Week 13 of the 2025 NFL regular season has been one to remember for the Chicago Bears and their fans.
Heading into their game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday, the Bears had a prime opportunity to extend their winning streak to five games and also leapfrog the Eagles in the NFC standings for the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.
Much to the delight of Chicago fans, the Bears handled their business in a dominating fashion vs. the defending Super Bowl champions, winning 24-15 behind a tremendous performance from Kyle Monangai (130 yards and 1 TD on 22 carries) and D’Andre Swift (125 yards and a TD on 18 carries).
If you told Bears fans before the season that first-year head coach Ben Johnson would have this Bears’ team with nine wins, in first place in the NFC North, and a top-two seed in the NFC, they likely wouldn’t believe you.
But that’s now the reality for Johnson’s crew. On Sunday, Bears fans received even better news as their team holds first place in the NFC, thanks to the Carolina Panthers, who were double-digit underdogs at home against the Los Angeles Rams.
Bears Suddenly Takeover First Place in NFC After Rams Lose to Panthers
Heading into Sunday, the Bears were only a game behind the Rams, who had a 9-2 record, for the top spot in the NFC. If the Rams were to lose to Carolina somehow, the Bears would have the same record at 9-3. But since the Bears have the better conference record (6-2), that would give them the edge.
Luckily for Bears fans, the breaks fell their way. Los Angeles did not play their best game, as we saw from them in previous weeks, as Carolina won the turnover battle.
The Panthers picked off Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford twice, including one interception that was returned for a touchdown. They also sacked Stafford late in the fourth quarter, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Carolina, ending the Rams’ potential scoring threat.
The Rams’ offense wasn’t bad outside of those turnovers, as Stafford threw two TDs and they ran for 152 yards and two scores.
However, Los Angeles couldn’t overcome those miscues. Meanwhile, Panthers QB Bryce Young played a clean and efficient game (15/20 for 206 yards and 3 TDs) and had a solid running game to lean on.
If you’re a Bears fan, this is the perfect way to end a great week of football. This team has positioned itself to win the division and possibly a top-two seed in the conference. The road ahead will not be easy for the Bears, as they face the Green Bay Packers twice, the Cleveland Browns, and the San Francisco 49ers to wrap up the season. However, the fact that this team is in a better position than it was a year ago is a testament to Johnson’s efforts in changing the culture.