Bear Digest

Why aren't first-place Bears the NFC North's top team in Week 12 Power Rankings?

A sign of lingering skeptics, the Chicago Bears are ranked No. 1 in the standings but No. 3 in the Power Rankings.
Richie Whitt|
Cairo Santos
Cairo Santos | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

The Bonkers Bears are at it again. Finding dramatic ways to win football games in the final seconds. And inching their way up the NFL Power Rankings.

We say inching, because last week's great escape over the Minnesota Vikings only bumped the Chicago Bears up three notches in this week's rankings by The Athletic. Granted, we'd all love a comfortable blowout from time to time. Good for our hearts; good for the rankings.

MORE: Bears troll Vikings with Prince-themed social media post after dramatic win

But in the NFL wins are difficult to come by and Ben Johnson's team now has seven of them and sits alone atop the NFC North as Thanksgiving approaches. Thanks to the last-minute heroics by Devin Duvernay and Cairo Santos, the Bears beat the Vikings on the final play of the game. In Johnson's first year they now have five wins after trailing in the final two minutes, tied for the most by an NFL team since 1970.

The Athletic, however, doesn't believe the script is sustainable. The win only improved Chicago from No. 15 to No. 12, and the Bears - despite a 7-3 record that leads the division - still find themselves looking up at the Detroit Lions (8) and Green Bay Packers (10).

Writes The Athletic:

MORE: 4 Bears' studs and 1 big sigh of relief in dramatic win over Vikings

"It’s not our intention to convert anyone to anything, but the Bears are 7-3 since Chicago native Robert Prevost (now known as Leo XIV) was elected Pope. They have come from behind in the final two minutes of five games this season and won seven of their last eight overall. The schedule down the stretch is brutal and includes the Eagles, 49ers, Lions and Packers (twice), so playing it safe on Sunday mornings seems like a good plan."

This week the Bears host the Pittsburgh Steelers (13th in the power rankings) at Soldier Field.

Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson | David Banks-Imagn Images

More Chicago Bears News

Follow BearsTalk on X

Published
Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.

Share on XFollow richiewhitt
Home/News