Bears Report Card: How we graded Chicago in Week 16 loss to Lions

The Chicago Bears lost to the Detroit Lions in Week 16, marking their ninth loss in a row. After starting 4-2, it's turned into one of the most disappointing seasons in the history of the franchise.

This loss to the Lions was by a score of 34-17, which suggests that they were never really in it because they weren't. However, of all three bad losses under interim head coach Thomas Brown, this one was the only one where there were some bright spots amid another ugly defeat.

When grading every unit on the football team, there wasn't anything to love but there were improvements. This is how we graded the offense, defense, special teams, and coaching in Chicago's Week 16 loss to Detroit.

Offense: B-

The offense only scored 17 points, which is not enough to win in the NFL on most nights. However, Caleb Williams is taking steps as a quarterback. Williams is having one of the best seasons that a Bears quarterback has ever had, which is remarkable because most people talk down on him. Being a rookie and performing like this on a bad team tells you about his projections as a quarterback in the long term. If the Bears don't mess up the next coaching hire, they should be able to help Williams become a legit superstar. With guys like Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, and Cole Kmet in the mix, as far as weapons, he should be able to get even more out of himself going forward. A good offensive coach would make a huge difference, as well.

In this game against the Lions, Williams looked confident and he didn't throw interceptions which has become a high-end skill set of his in year one. He also continued to show that he is a pass-first quarterback who can use his legs if needed. Over the final two weeks of the season, folks should be happy if the Bears can replicate what they did in this game. Williams still has a chance to break the single-season passing record for the franchise, which would be something to be proud of as well. Having something to be happy with from this game is better than nothing. There is a long way to go and we saw some mistakes that show why in this game. Getting a B- seems fair for a team that looked good at times but wasn't able to even crack 20 points.

Defense: D

The Bears' defense was not good once again against Jared Goff's offense. This is a defensive unit that was on fire at to end of last season and to begin this season. Ever since the failed Hail Mary defensive attempt against the Washington Commanders, however, they've been one of the weaker groups in the league. We went from thinking they were top-10 to thinking they may not even be top-25. There are a lot of factors that led to this type of downfall where they can't even keep their opponents from scoring 34 points, which is a lot. There have been injuries, bad coaching decisions, and a lack of a consistent pass rush all season long. These are all things that can be addressed over the summer. Adding a smart coach that will put the right defensive coordinator in place along with adding more talent/depth will go a long way. The D-grade in this game is more than fair. They weren't good enough and it forced the offense to have even more pressure on them, which isn't helping the situation.

Special Teams: C

It will be hard for the special teams unit to get anything other than a C at this point of the season. We know that neither the offense nor defense will put them in a position to be difference-makers in that area of the game. In Week 1, special teams played a role against the Tennessee Titans because they were in a position to do so and they came through. Since then, that hasn't been the case much. It is fair to be okay with them as long as they aren't losing the team games. In 2025, it would be nice to not have any blocked game winners. Punter Tory Taylor is also going to get better as he develops, but it would be nice for him not to be out there as much. If the team is competent in other areas, this group will have a chance to thrive.

Coaching: D

The Bears lost their ninth straight game and third under interim head coach Thomas Brown. Honestly, the Bears were much closer in games with Matt Eberflus as head coach. That isn't to say that he shouldn't have been fired but facts are facts. They were blown out in all three of Brown's games. It isn't all on him, but they need help in this department. They need a coach who will come in and accept Williams for who he is, work in sync with Ryan Poles, hire good coordinators, improve the culture, and be a great leader of a clubhouse. That lack of discipline has shown lately and that is why they get a D for their coaching performance in this game. You don't get a better grade than that when you had no chance to win from the minute the football was kicked off.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears Report Card: How we graded Chicago in Week 16 loss to Lions