Caleb Williams Broke Not One, Not Two, But Three Curses In Win Over Green Bay
When you’re losing for a long time, the concept of curses becomes more and more prevalent in the psyche of fans. They can’t help but wonder if the football gods were angry with their favorite team. That has truly been the case for the Chicago Bears for the better part of the past 30 years. Often in these cases, you need somebody special with the talent and resolve to overcome such ingrained obstacles. Caleb Williams stood ready to face them all down on Saturday night at Soldier Field.
Nobody realized it until later, but the Bears quarterback didn’t have to overcome one curse, but three. Each of them carried all sorts of dread in their own right.
Caleb Williams overcame multiple curses in three hours of football.
#1 – All navy uniforms
The Bears had worn the all-navy blue uniforms a total of six times, dating back to their debut in 2002. It was against Green Bay, who crushed them 34-21. Since then, they lost six consecutive games in that color scheme, three of them to the Packers. So you can imagine how baffling it was that the Bears decided to bring those uniforms back for the playoff opener, against the Packers, no less. In hindsight, it was rather fitting that Williams took them down wearing those colors. Seeming jinx aside, it is a great look.
#2 – The Packers monkey
Since 1992, when Brett Favre arrived in Green Bay, the Packers have gone 52-18 against the Bears. This includes a 6-0 record in meaningful games. These are games either in the playoffs or determined the playoff fates of both teams. Every time the stakes were high, the Packers prevailed. Caleb Williams not only retook control of the division with that epic overtime win last month, but he put the exclamation point on it with his playoff debut, making the Bears 2-0 in such games since his arrival.
#3 – 4th and 8
Sports are often about symmetry. Many Bears fans likely know the phrase 4th and 8 well. It haunts their nightmares. That came on December 29th, 2013. Chicago and Green Bay were battling for the division title in the season finale. The Bears had a 28-27 lead with 38 seconds left. The Packers faced 4th and 8 from Chicago’s 48-yard line. Aaron Rodgers evaded pressure, scrambled to his left, and hit a streaking Randall Cobb down the field for a backbreaking touchdown.
Fast forward 12 years. It’s the same situation. Chicago trailed 27-16. They needed a touchdown. It was 4th and 8 at their own 43. Failing to convert likely ends all hopes of a comeback. Williams evades pressure, scrambled to his left, and lofts an absolute dot over Green Bay defenders to Rome Odunze for a gigantic 1st down. Like that play in 2013, it was a backbreaker. The Bears scored to make it 27-24, got the ball back on a defensive stop, and scored again to go ahead for good, 31-27.
It’s amazing how things come full circle.