Windy City Gridiron
Reaching the end of the NFL regular season is usually sad for me.
With the Chicago Bears headed for the postseason, though, it is way better. I know I have more of my favorite team to watch, even if it’s way more stressful.
It isn’t the same, though, without a full slate of games coming on Sundays.
But let us not yet mourn, let’s look at how experts are ranking our playoff-bound Bears following their last-second loss (but exciting!) to the San Francisco 49ers.
8. Chicago Bears (11-5) Previous Week: 7
Since firing Lovie Smith following the 2012 season, Chicago has struggled to find much success. Not only have they posted just two winning seasons and three playoff appearances in that time, but their last playoff win came in January of 2011. The goal for the Bears isn’t simply to make the playoffs in 2025 but to build sustained success beyond this season. With every starter projected to return on the offensive side of the ball and Ben Johnson leading the team, there are reasons to believe that 2026 will be a continuation of success, and not a reality check.
Biggest Strength For 2026: The Offense
6. Bears (No. 7; 11-5): Despite losing, they proved they’re ready to contend.
7. Chicago Bears (4) The offense has taken major strides with Ben Johnson as they have won the NFC North. But the defense has to be better come playoff time — or else.
The Athletic – Josh Kendall and Chad Graff
8. Chicago Bears (11-5)
Last week: 8
Sunday: Lost to 49ers 42-38
Head coach check-in: As advertised
Ben Johnson has been just as good as everyone thought he’d be while he was coordinating the Lions offense. The Bears clinched the NFC North before they played Sunday, and then proved they are legit Super Bowl contenders despite the loss. Chicago scored on five of its final seven possessions against the 49ers, Caleb Williams threw for 330 yards and the Bears came within 2 yards of a game-winning touchdown.
6. Chicago Bears (6) With Saturday night’s thrilling OT victory over rival Green Bay, Chicago now has 11 wins — with six of them coming after the Bears trailed in the final two minutes of regulation. They needed a face-mask penalty on third-and-20 and a recovered onside kick, among other things, in order to pull out that miracle against the Packers, which demonstrates both their extraordinary resilience and their propensity to make things harder than they need to be. The reward for those late-game heroics is that the Bears have clinched a playoff spot, they are the overwhelming favorites to win the NFC North, and the No. 1 seed remains possible. Simply beating the 49ers and Lions might not get it done, however, and as Ben Johnson said in the...
