The Chicago Bears are on fire, and their next step is a Week 11 showdown with the rival Minnesota Vikings. It's the first time that the NFC North rivals will collide since the Vikings' 27-24 season-opening win, and it's safe to say that the divisional outlook looks quite different this time around.
On Monday Night Football, the Green Bay Packers lost 10-7 to the Philadelphia Eagles and have dropped to 5-3-1 on the season. With their second straight loss, the Packers have dropped to third place for the first time in a long time, whereas the Bears and Detroit Lions both own matching 6-3 records.
Bears' NFC North Outlook Is Brighter to Begin Tuesday
Although there are eight weeks left in the regular season, the current NFC North standings are a shock, as the Packers were in first place for the bulk of the 2025 season thus far. The Lions do have the tiebreaker over the Bears, since they beat them 52-21 back in Week 2, but they still have one more matchup at Soldier Field in Week 18, leaving plenty of time for things to change.
After beginning the season 0-2, Chicago has picked things up and started hitting their stride. Winners of six of their last seven games, the Bears are rolling right now. It looks like the offense is gaining confidence in the first year of head coach Ben Johnson's system, and that's a great sign for what the rest of the season looks like.
The Bears have a tough eight-game slate remaining, with games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Lions, and Packers (x2). Nevertheless, Chicago is in a nice spot inside the division, especially since they haven't even played Green Bay yet, giving fans plenty of reasons to believe that Johnson & Co. will be in the thick of things until he very end.
The Bears have everything in front of them in terms of controlling their destiny to snap their four-year playoff drought. Considering the talent this team has, this is what fans have been itching for. Quarterback Caleb Williams came into the league as a generational talent, but it was clear that the coaching staff was holding the roster and franchise signal-caller back.
And through nine games, it seems that was the truth. Just last year, the Bears dropped 10 straight games after owning a 4-2 record, squashing their postseason hopes. Now, it's the beginning of November, and Chicago appears to be a legitimate playoff threat.
The vibe around the Bears feels different this year. While the arrow seems to be trending up in the Windy City, it's been the opposite for the Packers, amid their two-game skid and lackluster offense. Certainly, Chicago fans won't complain if both trends continue.
As the weather gets colder, these games will become even harder, but the Bears have to be feeling good about where they are at. Time will tell how the NFC North will look after Chicago is done with the upcoming stretch.