The playoffs are here and the Chicago Bears are not sitting them out.
As they prepare to host the Green Bay Packers for round three of their rivalry this season, let’s take a look over how various analysts
have them ranked.
The Bears aren’t heading into the postseason riding high, following two straight losses, but they shouldn’t be counted out, either.
I know I am one of the skeptical few who did not think the Bears would be in the postseason in year one given how everything went under the previous regime.
But here we are and I am happy to be wrong. The Ben Johnson-Caleb Williams era appears to be at the start of a new run at success not seen in Chicago in a long time.
Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves, though, the NFL is constantly in flux and things change rapidly.
The catchphrase for this season among fans and observers alike is the same: “enjoy the ride.”
This level of success is new and different but it’s all about just enjoying it as it comes.
9. Chicago Bears (11-6)
Chicago is yet another surprise team that has flipped their record and gone from worst-to-first in just one season. Despite some early detractors, the marriage between first-year head coach Ben Johnson and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams has been an enormous success. Similar to the Texans, the Bears’ start of the season wasn’t what anyone had hoped for, but following a stretch of 11 wins in 13 tries, they were able to clinch their first division title since 2018. How viable a playoff contender are they? That will be answered by a defense that leads the league in takeaways, but has largely been a disaster otherwise.
7. Bears (No. 6; 11-6): They’re limping into a rematch with their biggest rivals (who are also limping).
8 (7): Chicago Bears (11-6)
In the finale, the Bears were terrible for three quarters in a game they were trying to win, against a Lions team that was eliminated a week earlier. They rallied in the fourth quarter but still lost. That’s not good. The Bears had a successful season but that gets completely overshadowed if they lose to the Packers, their biggest rival, in their first playoff game. There’s a lot of pressure on the Bears this week. Let’s see how they handle it.
7. Chicago Bears (7) They lost two straight to close out the season, but still ended up as the second seed. The defense has been an issue and could be their undoing in the postseason.
8. Chicago Bears (7) As is fitting for this year’s playoff field, a Week 18 defeat didn’t hurt the Bears. Losing to the Lions made for some nervous moments, but the Eagles’ loss ensured Chicago would end up as the second seed and get a third game against the rival Packers — a team that nearly swept the Bears. It’s a fun and worthy playoff opener, to see if the Bears really have exorcized the demons that have plagued this franchise for decades. Between allowing explosive plays on defense and the offense stalling for long stretches, there are multiple worries at hand for Chicago on the eve of the playoffs. Only the Bengals, Commanders and Cowboys allowed more yards than the Bears this season, which is an atypical weakness for a team so high in the conference rankings. They’ve thrived by forcing turnovers and cashing in on late offensive drives. That’s an exciting but dangerous way to go. Have Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson bottled up enough late-game magic for January?
9. Chicago Bears (8) Chicago entered the season with a questionable offensive line, no depth at running back, and a bad defense.
Now, only the defense remains a concern. This team has grown by leaps and bounds en route to winning the NFC North, and still has many ways to improve. What we’ve seen the last few weeks—even in the loss to San Francisco on Sunday night—is confirmation that head coach Ben Johnson is building something great in Chicago.
The Athletic – Josh Kendall and Chad Graff
9. Chicago Bears (8)
Sunday: Lost to Lions 19-16
What’s next: Another NFC North game
The Bears won the division in a season when all four teams posted a winning record. Their reward is another matchup with the Packers, whom they have faced twice in the last five weeks. They split those games, and the combined score was 44-43 to the Packers. This should be another fun one. Caleb Williams set the franchise record for passing yards in a season (3,942) on Sunday.
