Ranking the most important games remaining on the Bears' 2025 schedule

The Chicago Bears are currently in the playoff picture after nine games. Which of their remaining eight will decide their fate?

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A debate is currently raging in the NFL world on whether the 6-3 Chicago Bears are real or not. Some are not impressed by winning against a weaker schedule, while others assert that you can only play who's in front of you. The truth is somewhere in the middle. No one should apologize for winning, but it can be said that the Bears still have something to prove. Entering the second half of the 2025 NFL season, they've got their opportunity to do exactly that.

The Bears are set to face something of a gauntlet over their final eight games, with matchups against several playoff contenders looming. Ben Johnson has said that the Bears are not a rebuilding team, and the mission is to 'win and win now'. If that's true, then the Bears are going to need some big wins against quality opponents in the coming weeks.

Which games are going to be the most critical matchups for Chicago? Let's take a look.

4. Week 17 at the San Francisco 49ers

If the rest of the season goes as planned and the Lions once again run away with the NFC North crown, the Bears will be left in an all-out brawl for a Wild Card spot. That places an enormous weight on this Week 17 matchup against the Niners. In the penultimate game of the 2025 season, this could very well decide whether Chicago punches their playoff ticket or loses their spot to San Francisco on a tiebreaker.

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3. Weeks 14 and 16 against the Green Bay Packers

At 0-2 in the division, the Bears have a lot of room to make up. Their rematch with the Vikings is up next, but these games against the Packers get the nod as more important. They don't necessarily have to sweep their ancient rival, though that would be the cherry on top of this season for Bears fans, but Chicago has to win at least one to remain in the playoff hunt.

Another sweep at the hands of Green Bay would not only demoralize the entire team and fanbase but would very likely sink the Bears' playoff hopes.

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2. Week 13 at the Philadelphia Eagles

Over the next two weeks, the Bears are set to face the Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers, both of whom appear to be vulnerable right now. They're tougher than Chicago's previous opponents, but still beatable. That makes Chicago's Week 13 matchup against Philly their first major test in several weeks. In an ideal scenario, the Bears emerge from this game at 9-3 and riding a five-game win streak.

Momentum is very real in the NFL, and beating the defending champs in their own house would leave no doubt about who the Bears are and could potentially send them to the very top of the NFC.

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1. Week 18 vs the Detroit Lions

In my preseason rankings of the Chicago Bears' most important games on the 2025 NFL schedule, I had this one as the most important, and I don't see any reason to change that now. I truly believe that the Bears have the chops to ride through this gauntlet and get to Week 18 with a shot at winning the NFC North title. They have a lot of work to do to get there and will need Caleb Williams to be at his best, but they can do it.

Taking back the NFC North crown in Ben Johnson's first year as head coach and fulfilling Ryan Poles' pledge at home against the defending division champs would be about as cinematic as it gets.

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