In The St. Nick of Time
In The St. Nick of Time
Down The Chimney and Into The White
December 26, 2021
St. Nick
Bears 25, Seahawks, 24
Be honest. Did you even remember Nick Foles still plays for the Bears?
Practically speaking, he didn’t. Until today.
Thrust into the starting quarterback role because of injuries to Justin Fields and Andy Dalton, Foles, the former Super Bowl MVP for the Philadelphia Eagles, climbed off the bench, dusted off the cobwebs, and delivered Chicago a Christmas gem, leading the Bears to a 25-24 victory over the Seahawks in snowy Seattle.
This game was aesthetically gorgeous, with a field covered in snow, and flakes swirling about for much of the afternoon. If you pretend for a minute that climate change is not real, then the fact that it was far colder and snowier in Seattle than in Chicago was pure delight.
At least while watching it on TV.
After trailing all afternoon and, for the most part, looking very much like their Chicago Bear selves, Foles lofted a touchdown pass to tight end Jimmy Graham in the final moments to move the Bears to within 24-23. Then, and let’s give Bears coach Matt Nagy the credit his doomed self deserves, the Bears went for two and Foles fired a pass to the back of the snowy end zone and wide receiver Damiere Byrd made one of the greatest catches you’ll ever see, fighting off three defenders, making the grab with one hand and somehow managing to get his feet down in the end zone.
Bears 25, The Other Bad Football Team 24.
The Bears won because the Seahawks suck only slightly more than they do. But getting a late Christmas gift just because someone dropped it does not mean it’s not nice to have.
The Bears won for the first time since Thanksgiving, (maybe it’s a holiday thing,) and are now 5-10 and Nagy will probably be fired this week and General Manager Ryan Pace should suffer the same fate very soon in the New Year.
Changes are ahead. Desperation and despair are never far off. But at least the Monsters of the Merry tied a nice little bow atop a wonderful Christmas weekend.
God Bless Bears and unbelievable catches everywhere. --TK
Sunday, December 26, 2021