With one of the most improbable comeback wins of the season, the Chicago Bears have sole possession of the NFC North and have since clinched their spot in the playoffs.
While their exact seed has yet to be determined, the most likely outcome is the two-seed, assuming they can win at least one of the last two games this season. While many Bears fans are rightfully soaking in one of the biggest wins in recent memory, it's also essential for Chicago to address some issues from that game so the Bears can make a run in the playoffs.
3 Things for the Bears to Address
Efficiency Behind the Sticks
The first thing that popped out from the Bears' win over the Green Bay Packers was their inability to convert on third down. While the Packers do sport a solid defense, it's important to remember they were without their starting safety Evan Williams, superstar edge Micah Parsons, and starting defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt. Most fans will pick up on the importance of Parsons being out, but few truly understand how impactful both Williams and Wyatt are to the Packers' defense.
Those three big players being out highlighted the Bears' struggles to stay ahead of schedule even more. In a game like this, nobody expected Chicago to score 40+ points, but the fact that the Bears went 2-11 on third down cannot continue to hold when it comes to playoff time. The most telling stat is that the Bears were 2-5 on third-down plays under five yards, but 0-6 on third-down plays five or more yards.
To make a deep run in the playoffs, the Bears are likely going to have to match up with one of the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, or Green Bay Packers. If teams can stifle Chicago's offense by putting them behind the sticks early and sitting back on third down, the Bears will struggle to score.
Caleb Williams' Struggles
In the same vein as the Bears' struggles on third down and behind the sticks, Caleb Williams needs to be better. I absolutely understand that he helped bring Chicago back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, but if the Packers had made one of the four different plays, he wouldn't have even had the chance to tie the game, let alone win it in overtime.
Williams finished the game with a respectable stat line, completing 19 of 34 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. However, going into Chicago's game-tying drive, Williams was just 12/24 with 151 yards. I am not taking away any credit for Williams' ability to lead the offense down the field to tie the game and to eventually win it in overtime. Still, with all the Packers' defensive players out, his play through 58 minutes of regulation will not be good enough come playoff time.
If Williams can harness his late-game success over the past few weeks throughout the entire game, the Bears become a much more dangerous team. Nobody is expecting or asking him to put up 50 points per game, but more consistency and effectiveness in the first half would do wonders for this Bears team. Over the last two games of the season, it'll be important for the Bears to work out some of the kinks with Williams and see how they can stay on schedule more offensively, especially when their opponents don't bring much of a pass rush.
Porous Run Defense
To put it bluntly, the Packers' offensive line is terrible. They do have some key pieces like Zach Tom and Elgton Jenkins out due to injury, but even when they were healthy, their offensive line was middle-of-the-pack at best.
That's partly why it was so frustrating that the Packers were able to run the ball so well. In Week 14, Green Bay ran for 117 yards on 26 carries to average 4.5 yards per carry. While the Bears did improve in Week 16, Green Bay still ran for over 4.3 yards per carry, racking up 192 yards on the ground.
The Bears do deserve some credit for not letting Green Bay explode for many big plays on the ground, with the Packers' longest carry of the game being just 14 yards. With that in mind, it's concerning to see the Bears struggle to slow down an offense that ranks 14th in average yards per game, especially with a decimated offensive line.
How Far Can the Bears Go This Postseason?
If the Bears can address these three issues before the playoffs start, they'll be a dangerous team. The only question that would remain is whether their ability to force turnovers at their current rate is sustainable.
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The Bears rank 24th in yards allowed per game and 19th in points allowed per game, all while having the 10th-weakest schedule in the NFL. While I find it hard to believe the turnovers are sustainable and will be their downfall by the NFC Championship Game, it's hard not to be optimistic if the Bears can learn from their Week 16 mistakes.