The Chicago Bears are being counted among the NFC's elite contenders, and it is hard to argue against this. The franchise has an incredibly talented young core and appears poised to defend last year's division title. It is a loaded conference, but one that Chicago just proved a season ago capable of playing with, leaving room to wonder whether or not this could finally be the season the Bears go on a deep postseason run.
With this in mind, let's look at the three biggest potential threats to ending Chicago's postseason hopes. This is looking specifically at the three most difficult matchups in the conference and which teams are capable of slowing down a team that is undeniably becoming an NFC favorite.
1. Los Angeles Rams
Any NFC contenders list that isn't started by the Los Angeles Rams is either in denial or misinformed. The Rams added the league's single season sack record holder in Myles Garrett, two Super Bowl champion corners from the Kansas City Chiefs, and are topping this off by teasing the return of Aaron Donald. Add in the presence of defending MVP Matthew Stafford, and injuries are the only thing that appears likely to slow this unit down.
As great as the Bears roster might be, this is a scary matchup you don't want to see coming in the postseason. If there is any team in the conference capable of slowing down Los Angeles it is Chicago, but there is no denying what an uphill battle it appears to be.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
The only other team in the league that matches up extremely well against the Bears is Philadelphia. One of the concerns is rushing the passer consistently and being able to give Williams the needed time to run the offense. The Eagles have an incredible inside pass rush and are going to create matchup issues for the Bears if the two sides face off. This isn't to say Chicago isn't capable of winning, but it is fair to point out the Super Bowl experience of this roster.
Jalen Hurts has played incredibly well on two deep postseason runs, making sure that any list of NFC contenders isn't complete without listing the Eagles. There is also room to wonder if the team is going to be better after shedding the distraction of A.J. Brown.
3. Detroit Lions
All the attention when it comes to an NFC North threat to Ben Johnson's Bears is on the hated Green Bay Packers. Historically, this might be understandable, but the Bears won two games straight against the hated rival, including a complete playoff collapse by Green Bay that is bound to have some fallout, with Chicago owning an undeniable mental edge moving forward.
Detroit might have missed the playoffs, but Dan Campbell swept the Bears in the 2026 season. One of these wins was an early-season blowout that appeared to establish the Lions as a clear playoff threat. This version of the team is still there it is simply a matter of whether or not they are able to show up consistently.
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