Bear Digest

Scars from Hail Mary pass not evident claim Ben Johnson's Bears

Hail Mary loss to Jayden Daniels just another game in Chicago history at this point, like DJ Moore's eight catches for 230 yards against Washington.
Gene Chamberlain|
DJ Moore has a few laughs in 2023 at FedEx Field in a game when he caught eight passes for 230 yards in a 40-20 Bears win.
DJ Moore has a few laughs in 2023 at FedEx Field in a game when he caught eight passes for 230 yards in a 40-20 Bears win. | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Bears want everyone to think they've buried the memory of last year's Hail Mary game against the Commanders in the past.

The logic is sound. This is a new coaching staff, many new players. Still, there are no plastic surgeons who can correct a scar on the soul.

Coach Ben Johnson is doing his part to put it all to rest and tried Tuesday to dismiss it as ancient history.

“You'd have to talk to those guys about it," he said of players who remain with the team. "We're a new team and we're just focused on winning this game this week.”

They can't wipe out that Hail Mary pass Jayden Daniel made. They can only go to 3-2 this year.

"Honestly there hasn’t been a ton of talk as far as like what happened last season  on," slot cornerback Kyler Gordon said. "I don’t think like anyone is really focused on that except for like going out there and winning.

"I wasn’t even there last year so to me it’s like go with everybody and change the narrative."

Gordon had a minor hamstring injury last year that kept him out of the Washington game. That was a big blow to not have one of their best defensive playmakers available against Jayden Daniels.

The two teams have actually had plenty of intriguing games in recent years  beyond the Hail Mary game.

They had a Thursday night game in Chicago in 2022 when Darnell Mooney  caught a Justin Fields pass on the goal line for what would have been a winning touchdown on the last play, but he slightly bobbled the ball and when he regained control he had been pushed back out of the end zone and driven out of bounds for a 12-7 Washington win.

In 2023, the Bears went to Washington to play on the night the great Dick Butkus' death was announced and they buried the Commanders 40-20 behind eight catches and 230 yards by DJ Moore.

"Everybody is posting it right now but it’s not the same people over there and it’s  not the same team," Moore said. "I really can’t think about it too much. But would I love to do that again? Yeah. But is it possible? Eh, we’ll see as the week goes on."

It's not just defensive players who are pushing the Hail Mary into the background.

"I think everybody’s just on the hush now and just ready to attack this game and not let that happen again," Moore said.

The victim of the Hail Mary pass hasn't been heard from yet at Halas Hall about this except on a podcast. That would be cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.

“I think Tyrique’s gotten better each game," Johnson said. "Prior to the bye week, that was his best game against the Raiders to date, and I think he's doing a good job of compartmentalizing everything and hitting the reset button going into each week.

"I've said it before that those corners, they have to have short memories. Sometimes, you're left on an island for 12 plays and no action comes your way and then all of a sudden, something comes your way and if it's a bad play, you have to be able to erase it. And if it's a good play, same thing, you have to turn onto the next one. So, I think he's done a nice job getting that mental toughness up to the point where he can block out all that outside noise and continue to stay consistent with both his process on a weekly basis, but also within a game.”

Stevenson's memory this week needs to go back as far as the start of the 2025  season.

There's one really bad memory there in 2024 he doesn't need to relive, and neither do the other Bears.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.