The Bears had victory in their grasp and let it slip away.

It was a stunning turn, one that will dominate discourse in and around Chicago until the team plays again next week. It won’t ever be forgotten, not by this fan base, not after giving up a Hail Mary as time expired in an 18-15 loss to the Washington Commanders.

This wasn’t a moment of Washington Commanders success. Jayden Daniels’ last-ditch heave didn’t even reach the end zone. It was a defensive play poorly executed, with some assignments unfulfilled that left Noah Brown alone in the end zone.

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It’s situation the Bears rehearse over and again. It’s an ultra-low-percentage play that began while Tyrique Stevenson was taunted the Commanders home crowd. It was a bad look to be sure.

That play wasn’t the only thing that went wrong, not by a long shot. Caleb Williams’ last-minute heroics nearly covered up some alarming developments on offense especially, but the sudden change in fortune will expose all warts in a week that could be a pivot point in this campaign.

The overall effort prompted lots of irrational discourse about what should happen next as the Bears head into a Week 9 contest at Arizona, currently residing above .500 and in the NFC North’s last place.

Let’s hit the highlights in this week’s overreactions:

Bears shouldn’t have given an offensive lineman a carry with the game on the line

Overreaction? Not even a little bit

The Bears set up a third-and-goal from the 1-yard line late in Sunday’s game with a chance to pull ahead. They inserted their jumbo package with Doug Kramer Jr. at fullback and Roschon Johnson behind him.

That formation had worked time and again, with a backup offensive lineman paving the way for a tough and seasoned short-yardage ball carrier.

Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron took this moment to mix things up. He called for a handoff to Kramer, which would’ve marked the first of his career. It didn’t go well. Kramer fumbled the handoff exchange and the Commanders recovered, negating an opportunity to take a fourth quarter lead.

“We have been repping it for a couple weeks,” Kramer said. “I felt comfortable in the situation. I think Caleb did, and Shane was comfortable enough to call it. Unfortunately, I just didn’t make the play.”

He shouldn’t have been put in position to make it there. A less stressful moment could’ve garnered a touchdown for the young player.

This was not a time to mix things up. It was a time to go with what you know works. It was time to trust Johnson to do what he does best and earn tough yards.

They got down near the goal line on the next series and, sure enough, Johnson plowed into the end zone.

While the play wasn’t the deciding factor, it was mistake to call that play then. Head coach Matt Eberflus defended the call after the game, but, much like the speed option in Indy, this was not a time to get cute. It was a time to hammer it home with experienced players who have earned trust in big moments.  

The Bears should suspend Tyrique Stevenson

Overreaction? Heck, yeah.

We heard this one a bunch. Still doesn’t make it a good idea.

Tyrique Stevenson didn’t help his team at the end of this game. He wasn’t facing the play when the Hail Mary attempt was snapped. He was caught on video taunting fans as the play when on. He joined the play late and was at least part of the problem why an excellent defense failed in the biggest of moments after success at so many other pivotal moments in the game.

That’s why he apologized for a “lack of focus and awareness” late on Sunday night. His actions during that play are inexcusable. Can’t happen. Neither can the unnecessary roughness call following an explosive play to Terry McLaurin that vaulted Washington into field goal range.

We’re going to ignore, for a second, the 61-yard bomb to McLaurin with Stevenson in coverage and focus on conduct unbecoming of an NFL defender.

We know that Stevenson can run hot. He’s a passionate player and sometimes that gets him in trouble.

We also know that Stevenson is a really good player capable of excellent coverage. The suggestion by a whole lot of you that the Bears should suspend (some said cut) Stevenson is a classic overreaction. This should be a teachable moment, a coachable one, that the Bears hope will prompt a radical behavior change that keeps his over-the-top moments in check without taking away the aggressiveness with which he plays.

No way should the Bears release Stevenson or sit him. If we’re being honest, he ranks pretty high on the talent/tolerance scale. He’s their best option opposite Jaylon Johnson, a position he should keep moving forward while continuing to work on his restraint in emotional moments.

Caleb Williams took major steps back vs. Washington

Overreaction? Yes

The term “major steps” was the red flag there. It’s fair to say quarterback Caleb Williams struggled for most of this game before flipping a switch at the end.

He was surprisingly inaccurate through three quarters. He seemed out of sync with his receivers. And there were times where it seemed like his missed identifying the open man while working through his progressions.

He was 4-for-13 for 36 yards through three quarters, with several off-target throws. That’s nothing like how Williams had played recently, but it’s hard to say he took steps back in his development. While there will be technical issues to work out, I’m willing to consider it a bad day (overall) at the office. And, when it mattered most, Williams cranked it up with some beautiful throws to help give Chicago the lead late.

Williams said believes he handled all the trappings of a homecoming game well, those experiences can enhance an already stressful experience. Maybe that was a factor, maybe not. Relentless quarterback pressure certainly was, especially after left tackle Braxton Jones was ruled out with a knee injury.

Williams was accountable for offensive issues, knowing he didn’t have his best day.

“That’s just us shooting ourselves in the foot, and that comes from the details and focus in the game, throughout the week,” he said. “That comes from myself. I was included in that, for sure. Definitely missed a few passes that I don’t miss typically and so it’s tough.

“But it’s very encouraging because we stayed in it. We got some momentum (late)…but we definitely have to be better in that first half and first quarter.”

The Bears are in trouble in the NFC North

Overreaction? Yes. For now.

It’s still too early to say the Bears aren’t in contention for a playoff spot or to earn a high ranking in the NFC North. They haven’t played a division game yet. While its troubling to give a game away when stacking wins is vital heading into a brutal stretch that starts in Week 10, the Bears are still above .500. They are in fourth place within the division and need to beat the Cardinals next week and the Patriots after that to prepare for inevitable bumps and bruises incurred during that eight week run against quality competition.

The Bears have done a good job responding to adversity. There’s reason to believe they’ll do so again after a tough loss. Confidence should remain high, especially after building that comeback in Washington.

There are concerns, however, with pre-snap and post-snap penalties. While the defense was great in the red zone – Washington didn’t score a single touchdown in that area – it gave up 481 yards of total offense. The offense wasn’t good on third down and must be better to sustain drives. And the fast start thing needs to get fixed.

There’s plenty to work on moving forward. If Chicago can make some corrections, there’s talent available here to compete with most everyone.