The Chicago Bears are back in the double-digit win column for the first time since 2018, and under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, this season already feels like a turning point. With a commanding performance in Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns, the Bears didn’t just take care of business-they made a statement.
Now, with three games left on the regular season slate, a playoff berth is well within reach. In fact, it’s starting to feel more like a matter of when than if.
But while the postseason is in sight, there’s still work to be done-especially within the NFC North. Of the Bears’ four losses this season, three have come against division rivals.
They’ve already split the season series with the Vikings, but matchups remain against the Packers in Week 16 and the Lions in Week 18. Those two games carry heavy implications.
A loss in either could cost Chicago the division crown. Drop both, and the NFC North title likely slips through their fingers.
ESPN’s Seth Walder recently ran projections for the final stretch of the regular season, including playoff odds heading into Week 16. He’s got the Bears beating the Packers on Saturday night, which would be a huge boost.
But with the Lions projected to take care of business against the Steelers, Chicago’s playoff chances only tick up to 95 percent. That’s a strong number, but not a lock-at least not yet.
Still, the Bears are in a spot every team wants to be in come mid-December: they control their own destiny. No scoreboard watching.
No rooting for other teams to lose. Just win, and everything else falls into place.
Let’s talk about what that dream finish looks like.
If the Bears can take down the Packers in Week 16, they’ll set themselves up for a potential division-clinching showdown in Week 18 against the Lions. A win there would give Chicago 12 victories on the season and their first NFC North title since 2018.
That’s not just a best-case scenario-it’s a very real possibility. And the beauty of it?
They don’t need help from anyone else to make it happen.
Week 17 brings a heavyweight clash with the San Francisco 49ers, a game that could have major implications for playoff seeding across the NFC. But depending on how the division games shake out, the Bears might not even need that one to lock up the North. That’s the kind of breathing room you earn by handling business early-and Chicago has done just that.
This team has shown resilience, balance, and a growing sense of identity under Johnson. The offense has found rhythm, the defense is making timely stops, and the locker room believes. That belief is translating into wins-and potentially, into something bigger.
The Bears’ path to the playoffs is clear. The opportunity to host a playoff game at Soldier Field is right there for the taking. And for a franchise that’s been searching for consistency and direction, this December stretch could mark the beginning of a new era.
Three games. Two division rivals. One shot at the crown.
The Bears don’t need a miracle. They just need to finish what they started.