4 biggest winners from Bears' season finale vs Lions

Don't let the final score of this Chicago Bears-Detroit Lions game fool you. That was a humiliating Week 18 loss for the Bears, and there's no excuse for it. They got out to another slow start, running an offensive gameplan that looked like they wanted to run the clock out from the jump. The first play of the day was a brilliant pass from Caleb Williams to Colston Loveland, but head coach Ben Johnson decided that was enough of that and called six consecutive runs before punting the ball away.

Indeed, it was a meaningless game for both teams. The Lions were already eliminated and the Bears had already clinched the NFC North division title. But that first half was arguably the ugliest half of football from the Bears this entire season. If they think they can do that against the Green Bay Packers next week and still advance to the Divisional Round, they've got another thing coming.

But that's for later in the week. For now, let's single some players out for special recognition. These guys did their absolute best to drag the Bears back into this game, and that's worth a shout-out.

1. Caleb Williams

58 more yards. That's all Williams needed to hit 4,000 passing yards on the season and end Chicago's shameful, 106-year drought without hitting that milestone. Despite falling agonizingly short of Bears history, however, Williams deserves some credit for what he accomplished on Sunday. When finally asked to throw the ball, Williams was brilliant and threw some of his best passes of the year.

As I said with the final score, don't let the box score fool you. Williams played a solid game, but was hampered by both drops, receivers running wrong routes, and a strangely conservative gameplan. He may not have hit 4,000 passing yards this year, but Williams still set a franchise record and 2026 feels like a lock for that 4,000-yard milestone to fall.

History for @CALEBcsw 👏 pic.twitter.com/YO4egr3bCa
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 4, 2026

2. Colston Loveland

I'm not sure if I've done this yet, but I have to put my hand up and confess to being totally wrong about Colston Loveland. I thought Loveland was the wrong pick when the Bears selected him with the No. 10 pick of the 2025 NFL draft, and his injury issues early on in the season didn't help. But since Week 9, Loveland has been sensational. He finished Sunday with 91 yards on 10 catches, including this absolute beauty in the endzone.

At the risk of getting over my skis, the Bears may have a legit superstar in the making here.

.@colstonlovelan1 is him.

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/XbLCzGBoUo
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 4, 2026

3. Jahdae Walker

I hope the Bears bring Walker back in 2026. In limited action, he's proven worthy of a roster spot, even if he'll never rise to the rank of a starting wide receiver in the NFL. He did have one bad drop in this game, but he still registered 36 yards and a touchdown on two catches.

.@CALEBcsw with a strike to @dae2walker for 6 🎯

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/QPwtkF3Eg6
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 4, 2026

4. Kevin Byard III

Speaking of players the Bears must bring back in 2026, Byard should be an absolute no-brainer for GM Ryan Poles. The NFL's interception leader did it again on Sunday, pulling in another interception against Detroit's Jared Goff, his 7th of the season. Byard may be on the wrong side of 30, but getting him a new contract for 2026 and beyond needs to be at the very top of Poles' to-do list in February.