The Real Reason the Bears Won in Vegas
There was a ton of hype heading into this Week 4 matchup as the Bears traveled to Las Vegas in what felt like a must-win game for both teams.
The Stakes in Vegas
The difference between 2-2 and 1-3 feels astronomical — especially when you have to head into a bye and wear it for 15 more days.
Fans traveled extremely well, the Bears were coming off an incredible win, and yet, to nobody’s surprise, they came out flat and sloppy as ever. This felt like another Sunday spiraling toward disappointment.
The First Half Collapse
The first half was a mess. Caleb couldn’t find a rhythm, the run game stalled, and Maxx Crosby was an absolute game-wrecker. The guy was everywhere (and I would do anything to have someone like him on our team). Penalties killed drives, and even with three turnovers forced by our defense, we couldn’t capitalize on a single one.
It felt like doom was pending, and with that, we had the choice to roll over or punch back. At halftime, I chose to punch back.
The Tradition of 710
I’ll set the scene. I live in San Diego, and there’s a local bar called 710 — an incredible place owned by a Chicago native where every Chicago team is on TV. Bears games are packed wall-to-wall every week.
And every week at halftime, there’s a tradition: fans go jump in the ocean. The story goes that years ago, a fan (whose name I regretfully don’t know) came to 710 for every single game, and every single halftime, he’d plunge into the Pacific. After he sadly passed away, the tradition lived on through other fans at the bar.
So there I was, at halftime of one of the most disgusting games I’ve ever watched. I’ve been to 710 countless times, always sat on my barstool with a Miller Lite while watching a small group of diehards trek toward the beach at the half.
But this time? Nobody seemed to be moving. And for the first time, I thought — maybe it’s me. Maybe I need to go. That’s when it hit me: I had to step up and cleanse myself, and the Bears, of that god-awful half. This wasn’t just a dip in the water — it was a Bears baptism. As awful as it sounded to sit through the second half soaked and sandy, I knew I had to do it for the team.
Thus, Leading to This Moment
The Second Half Spark
Now, the second half wasn’t exactly poetry in motion. But the second I got back, Tyrique Stevenson picked off a pass, and the Bears marched down for a touchdown. We were officially cleansed. And you know the rest.
I’m not saying I’m a hero. I’m not saying I’m the reason we won. But let’s just say a game ball wouldn’t feel out of place.
This is a team game — but I like to think I provided the exact spark the fellas needed. It was like the moment I hit that water, Caleb felt a jolt. Tyrique saw the play before it happened. And Rome just knew that post route was destined for him.
The Call to Sacrifice
So I’m declaring this the Cleanse Game of 2025. And I’m pledging to continue the tradition whenever the Bears need a vibe shift — which, let’s be honest, is about 99% of the time.
Guess it’s time to become a great swimmer.
The only question left is: what are you willing to sacrifice for this team?
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