The Chicago Bears are sitting in a good position at the midway point of the 2026 season, where they've won four straight, have a 7-2 record and sit in first place in an ultra competitive NFC North.
It's been an impressive start to the season for the Bears, who have lost just two games despite being without starting quarterback Caleb Williams for three games. Chicago also just played three consecutive prime-time games, going 4-0 in prime time in the first nine weeks of the season. The Bears' only losses have come to division rivals (Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers) in what's been an historically great start for the NFC North.
USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz shared his midseason grades for every NFL team, and the Bears were among the highest-graded
teams through the first nine games. Chicago received an A- for their hot start, as well as Caleb Williams' solid performance and the acquisition of All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.
With Caleb Williams coming into his own, anything feels possible for Chicago. An already sky-high ceiling was pushed even higher with the trade for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who changes the entire complexion of the unit he just joined. Williams' four interceptions in an unnecessarily close call against the Buccaneers emphasized the volatility that might be in play for this team, but the Bears look capable of leaning on their defense in key stretches rather than relying on Ben Johnson's machine-like offense not to have its gears get jammed every once in a while.
But things aren't going to get easier for Chicago down the stretch. The Bears have the most difficult remaining schedule in the NFL, where their easiest games are against the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins. They also have four remaining division games (two against the Detroit Lions and one each against the Packers and Vikings), as well as AFC matchups against the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars.
It'll certainly be a big test for Ben Johnson's squad in their pursuit for a return to the postseason, but they have the talent in all phases to get it done.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: How the Chicago Bears grade at midway point of 2026
