DETROIT — The Chicago Bears could have celebrated a huge comeback and an upset win on Thursday.
Instead, poor clock management on their final drive ended their bid and extended their losing streak to six games after a 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions.
The Bears drove into position for a tying field goal or winning touchdown, only to have a sack and questionable clock management end the game before they got a chance at either one.
The confusion started after Caleb Williams hit Keenan Allen for a 12-yard completion to the Lions 13 in the final minute.
That would have given the Bears plenty of time to try for the win before attempting the field goal, but guard Tevin Jenkins was called for illegal hands to the face, moving the ball back to the 35.
On second down, the Bears called a draw play for Williams, hoping he could get the first down and set up the field goal. However, backup tackle Larry Borom didn’t move as Za’Darius Smith came in unblocked 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 get the play off, Bears coach Matt Eberflus didn’t call Chicago’s last timeout. He said he was conserving it to set up a field-goal attempt.
“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,” he said.
The clock, though, ran beyond 18 seconds and beyond Eberflus’ other benchmarks.
“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 said. “At that point, if you call a timeout, it is to throw it to the end zone.”
When Williams realized no timeout was coming, he hurriedly changed the play call to a deep pass to Rome Odunze, but it fell incomplete just short of the end zone.
“I knew we didn’t have time for a field goal, so I made an adjustment,” he said. “I just wanted to get Rome one-on-one and try to take a shot at six.”
Williams didn’t second-guess his coach.
“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 finish ruined a spectacular second half by Williams, who went 15 for 24 for 222 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 29 yards.
“We didn’t have any sustained possessions in the first half, so we had to get positive drives in the second,” he 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 to a memorable comeback win on Thanksgiving, but the Bears once again fell 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.”
