Geno Smith’s stat line — 17-for-23 for 160 yards — looked better than the Seahawks’ overall offensive production on Thursday night in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Caleb Williams and Geno Smith are in much different phases of their careers. The crossroads they and their teams will face this offseason reflect that too.
But anyone watching Thursday night’s game knows that neither team can be pleased with what they saw from their quarterback. The Seattle Seahawks beat the Chicago Bears 6-3 in an ugly, miserable game between two flawed teams. Each quarterback had a tough time and it left everyone to wonder what the future holds for them both. Only one of those teams has to decide if their quarterback will return, however.
There hadn’t been any points in the second half when the Bears finally put together a drive in the final minutes, trailing by three points. Williams made a couple of big-time plays to keep the drive alive, the first time Williams had produced much at all. But the drive stalled and with 20 seconds left the Bears passed on a 57-yard field-goal attempt to go for it on fourth-and-10. Williams threw an interception on a desperate pass, the appropriate ending to a horrendous night for both offenses.
For Smith, there will be more discussion over whether he’s the right player for the Seahawks (9-7), especially as he’s about to turn 35 next season, or if there’s a better option available. Thursday night’s performance won’t quiet his critics.
The Williams conversation will be more complicated. He was the No. 1 pick of this year’s NFL Draft; he’s in no danger of being replaced. But the Bears (4-12) have to figure out how to land a new coaching staff that will get more out of him than we saw his rookie season, and then get an idea of how much the team failed Williams this season, or how much Williams failed the team.
The offseason will be full of teams asking themselves serious questions about their current situation at quarterback and what they can do to fix it. The Bears and Seahawks have probably already started discussing it. If they haven’t, they should after what everyone watched Thursday.
Live66 updates
Had that last throw not been intercepted, Caleb Williams would have become just the third QB in NFL history with 10 consecutive games with at least 20 pass attempts and no interceptions (Tom Brady in 2010 and Derek Carr in 2018).
The Bears have lost their 10th straight game, while the Seahawks keep their playoff hopes alive by moving to 9-7. They will still need some help this weekend and next.
The Seahawks win the lowest-scoring game of the season by having an offense that at least resembled functionality at one point.
Geno Smith: 17-of-23 for 160 yards, three sacks
Caleb Williams: 16-of-28 for 122 yards, one interception, seven sacks
INTERCEPTION: Seahawks seal the game on a Caleb Williams arm punt
Caleb Williams throws it up high after getting hit with more immediate pressure, but it’s a Seahawk who comes down with it this time. Riq Woolen gets the pick and that will do it for this game.
That also breaks Williams’ interception streak, which was maybe last good thing to say aboutf a rookie season that has not gone according to plan.
Caleb Williams throws to no one on third down and it’s suddenly 4th-and-10 with 20 seconds left after a Seattle timeout. The Bears could be going for a 58-yard field goal to tie it, but it looks like they’re sending the offense back out.
The Bears have used two timeouts inside 2:14 while trailing, and neither of those were used to stop the clock.
What on earth? The Bears burn their final timeout after some confusion at the line of scrimmage, with 31 seconds left. Williams has saved them a couple times, but this drive has been a time management disaster for the Bears.
Once again, Caleb Williams pulls something out of his helmet. Again scrambling, he throws across his body and finds Rome Odunze for a first down on 3rd-and-14. We are now down to 40 seconds left.
The next play: Caleb Williams gets sacked for the seventh time tonight. We’ve thankfully reached the two-minute warning.
Wow, it was an adventure to get there, but Caleb Williams makes a great throw under pressure to D.J. Moore to get a massive first down. That was probably his best play of the game.
Wait, now the Bears burn their second timeout of the half to actually go for it on 4th-and-5.
And Bears right guard Jake Curhan gets called for a false start, making it 4th-and-5. So the Bears are punting with 2:14 remaining. What a trainwreck.
Caleb Williams gets stopped just short of a first down on a third-down scramble and the Bears appear to be going for it on 4th-and-inches. They call a timeout first, with 2:14 remaining. This is starting to look like their last real opportunity of the game.
In case you’re wondering, a 6-3 score would tie the fewest combined points in a game in Seahawks history. Seattle lost 6-3 at Cleveland in 2011.
The Seahawks got a nice play by DK Metcalf, but the drive still results in a punt. Bears ball, at their own 11, with 5:12 remaining.
CB Josh Jobe questionable to return because of a knee injury, #Seahawks say. That’s why S Rayshawn Jenkins was on the field that drive in nickel, to get the 3rd-down sack.
The blitz gets to Caleb Williams for the Seahawks’ sixth sack of the night, adding to his NFL-leading total of 66. The Bears punt on 4th-and-16 and we have only 8:16 left in this contest.
Josh Jobe indeed being treated for an injury of some sort in the blue tent. No announcement yet in press box. Appears to be left knee/ankle area.
The important part right now is making sure this game doesn’t go to overtime.
The Seahawks respond with a three-and-out in the battle of stoppable forces. The Bears will again have decent field position after a punt return by Josh Blackwell.
Fourth down, Chicago. There are more boos and another punt. The Bears have 121 total yards and are averaging 3.1 yards per play (Seahawks: 5.4.
Sometimes defensive struggles are fun to watch, with every yard feeling like it has to be earned. This more feels like watching a play where all the actors are trying to talk to each other with headphones in.
The third quarter is over and the Bears on the verge of wasting their opportunity from the fumble after a sack gives them 2nd-and-24. Just an absolutely miserable viewing experience.
Uchenna Nwosu with his first sack in what has been a very trying season. Good for him.
FUMBLE: Bears have scoop-and-score TD wiped out, but turnover stands
Well that was weird. The Bears recovered an apparent fumble by Tre Brown and take it all the way for a touchdown, but it was clear many players thought the play was done. Replay confirms it was a fumble forced by and recovered by Kyler Gordon, but he’s ruled down.
It’s still a turnover, but the Bears offense now has to get something out of it from their own 38-yard line.
Seahawks are marching past midfield.
Devon Witherspoon has four tackles today: A 0-yard sack and three tackles for loss.
Jarran Reed with the sack of Caleb Williams–and then the Michael Bennett hip-thrust sack dance.
4 1/2 sacks this season for Reed, 7 1/2 since they signed him back before last season. #Seahawks would do well to give him another contract after this season, into his early 30s
The Bears got a first down this time on a 16-yard Caleb Williams scramble, but that’s about as far as they get. They’ve punted on 5-of-6 drives tonight.
That’s Bears DE Darrell Taylor’s first sack since Week 1.
For the first time since Nov. 24, the Bears have at least 3 sacks in a game.
Geno Smith is strip-sacked by former Seahawks pass-rusher Darrell Taylor, but the Seahawks avoid disaster with a recovery by Olu Oluwatimi. The Seahawks still have to punt on 4th-and-10.
Geno Smith makes things happen on 3rd-and-five, scrambling and sliding for a 16-yard run despite a bad knee. By this game’s standards, it’s a top highlight.
This game has been DISGUSTING for fantasy so far 🤮
Geno Smith: 4.28 fantasy points Caleb Williams: 3.28 fantasy points DK Metcalf: 2.9 fantasy points Keenan Allen: 2.1 fantasy points Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 1.2 fantasy points
The boos are out for the Bears after getting stuffed up the middle on 3rd and 2 for a three-and-out to open the second half. Tory Taylor has punted on four of the Bears’ first five drives.
That was generously credited as Devon Witherspoon’s first sack of the season, chasing Bears QB Caleb Williams OB for no gain on the scramble
Seattle’s drive stalls out at the Bears’ 32-yard line after Geno Smith throws incomplete on 3rd-and-5.
Jason Myers comes out to kick a 50-yard field goal and a 6–3 Seahawks lead with 21 seconds remaining before the half.
Seahawks driving before halftime
Noah Fant is doing his best to get the Seahawks another score before halftime. He’s caught two passes for 25 yards.
DK Metcalf follows up with a 14-yard reception and Seattle is at the Bears’ 33-yard line with one minute remaining in the first half.
Field goal: Bears 3, Seahawks 3
The Bears looked like they had a touchdown with Caleb Williams hitting Rome Odunze on an out route in the end zone. But Jake Curhan is called for holding, wiping out the score.
On 3rd-and-20 from the Seattle 27, Williams completes a three-yard pass to D’Andre Swift and the Bears have to settle for a field goal.
Cairo Santos kicks a 42-yarder to tie the game at 3–3.
Caleb Williams recovers nicely
Caleb Williams makes chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what, picking up his fumble then hitting Keenan Allen for a 16-yard gain.
Another screen gets a big gain for Chicago
Screen passes are working well for the Bears. DJ Moore gets 18 yards on a catch and run from the 50-yard line.
Bears get some offense going
The Bears set up a screen well, resulting in a 24-yard gain for D’Andre Swift. That gets Chicago away from its own end zone.
Seahawks stall
And… Seattle is no longer on the move. Geno Smith is sacked by Byron Cowart on 2nd-and-8, then Jaxon Smith-Njigba is called for lining up offsides. That penalty is declined, so the Seahawks have to punt.
The Bears take over at their 9-yard line after a 32-yard Michael Dickson punt.
Seattle on the move
Zach Charbonnet gains 15 yards on two carries, followed by a 15-yard pass to Tyler Lockett and the Seahawks may have a drive cooking.
EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel
