The cardiac Chicago Bears just about did it again, except some late-game drama didn't exactly go their way in this one. For his first year in Chicago, head coach Ben Johnson is going to have to take it on the chin.
The Detroit Lions swept he and the Bears.
But it almost swung the other way. In a game, the Bears looked lifeless for the better part of three quarters, but Caleb Williams and the offense came alive in the final period. And, when the game was tied at 16-16 with the Lions driving, safety Kevin Byard came through with another interception to set the Bears up for a potentially game-winning drive.
On that drive, though, the Bears found themselves in a 4th-and-5 from their own 31-yard line and Johnson chose to punt.
Moments later, FOX cameras caught Johnson, full of regret, appearing to say the words "should've gone for it."
Ben Johnson didn't take the gamble when the Bears could've used it the most
The moment Johnson was caught came on the Lions' very last possession, which ultimately ended with the game-winning field goal.
Johnson's face looked like every Bears fan watching at home. The defense had its typical "bend, don't break" type of outing, but gave up countless chunk plays all afternoon. So, to see the Lions rip off a 9-yard run by Jahmyr Gibbs and a 26-yard catch-and-run from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown was incredibly disheartening.
But it wasn't surprising.
It was then that Johnson knew the game was over. There was nothing he could do but hope for a field goal block from his defense, which of course, didn't end up happening.
If Johnson had chosen to go for it, and the Bears failed, then they still could have had an opportunity to hold Detroit to a field goal while keeping their timeouts and ensuring one more offensive possession.
On the flip side, if they had converted, who knows what would have happened from there. Williams was feeling it, despite getting knocked for intentional grounding on that same drive. He had finally woken up and led the offense to two fourth-quarter scoring drives.
Just one more play for a total of five yards?
It seems doable.
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But, hindsight is always 20/20. For now, we can only look ahead and get set for a third matchup between these Bears and an arch nemesis.
It'll be Bears-Packers in Round 1.