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Seahawks coach Pete Carroll put the onus on himself after Seattle’s ‘disappointing’ 25-24 playoff-eliminating loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, saying he’s “got to do better.”Read More

Matt Nagy is now 32-31 as Bears head coach. | AP Photos

Nagy made all the right moves at the right times Sunday, and it felt a lot like 2018. It’s too bad he hasn’t been able to keep it up.

SEATTLE — The hard reality no one with the Bears wanted to hear after a thrilling rally to beat the Seahawks is that the victory didn’t mean anything in the big picture.

It didn’t cover up any of the multitude of missteps that led to this wasted season, and it didn’t change a thing about coach Matt Nagy’s fate. That’s the preface to any discourse on the Bears’ 25-24 victory in the snow Sunday.

‘‘No,’’ Nagy affirmed. ‘‘Right.’’

But it was a feel-good day for a man who deserved one and hasn’t had many since 2018. Nagy the coach has been disappointing, but Nagy the man has tried relentlessly — and mostly futilely — to fix the Bears and has remained resolutely optimistic in the face of dispiriting results.

It’s OK to stay entrenched in your opinion of Nagy but still be happy for him to get a break from the miserable monotony of losing. He gave Chicago a lot to celebrate in his first season, so he can have this one.

Hear him out one last time.

‘‘We all have to have a little dignity and pride in what we do,’’ said Nagy, who at 33-30 is assured of finishing his Bears tenure with a winning record. ‘‘[Being on] a team that has a losing record isn’t easy, but you’ve gotta be able to persevere, you’ve gotta fight and you have to be able to give it everything you have and have no regrets.

‘‘When you lose, it’s really freaking hard. . . . Right now, the only thing I’m proud and happy about is for those players in that locker room to be able to enjoy that win. They deserve it. For the coaches, too. For me, I’m just proud to be a part of it.’’

It was a triumph for Nagy, who was down to third-string quarterback Nick Foles because of injuries and was missing nine players because of the coronavirus. That list included receiver Allen Robinson, defensive lineman Akiem Hicks and top cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

Things looked predictable and familiar as the Seahawks controlled most of the game until the Bears’ defense stifled some scoring opportunities in the fourth quarter and created an opening at the end.

When the Bears got the ball at their own 20 with 2:56 left and the Seahawks ahead 24-17, Nagy already knew he would go for the victory if he got the chance.

‘‘We knew the play, we knew everything,’’ he said of anticipating a two-point conversion.

Sure enough, Foles led an improbable touchdown drive that he capped with a 15-yard pass to tight end Jimmy Graham, who did what he always does by boxing out his defender and putting a vise grip on the ball, with 1:07 left.

After that, Nagy’s two-point call was so good that even though the Seahawks played it well by eliminating first option Darnell Mooney, Damiere Byrd was standing open in the back of the end zone for what felt like forever before Foles fired across his body for the lead.

Nagy made all the right moves at the right times. It felt a lot like 2018. It’s too bad he hasn’t been able to keep it up.

‘‘Coach Nagy’s an amazing coach and even a better person,’’ running back David Montgomery said. ‘‘I feel like everybody kind of gets this weird, bad depiction of who he is. But he’s also actually a great guy and a great coach.’’

Fine, but he also has done a lot of losing. The Bears’ collapse in the last three seasons isn’t some misfortune that beset Nagy; he and general manager Ryan Pace engineered it. They both need to go for the organization to begin the hard work of a full rebuild.

As good as it felt, this victory shouldn’t buy Nagy a single extra day. Any serious organization wouldn’t let emotions stand in the way of its standards.

Most likely, however, the Bears won’t fire anybody Monday, regardless of it marking the start of the early window to interview assistants on other teams for head-coaching vacancies. They’re not ready to make use of that because it’s unclear who will be running the team going forward.

Meanwhile, the perpetually laughable Jaguars are getting the jump on them.

The prevailing assumption is that Nagy is getting fired in two weeks, but Pace’s future is blurry despite his 47-64 record and various personnel errors. Oh, yeah, he’s also the one who hired Nagy.

But Pace might survive and get a chance at what surely will be a multiyear rebuild. There’s even speculation he might be promoted to a role such as president of football operations — a Houdini-like escape — with a new GM reporting to him.

That sounds impossible until you remember it’s the Bears.

Nagy didn’t worry about any of that as he cherished what might be his last great moment with the Bears. The end is coming, and he has known that for a long time. But it was a nice reprieve for him to push that gloomy inevitability aside for a day.

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Billy Donovan went into the league’s health and safety protocols on Friday, but thanks to the culture he’s established the machine kept rolling in Sunday’s win over the Pacers.

It’s been easy to lose sight of Billy Donovan’s influence in the Bulls’ 20-10 start.

Thanks to a 113-105 workmanlike win over a slumping Pacers team on Sunday, that’s exactly where the coach’s team sat in the standings – 10 games over .500 for the first time since Jan. 7, 2016, and in second place in the Eastern Conference.

Donovan’s secret sauce in all of this?

“Billy has done a great job of making it a player-driven team, and including those guys in all the decisions,’’ acting head coach Chris Fleming said. “Any conversations we have about basketball moving forward, our team is included in that. And I think that has enabled that group to compensate for losses of personnel and continue to play the right way. In addition to that you have guys that are high character. They don’t dwell on it too much.’’

That culture Donovan has established was on full display against Indiana, even with the coach not there, as well as still missing key players like Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso. The Bulls announced on Friday that Donovan became the fourth NBA head coach to go into the league’s health and safety protocols, with Fleming being handed the controls.

As Fleming pointed out, however, when the culture has been established from the head coach, that culture can coach itself at times.

“I’m really proud of how these guys have handled themselves,’’ Fleming said of the win. “They’ve dealt with a lot of adversity and earned that place in the standings.’’

What was very obvious early into Sunday’s division showdown with the Pacers was the visiting team was going to have a Vucevic problem.

That wasn’t the case in the meeting last month.

Vucevic was still in the midst of serving his time in the health and safety protocol in that Nov. 22 game at the United Center, and Indiana’s bigs felt very comfortable to do what they wanted, especially in the physicality department.

In that eventual 109-77 Pacers win, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis combined to finish with a plus-47 in the plus/minus category, as well as a combined 33 points, 21 rebounds, and four blocked shots.

Vucevic’s presence in the rematch was much different, especially early on.

The Bulls are usually going to have a good night when the center gets going early, and while that’s been inconsistent this season, it wasn’t against Indiana.

Vucevic came out in that opening quarter and went 4-for-5 from the field, as well as out-rebounding Sabonis and Turner by himself five to four.

It also showed on the scoreboard, as the Bulls led after one 33-27. Much different than the 31-16 hole they dug for themselves five weeks earlier.

Vucevic didn’t let up very much in the second, either, as the former All-Star helped the Bulls build a 63-48 halftime lead, going into the locker room with 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

What’s left of Pacers pride – which considering all the talk of a roster blow-up coming wouldn’t seem like much – did show up for the third, along with the Bulls helping the visiting team as much as possible. It’s the season for giving, but not what Fleming wanted to see from his crew.

Thanks to six Bulls turnovers that led to eight Pacers points, that comfortable 18-point lead the Bulls once held was down to just eight.

No worries – Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan made sure of that.

Thanks to the Bulls’ two alphas, Indiana’s hopes of a comeback were crushed in that final stanza, as LaVine scored 12 in that quarter, and Mr. Fourth Quarter, himself, DeRozan added six.

LaVine finished with 32 in his first game back out of the protocols.

“I’m tired of getting Covid,’’ LaVine said. “We’ve been good with guys out and that’s saying a lot.’’

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The Blackhawks won’t get to face the Blue Jackets on Tuesday after the game was postponed by the NHL. | AP Photos

The Hawks now have four games — all at home — that need to be made up in February after Tuesday’s game was postponed.

The Blackhawks exited the NHL’s holiday break only to encounter even more scheduling uncertainty.

The Hawks’ scheduled Tuesday home game against the Blue Jackets was postponed by the NHL late Sunday night, citing vague “COVID-related reasons.”

It’s unclear which team has the COVID-19 cases that prompted the postponement. The Jackets do have six players in COVID protocols, but all six have been there since before the holiday break started this past Tuesday. They practiced Sunday in Columbus with no new positive cases announced.

The Hawks, meanwhile, did not practice Sunday and thus weren’t required to announce any new positive cases. Defenseman Calvin de Haan was the only Hawks player in COVID protocol when the break started. The team remains scheduled to practice Monday morning at Fifth Third Arena.

The unexpected postponement now gives the Hawks at least four games — all at home — that need to be made up during the February window formerly set aside for the Olympics.

The league had already postponed 14 games scheduled for Monday, but that didn’t affect the Hawks. Conversely, their Tuesday matchup against the Jackets previously on track to be one of the guinea-pig games of the various new COVID-related rules the league instituted Sunday.

Most prominently, the taxi squads from last season temporarily will return between now and the All-Star break in early February.

Teams can assign up to six players to the taxi squad at a time, although they aren’t required to assign any if they want to keep their American Hockey League team flush with talent. There are a number of specific restrictions about which players are eligible for taxi-squad designation and how long each player can stay there (maximum of 20 days).

For salary-cap purposes, taxi-squad players will count as though they’re still in the AHL but will be present with the NHL team for immediate recalls.

Arguably more important, however, is a new roster emergency exception (REE) rule the NHL also created Sunday. The REE allows players with cap hits of less than $1 million to be recalled as replacements for NHL players who contract COVID without counting against the cap. Teams previously had to play one game short-handed before being eligible for emergency recalls.

That adjustment probably should have been put in place long ago, but it nonetheless should help outbreak-stricken teams avoid postponements, wage fair fights and not overwork their healthy players.

Stricter masking and distancing protocols implemented by the NHL shortly before the hastened holiday break will remain in place for at least the next few weeks, too.

From the Hawks’ perspective, those new roster flexibility-related rules might not seem particularly relevant because the team so far hasn’t had to deal with many of the COVID-related hardships other teams have.

But if an outbreak does occur this winter, the new rules should make it much more viable for them to keep playing games.

That’s the situation the Stars — the Hawks’ last opponent before the holiday break — found themselves in Sunday. Previously one of the few teams relatively untouched by COVID, they put Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen, Radek Faksa, Joel Kiviranta, Michael Raffl and two staff members in protocols after receiving their end-of-break test results.

The Hawks’ next game is now scheduled for Wednesday against the Jets in Winnipeg, but the Canadian border crossing could pose issues if the Hawks indeed do have a blossoming outbreak. The Hawks’ next scheduled games after that — Jan. 1 versus the Predators and Jan. 2 versus the Flames — are also against teams that entered the holiday break shut down due to large COVID outbreaks.

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Santos made a 35-yard field goal Sunday, improving to 23 for 24 this season. | Getty

Also, a hit-and-miss day for RB David Montgomery and the potential return of former Bears QB Mike Glennon.

THREE TAKEAWAYS

SEATTLE — There was a lot going on as the Bears slipped and skittered through the snow to a 25-24 victory Sunday against the Seahawks, and plenty of it got lost amid the frenzy of their rally in the final minutes. Here are three key takeaways:

Kicker scare

Cairo Santos has been one of the few certainties for the Bears this season, but they almost lost him when Seahawks linebacker Tanner Muse leveled him on a kickoff. Santos had to be helped off the field and was examined for a leg injury but stayed in the game. Coach Matt Nagy thought he was fine.

Tough running

Running back David Montgomery ran 21 times for 45 yards and a touchdown, making this the fifth time in 11 games he has averaged less than 3.5 yards per carry for a game. However, he also contributed with a team-high seven catches for 61 yards.

Glennon returns

The Bears host the Giants next, and there’s a good chance they’ll face quarterback Mike Glennon, who played for them in 2017. The Giants started Jake Fromm against the Eagles but benched him for Glennon in the third quarter. Glennon completed 17 of 27 passes for 93 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

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Bears tight end Jimmy Graham catches a touchdown with 61 seconds to play. | Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images

Nick Foles threw a 15-yard touchdown to Jimmy Graham — and then a two-point conversion to Damiere Byrd — with 61 seconds to play.

SEATTLE — With one play to win the game Sunday — a two-point conversion down one with 61 seconds left — the Bears called “QH Swivel.” Receiver Damiere Byrd, split wide right, was supposed to run a slant and pick the defender covering Darnell Mooney as he ran from the slot to the right flat.

It didn’t work. And then it did.

The Seahawks handed off the coverage like a basketball team playing the pick-and-roll.

“They actually played it perfectly,” quarterback Nick Foles said.

Instead of doubling back toward the back right pylon, Byrd floated backward, finding a soft spot in the zone and waited for Foles to see him.

“I think I was talking to myself at least for a couple of seconds,” Byrd said. “We locked eyes and he ended up throwing it. And I just knew I had to go up and get it.”

Byrd jumped in the back of the end zone and caught the ball. Three Seahawks defenders — all with their backs to Foles — tried to shove him out the back line before he landed. Byrd got one foot and another knee down — aided, he said, by the defenders holding him up.

Foles praised Byrd’s improvisation long before the ball got to him.

“The reason it worked was Byrd played backyard football and knew that they covered it well,” Foles said. “And if he wouldn’t have done his thing and just stopped and came back, we don’t win this game.”

Byrd wouldn’t have gotten the chance if Foles hadn’t given tight end Jimmy Graham one. On third-and-14 from the 15, Graham split left, ran into the end zone and posted up Seahawks cornerback John Reid. Help from safety Ryan Neal came a split second too late, and Graham jumped and caught the pass against his former team.

Told it was a tough play, Foles smiled.

“Not for Jimmy Graham . . . ” he said. All I was looking for right there was, like, ‘Who’s covering Jimmy? Are they going to double him? Alright, they’re not doubling him, I’m just going to throw it to Jimmy.’ . . .

“That’s Jimmy Graham, Hall of Famer.”

Fields update

Coach Matt Nagy was non-committal when asked whether rookie quarterback Justin Fields could play next week. Fields hurt his ankle against the Vikings and didn’t practice Thursday or Friday.

“I think Monday and Tuesday will tell us a lot . . .” Nagy said. “And then if not — if he’s still not feeling good — we’ll see how it is Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and go from there. But we’re gonna rely on where he’s at, what our trainers say.

“And then obviously Nick is gonna be prepared as well.”

Fines

Rookie right tackle Teven Jenkins was fined $8,473 for hitting the Vikings’ Sheldon Richardson on Monday, a source said.

Safety Teez Tabor, who hurt his ankle Sunday, was fined $4,722 for his low block flag against the Vikings.

Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks was fined $10,300 for the hit on Fields that led to his ejection.

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The Bears’ Jimmy Graham motions to fans as he heads off the field after Sunday’s win over the Seahawks. | Lindsey Wasson/AP

Unfortunately for the Bears and their fans, Sunday’s victory was irrelevant.

Did the Bears’ 25-24 win in Seattle mean anything? Probably not. Patrick Finley, Jason Lieser and Mark Potash break it down.

New episodes of “Halas Intrigue” will be published regularly with accompanying stories collected on the podcast’s hub page. You can also listen to “Halas Intrigue” wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Luminary, Spotify, and Stitcher.

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Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has been placed in the NBA’s coronavirus protocols. | Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Ball, as well as Tony Bradley and Alfonzo McKinnie, each tested into the health and safety protocols leading up to Sunday night’s game with the Pacers, and interim coach Chris Fleming was left counting his blessings.

It was a somewhat nervous sounding laugh from Chris Fleming.

The interim Bulls coach was asked on Sunday how he’s avoided coming up positive on the daily coronavirus testing and staying away from the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Considering he’s one of the few left in the main traveling party that hasn’t, no wonder he was sounding like a guy that suddenly believed in jinxes.

“I don’t want to touch that,’’ Fleming said.

He then pointed out all the close calls, insisting how he sits next to head coach Billy Donovan every game. Donovan went into the protocols on Friday. And how he went to breakfast with radio announcers Chuck Swirsky and Bill Wennington in Miami, hours before Wennington turned up positive.

“I don’t even want to talk about it,’’ Fleming said with a laugh. “Blessed to still be standing.’’

Especially with yet another wave to hit the Bulls over the weekend.

Donovan was the first domino, and then minutes before Sunday’s shootaround, Tony Bradley and Alfonzo McKinnie were pulled from practice. After the shootaround ended, trainer Chip Schaeffer came into Fleming’s office and let him know that Lonzo Ball also came up positive.

“It’s frustrating for the guys because they … we come to practice, and I know every other team in the league is dealing with this, but you lose two guys [Bradley and McKinnie] right before shootaround, and then right after shootaround Zo [Lonzo Ball] gets pulled. So I think dealing with that mentally — guys come in and they get a focus, they’re together as a group, and then all of a sudden you’re losing guys. That’s what we’re fighting and that’s what the other 29 teams are fighting too.’’

Not to the extent the Bulls have, however.

It’s easier to name the Bulls regular players that haven’t been in the protocol this season, with that list now down to Alex Caruso, Tyler Cook and Marko Simonovic.

The Ball news was especially a gut-punch because the point guard was leading them in minutes played.

“It happened so fast,’’ Fleming said. “If you know how competitive Zo is, it will hurt him. He loves to compete, so it’s tough for him.’’

Fleming did say that he, Donovan, and the rest of the coaching staff have been conducting business as usual the last few days, just doing it over Zoom.

Homecoming?

It was a good news, bad news day for McKinnie, as the Marshall High School graduate went from a hardship exemption player, to a second 10-day contract, to finding out on Sunday he was sticking with the roster, replacing Alize Johnson, who was waived.

Then before taking the court for the shootaround he obviously found out he was headed into the protocol and would miss the game with the Pacers.

“I think Alfonzo has been great for us,’’ Fleming said of the roster move. “Those decisions are always tough.’’

Still ailing

Caruso was still dealing with a left mid-foot sprain, and the team wasn’t going to have clarity on his timetable until later this week when he was scheduled to be re-evaluated.

The other player that they were keeping an eye on was forward Derrick Jones Jr., who came out of the protocol last week, but then strained his left hamstring in his first game back. It was believed to be a mild strain, but Jones was yet to return.

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Quarterback Nick Foles led the Bears to a comeback win over Seattle on Sunday. | Lindsey Wasson/AP

Foles threw a touchdown pass and two-point conversion with about a minute left to give the Bears their first lead of the game.

SEATTLE — The Bears pulled off a late escape to beat the Seahawks 25-24 on a touchdown and two-point conversion at Lumen Field.

They never led until that point, when third-string quarterback Nick Foles hit tight end Jimmy Graham for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 1:07 remaining, then found Damiere Byrd in the back of the end zone for the two-point conversion.

The loss eliminated the Seahawks from playoff contention.

The defense survived several close scrapes in the fourth quarter to keep the game in reach. The Seahawks pushed to the Bears’ 8-yard line with 7:23 left, but Robert Quinn came through with a sack to drop Russell Wilson at the 21 on third down, and kicker Jason Myers missed wide left from 39 yards.

The Seahawks also got to the Bears’ 28-yard line with 3:23 left, but went backward again and eventually punted from the 41.

That left the door open for Foles to lead a comeback in his first game action in almost a year.

With the win, the Bears improve to 5-10 and assure coach Matt Nagy of finishing the season with a winning record. He’s now 33-30 with two games remaining.

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