Bears vs. Packers: Studs and duds from Chicago's heartbreaking loss

The Chicago Bears (4-6) suffered another gut-wrenching, last-second defeat, this time to the Green Bay Packers (7-3) in a 20-19 loss at Soldier Field.

The Bears were perfectly positioned to snap their 10-game losing streak against the Packers. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams had his best game as a pro -- where he effectively operated this Thomas Brown-led offense, protected the football and came up clutch to set the team up for a game-winning field goal in his first start against the Packers. Unfortunately, head coach Matt Eberflus declined the chance to advance the ball and make Cairo Santos' field goal easier, and that ultimately cost them as Santos' 46-yard attempt was blocked and the Packers escaped with the one-point win.

There were plenty of standout performances, that were wasted, in this heartbreaking defeat. We’re taking a look at the studs and duds from the Bears' loss vs. Green Bay:

Stud: QB Caleb Williams

Welcome back, Caleb Williams. Turns out a new offensive coordinator and the return of starting tackles Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright was exactly what the doctor ordered. After a brutal two-game stretch, Williams looked like the star the Bears drafted as he nearly led the Bears to a comeback win in his very first start against the Packers. For the second time this season, Williams led his team to a comeback drive -- and the team lost. Williams resembled the player he was during the team's three-game winning streak, where he played confident, poised and executed the offense effectively. Williams completed 23-of-31 passes for 231 yards with a 95.0 passer rating and led two touchdown drives. The loss is painful. But it's good to have Williams back.

Dud: HC Matt Eberflus

Once again, coaching prevented the Bears from winning a game that they should've. It's Year 3 of Matt Eberflus, and he continues to show why he should not be the head coach. Chicago was perfectly positioned to boot the game-winning field goal for their first win over Green Bay in six years. With 36 seconds remaining and a timeout in his back pocket, Eberflus let the clock wind down to three seconds and settled for a 46-yard field goal -- which is not a sure thing -- rather than trying to gain additional yardage to make it an easier try for Cairo Santos. It's inexcusable for the head coach, who did something similar in the team's heartbreaking Hail Mary loss to the Commanders. The Bears still won't fire a head coach midseason. So the good news is only seven games left of this hellscape known as the Matt Eberflus era.

Stud: WR Rome Odunze

Odunze was another shining star in an otherwise depressing outcome of a game, where his connection with fellow rookie Williams was on display, particularly in key situations. Odunze led the team with six catches for 65 yards and was targeted a career-high 10 times. His biggest catch came on what should've been the game-winning drive when he caught a 21-yard pass on fourth-and-3 to keep the final drive going and positioned the team for a win. It's clear that Odunze has a bright future, alongside Williams, and he continues to show why he'll be a playmaker for years to come.

Dud: Pass rush

This was a game where the Bears needed their pass rush to step up, and it didn't. Chicago recorded just one sack on Packers quarterback Jordan Love -- courtesy of DeMarcus Walker on a 1-yard loss on third-and-goal. Outside of that, Chicago failed to get any pressure on Love, which allowed him to pick apart the secondary at times, including a 60-yard completion to Christian Watson. While the Bears were in a position to win -- and lost because of coaching -- you would've liked to have seen more from the pass rush in this rivalry game.

Stud: RBs D'Andre Swift/Roschon Johnson

With Thomas Brown running the show, the Bears had a nice balance of Swift and Johnson on the ground. When Shane Waldron was calling the shots, it was mostly Swift with a sprinkling of Johnson, particularly in short-yardage situations. But it felt like balanced with Brown, who allowed both backs an opportunity and added a dynamic element to the ground game. Swift finished with 14 carries for 71 yards (5.1 yards per carry) and a touchdown with two catches for 13 yards. Johnson had 10 carries for 33 yards (3.3 yards per carry) and a score with one catch for eight yards.

Dud: RG Matt Pryor

Chicago's offensive line did a much better job in pass protection this week -- allowing just one sack until the final drive, where Williams was sacked twice. It certainly helped getting back starting tackles Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, but Matt Pryor had a rough game between offense (including pulling late on a block that stuffed a D'Andre Swift run) and special teams (on the failed game-winning field goal attempt, although he wasn't the only one).

Stud: OC Thomas Brown

The Bears made a change at offensive coordinator this week, firing Shane Waldron and promoting Thomas Brown. And it was the right decision. The offense looked the best it has since Week 6 against the Jaguars, where they were able to sustain drives, find the end zone twice and allowed Caleb Williams to play with confidence. Brown committed to the run game -- using a balanced attack with D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson -- while getting some easy completions for Williams. It's just one game, but the offense looked much improved -- and against a good defense -- with him calling the shots.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Packers: Studs and duds from Chicago's heartbreaking loss