Packers Fall. Hand Division To Chicago Bears — And How It Alters Their Playoff Path
The Chicago Bears were never remotely considered a threat to the other NFC North teams when the season began. Why should they have been? Green Bay, Detroit, and Minnesota all won at least 13 games last season. The Bears were 5-12 and a walking basket case. Even after hiring Ben Johnson as head coach, nobody believed this team would make noise in what was easily the toughest division in football. As Saturday night wound down, the Green Bay Packers fell at home to the Baltimore Ravens, pushing their record to 9-6-1.
That meant they couldn’t get more than 10 wins, officially meaning the 11-4 Bears are NFC North champions for the first time since 2018. Just like that, GM Ryan Poles’ proclamation of retaking the north was complete. As things stand, this assures the Bears will have one of the top three seeds in the NFC playoffs (the NFC South winner will have the fourth spot). That guarantees the Bears at least one home game. Based on current seeding projections, they have a great chance to last the #2 seed, which would guarantee two home games.
The Chicago Bears’ objective now is clear.
Head coach Ben Johnson said making the playoffs alone wasn’t enough. He said the next steps were to win the division, which had been accomplished, and to pursue the #1 seed. Claiming that would assure home field advantage and a first round bye in the playoffs. That last step is the most challenging, but by no means impossible. It requires two crucial steps. The Bears must win each of their final two games against the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions. Then they need the Seattle Seahawks, who currently hold the top seed, to lose one of their last two games.
Beating the 49ers will be the toughest part. They’ve won six of their last seven games and have one of the hottest offenses in the league. They crushed the Chicago Bears in their meeting a year ago. Getting past them makes the objective much easier from there. Detroit is eliminated from the playoffs, so they’ll have nothing to play for in the season finale. Plus, it will be at Soldier Field in the cold. As for Seattle, both of their remaining games are on the road against playoff contenders (Carolina and San Francisco).
This isn’t over yet.