Bears vs Ravens Recap
In a highly anticipated Week 8 matchup, the Chicago Bears traveled to Baltimore in pursuit of their fifth straight victory. Despite a promising start, the Bears were ultimately unable to sustain their early momentum, culminating in a 30–16 defeat. This outcome can be attributed to a multitude of reasons, most notably their inability to capitalize on red zone opportunities, and penalties.
The Bears dominated the first quarter in terms of yardage, outgaining the Ravens 125–8. However, this proved superficial, as the offense settled for two field goals rather than converting drives into touchdowns. As we all know, touchdowns win games in the NFL, not field goals alone. Inefficiency in the red zone fails to produce scoreboard pressure, resulting in an easy momentum swing when Derick Henry got a touchdown early in the 2nd quarter.
Caleb Williams threw a costly interception in the fourth quarter with the Bears trailing 16–13. Nate Wiggins returned it to the 9-yard line, and Huntley hit Kolar for a TD two plays later. Baltimore sealed the game with a third-down conversion to DeAndre Hopkins and a second TD from Henry.
This game underscores the importance of situational execution. Getting out of bounds before halftime, having a kicker that can kick longer than 55yds, discipline and not committing penalties, etc. While the Bears demonstrated the ability to move the ball effectively early, their failure to convert yardage into points (touchdowns) and their susceptibility to critical defensive plays ultimately dictated the outcome.
Season Pulse Check
Weeks 1-3 the Bears had been to the redzone 7 times, scoring a touchdown on 6 of those trips, resulting in an 86% redzone efficiency percentage and ranked 3rd in the NFL at the time. From weeks 4-8 the Bears have had 15 trips to the redzone with 5 touchdowns scored, resulting in a 33.3% efficiency percentage, they are 30th out of 32 teams in that span, not exactly what I would call improvement.
Another area that needs improvement is the penalties. My goodness, it is beyond frustrating when they continue to commit dumb penalties. Last week they tailed 11 penalties for 79 yards, including 5 false starts. The Bears are tied with the Chargers for most false starts in the league with 16 through 8 weeks, mind you that includes the Bears bye-week. Let us also look at Caleb’s lack of discipline, he leads the NFL with 3 intentional grounding penalties, including 2 last week vs the Ravens.
Ben Johnson is fed up and rightly so calling out the leaders on the team to drive results. “I really put it on the leaders there in that locker room to get this ship going the right direction in that regard, Us coaches, we’ve been pounding that drum now for a while, and we haven’t gotten the results we wanted, so it’s on the leaders here on this team to get us right.”
Caleb Williams
As the conversation surrounding Caleb Williams intensifies, it is critical to approach the conversation with both nuance and perspective. While some fans are quick to question his status as the franchise quarterback, such reactions are premature and lack contextual awareness (ball knowledge). Williams remains the cornerstone of the Bears’ future, and his developmental arc is far from complete. However, when juxtaposed with Jayden Daniels’ historic rookie campaign in 2024, and the promising performances of Drake Maye and Bo Nix in 2025, it is understandable that narratives begin to form.
The unfortunate reality is that the Chicago Bears had, in many respects, squandered Williams’ rookie season. This is not merely a critique of his statistical output, but rather a reflection on the instability that has plagued his early career. With three different offensive play-callers in under 18 months, Williams has been deprived of the continuity and structure essential for a young quarterback’s growth. Peyton Manning had Tom Moore for 12 of his 14 seasons in Indy, that’s not a coincidence. Consequently, any attempt to evaluate his performance solely through metrics is flawed, as those numbers are shaped by a chaotic developmental environment, if we can even call it that.
Expecting dramatic improvement by Week 8 of the 2025 season is, frankly, insanely impatient. The desire for a Super Bowl-caliber team and an MVP-level quarterback is valid—but it must be tempered by realism. With Ben Johnson now leading the offensive, and Williams at the helm, there remains ample time for progress throughout the remainder of the season.
Williams possesses elite-level talent, particularly in his ability to generate explosive plays from broken situations. Yet this improvisational skill—his greatest asset—can also be his Achilles heel. The transition from college to the NFL demands a recalibration of decision-making. Hero-ball tactics must give way to disciplined execution within the framework of Johnson’s system.
To be clear, Williams is not without flaws. His current completion rate of 61.9%, passer rating of 90.2, and adjusted QBR of 52.9 (ranking 18th in the NFL) reflect inconsistency. Yet these figures do not tell the full story. On critical downs—specifically 3rd and 4th with 4–12 yards to go—Williams leads the league (1) with a passer rating of 144.8. This statistic underscores his clutch performance and mental resilience. In simple terms, the kid can win when the games on the line, he is clutch.
What does success look like for Caleb in Ben Johnson’s system?
- Simplified decision-making: Johnson must design schemes that allow Williams to consistently identify and execute high-percentage throws, including checkdowns.
- Quicker release: Williams should aim to deliver the ball in under 2.5 seconds, minimizing pressure and maximizing rhythm.
- Field awareness: Maintaining downfield vision is critical—he has to mature and resist the urge to scramble prematurely or settle for short gains before routes fully develop.
- Red zone efficiency: Drives that reach the end zone must culminate in touchdowns. Field goals will not cut it.
- Chemistry with receivers: Extra reps after practice will foster timing and trust, particularly in zone coverage situations.
In sum, Caleb Williams is not wildly inaccurate, but he is not yet consistently accurate on the easy throws. His performance under Ben Johnson’s system must improve, particularly in terms of accuracy and decision-making. Still, the flashes of brilliance are undeniable. He remains a work-in-progress, and the fanbase has to level-set its expectations accordingly. Were onto Cincinnati.
Matchups to Watch
Ja’Marr Chase vs. Bears Secondary: Ja’Marr Chase has surged in productivity, amassing 38 receptions for 346 yards in his last three contests, while leading the NFL in total targets (99). Since Joe Flacco took over, Chase has been the focal point of the aerial attack, commanding an extraordinary 43% of pass attempts. His presence is a persistent and dynamic threat to opposing secondaries. Conversely, the Bears enter this matchup with a depleted cornerback corps, notably absent Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Consequently, the onus falls on Tyrique Stevenson and C.J. Gardner-Johnson—who is making his debut with the franchise—to mitigate Chase’s impact. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen must orchestrate a more aggressive pass-rushing strategy to disrupt the timing and rhythm of the Bengals’ passing game, particularly given Chicago’s documented inefficacy in generating pressure with a conventional four-man rush.
Caleb Williams vs Bengals Pass Defense: Caleb Williams enters Week 9 following a relatively uninspired performance against the Baltimore Ravens, wherein he amassed 285 passing yards yet failed to throw for a touchdown and tossed a costly interception. The week prior, he was underwhelming managing a mere 172 yards against the Saints in a game dominated by the Bears’ run game. He now confronts a Cincinnati Bengals defense that ranks among the league’s most vulnerable in both red zone efficiency and passing touchdowns given up. If he can clean up his decision-making and capitalize on Cincinnati’s defensive lapses, this will be a bounce-back game in which he can silence the impatient Bears fans. To do so, however, he must exhibit a level of precision and poise that has eluded him in recent outings. The conditions are ripe for a breakout game—potentially eclipsing 300 passing yards and delivering multiple touchdowns.
The Bears vs. The Bears — Discipline and Red Zone Execution: One of the most pivotal matchups in this game isn’t against the Bengals — it’s the Bears against themselves. The matchup I have mentioned multiple times now unfortunately. Chicago has been plagued by self-inflicted wounds all season, accruing 64 penalties through eight games. These mistakes have stalled offensive momentum, extended opponents’ drives, and directly contributed to losses. But penalties aren’t the only issue. The Bears have also struggled lately to capitalize in the red zone, often settling for field goals instead of touchdowns. Against a Bengals defense that ranks near the bottom of the league, Chicago must not only play clean football but also finish drives with six points. If the Bears can eliminate pre-snap errors and mental lapses while converting red zone opportunities into touchdowns, they’ll be in prime position to control the game. But if the flags keep flying and the end zone remains elusive, they risk beating themselves once again.
Conclusion & Prediction
As the Bears prepare to face the Bengals in Week 9, the stakes are clear: this is a pivotal moment for a team teetering between promise and frustration. The talent is evident—Caleb Williams has the arm, the vision, and the potential to be special. But potential alone doesn’t win games. Discipline, execution, and leadership must converge if Chicago hopes to reverse its recent slide. With the Bengals vulnerable in the red zone and susceptible to big plays through the air, the opportunity is ripe for a statement win. However, if the Bears continue to beat themselves with penalties and squander scoring chances, they’ll find themselves on the wrong side of another winnable game.
Prediction: Bears 34, Bengals 31.
Caleb Williams rebounds with a 300+ yard, 3-touchdown performance, and the defense does just enough to contain Ja’Marr Chase. It won’t be perfect, but it’ll be progress—and for now, that’s enough.
