Bear Digest

Chicago Bears ascend to rare position in the NFC North

The loss by the Packers Monday night to Philadelphia moved the Bears and Detroit Lions into first place at 6-3, although Detroit does have a tiebreaker in hand on the Bears.
Gene Chamberlain|
D'Andre Swift celebrates a first down against the Giants in Sunday's Bears win.
D'Andre Swift celebrates a first down against the Giants in Sunday's Bears win. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

With the final gun of Green Bay's 10-7 loss to Philadelphia at Lambeau Field Friday night, the Bears owned an unfamiliar position in the NFC North.

They are tied for first place with the Detroit Lions. Technically, they would lose a tiebreaker to Detroit because of their loss to the Lions in Week 2, but at this point the playoffs are nine weeks away and tiebreakers are unnecessary. Besides, they also have another game left with Detroit to finish the regular season.

The Bears are 6-3, like Detroit, and the Packers are half a game back at 5-3-1.

Minnesota, waiting Sunday to host the Bears, is 4-5 and in last place.

The last time the Bears were in first place this late in the season was in 2018 when they were 6-3 en route to a 12-4 finish and an NFC North title.

In 2020, they were tied with Green Bay in first after seven games at 5-2 but then went on a six-game losing streak before finishing strong to make the playoffs as a wild card at 8-8 under Matt Nagy.

Of course, Ben Johnson isn't getting too excited about the idea of being atop the division this early, or letting the team be too concerned about it.

"We understand the urgency that's at hand," Johnson said during his Monday press conference. "We know where we are in the NFC right now.

"But I think the biggest thing in the message to the team is we're a 6-3 team  right now that's looking to get to 7-3.”

That would be Sunday in Minneapolis against a Vikings team they blew an 11-point lead against at home to start the season on Monday Night Football.

NFC North Standings

Team

Won

Lost

Tied

GB

Pct.

Lions*

6

3

0

-

.667

BEARS

6

3

0

-

.667

Packers

5

3

1

1/2

.611

Vikings

4

5

0

2

.444

*Own head-to-head tiebreaker.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.