Bear Digest

Bears clinch NFC North thanks to Packers' Week 17 dud

With the NFC North crown secure, the Chicago Bears can set their sights on the No. 1 seed.
Pete Martuneac|
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

At his introductory press conference back in 2022, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles told the NFL world that the Bears were going to "take the [NFC] North and never give it back". This snappy line became an easy target for mockery as the Bears proceeded to go 15-36 over the next three seasons, finishing last in the NFC North each year.

But vindication has finally arrived for Ryan Poles and the Bears. Thanks to the Green Bay Packers' ugly loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night, the Bears clinched the NFC North crown for the first time since 2018. As if that wasn't reason enough for Bears fans to celebrate, here's a fun fact: Caleb Williams has more division titles at the end of his second season than his sixth-year rival in Green Bay, Jordan Love.

No end in sight to Chicago's magical season

Entering Week 17, the Bears had already had one of the most improbable seasons of all time, and it just keeps getting better. With the division locked up, the Bears can now set their sights on securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC. It won't be easy, but it's well within Chicago's reach. If they can win their final two games and get a little help in the form of one (or two) Seattle Seahawks losses, the NFC's road to the Super Bowl will officially run through Chicago.

The sky is the limit now for the Bears as the regular season fades into the playoffs. They may not be the best team on paper, but they've gutted out some tough wins and are 3-1 against playoff teams. Some fans and analysts say that the way they're winning is unsustainable, and there's some truth to that. The offense continues to start games poorly, and their defense is heavily reliant on turnovers.

Only the Bears can stop themselves from a Super Bowl run

But here's the thing: if after 15 games the turnovers keep coming in bunches, then it's probably not going to stop happening for the rest of the season. An elite turnover differential (best in the league) paired with a strong running game (second in the league) is a fantastic recipe for success, especially when you have a quarterback like Caleb Williams who plays his best football in crunch time. A clear road for the Bears to make a Super Bowl run exists. They just have to take it.

For what it's worth, I don't expect the Bears to make a deep postseason run. Very few guys on this roster have played meaningful January football before, and so I think they likely go one-and-done. But if we've learned anything from the 2025 NFL season, it's to never bet against the Bears.

Caleb William
Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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