (QB) — A disastrous outing from the Bears’ primary backup. Bagent managed just 87 passing yards and threw two interceptions before getting pulled for Case Keenum in the fourth quarter. If Caleb Williams isn’t ready for Week 6, Keenum should get the start.
The Secondary — Jordan Love repeatedly attacked the Bears over the top, and the defense had no answers. Jaylon Johnson got beaten on a deep ball that would have been a touchdown without a penalty. Tyrique Stevenson offered little resistance, while rookie Dillon Thieneman struggled with his coverage responsibilities against Christian Watson. This unit has serious questions to answer.
The Bears’ Run Game — Just 81 rushing yards from the league’s best rushing offense. Kyle Monangai’s absence was a factor, but this was a collective failure. The offensive line couldn’t create consistent running lanes, the supporting blockers didn’t do enough, and the play calling failed to get the ground game going.
Rome Odunze (WR) — The ninth overall pick in the 2024 draft continues to disappoint. Odunze still struggles to win contested catches and hold onto the ball through contact. The talent is there, but the physicality and consistency haven’t matched the draft pedigree.
Cole Kmet (TE) — Kmet has been nearly invisible since the season opener. His latest outing included an awkward bobble that nearly turned into an interception, followed by a punishing hit from the defender. The veteran needs to become a more reliable part of the passing game.
🧠 What We Learned
1. The Packers Still Own This Rivalry
Some Bears fans got a little too confident after last season’s results. Then Green Bay stumbled out of the gate, and the premature victory laps started again. Maybe pump the brakes.
The rivalry hasn’t turned. Under Ben Johnson, the Packers have controlled the tempo in all four matchups and remained within striking distance of winning. The Bears needed two heroic Caleb Williams performances to split those games 2-2. Without them, Johnson would be 0-4 against Green Bay. That would fit right in with the Bears’ decades of futility against their biggest rival.
One bad Packers season doesn’t mean the balance of power has shifted. The Bears still have plenty to prove.
2. Ben Johnson Has a Division Problem
Johnson’s struggles against Green Bay are part of a larger concern. His NFC North record remains a weakness.
Last season, the Bears got swept by the Lions and nearly suffered the same fate against the Vikings. They also could have been swept by the Packers. Now, they’re 0-2 against division opponents this season.
You don’t win the NFC North consistently by losing to your division rivals. Johnson’s early success generated plenty of optimism, but that goodwill won’t last forever. The Bears need to start winning these games.
3. Tyson Bagent’s Trade Value Has Tanked
Remember when there was debate about whether the Bears could get a third-round pick for Bagent? After this performance, that conversation looks ridiculous.
Bagent threw for just 87 yards, tossed two interceptions, and posted a 27.4 passer rating before getting benched. His trade value has cratered. A sixth- or seventh-round pick might be an optimistic return at this point.
The bigger question is whether Bagent should remain Caleb Williams’ primary backup. Ben Johnson clearly has a soft spot for him, but the results aren’t there. Hopefully, Williams is healthy enough to return in Week 6. If not, Case Keenum should get the call.
🤯 Wait…What?
Scoring just one touchdown all game is bad enough. Turning the ball over on your final five possessions is downright embarrassing.
Two interceptions. Two fumbles. One turnover on downs. Five straight possessions wasted, with not a single chance to mount a comeback.
That’s careless, sloppy football. It’s especially alarming from a Ben Johnson offense, even without its starting quarterback. Injuries happen. Five consecutive possessions ending in turnovers? That’s inexcusable.
☑️ The Decision That Matters
After Case Keenum’s impressive Monday night win over the Eagles, Bears fans were divided over whether he or Tyson Bagent should start in place of the injured Caleb Williams. So when Bagent threw an interception in the first quarter, calls for Keenum flooded social media.
Should Ben Johnson have made the switch earlier? I don’t think so.
Two drives after the interception, Bagent led a 16-play, 78-yard touchdown drive that consumed more than nine minutes. The score cut Green Bay’s lead to 14-7, where it stood at halftime. Bagent had earned more time.
After the break, the Bears drove into field-goal range but missed the kick. That wasn’t on Bagent. The teams then traded punts, leaving Green Bay ahead 20-7.
That was Johnson’s window. Bagent got one more possession and threw his second interception, sealing his fate.
Could Johnson have acted sooner? Sure. But the first-quarter interception wasn’t enough to justify a change, especially after Bagent responded with a touchdown drive. The more defensible moment to make the switch came after the missed field goal and exchange of punts. By then, the offense needed a spark—and Johnson waited until Bagent gave him another reason to pull the plug.
💬 What We’ll Be Talking About
Two big questions will dominate the conversation this week: Who should be the Bears’ primary backup quarterback, and how much trouble are the Bears really in?
1. Keenum or Bagent as QB2?
Ideally, this debate becomes irrelevant. Caleb Williams looked good during his pregame workout and has reportedly put together some solid practices. Hopefully, he returns against Atlanta in Week 6 and stays healthy the rest of the way.
If Williams can’t go, I’d turn to Case Keenum. He offers more stability after Bagent’s disastrous performance against Green Bay. The backup quarterback debate shouldn’t be complicated. The Bears need someone who can keep the offense functional.
2. Are the Bears in Serious Trouble?
Yes. The Bears are 3-2, and Williams could be returning soon. But there are legitimate reasons for concern.
They’re 0-2 in the NFC North and already chasing their division rivals. That’s a dangerous position to be in this early in the season.
Worse, the defense regressed badly against Green Bay after showing improvement in Weeks 2-4. The Packers exposed the secondary with repeated deep shots, and the rest of the league now has that film to study.
The Bears still have time to turn things around. But the division record and defensive breakdowns are warning signs they can’t ignore. Week 6 against Atlanta is an important opportunity to show that the Packers game was an ugly outlier, not a preview of what’s coming.
🔮 Looking Ahead
The Bears head to Atlanta in Week 6 to face a Falcons team that looks far more dangerous than it did early in the season. Bijan Robinson can break a game open on any touch, while Drake London presents another major test for a Bears secondary that was torched by Christian Watson.
The Bears can’t afford another defensive meltdown. They’re already 0-2 in the NFC North and need to keep pace in both the division and the NFC playoff race. A road win would help steady the ship. Another loss would raise even more questions about whether this team can compete with the NFC’s better squads.
