Seahawks vs. Bears score, takeaways: Seattle keeps playoff hopes alive with low-scoring 'TNF' win in Chicago

The Seattle Seahawks kept their playoff hopes alive on the day after Christmas, as they defeated Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears 6-3 on "Thursday Night Football." This was a game that featured three field goals and 13 punts. It was a defensive battle that took place in the rain, but Seattle emerged victorious after a final fourth-quarter stand.

The Bears did have a chance to lead a game-tying or game-winning drive late in the final stanza. Williams hit D.J. Moore on an impressive pass on fourth-and-5 from his own 35-yard line, but got as far as the Seahawks' 40-yard line before his final throw ended up in the arms of the wrong team -- Williams' first interception since Oct. 13.

Williams completed 16 of 28 passes for 122 yards and the one interception, while Moore caught six passes for 54 yards. Geno Smith completed 17 of 23 passes for 160 yards, and Zach Charbonnet rushed 15 times for 57 yards in the place of the injured Kenneth Walker III. 

Here are some of Cody Benjamin's takeaways from Thursday's defensive affair:

Play of the game

Caleb Williams didn't get the "W," and he didn't get a ton of help from his staff and blockers, either, but he did make magic out of nothing late in the game, avoiding heavy pressure to zip this perfect fourth-down throw and keep Chicago in contention for a last-minute comeback:

Caleb Williams still has 'it' underneath

It actually says something about the Seahawks' mediocrity that on a night Seattle snapped a two-game slide to keep slimming playoff hopes alive, the Bears quarterback was maybe the most impressive player on the field, even as his own team scored a mere three points. No, the rookie wasn't spotless. He hardly hit anything beyond the line until late. But in between another seven sacks, putting him just 10 away from the undesirable single-season record of 76, Williams kept fighting, kept eluding rushers, and kept his eyes downfield for some pinpoint darts in crunch time. He still has some play-extending hunger to rein in, but it's clear that if he ever gets a reliable pairing of coaching and up-front protection, he's got the moxie, mobility and snappy arm talent to make the Bears more special than, say, a potential Week 17 spoiler.

The Seahawks are stuck in mud

This isn't a completely fair statement, as the defense is a bright spot under first-year coach Mike Macdonald. The Bears front isn't much to write home about, of course, but Leonard Williams and Ernest Jones IV have feasted with physicality under Macdonald's watch, especially against similar or lesser foes. And yet, all that said, this win hardly moves the needle for the team on the whole. It delays elimination from the wild-card race, but the fact it took all 60 minutes to scrape by an ailing, rebuilding Bears team with a situationally challenged interim coach suggests Seattle doesn't really belong in the postseason anyway. A win is a win, to be sure, but their own offensive operation may have had even less juice than Chicago, with play-caller Ryan Grubb flirting but never committing to a bruising ground game.

Geno Smith's future is murky as ever

His Seahawks tenure won't be defined or terminated as a result of Thursday's sloppy affair; the wet Windy City conditions may have played a role in his unusual aversion to downfield shots, and he also came in battling a lingering knee injury. But still, at 34, approaching the end the penultimate season of his contract, Smith isn't exactly blazing to the finish line in a path of glory. A week after his aggressive passing veered into recklessness, helping the Minnesota Vikings preserve a close one against Seattle, the veteran quarterback averaged just 5.5 yards per throw, registering as something of a non-factor in a must-win game that actually should've been more like a cakewalk for a once-firm NFC wild-card contender.

What's next

The Seahawks (9-7) will finish their 2024 season in Week 18 by visiting the Los Angeles Rams (9-6), who will look to win their fifth straight when they play the rival Arizona Cardinals this Saturday. The Bears (4-12), meanwhile, will close the regular season against the Green Bay Packers (11-4), who shut out the New Orleans Saints on Monday and will visit the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday.

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FINAL: Seahawks 6, Bears 3

First downs: SEA 12 CHI 11
Total yards: SEA 265 CHI 179
Third downs: SEA 5-13 CHI 5-15

Geno Smith 17/23 160 yards
Caleb Williams 16/28 122 yards 1 INT

Zach Charbonnet 15 carries 57 yards
D'Andre Swift 12 carries 53 yards 

Noah Fant 4 catches 43 yards
DK Metcalf 3 catches 42 yards
Jaxon Smith-Njigba 3 catches 32 yards
Tyler Lockett 3 catches 20 yards

DJ Moore 6 catches 54 yards
Keenan Allen 5 catches 25 yards
Rome Odunze 1 catch 15 yards

December 27, 2024, 4:07 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 11:07 pm EST
 
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December 27, 2024, 4:05 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 11:05 pm EST
 
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Tariq Woolen INT seals the deal. 

December 27, 2024, 3:57 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:57 pm EST
 
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Caleb Williams and the Bears now facing a fourth-and-10 from the Seahawks' 40-yard line with 20-seconds remaining. This is the game. 

December 27, 2024, 3:55 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:55 pm EST
 
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Unreal play from Caleb Williams on third-and-14! Drive is alive. 

December 27, 2024, 3:54 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:54 pm EST
 
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I guess that timeout was a good one! Caleb Williams with an incredible throw on fourth-and-5 to keep the drive alive! 

December 27, 2024, 3:48 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:48 pm EST
 
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Curham with another MASSIVE penalty. His holding penalty took away the TD in the first half, and now he jumps early on fourth-and-1. 

Bears call timeout in punt formation, and now Caleb Williams is back on the field?!?! Fourth-and-5 at the Bears' own 35-yard line. 

December 27, 2024, 3:47 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:47 pm EST
 
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Looks like Bears are going to go for it on fourth-and-1 on their own 39-yard line. 2:14 remaining in the game. HUGE play here. 

December 27, 2024, 3:44 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:44 pm EST
 
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We have now seen four straight punts. Game still up for grabs with 5:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. Caleb Williams takes over at his own 11-yard line. 

December 27, 2024, 3:39 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:39 pm EST
 
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Incredible catch by DK Metcalf

December 27, 2024, 3:38 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:38 pm EST
 
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No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams has now been sacked 66 times this year, six of them coming tonight vs. the Seahawks for a loss of 41 yards. Those 66 sacks taken rank most in the NFL. C.J. Stroud is second with 52 sacks taken. 

Bears punt

December 27, 2024, 3:32 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:32 pm EST
 
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11 punts, 9 points. 

Seahawks go three-and-out after the defense forces a stop following the Pharaoh Brown fumble.

December 27, 2024, 3:29 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:29 pm EST
 
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December 27, 2024, 3:21 AM
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Bears offense does nothing after defense forces turnover

Chicago's defense is doing all it can tonight, but it may not be enough. After the clutch Kyler Gordon fumble recovery, the Bears offense picked up a total of 1 yard on six plays. Caleb Williams found Keenan Allen for a first down on third-and-1, but then took a 14-yard sack (see below for play).

Bears punt as we enter the fourth quarter.

December 27, 2024, 3:19 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:19 pm EST
 
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Maybe not all of them have been his fault, but Caleb Williams has taken some big sacks in this game

December 27, 2024, 3:16 AM
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December 27, 2024, 3:13 AM
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Bears defense gets clutch takeaway

After three punts to begin the second half, we got some action. The Bears defense came up huge with a forced fumble off TE Pharaoh Brown. Kyler Gordon recovered the loose football, and took it back all the way 62 yards for the TD, but was then ruled down by contact.

Still, a massive play for Chicago. 

December 27, 2024, 3:12 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:12 pm EST
 
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We have seen 9 punts and 9 points thus far.

December 27, 2024, 3:04 AM
Dec. 26, 2024, 10:04 pm EST
 
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Seahawks punt after Geno Smith sacked on third down

The Seahawks were approaching midfield on their first possession of the second half, before former SEAHAWK Darrell Taylor hit Geno Smith from behind, and forced the fumble. Seattle recovered the loose football, but what a play from the pass rusher traded away to Chicago earlier this season. 

Smith appears OK, but that was a scary hit from behind. 

 
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Bears go three-and-out to begin the second half

After D'Andre Swift picked up eight yards on second-and-10, the Bears offense couldn't move the chains to stay on the field. We heard loud boos from the Chicago faithful when Roschon Johnson was stuffed on third-and-2. Bears punt.

The Seahawks have done a good job stuffing the inside run tonight. Majority of yards coming from short passes/screens. 

 
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Super sleepy game, but the Seahawks really need this win. The Bears FG drive in the second quarter was impressive. Can Caleb Williams find some similar success moving forward? Let's see. 

 
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HALFTIME: Seahawks 6, Bears 3

First downs: SEA 9 CHI 5
Total yards: SEA 178 CHI 101
Total drives: SEA 5 CHI 5
Third downs: SEA 3-8 CHI 2-6

Geno Smith 10/15 97 yards
Caleb Williams 7/13 82 yards

Zach Charbonnet 9 carries 50 yards
Kenny McIntosh 5 carries 37 yards
D'Andre Swift 6 carries 17 yards

Noah Fant 3 catches 40 yards
Tyler Lockett 3 catches 20 yards
DK Metcalf 2 catches 19 yards

DJ Moore 3 catches 37 yards
D'Andre Swift 3 catches 29 yards
Keenan Allen 1 catch 16 yards

 
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Seahawks steal lead right before halftime

Geno Smith led his offense 38 yards down the field on eight plays, and Jason Myers hit a 50-yard field goal to give Seattle a 6-3 lead heading into halftime. 

 
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DK Metcalf penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct

 
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Bears tie game thanks to 13-play, 67-yard drive

We have life in Chicago! Caleb Williams took his offense 67 yards down the field on 13 plays, and Santos hits from 42 yards out. Tie game. 

The Bears had picked up just 25 total yards before that drive! 

SEA 3, CHI 3
2:32 remaining in the second quarter

 
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Caleb Williams threw a pretty impressive TD to Rome Odunze, but the score was taken off the board thanks to a Curhan holding. 

 
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Caleb Williams' impressive broken play

A botched snap turns into a first down! This is what Bears fans want to see from Caleb Williams

 
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Our first Bears offensive highlight

 
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Seahawks offense falls into a funk

Seattle went 71 yards on 11 plays and hit a field goal on its first possession, but that feels like ages ago. 

The Seahawks have since punted three times, and picked up 54 total yards. Geno Smith has completed 7/11 passes for 58 yards, but his offense has converted just two of six third downs. Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh have rushed a combined 12 times for 77 yards. Seems like the Seahawks should just keep pounding the rock. 

 
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I want to say Zach Charbonnet is an emerging back in this league, but I also don't want to ignore that this Chicago defensive front is getting pushed around. Both can be true. 

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