The Chicago Bears had a chance to pull off a big comeback and upset the Detroit Lions on Thursday.
However, poor clock management during their final drive led to a 23-20 loss, extending their losing streak to six games.
The Bears had moved into a position where they could have tied the game with a field goal or possibly scored a winning touchdown. But a sack and confusing clock management ended their chance before they could attempt either one.
The trouble started after Caleb Williams completed a 12-yard pass to Keenan Allen, putting the Bears at the Lions’ 13-yard line with less than a minute remaining.
This would have given the Bears enough time to try for a win before attempting a field goal, but then guard Tevin Jenkins was penalized for illegal hands to the face, pushing the ball back to the 35-yard line.
On second down, the Bears called a draw play for Williams, hoping he could run for a first down and set up the field goal. However, backup tackle Larry Borom didn’t react quickly enough, allowing Za’Darius Smith to sack Williams for a 6-yard loss.
“It got loud, and I don’t think Larry heard the count,” Williams said. “Once I saw Za’Darius coming free, I didn’t want to risk trying to throw the ball away in case he got a chance to get his hands on it. I took the sack and tried to get everybody lined up for the final play.”
As Williams tried to hurry up the play, Bears coach Matt Eberflus didn’t call a timeout. He explained that he wanted to save the timeout to set up the field goal.
“The hope was we could re-rack the play, snap it with about 18 seconds left, throw it into field-goal range, and call the timeout,” Eberflus said.
However, the clock ran past the 18-second mark and beyond Eberflus’s planned timeline.
“Once it gets under 12, we can’t throw a pass to the sideline, and once it gets under seven, you have to throw the ball to the end zone,” he explained. “At that point, if you call a timeout, it is to throw it to the end zone.”
When Williams realized there would be no timeout, he quickly changed the play to a deep pass to Rome Odunze, but the throw fell incomplete just short of the end zone.
“I knew we didn’t have time for a field goal, so I made an adjustment,” Williams said. “I just wanted to get Rome one-on-one and try to take a shot at six.”
Williams didn’t criticize his coach for not calling the timeout.
“We can call a timeout there or we cannot,” he said. “I’m not going to say I was surprised. My job is just to go out there and make plays. I let the coaches and everybody make that decision — it is their call. Maybe in the later years of my career, it will be my call.”
The game’s ending spoiled a strong second half by Williams, who threw for 222 yards and three touchdowns, completing 15 out of 24 passes, while also rushing for 29 yards.
“We didn’t have any sustained possessions in the first half, so we had to get positive drives in the second,” Williams said. “That was a big point for us at halftime and we got into a rhythm and stayed encouraged.”
Williams could have helped the Bears achieve a memorable Thanksgiving comeback, but once again, they came up short.
“I think we handled it the right way,” Eberflus said. “I believe we could re-rack the play and get it done.
“It just didn’t work out.”
