(Audacy) The Bears lost their fifth straight game Sunday, but there's at least reason for optimism coming out of the most recent setback.
Chicago slipped to 4-7 on the season with a 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The Bears trailed by 11 with 1:56 to play but managed to erase the deficit and force overtime behind veteran receiver Keenan Allen's late touchdown reception and a successful onside kick before kicker Cairo Santos hit a field goal as time expired in regulation. The end result was the same as it's been of late, but the Bears came out of Sunday with a lot more to feel good about than recent games.
A big part of that is because of the increased life the offense showed. That unit began trending in the right direction in a 20-19 loss to the Packers a week before, and it continued to progress against the Vikings. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was 32-for-47 for 340 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions, with six different players posting at least one reception. Allen, receiver DJ Moore, receiver Rome Odunze and tight end Cole Kmet each had at least five receptions.
It was an encouraging display from Williams in particular. He kept the mistakes to a minimum and got a variety of receivers going. Even when the game was dicey in the fourth quarter as the Bears tried to cut into the two-possession deficit, he was poised.
His recent play has been impressing teammates, including Moore.
"He's been playing with a lot of confidence,” Moore said Monday in his weekly appearance on the Mully & Haugh Show. “Getting the ball out fast, just taking what the defense gives him and not really having to be Superman until it's necessary."