Week 13 rooting guide for shirtless Ben Johnson and the NFC North-leading Bears

After a signature win on Black Friday over the Eagles, the Chicago Bears can improve their playoff positioning even more with some key results in Sunday's NFL games.

Caleb Williams | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

For many reasons, here's a sentence you thought you'd never read in 2025: As we head into the NFL's Thanksgiving weekend, only the New England Patriots have more wins than shirtless Ben Johnson and the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears.

In a wonderfully wacky world made even more delirious and delicious by the Bears' comprehensive victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday, that sentence needs to be broken down into bite-sized pieces to be able to be properly digested. So here goes:

MORE: 3 Studs and 1 Tush Push stop from Bears' shocking Week 13 domination of Eagles

Shirtless Ben Johnson

Of all the trending hashtags, we never thought #ShirtlessBenJohnson would be a thing. But here we are. After the 24-15 win over the Eagles, Johnson won free hot dogs for Bears fans by taking off his shirt in a wild locker-room celebration.

Delivered a dub 🐻⬇️

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 29, 2025

Only the Patriots Have More Wins than the Bears

After an ugly 0-2 start, the Bears are 9-1 in their last 10 games including the signature win on the road over the Eagles. At 9-3, entering the Week 13 weekend only the 10-2 Patriots have more wins.

Division-leading Chicago Controls the NFC North

Entering Sunday the Bears are the No. 2 seed in the NFC Playoff standings, trailing only the 9-2 Los Angeles Rams. Their last five remaining games are difficult, featuring four teams headed for the playoffs in the Green Bay Packers (twice), San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions. The Packers and Lions are both off this weekend as well after playing on Thanksgiving, but that doesn't mean the Bears can't get help with the right outcome of some key games:

Browns over 49ers: San Francisco could also get to nine wins and would jostle with the Bears for Wild Card seeding if neither team winds up winning its division.

Cardinals over Buccaneers: Tampa Bay is only 6-5, but a loss within the conference would help the Bears against the Bucs in any potential tie-breakers for best record among division winners or Wild Card seeding.

MORE: Bears' rising hero Nahshon Wright shockingly stops Eagles' vaunted Tush Push

Panthers over Rams: Since this is already a dream season, why not dream even bigger? If 9-2 L.A. gets upset Sunday in Carolina the Bears would suddenly be the NFC's No. 1 seed based on a better conference record.

Vikings over Seahawks: We know, it's always uncomfortable to root for an NFC North rival. But Seattle is 8-3, and a loss would give Chicago a one-game lead on it in the NFC standings.

Kyle Monangai | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

More Chicago Bears NewsEmpty heading

• Nahshon Wright and Bears defense take down the hated tush push

• Game manager or not, Caleb Williams can live with wins like this

• Bears stock down: Doubters take a massive L as Chicago dominates the Eagles

• No more doubt as Bears humiliate world champion Eagles 24-15

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