What we heard from the Chicago Bears on Wednesday on the playoffs, Myles Garrett and Kyler Gordon
Bears fall in Green Bay but spark a rivalry reload | 1st & North
This week on 1st & North, the Chicago Bears stumble, but reignite a rivalry as a chill runs through a post game handshake. The Green Bay Packers have their work cut out for them the rest of the way, the Detroit Lions get their groove back, and the pride of LaGrange Park shines for Minnesota.
The Chicago Bears didn't hold a full practice on Wednesday, opting for a closed walk-through instead.
Here's what we heard from the Bears at the Halas Hall podium, where the team touched on the playoffs, Caleb Williams' confidence and Kyler Gordon's status.
The Bears are a week-to-week team, but have a goal in sight
After a loss to Green Bay, the Bears plummeted from the No. 1 seed in the NFC to No. 7. If the playoffs ended today, the Bears would be in and play… the Packers in the Wild Card round.
Even then, the Bears making the playoffs is not guaranteed.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson understands this. He said as much Wednesday, noting he believes the Bears have to reach 11 wins at minimum to be a playoff team.
"We have goals, we know what's out in front of us," Johnson said. "Awareness that every game matters. Every game matters."
According to The Athletic’s NFL playoff simulator, the Chicago Bears have a 70% chance to make the playoffs with four games left. If the Bears defeat the Browns on Sunday, those odds rise to 76%.
That would still put the Bears at 10 wins, which is something the Bears haven’t done since 2018. Getting to 11 would mean winning one of the games over the Packers, 49ers and Lions. Two of those three games are at home.
"We are excited to be home for three of the last four," Bears safety Kevin Byard said. "You have to be able to win at home."
Winning at home starts Sunday, where Johnson was adamant about the need to improve to 10-4.
"We desperately need this win," Johnson said.
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Another week, another top pass rusher
It seems like the Bears have been on a run on protecting Caleb Williams against top-tier pass rushers.
Dating back to Week 10, the Bears have faced: Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, TJ Watt, Jalen Carter and Micah Parsons, just to name a few. Next up is Browns’ pass rusher Myles Garrett.
With all due respect to the other pass rushers, because they’re all game-changing players, Garrett is on another level this season.
"He has, what the kids would say, a deep bag," Bears quarterback Caleb Williams said.
So far, Garrett has 20 sacks, 32 quarterback hits, 31 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. He doesn’t just impact games. He’s a one-player game-changer.
The Bears are doing what they can to prepare Ozzy Trapilo and Darnell Wright for the challenge.
"He’s done an incredible job," Johnson said. "Just to look at the number of double teams, triple teams, as you see on tape, and yet, he still has 20 sacks on the season, it’s pretty remarkable. It’s a special season for him, no doubt."
Caleb Williams and his confidence
Williams quoted Michael Jordan at the podium on Wednesday.
Jordan, across his legendary NBA career, is known for all of his winning moments. Williams evoked a quote that touched on the other side of it.
"Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed," Jordan’s famous quote said. "I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
Williams echoed that quote after his pass to Cole Kmet was intercepted by Keisean Nixon. That won the game for the Packers.
Williams wants the ball again in that moment.
"In those moments, I feel like the ball should be in my hand," Williams said. "That’s how I felt as a kid, that’s how I still feel today, that’s how I felt on Sunday in that moment."
It stands to reason why Williams deserves to have the chance to make a play. He was the No. 1 overall pick. You don’t draft quarterbacks No. 1 overall to shy away from the moment.
Instead, Sunday was a learning curve for Williams in a season where he’s showcased greatness and weathered struggles.
"You’re going to take those shots and that’s the type of mindset I have that I’ll take those shots and I’ll roll with the punches if I do miss," Williams said. "That’s what happened. You move on from it and when that moment comes up again, I think nine times out of 10 that I’ll hit. That’s my mentality. That’s how I feel about it."
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We might not see Kyler Gordon the rest of the season
The Bears had surprising news when nickel back Kyler Gordon was ruled out right before kickoff against the Packers after injuring his groin.
Gordon was placed on injured reserve with groin and calf injuries this season already. He’s missed 10 games so far in 2025, and he’s most likely going miss No. 11 this weekend based on what Johnson said when asked about his status for the rest of the season.
"To be determined," Johnson said.
There wasn’t much confidence in Johnson’s podium assessment of Gordon’s status. There’s a good chance he’s played his last snap of the 2025 season.
Each of the injuries that Gordon has been dealing with so far have occurred outside of games. Gordon was ruled out before Week 1 with a hamstring injury that also sidelined him for the first few weeks of the season. His groin and calf injuries that landed him on injured reserve happened during practice before Week 8.
Johnson was basing his assessment off of what he saw from Gordon’s groin injury in warm-ups. Considering what the head coach saw and Gordon’s injury history this season, there’s a chance Gordon is on the sidelines the rest of the season.
"Coming out of that, it didn't look very good," Johnson said.