Bears-Browns takeaways: Caleb Williams, Chicago thump Cleveland to stay in NFC North title race
By Dan Wiederer, Zac Jackson, Kevin Fishbain, Jon Greenberg and Devon Henderson
The Chicago Bears dominated the Cleveland Browns 31-3 on a frigid Sunday at Soldier Field to improve to 10-4. The temperature at kickoff was eight degrees with a minus-2 wind chill.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver DJ Moore, and running back D’Andre Swift ran for a pair of scores as Chicago moved closer to clinching a playoff spot for the first time in five years.
Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders managed only 177 passing yards (with much of that yardage on a garbage-time drive at the end of the game) with no touchdowns and three interceptions. The Browns fell to 3-11.
Williams’ late first-quarter touchdown throw to Moore also marked his 1,000th career passing attempt. He has only thrown 12 interceptions in that span, which is the lowest in NFL history at that pass rate.
Bears coach Ben Johnson became the third head coach in franchise history to win 10 games in his first season at the helm.
Bears take care of business
This was a classic take-care-of-business game for the Bears, a survive-and-advance opportunity that Johnson’s team handled well in a wire-to-wire victory over a feeble Browns team that showed little competitive zeal. The Bears never trailed, led by double digits for the final 46 minutes and leaned into their biggest strengths to spark the blowout. An opportunistic defense added three more takeaways to its pile with interceptions in the second half by linebacker D’Marco Jackson and cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The defense now has an NFL-best 30 takeaways this season.
Running back D’Andre Swift tacked 95 rushing yards onto his solid season, contributing touchdown runs of 6 and 17 yards. The Bears outrushed the Browns 142-50, showcasing the physicality that has given them the best rushing attack in the NFC.
And, oh, Williams and Moore hooked up for a pair of touchdowns, including a dagger 22-yarder late in the third quarter that came one play after Jackson intercepted Sanders. Ben Johnson and his coaches will find plenty within this performance to clean up. Yet, the convincing nature of the Bears’ 10th victory is encouraging, setting up a home showdown with the Green Bay Packers next weekend with first place in the NFC North on the line. — Dan Wiederer, Bears beat writer
Sanders’ struggles
Unsurprisingly, Sanders struggled Sunday. The rookie was coming off a 364-yard, three-touchdown performance last week at home versus Tennessee, but in this one, Sanders was under near-constant pressure. The Browns’ makeshift offensive line didn’t get much push, and the Browns didn’t have many chances in a first half that saw them run 18 plays and get just one first down.
Sanders threw two interceptions in the third quarter, one on a bad read and one on a perfectly placed pass that bounced off of wide receiver Jerry Jeudy’s chest. What should have been a touchdown instead became a touchback, and that third-quarter sequence kind of summed up not just the day but the season for the Browns’ offense.
After Sanders and Isaiah Bond connected late in the third quarter for the second time on a deep pass down the middle, those two completions had accounted for 89 of Cleveland’s 121 yards at the time and two of the three first downs. Nothing came easy, and the Browns really never found any traction. Sanders gained experience in a difficult environment, but a three-interception day in his fourth start can’t be viewed as tangible progress toward his goal of winning the starting job for 2026. Big games — and different challenges — lie ahead. — Zac Jackson, Browns beat writer
Chicago’s defense delivers
The Bears weren’t playing a high-octane offense, but the way their defense has played this season, the Browns could’ve found some opportunities for splash plays. In a battle between the 31st-ranked offense in yards per play and the 30th-ranked defense in yards per play allowed, it was the home “D” playing for a possible playoff bid that not only won the matchup but dominated.
Linebacker D’Marco Jackson, brought in for special teams but thrust into action because of injuries in the linebackers room, notched his first sack and interception since college in 2021. Austin Booker and Gervon Dexter each had a sack. Jaylon Johnson ripped the ball away from Jeudy in the end zone, turning a potential touchdown into an interception.
It’s exactly what the Bears wanted to see from their defense — take advantage of an inferior opponent and use the home crowd and weather as fuel. The challenge ramps up next week when the Packers come to town, but the Bears defense did its job to leave no doubt in flummoxing Sanders and holding running back Quinshon Judkins to less than 2.0 yards per carry. – Kevin Fishbain, Bears beat writer
Special teams’ performance sinks Cleveland
The Browns had two offensive penalties before they took their second offensive snap. Their long-struggling special teams unit gave up a 52-yard kickoff return to start the game. By the end of the first quarter, the Bears had a 14-0 lead, and the Browns started the second quarter facing third-and-16. They did not convert and finished the quarter without having recorded a first down.
Add in a gutless punt on fourth and less than a full yard, and it was a nightmarish first quarter for the Browns, who are nearing the end of another nightmare season. Any blueprint to pulling an upset probably included a strong start and multiple forced turnovers, but instead, the Browns got down two scores early and ended up giving the ball away twice in the third quarter as the Bears pulled away. — Jackson
Garrett’s record chase continues
Myles Garrett’s chase of NFL history continued Sunday, and now he is one short of tying the single-season sack record. Garrett had 1.5 sacks Sunday, boosting his season total to 21.5. Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt share the record of 22.5, and Garrett has positioned himself to do what he has long said he would do, and completely rewrite it.
Garrett now has 124 sacks in 131 career games and has three games to break the current record. The next two are at home, so he’ll likely do it there. After another multi-sack game Sunday, Garrett has recorded at least one sack in seven straight games and has posted more than one sack four times since Week 8. — Jackson
