Bears “Stock Down” Wildcard Round: The coaching staff and defense almost blow it

While the Bears escaped against the Packers, they didn’t look like anything resembling a Super Bowl contender for half the game.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (9) scores a touchdown against Chicago Bears cornerback Nick McCloud (24) during their wild-card playoff football game Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. | Dan Powers / USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A win is a win, and the Chicago Bears earned every bit of their incredible 31-27 comeback over the Green Bay Packers. 

But for the first 30 minutes, it didn’t look like there was a snowball’s chance in hell of that happening.

Fortunately, they turned things around in a big way in the second half. But if they’re going to beat the likes of the Los Angeles Rams or San Francisco 49ers next week, they’re going to need to clean some important things up.

Here were a few items in the “down” column today.

The coaching staff

Good on them for making adjustments in the first half. But for once, can the Bears start a game with that level of desperation? Why do they have to get themselves in a hole before they get serious? Sure, the offense went for it on fourth down repeatedly, which I didn’t hate. After all, the defense wasn’t stopping anyone. But the one that resulted in Williams’ second pick felt like overthinking it—just hand it to Kyle Monangai. As for the defense…watching Dennis Allen’s unit get picked apart so easily in the first half and get whatever mismatches they waned was incredibly annoying. Then again, par for the course. 

The defense

Let’s not even talk about the fact that the secondary got carved up the way we knew they would and the pass rush did next to nothing before the thid quarter. How are you going to let Matthew Golden get his first touchdown against you? Come on! Thank goodness they played better in the second half, especially the third quarter, and that they stiffened up on that final drive. But they’re going to need more from this unit in the next round, which could involve them going against MVP favorite Matthew Stafford or the San Francisco team that lit them up.

The Bears’ turnover luck

It wasn’t like the Bears didn’t have their opportunities. They punched the ball multiple times tonight as they have all season. Somehow, they didn’t recover a single fumble. In the second half, they forced multiple errant throws from Jordan Love that bounced off peoples’ arms and helmets and hung into the air. They didn’t intercept a single one. When teams don’t turn the ball over against the Bears, they tend to give up a lot of points. That said, for once, they didn’t need them.

More Chicago Bears News:

• Bears “Stock Up” Wildcard Round: Caleb Williams and Colston Loveland have fully arrived

• David Carr’s playoff prediction has Caleb Williams going OFF vs. Packers

• Kyler Gordon says he’s coming back against the Packers

• Dan Orlovsky: Bears have no chance against the Packers