Caleb WIlliams threw four interceptions last Sunday night, a career high. The Chicago Bears won anyway.
Cairo Santos bailed them out, hitting a 38-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-24. Chicago turned the ball over five times and still carried a four-game winning streak into its bye week at 7-2, alone in first place in the NFC North.
Alone, for now.
The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings are a half-game back at 6-2. The Green Bay Packers are a game back at 6-3. The four teams went a combined 25-9 through nine weeks, the best mark for any division at that point since the 1970 merger. The Lions play the New England Patriots in Munich this morning. The Vikings visit the Packers this afternoon. The Bears get to watch.
General manager Ryan Poles did his shopping early. Chicago landed defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons from the Tennessee Titans in late October. Then it stood pat at Tuesday's trade deadline, even with a cornerback on its wish list.
Williams is the reason the Bears are here. He led the league in QBR, ESPN's all-in-one quarterback rating, before the Tampa Bay mess. Chicago has scored 30 or more points in four of the five games he's finished in coach Ben Johnson's second season.
The run game hasn't kept up. D'Andre Swift is averaging 3.7 yards per carry. Kyle Monangai, who ran for 146 yards against the Jets in Week 4, hasn't played in more than a month because of toe and thumb injuries.
Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's group lives on third down. Opponents convert 22.8% of the time, the lowest rate in the league. Tampa Bay went 2-for-12.
Up next are the New Orleans Saints, a Thanksgiving trip to Detroit and four division games in the final eight.
Bears schedule 2026, scores and TV channels
All times Eastern.
- Week 1 – Sept. 13: Chicago Bears 59, Carolina Panthers 37
- Week 2 – Sept. 20: Minnesota Vikings 9, Chicago Bears 3
- Week 3 – Sept. 28: Chicago Bears 27, Philadelphia Eagles 7
- Week 4 – Oct. 4: Chicago Bears 23, New York Jets 12
- Week 5 – Oct. 11: Green Bay Packers 31, Chicago Bears 7
- Week 6 – Oct. 18: Chicago Bears 31, Atlanta Falcons 23
- Week 7 – Oct. 22: Chicago Bears 30, New England Patriots 24
- Week 8 – Nov. 2: Chicago Bears 34, Seattle Seahawks 17
- Week 9 – Nov. 8: Chicago Bears 27, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24
- Week 10: BYE
- Week 11 – Nov. 22: Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m., FOX
- Week 12 – Nov. 26: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m., CBS (Thanksgiving)
- Week 13 – Dec. 6: Chicago Bears vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m., FOX
- Week 14 – Dec. 13: Chicago Bears at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 15 – Dec. 19: Chicago Bears at Buffalo Bills, 8:20 p.m., CBS (Saturday)
- Week 16 – Dec. 25: Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m., Netflix (Christmas)
- Week 17 – Jan. 3: Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions, 4:25 p.m., FOX
- Week 18 – TBD: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings, TBD, TBD
Are the Bears playing today?
No. Chicago is off this week, along with the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
When is the Bears' next game?
The Saints visit Soldier Field on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 1 p.m. ET on FOX. Four days later, the Bears are in Detroit for Thanksgiving.
- Week 11 – New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m.
- Week 12 – at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.
- Week 13 – Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m.
NFC North standings
- Chicago Bears (7-2)
- Detroit Lions (6-2)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-2)
- Green Bay Packers (6-3)
NFL Week 10 schedule and TV channels
All times Eastern.
Thursday, Nov. 12Washington Commanders at New York Giants, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video
Sunday, Nov. 15New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions (Munich, Germany), 9:30 a.m., FOXCarolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m., FOXBuffalo Bills at New York Jets, 1 p.m., CBSHouston Texans at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m., FOXJacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m., FOXKansas City Chiefs at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m., CBSMiami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m., CBSMinnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m., FOXLos Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m., CBSSeattle Seahawks at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m., CBSSan Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m., FOXPittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 p.m., NBC ("Sunday Night Football")
Monday, Nov. 16Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens, 8:15 p.m., ESPN ("Monday Night Football")
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are the Bears playing today? NFL Week 10 schedule, next game, NFC North standings
