A 7-3 record says a lot: What we learned from the Chicago Bears' win over the Minnesota Vikings

This is just a weekly occurrence at this point.

Stop us if you’ve heard this before: the Chicago Bears found themselves with their backs against the wall and found a way to win.

Sunday was the latest chapter, as the Bears beat the Vikings 19-17. It was a get-back game that earned the Bears standing in the NFC North and proved they were a better team than they were in Week 1.

"We felt like we didn’t make enough plays in the first game to earn the win," Bears head coach Ben Johnson said. "This one we did."

Here are our takeaways as the Bears walked off the Minnesota Vikings with a Cairo Santos field goal in the final seconds to earn their first NFC North win of the season.

Just when you’re out on Cairo Santos, he reels you back in

Santos had a perfect game going into the fourth quarter.

He was set up with a 45-yard field goal, and missed it wide left with 8:08 to play. The Vikings eventually rallied to take a 17-16 lead.

Making that field goal would have most likely meant the Bears would have gone for it later in the fourth quarter with a touchdown lead and just 3:21 left to play instead of punting.

Ever the professional, Santos didn’t waver.

"You prepare for these things," Santos said after the game. "I was already rehearsing that kick in my head."

Santos settled in, nailed a 48-yarder to win and earned a game ball.

After Santos missed a few weeks with a lower-body injury, Jake Moody took his place and hit a game-winner against the Commanders. Santos’ return vs. the Ravens was less than inspired, and it was fair to wonder if Moody was just the better option with a bigger leg.

Santos keeps quelling those thoughts with big kicks. He did it again on Sunday, winning another divisional game in the process. Part of it is because of how his coach trusts him in those moments.

"One of these phases is going to come through for us," Bears head coach Ben Johnson said. On Sunday, that was special teams.

Luther Burden is earning more reps

Last week, Olamide Zaccheaus dropped more passes than he caught. This included a touchdown pass that was right in his hands.

Rookie Luther Burden, on the other hand, caught every target thrown his way.

On Sunday, that was evident. While this was more of a game where the tight ends factored into the game play, Burde had three receptions on five targets. Zaccheaus did not get a target.

Burden’s trust in the coaching staff has grown every week. Last month, Bears wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El said Burden was doing all the right things as a rookie, and he just had to do them consistently.

"He has grown in terms of understanding the playbook, being where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there," Randle El said on Oct. 23. "When he does have a ball in his hand, like he lights up and makes plays and that's what you like to see. When you got those things going for you, let's try to get you a ball."

In the last few games, Burden was taking advantage of those reps when he got them

It now seems like he’ll get more chances.

Caleb Williams is so, so close

Both Caleb Williams and JJ McCarthy completed 16 of their 32 passes. Williams threw for 193 yards, but didn’t toss a touchdown. McCarthy threw for 150 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

The difference is there in the numbers: Williams didn’t turn the ball over.

That’s a reason why the Bears won on Sunday. He hasn’t thrown an interception since the loss to the Ravens. Still, his overall tape is an interesting study.

"Hard to say, I gotta look at the tape," Johnson said about Williams’ game. 

But, Sunday might have left Bears fans wanting more. The Bears had a few shots deep that were open. Williams has to hit those passes.

He missed Rome Odunze and DJ Moore deep in the first quarter. Hitting those shots might have changed the complexion of the game, but they were just out of reach both times.

Oh, Williams also set the Bears’ franchise single-season record for most fourth-quarter comebacks by a quarterback. 

He's also tied the NFL record for most fourth-quarter comebacks by any quarterback in their first two seasons in league history with seven. That’s in the same category as Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Josh Freeman, Jake Plummer, Jay Schroeder and Bo Nix.

It’s not like he’s going to start winning. Once Williams connects on these bigger plays, the Bears will start winning comfortably.

‘You are what your record says’ and 7-3 says a lot

That’s the simplest way to look at this. That’s not an incorrect view of it all, either.

You can look at the body of work and count the teams with losing records. However, in the NFL, the winning team rarely cares how. They just care that they won.

Just ask the veterans on this Bears team who have lost more than they’ve won since coming to Chicago.

Winning by one point or 11 doesn’t matter much. Winning is now the norm for the Bears under Johnson.

"I can’t even celebrate. This is becoming normal," Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson said. "We could win by .5. I’m happy."

Johnson has changed the culture one step at a time. First, it was winning games the Bears hadn’t historically won. Now, he’s winning NFC North games. The Bears had just one NFC North win in 2024, two in 2023 and zero in 2022.

Long-time NFL head coach Bill Parcells would say it best: "You are what your record says you are." In years prior, that was a losing team.

Right now, the Bears are 7-3. That says they're two wins away from finishing with a winning record for the first time since 2018 and now have a real path to the playoffs in Johnson's first year.

"7-3 is nothing to scoff at. As ugly as it can be at times," Johnson said. "We’re capable of finding a way."

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