Windy City Gridiron
It might be hard to believe, but the 2025 NFL regular season is starting to wind down. Following Monday night’s results, there will be just seven games remaining before the start of the playoffs. With so many bad teams in the league this year, the playoff picture is more condensed than it has been in quite some time. For the Chicago Bears, a win on Sunday brought a sizable jump for their playoff chances, and a Vikings loss all but knocked Minnesota out of the mix. There was plenty on the line this weekend in the NFC, and the results delivered. Somehow, some way, the Bears found yet another way to win a football game. With everyone’s heart rates still elevated a day later, we’ll dive into the game and a whole lot more for your first-place Bears.
1. Following Another Last-Second Win (And Some Help Within The Division), Sunday’s Win Not Only Drastically Improved Their Playoff Chances But Has Given The Bears Sole Possession Of First Place Heading Into Week 12
Heading into Sunday afternoon, the Bears found themselves at a statistical crossroads, if you will. According to Pro Football Focus, the Bears’ chances of making the playoffs at (7-3) were 64%, versus a loss that brought them to (6-4), which drastically shifted their playoff chances to 31%. Not only did a win give them a real chance at a playoff spot for the first time this season, but it all but eliminates the Vikings (would likely need to go 6-1 to have a shot).
Make no mistake- The NFC is stacked this year. Even if there aren’t many “elite” teams so far, there are a host of teams competing for seven playoff spots. Tie-breakers tend to play a significant role at the end of the season, and with the Bears improving their conference record to (5-2), they are setting themselves up to be in a good position down the stretch. It’s worth noting that they’ll face the Packers twice, the Lions, and the 49ers over their final seven games. Head-to-head is the ultimate tie-breaker, but divisional and conference records will come into focus if that doesn’t help.
Of the team’s final seven games, all but two will be in the conference. Assuming they were to finish at (10-7) and split the two AFC games, they would finish (7-5) conference record, which is a quality mark, but might not be enough to win them a tie-breaker in that scenario. Heading into the season, it was reasonable to focus on the Wild Card, but considering their current standing within the division, fans should start to shift their focus to the NFC North crown. After a (0-2) start in the division, they’re going to need to finish strong for that to work in their favor. The good news is that at (1-2), they are tied with the Lions in that regard, and the Packers still have five divisional games to go.
Believe it or not, it’s time to start looking at...
