It only felt like the Bears were resting their starters against Detroit. For most of the game.
While other playoff-bound teams like the Eagles and Packers sit most of their top players out in their season finales, Ben Johnson plays his A-team against the Lions in week 18. And the offense doesn't score until the 4th quarter. Getting two touchdowns and two two-point conversions to tie the game. Only to fall short on Jake Bates' 42-yard, walk-off field goal, 19-16.
"I didn't think it was one of our more elaborate plans." head coach Ben Johnson say.
"I thought is was one of our simpler (offensive) plans. And so we needed to do a better job executing it, and coaching it up."
With a chance to drive for the winning points, the Bears offense stalls and punts on its final drive with only 1:55 remaining, and 3 timeouts, and never sees the football again.
"It's aggravating. It's frustrating." QB Caleb Williams says.
"The good thing about it is we're going into the playoffs here, and we've got to find ways to get better. The focus has to level up. The urgency has to level. The play has to level up. The mindset and mentality on the field has to level up. Because that's what playoff football is."
Against the Lions, Williams completes 61-percent of his passes, 20-33, 212yds, 2 TD, 1 INT, sacked once, QB Rating 86.9.
Williams sets a team record for passing yards in single season (3,942), breaking Erik Kramer's mark set in 1995. The Bears are still the only franchise without a 4,000-yard passer.
Williams finishes his second season with 27 TD passes, 7 interceptions, 16th in QB Rating; 58.3.
The Bears have lost two in-a-row, and 3 out of 5. Finishing the year 11-6. And only earn the #2 seed in the NFC playoffs thanks to the Eagles losing to the Commanders on a last-minute touchdown.
But they're playoff bound for the first time in five years, and face a short turnaround before hosting rival Green Bay Saturday at 7 p.m. in the wildcard round.
"We're quickly transitioning. We're locked in. The stakes are a lot higher here going forward." Ben Johnson says.
"We can't afford to have one of our three phases play like we did today (against Detroit). We're going to have to pick it up. I get fired up just thinking about it right now and I know our guys are too."
The Bears defense holds the Lions to just 1 touchdown and 4 field goals, but gives up a whopping 433 total yards and 26 first downs.
"All we have is tomorrow. It's one day at a time. That's all we have." Safety Kevin Byard says.
"With this group that's how we have to treat it. Because we don't have any more guaranteed games. So, we have to make sure we're focused on this week, this day and this opponent only and try to go get a win."
The Bears are 1-1 against the Packers this season. But since beating Green Bay in overtime at Soldier Field Saturday night, December 20, have gone 0-2.
"I know that's what the fans want to see- a good rivalry in the playoffs." Defensive lineman Montez Sweat says.
"So, yeah, we're up to the challenge. We're 1-1. We'll see how the tie-breaker goes."
Bears notes;
-First playoff appearance in five years: January, 2021 loss at New Orleans, 21-9.
-First home playoff game in seven years: January, 2019 loss to Philadelphia, Cody Parkey double-doink missed field goal,16-15.
-Bears last playoff win came 15 years ago: January, 2011 vs Seattle, 35-24 ...0-3 in post-season since then (including NFC title game loss to Packers in January 2011)
-Bears 1-1 vs Packers in playoffs all-time: Lost Conference Championship, 21-14, January 2011. Won first round, 33-14, December, 1941.