Chicago Bears eliminated from playoff contention by a team that broke their hearts earlier in 2024

Sunday gave the Chicago Bears a full-circle moment, although for all the wrong reasons.

The Bears were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday.

The deciding point: the Washington Commanders' one-point win over the New Orleans Saints.

Bears fans don't need a reminder, but the Commanders handed the Bears the first loss in Chicago's current seven-game losing streak on a stunning Hail Mary toss from Jayden Daniels to Noah Brown.

Since then, four of the Bears' last seven losses, including the Hail Mary stunner, have been one-score games. Had those results been flipped, the Bears would be 8-5 and be fighting with the Commanders and Green Bay Packers for the final Wild Card spot in the NFC.

Not this season.

The Bears will have a chance to snap that losing streak against the Minnesota Vikings in a primetime setting on Monday Night Football.

It's the first Monday Night Football game of Caleb Williams' career, where he'll have another chance to show off his ability to shine when the lights are brightest and give Bears' fans hope that 2025 will be different.

"There's belief, hope, and faith that we're going to get this right," Bears quarterback Caleb Williams said on Thursday. "However, it may happen. That's how it's going to happen. That's kind of where I'm at with it. They drafted me here to go win games, if we're down find a way to come back if we're up, find a way to stay up and win games."