CHICAGO — Twenty-five minutes after the clock hit zeroes at Soldier Field, smoke lingered inside the winning locker room. 

Victory cigars were burning out at the bottom of locker stalls as Bears players continued to shake hands, hug and savor a 37-17 win over the Falcons on Sunday. They weren’t celebrating this particular victory so much as what it has taken to get here.

The Bears have put their stamp on progress and believe the future is bright.

“We got a really good team coming together,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “I really believe that.”

Here are the five takeaways from Soldier Field.

1. Statement of continuity

As the Bears smoked their victory cigars, team president and CEO Kevin Warren emerged from the locker room doors and walked through the bowels of Soldier Field.

On New Year’s Eve, Warren informed a crowd of reporters gathered outside the locker room that he believes the Bears have a special year ahead in 2024.

Warren must first decide what the Bears’ future holds. At the end of this season, he must put his approval on retaining general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus. 

Poles’ place as general manager is fairly clear. As promised when hired, Poles has turned around the Bears’ football operations in less than two years and positioned this franchise for sustained success. Eberflus’ position as head coach is also becoming more secure as this roster has developed under his watch.

[WATCH: Bears defense playing with ‘excitement’]

Though Warren and the Bears have not publicly put their vote of confidence behind Poles and Eberflus, the results are making the case for continuity.

On Sunday, the Bears produced a complete victory that underscored the best of this team. Quarterback Justin Fields was 20-of-32 for 268 yards and a touchdown pass while adding 45 rushing yards and a score. He led a balanced attack to 432 yards of offense against a Falcons defense that ranked in the top 10 this season. Eberflus’ defensive identity forced four interceptions and stifled Atlanta’s potent offense.

Last season, the Bears were the worst team in the NFL at 3-14. They began this year 0-4 before winning seven of their last 12 games. Despite the struggles and adversity, this team stayed together and proved progress.

“I really appreciate the guys in (the locker room),” Eberflus said. “The way they’ve been fighting, the way they’ve been battling.”

Late in the fourth quarter, chants echoed throughout Soldier Field that were heard down on the west sidelines. Fans were calling for a future led by the 24-year-old Fields: “We Want Justin! We Want Justin!”

The Bears secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Sunday as the Panthers (2-14) lost 26-0 to the Jaguars and the Cardinals (4-12) eliminated themselves in draft positioning with a 35-31 win over the Eagles.

Once again, the Bears control the top of the NFL Draft. They did so last year before trading that first overall pick to the Panthers, landing a significant haul in return. That may be a franchise-altering bundle that included top target DJ Moore – who had nine receptions for 159 yards and a score on Sunday – in addition to a first-round pick that is now at the top of April’s draft.

Poles and the Bears must decide early next offseason whether to invest around Fields as their franchise quarterback or select his replacement in the form of Caleb Williams (USC) — make a move with the first overall pick that solidifies Fields’ future or set course with a new quarterback.

Fields has made this a difficult decision by playing his best football in the NFL. Over his last 17 starts, Fields has thrown for 3,167 yards, 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, rushing for 1,024 yards and six scores. 

The Bears are now seeing Fields as the reason why they are winning games, the most critical requisite of a franchise quarterback.

“You see the growth, the leadership, the willingness to do whatever it takes to win,” said running back Khalil Herbert. “And I’ve seen it since when we first got here. Just to see him mature and continue to do those things and carry the whole city on his back, it’s a lot. He’s special, I’ll say it again and again. He’s one of one.”

Fields lit up a cigar alongside Moore and his teammates, though admittedly he doesn’t enjoy them. It was part of his personal vow to stay in the moment throughout the tail end of this season. With the future uncertain, Fields wanted to soak in Sunday. 

This may very well have been Fields’ final home game at Soldier Field, but certainly it could be just the start for him. Continuity is becoming an attractive course for the Bears, who believe in what’s to come.

2. Defense shines

Truth be told, Eddie Jackson isn’t certain what his own future holds. He’s at the end of his seventh season, one in which he has fought through injuries, and is the elder statesman of a young defense.

Jackson is a beloved leader and captain for the Bears who has endured through his seven seasons in the league. Even during the most difficult days of rebuilding, he saw promise on the horizon. Those hopes are becoming real.

“I’m just happy that it’s finally paying off,” Jackson said. “Everybody is getting to see it. Like, this defense, this team in general is special. 

“It’s just showing you what we got.”

While the Bears face significant questions for their offense this offseason, the rise of this defense has set a foundation for success. 

The Bears held the Falcons’ offense in check while intercepting four passes – three off starter Taylor Heinicke and one off backup Desmond Ridder. It marked the third time this season that Chicago’s defense has forced four takeaways.

The Bears will enter next season with their defensive core in place and the potential to be one of the league’s best defenses.

“We’re getting closer and closer to the playoffs,” said cornerback Jaylon Johnson as he looked towards the goals for the future. “I think that’s everybody’s goal.

“We’re just getting closer and closer to that.”

While Eberflus’ role as the Bears’ head coach has deserved criticism, his place leading this defense warrants great praise. This identity has come together as he envisioned, and the talent of Johnson, Jackson, Montez Sweat, Tremaine Edmunds and more has put this group on the cusp of greatness.

The veteran Jackson can’t be sure of his place in the Bears’ future. It’s why he’s enjoying the rise in the present.

“True resilience,” Jackson said. “We keep fighting, we keep coming out and making plays, rallying around each other. Everybody has grown real tight as a group, as a unit.

“We’re just going to continue coming out here and making plays.”

3. Wright decision

After trading down to the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Bears could’ve considered selecting dynamic running back prospect Bijan Robinson. He instead was selected by the Falcons with the eighth overall pick.

On Sunday, Robinson was out-played by Bears running back Khalil Herbert, who carried for 124 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Roschon Johnson, Robinson’s teammate at Texas, added 21 yards and a touchdown of his own.

For his part, Robinson rushed 15 times for 75 yards while adding three receptions. He has carried for 948 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games this season.

A new-age general manager, Poles never truly seemed inclined to select a running back with a top-10 pick. The Bears instead moved down one slot and selected tackle Darnell Wright with the 10th overall pick.

“I think he’s a really good football player right now,” Bears offensive line coach Chris Morgan said of Wright. “And I think he’s going to be a great football player. 

“The sky’s the limit. If he stays hungry, which I think he will because I think he’s the ultimate competitor deep down, I think he’s got the chance to be special. And I’ve been around a lot of good ones. He’s got a chance to be that.”

4. Dexter, Stevenson sparkle

Good teams succeed with their first-round draft picks, but great teams do so the rest of the draft.

The Bears hoped to have landed a pair of impact players in the second round when they selected defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Both players shined on Sunday.

Stevenson hauled in a pair of interceptions on Sunday, tying Jaylon Johnson and Tremaine Edmunds for the team lead with four. Dexter posted 1.5 sacks as part of a stout effort up front.

While Stevenson’s growth has been apparent this season, Dexter’s improvements have come with confidence. He had to adapt from a two-gap defensive scheme at Florida to a position with the Bears that requires firing off the snap and disrupting plays.

“I think I definitely finally got comfortable in where I’m at and the role that I’m playing,” Dexter said. “The type of defense this is, the type of 3-(technique) you have to have for this defense. I’d definitely say I’m comfortable.”

5. No. 1 pick clinched

The Bears are on the clock in the 2024 NFL Draft.

By virtue of the Panthers’ 26-0 loss to the Jaguars in Jacksonville, the Bears clinched the No. 1 overall pick in the draft for a second consecutive year. Selecting at the top of the draft is a rare opportunity in the NFL. Chicago has that chance for the second straight year.

This offseason will feature fascination over the Bears’ future and what the first overall pick represents. First, there will be key decisions to make on Poles, Eberflus and Fields.

A victory for the Bears like this one Sunday may have pushed them closer to continuity for the new year.