CHICAGO — The Seattle Seahawks kept their playoff hopes alive on Thursday night, overcoming their own offensive struggles to defeat the Chicago Bears 6-3 at Soldier Field. With just three field goals separating the teams, the game epitomized a defensive battle characterized by heavyweight hits and relentless pressure, featuring 13 punts and only one touchdown between both squads.
The weather played its part as rain poured down throughout the game, creating slick conditions for both offenses. The Seahawks entered the contest needing to win to keep their postseason aspirations alive, and they did just enough to meet their goal. "The 6-3 result wasn’t over until Riq Woolen intercepted Caleb Williams' desperation heave," noted Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports.
The only scoring came from field goals — Jason Myers kicked three, providing the necessary points for Seattle. His successful attempts were 27 and 50 yards, illustrating the Seahawks' reliance on special teams as their offense floundered. Conversely, the Bears managed just one field goal by Cairo Santos but struggled greatly to generate any significant offense.
Geno Smith, the Seahawks' starting quarterback, completed 17 of 23 passes for 160 yards but failed to find the end zone. While he was efficient with the ball and didn’t throw any interceptions — which had been problematic earlier this season — his performance frustrated fans. Smith averaged just 5.5 yards per attempt and at times appeared stuck, unable to find big plays or engage his receivers meaningfully. "Geno’s future is murky as ever," said Cody Benjamin, reflecting on Smith's limitations throughout the game.
On the other side of the equation, Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams continued to battle through his own challenges. Completing 16 of 28 passes for 122 yards, Williams had his first interception since October 13 when he was picked off by Woolen. Despite the difficult outing, analysts like Cody Benjamin emphasized, "Caleb Williams still has 'it' underneath," highlighting his show of resilience amid turbulent circumstances.
Williams faced considerable pressure from the Seahawks' defensive line, which racked up seven sacks, bringing the rookie's season total to 67 — the second-most by any quarterback rookie, trailing only David Carr’s 76 from 2002. With this kind of relentless torment, Williams found it tough to connect with D.J. Moore, who caught six passes for 54 yards but couldn’t make the game-changing play.
The game was marked by moments of inconsistency and poor execution on both sides. For the Seahawks, indiscipline was evident as they accrued procedural penalties, with star receiver DK Metcalf drawing attention for a personal foul. It was hardly the crisp, well-oiled performance one might expect from a playoff-contending team. Further compounding the Seahawks' struggles, their run game was lackluster, managing only 122 yards on 25 carries, with Zach Charbonnet stepping up for the injured Kenneth Walker III but not finding much room to operate.
Despite the bleak offensive stats, the Seahawks' defense stood tall. Analysts pointed out how defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald's unit has been instrumental this season, confirming they were the real stars of the night. Brady Henderson of ESPN noted, "It shouldn’t have been close against a four-win Bears team," something the Seahawks can hardly feel proud about.
While the Seahawks improved their record to 9-7, the victory didn’t come without its glaring concerns. Their fledgling playoff hopes hinge on the results of upcoming games, particularly next week's showdown with the Los Angeles Rams, who they devastatingly lost to earlier this season. To maintain any hopes of avoiding elimination from wild-card contention, the Seahawks will need to perform far more efficiently.
For the Bears, this game was yet another sad chapter, bringing their misery to ten straight losses against the Seahawks. With their record now sitting at 4-12, head coach Thomas Brown's strategy has faced criticism for failing to capitalize on key moments. The final stretch of the season offers little reprieve as they prepare for fierce rivals Green Bay next week, where the chance to break the losing streak might be icing on the cake of what has been, overall, another disheartening campaign for Chicago.
And as criticism grows louder and with several looming personnel decisions at hand, Bears fans remain eagerly waiting for the upcoming offseason. It’s perceived as the only real chance for the franchise to recharge and redirect after enduring what many have categorized as one of the worst football seasons imaginable. "A crazy play by Caleb and D.J. Moore converted the fourth down miraculously to keep the drive going, but seriously, the management decisions have increasingly come under scrutiny," lamented Dhruv Koul.
Overall, the night was one to forget for both teams' offenses, but the Seahawks emerged the winners, defying the odds and keeping their playoff dream flickering just enough to push them through to the season finale.
