Aaron LemingSat, November 29, 2025 at 2:30 PM UTC·26 min readDespite no national analysts really giving them a chance, the Chicago Bears are (9-3) following a thoroughly dominant 24-15 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in front of a hostile crowd on Black Friday. For the majority of four quarters, the Bears dominated the play and dictated the pace. That’s not something even the most optimistic of fans could have seen coming. All season, the narrative surrounding their hot start has been “they haven’t played anyone yet,” but with back-to-back wins against first-place teams, it’s time to start taking the Bears seriously. With just five days between games, the fact that this team still holds sole possession of first place heading into Week 14 speaks volumes about their development as a team.
Before you enjoy the remainder of a long holiday weekend, let’s dive into our 10 Bears Takes following a nine-point win on the road.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement1. And If You Don’t Know, Now You Know. The Chicago Bears Are (9-3) And Very Much For Real.
Haven’t played any good teams yet? How about back-to-back wins against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles? Have you had excellent quarterback luck playing against backups? I raise you shutting down Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts to under 200 yards until the game was out of hand.
The excuses might keep coming, but so do the Bears’ wins. With another two wins, this team will be headed back to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. Maybe they are a year too early, and maybe getting to the Super Bowl isn’t viewed as realistic, but their (9-3) overall and (2-0) stretch against teams over .500 in the last two games makes them a real contender. Forget the focus of simply making it into the final Wild Card spot or two; this group is a real contender to go from worst to first with their first NFC North title since 2018.
What’s even more impressive is that 12 games into the season, they’ve yet to play a complete game on both sides of the ball. When the offense scores 30-plus, their defense barely hangs on. When the defense holds up its end of the bargain, the offense struggles to find the end zone. On Friday, it was far from a perfect day for the offense, namely the passing game. Quarterback Caleb Williams once again struggled with accuracy, and receivers struggled with their footing. Despite that, the offense was able to cobble together three touchdown drives, totaling 24 points and 425 yards.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhat happens if they can put together a complete game? Beating an eight-win team on the road is one thing. Doing it while not playing your best football? The ceiling remains undefined for this team, and that should excite fans.
Now, make no mistake. The quarterback play must start to take another step forward. The defense must keep getting after the quarterback and, more importantly, continue to manufacture takeaways. There will always be improvements that need to be made from a game-to-game standpoint, but in the end, the Bears have gone (9-1) following their (0-2) start. While there’s still plenty to be proven as we inch closer to January, the Bears’ latest five-game winning streak has put them in a great position to not only get into the playoffs but host a game (or two) once the dance opens in six weeks.
2. If Last Week’s Home Win Against The Pittsburgh Steelers Was The Bears’ First True Test, Was Friday’s Trip To Philly The Final Boss (Of The Regular Season)?
Usually, I would say yes, but looking at the Bears’ remaining schedule, they face just one team under .500, and that will come in two weeks at home against the Cleveland Browns. On paper, the Eagles might have been their most formidable remaining opponent, but sometimes, when you play a team, it’s the factors that matter most.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn Friday, the Eagles were five days removed from a crushing 24-21 loss against their division rivals, and the home crowd grew restless very early with a stagnant offense. By the end of the game, the stadium was over half empty once the Bears took a 15-point lead. No matter how pretty or how ugly these games get, the team’s physicality and tenacity to win games when it’s on the line are pretty impressive, especially when considering how many games they blew in three years under former head coach Matt Eberflus.
Heading into this final set of games, the big knock on the Bears was simple- Their overall strength of schedule and strength of victory. Following wins over the (6-5) Pittsburgh Steelers and the (8-4) Philadelphia Eagles, they now have a stronger strength of victory than the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, and Indianapolis Colts. Does that mean they’ve been more impressive? Of course not, but what these last two wins have proven is that they can beat good teams, and have every reason to be considered a “contender”.
Make no mistake, the Bears are still not a lock for the playoffs, and they still have plenty to prove. The old saying “You can only play who is on your schedule” holds truer than ever, especially with back-to-back impressive wins. Over their final five games of the regular season, they’ll face NFC North opponents in three games, including a pair of games against the Packers in three weeks. No matter how you cut it, the Bears have put themselves in an advantageous position. One that should lead to a playoff berth, but after their last three wins, it’s time to start thinking bigger, starting with a division title.
3. Outside Of The Passing Game, I’m Not Sure You Could Have Scripted A Better First Half For The Bears.
The offense controlled the time of possession throughout the first 30 minutes, with an even 21:00:9:00 ratio. Despite their anemic passing game due to the conditions and an erratic Caleb Williams, they totaled 222 total yards and 10 first-half points.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn the defensive side of the ball, they held the Eagles to just 83 total yards, including two three-and-outs on four drives. While defensive coordinator Dennis Allen continues to find ways to scheme up pressure, their run defense was much more stout, allowing just 3.7 yards per attempt.
In total, the Bears dominated the first half, despite the closer-than-it felt-like score of 10-3. Coming into Friday, the narrative surrounding the Bears was all about the quality (or lack thereof) of their eight wins. Not many gave them a chance in this game, and others believed the Eagles would run away and hide. Instead, the Bears came out swinging, controlling the line of scrimmage and imposing their will. That was even more important in a game where the temperatures were cold, but the wind was gusting at upwards of 35 miles per hour.
Despite a not-so-great third quarter, Chicago finished strong in the fourth quarter and did something that they haven’t done in quite some time- Put the game away… Against one of the best teams in football.
Although the passing game never got going, Williams made a few throws when needed, and, as we’ve seen all season, they found a way to win the football game, regardless of the opponent. The real story of the game was built on old-fashioned football, with a strong run game and a defense that allowed just two touchdowns. What the Bears are proving is that even when they aren’t near their best, they can win in different ways. Even the best teams in history have had to find different ways to win. The only time it becomes a concern is when that’s consistently the case. We’ll see if the Bears can hit their stride and start winning games with more complete performances, but for now, this is more than “good enough”.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement4. During The Week, Head Coach Ben Johnson Had High Praise For Vic Fangio And His Defense. On Friday, They Came Out With A Clear Plan To Run The Ball And Control The Line Of Scrimmage.
The Bears’ 142 first-half rushing yards were the most the Eagles have given up since 2015. The Philly native D’Andre Swift averaged 8.8 yards per rush and had the team’s lone touchdown in the first half. Although rookie Kyle Monangai wasn’t as effective, he still averaged 5.1 yards per carry, coupled with a few hard-nosed runs early in the game. As a whole, the offensive creativity was on full display, moving the ball plenty and keeping a very good Philadelphia defense on its toes.
If that wasn’t impressive enough, their second-half performance was just as dominant. By the time the play clock struck zero in the fourth quarter, the Bears’ offense finished with a whopping 281 yards, two touchdowns, and an average of 6.0 yards per carry on 47 carries. Overall, the offense ran 85 plays compared to the Eagles’ 51. If that wasn’t egregious enough, Chicago almost doubled up Philadelphia in time of possession (39:18 to 20:42). Simply put, it was flat-out domination for most of the 60 minutes of game time, and most of that was because of the run game.
It’s almost funny to think about the offseason and the panic the running back room was causing around the fan base. To be fair, I was in a similar boat, although I had some faith that Johnson would be able to maximize the value of the running back room. Following Friday’s 281-yard performance, the Bears will go into Sunday leading the league in rushing yards per game at 153.83 yards per game. All things considered, that’s pretty impressive. Especially when considering that the weather is starting to turn colder, which means a quality run game will be a must down the stretch.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAlthough I’m still not convinced the Bears will have the same one-two punch next year, it’s clear the team can run a successful offense. More than anything, I’m not convinced the Bears can or will want to pay Swift the $8.83 million cap figure, especially with how tight they are projected to be against next year’s cap. For now, we’re learning that the combination of Swift and Monangai is more than good enough, which should give fans optimism that no matter what they decide to do in the offseason, Johnson will find a way to make it work in his offense.
4. Upon Further Inspection, I’ve Come To The Conclusion That 10 Wins Won’t Be Enough To Earn An NFC Playoff Spot For The Bears (Without Plenty Of Good Fortune Down The Stretch).
The good news: The Bears have a full two-game lead on the eighth seed (Detroit).
The (potentially) not-so-good news: With as crowded as the NFC playoff picture is, the Bears are far from guaranteed a playoff spot if they finish (1-4) down the stretch.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGoing into Sunday, here’s how the playoff picture currently looks:
Los Angeles Rams (9-2)
Chicago Bears (9-3)
Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5)
Seattle Seahawks (8-3)
Green Bay Packers (8-3-1)
San Francisco 49ers (8-4)
Just out of the playoff picture:
Detroit Lions (7-5)
Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)
Carolina Panthers (6-6)
Holding a two-game lead with five games remaining in the season is a great spot to be in. Realistically, there are 10 teams listed here, but the Panthers’ most realistic playoff hopes will come within their division, especially after Carolina’s Monday night loss to the 49ers. A few weeks ago, I would have said the Cowboys are done. I’m still not 100% sold that they can run the table and win out, but a (4-1) finish would leave them at (10-6-1), which automatically beats any 10-win team that has a win/loss outcome in all 17 games. That means the Lions could only lose more games the rest of the season, which includes matchups against the Cowboys, Rams, Steelers, and Bears.
Turning the focus back to the Bears, if they were going to make it as a 10-win team, they would need the lone win to come against the Lions. That would give them a season split against Detroit and a (7-5) conference record. If the Lions finished with the same record, it almost guaranteed the Bears would have the tiebreaker. Outside of that, the Lions would own the tie-breaker, and because the 49ers already have eight conference wins, the only way Chicago would get into the playoffs at 10 wins is a head-to-head victory against the 49ers.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLet me be clear: I don’t think this scenario will come into play. If they can split with Green Bay and beat the Browns at home, that will equal 11 wins and absolutely get them into the playoffs. More than anything, this is just to raise awareness of the current NFC playoff picture and what it should ultimately take for the Bears to break their five-year playoff drought.
5. Should Ozzy Trapilo Take Over At Left Tackle For The Remainder Of The Season?
It sure feels like that’s going to be the case, but it’s worth asking the question for a little more of an in-depth answer. Theo Benedet did an admirable job taking over for Braxton Jones, but in the end, his ability (and length) as a pass protector left a lot to be desired. For as rough as his pass sets look, he was a dominant run blocker, and his overall story was pretty impressive, considering he was an undrafted free agent from Canada. The odds of him ever making an NFL roster were slim. The fact that he was able to start a handful of games in Year 2 (after being on the practice squad last season) is an impressive find by general manager Ryan Poles’ scouting staff in itself.
For as impressive as Benedet’s story has been, I’m not sure there was anyone (fans or within the organization) who believed he was the long-term answer at left tackle. Sure, his sample size was relatively small, but Chicago is no longer in a position to play the “wait and see” approach at key positions like the blind side protector.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat’s where Trapilo comes in.
The former Boston College product was the team’s second pick of the second round. Despite spending the majority of his time at right tackle in college, the Bears attempted to flip him back to left tackle. It was an interesting battle during training camp, but one day, Trapilo was magically stuck back at right tackle. The explanation from the coaching staff was as simple as him “hitting a wall” at left tackle, which is why they wanted him to go back to his more natural position. Benedet’s quad injury in Week 12 opened up a door for Trapilo to earn his first start of the season, and he looked outstanding in pass protection against one of the best defensive lines in football.
Start No. 2 wasn’t nearly as smooth. He was beaten for the Eagles’ lone sack of the game. In fact, I would argue that Trapilo didn’t even get a hand on the pass rusher. Despite that, there’s still plenty to like through two games, especially when considering that his first two NFL starts came within five days of each other.
At this point, the Bears know what they have in Benedet’s floor. It’s good enough to get by, but the ceiling isn’t likely high enough to stick with beyond 2025. With Trapilo, there’s still a strong chance that he’s best suited on the right side. Maybe in the offseason, the team will flip Trapilo and Darnell Wright, or perhaps they decide that they want a sure-fire upgrade and take a big swing in the draft. It’s far too early to know, but the only way the Bears can make an objective decision with as many facts on the table as possible is to allow Trapilo to finish out the season in the starting lineup. It seems highly unlikely that they’ll flip the starting tackles in season, which means the Bears’ second-round pick should have the final five regular-season games to prove his worth and garner valuable experience. No matter what ends up happening, Benedet has proven beneficial, and with his versatility, he’s primed to be the team’s top backup lineman (at four spots) heading into 2026.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement6. That Was The Biggest Win For The Bears Since…?
Shortly after the game concluded, a friend texted me asking this exact question. I took a few hours to ponder my answer. In the end, the Bears haven’t had much success over the last 15-plus years, so the moments are relatively minimal when choosing. In 2014, it felt like the Bears’ win against the Packers on Thanksgiving would become a monumental moment in their early rebuild. Unfortunately, that turned out not to be the case. Fast forward to 2020, and multiple moments in their questionable playoff run had fans excited. In the end, that was the end of their “window,” and subsequently kicked off a rebuild shortly after.
Without getting too down in the dumps, there simply have not been too many potentially “big” moments for this franchise in recent memory. In the end, I went back to the 2018 season. There were multiple signature moments that season, but the one that stood out to me the most was their Week 14 victory against the Rams on Sunday Night Football. For those of you who don’t remember, the Bears dominated in a very similar fashion to what they did on Friday. The Rams ended as the second seed and ultimately lost in the Super Bowl.
The 15-6 final score wasn’t pretty on paper, but the defense shut down a high-powered Rams offense that had not been stopped like that all season. In fact, it was such an impressive performance that the New England Patriots used a similar blueprint of Vic Fangio’s to hold them to three points in the Super Bowl. Obviously, we all know how the Bears’ story went that year. They finished (12-4), entered the playoffs as the No. 3 seed, and ultimately lost on a double-doink to the Eagles. Had they won that game and moved on to face the Rams, there was plenty of confidence they could repeat their performance and at least get to the NFC Championship game.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAlthough the two teams are built differently, the feelings of the two seasons share many similarities. The Bears have surprised the league, much like they did in 2018. Despite no one giving them a chance to win the division, they are heading into Week 14 as the leaders of the NFC North for the third straight week. Getting these types of signatures can go a long way in many different forms. It validates what they’ve been working toward all season and proves that they can beat the league’s good teams. It also gives them more confidence moving forward, which we’ve learned can be contagious. I’m not ready to make direct comparisons to the 2018 season, but this Eagles game (in the moment) has a very similar feel to the Rams game seven years ago. It’s a confidence builder and further validation that what the Bears are building wasn’t simply a byproduct of beating a bunch of bad teams. We’ll see how their momentum carries them into a key matchup next Sunday against the Packers.
7. How Much Of A Difference Can One Year Make? One Year Ago, Matt Eberflus Was Fired On Black Friday. Now, Ben Johnson Is Taking His Shirt Off And Giving Chicago Free Hot Dogs For A Second Time This Season En Route To A (9-3) Record Heading Into December.
If you need more trips down memory lane, can we appreciate the greatness of Club Dub? Although Matt Nagy’s reign of success didn’t last long, his ability to completely flip the culture and add extra fun to winning was something fans had never seen before, especially in the social media era. Seven years later, Johnson has channeled his High School days to bring the next wave of viral celebrations that fans hang out waiting for after each win.
For as much fun as living in the moment can be, it doesn’t take much brain power to rewind 365 days ago. Coming off the heels of one of the most confounding lack of clock management anyone has seen, Eberflus became the first head coach in franchise history to be relieved of his duties midseason. Despite the “relief” felt in the moment, it was hard to ignore the fact that they squandered a (4-2) start and were actively ruining the development of the No. 1 overall pick. The team’s track record (or lack thereof) for developing first-round quarterbacks had become quite the running joke. In the moment, it felt like the Bears had finally got it right, but it became readily apparent that Eberflus and his staff were unfit to develop a young quarterback.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementI can only speak for myself when I say that last season really took it out of me. The emotional rollercoaster that came with the Hail Mary that destroyed their season, Eberflus’ clock mismanagement taking an entirely new level of awful, and watching them actively destroy their rookie quarterback’s confidence was almost a little too much. My expectations for the coaching search, offseason, and subsequently, the regular season were admittedly low.
Winning the Ben Johnson sweepstakes felt like a potential turning point, especially given how sought after he was. The fact that Johnson chose the Bears over multiple other teams in his third hiring cycle felt like the break they needed after self-sabotaging themselves into another young quarterback developmental blunder. As the free agent market dwindled, doubt once again crept in as to how they would truly “fix” the offensive line. A trio of bold moves later, and all of a sudden, it felt like the Bears were finally addressing their well-known issues head-on.
It would have been easy to throw in the towel on the season after an (0-2) start. Week 1 hurt because of how they lost, but Week 2 felt like a nightmare reality check. The team could have easily lain down, and even with a stronger finish in the second half, fans would have been able to talk themselves into an optimistic view for 2026. Instead, they’ve overcome their slow start and have won nine of their last 10 games. This Black Friday, fans were celebrating the most significant win this franchise has seen in quite some time, while also anxiously awaiting the “Good, Better, Best” chant videos that have become a must after each win. For a franchise that has long done the wrong things far too often, it’s finally starting to feel like maybe the Bears got this one right and are at the beginning of something special. All I can say is enjoy the moment, and as we’ve learned many times before, don’t take any win for granted.
8. The Key To Unlocking The Team’s Full Potential Heavily Relies On More Accurate Quarterback Play.
As a whole, Caleb Williams has looked like a much-improved quarterback in his sophomore season. Although he’s not playing at the level of fellow draft classman Drake Maye, the Bears notched their first winning season in seven years and appear like they’re primed to be playing meaningful football in January when the playoffs start. As I noted a few points ago, this team has yet to play a complete 60 minutes of football. Statistically, they dominated on both sides of the ball, but the passing game was a big issue in Philadelphia.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSome of that was due to the poor conditions, and other missed plays could be attributed to receivers slipping on the field. Even so, Williams finished Friday’s game with a sub-60% completion rate for the fifth game in a row. Johnson’s original goal of a 70% completion rate is so far beyond the window at this point, but even then, a more consistent quarter-to-quarter performance would be refreshing to see. The second-year quarterback continues to miss wildly on far too many throws. What’s even more confusing is that most of his misses are on the “easier” throws. He had multiple moments where he’d miss a wide-open receiver by five-plus yards, but then have throws as he did to Cole Kmet for his lone touchdown of the day.
In many ways, Williams continues to be a statistical anomaly in how he’s playing. His time-to-throw is considerably higher than it was last year, when he took 68 sacks, yet he has the best sack avoidance in the league, having been sacked just 17 times in 12 games. He’s on pace to cut down his sack numbers by close to 65%, which is almost unheard of. His arm talent is well-known, and his athleticism continues to be criminally underrated, but for him to take the next step, he must clean up his footwork and start completing more passes per game.
Despite the Bears’ current offensive statistics, their success rate isn’t nearly as high as their surface numbers suggest. A lot of that is their inconsistent passing game. Luckily for Williams, Chicago proved that it can beat one of the league’s best teams without a 200-yard passer. For the Bears to take the next step and become a legitimate Super Bowl contender, it all starts under center with more consistent quarterback play. We’ll see if Williams can find anything over the final five games of the season heading into a potential playoff run.
9. NFC North Lookaround: The Packers vs. the Lions On Thanksgiving, And The Vikings’ Fortunes Without “Nine” Under Center.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThanksgiving morning kicked off with an entertaining matchup at Ford Field. The Lions came into Week 13 having lost seven of their last eight games on Turkey Day, and Thursday’s loss made it eight of nine. The Lions’ health on both sides of the ball hasn’t been excellent on either side of the ball, and this game did them no favors. In the end, the Packers were once again the better team. They were able to get after quarterback Jared Goff plenty in the opening quarter, and when they needed to salt the game away on the final drive, they did. With the win, Green Bay moves to (8-3-1) and is in firm control of its playoff destiny. For Detroit, their fifth loss of the year drops them to (7-5), and keeps them on the outside looking in.
The Packers find themselves with back-to-back division wins and have won three in a row overall. Their defense continues to play at a high level, and their offense appears to be getting back on track. For the Lions, things have stayed uneven. Their defense has flashed in moments, but, like the offense, they cannot seem to find any semblance of consistency. Although they are far from “out” of the playoff pictures, their next two games against a red-hot Cowboys squad and the NFC-leading Rams might very well dictate how competitive they are in late December.
For the Vikings, all we know is that quarterback J.J. McCarthy has been diagnosed with a concussion, and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer will get his first NFL start. Although no two seasons are ever the same, the most significant difference between their (4-7) start and last year’s impressive (14-3) finish is the vast differences in production from the quarterback position. This is McCarthy’s second injury of the season, and third of his two-year NFL career. Aside from the evident lack of development, his availability (or lack thereof) is another issue Minnesota will need to weigh during the offseason.
As of Friday night, here’s what the NFC North Standings look like:
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementChicago Bears (9-3) Up next: At Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers (8-3-1) Up next: Vs Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions (7-5) Up next: Vs Dallas Cowboys (Thursday Night Football)
Minnesota Vikings (4-7) Up next: At Seattle Seahawks (Sunday)
10. Week 14 Look Ahead: It’s Packers Week! Buckle In.
Just a few short weeks ago, most of the local Packers media were discussing whether to fire head coach Matt LaFleur. Three games later, they are (8-3-1) and rounding into playoff form. We always knew this defense would be in the Top 10. History has also shown that the offense will remain in the same range. However, it hasn’t always looked like that throughout the year; their last few games have looked far more like the team many were expecting.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Bears are going to have their hands full on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary are two players that they cannot allow to wreck the game off the edges. In 2024, Green Bay averaged just two sacks per game, and 3 points decided both games. The addition of Parsons is an obvious game-changer, but the Bears’ offensive line has also taken sizable steps forward, as has their young quarterback.
Johnson is very familiar with this division, and it’s worth noting that in two games against the Packers in 2024, the Lions’ offense averaged 29 points per game against Jeff Hafley’s defense. Obviously, the Lions and Bears are two different teams, but Johnson’s recent success against the Packers’ second-year defensive coordinator is worth noting. Quarterback Jordan Love has stayed primarily healthy this year and has experienced an impressive season through 12 games so far this year. Most importantly, Love has thrown just three interceptions. As a team, the Packers have turned the ball over just seven times, which is second-best heading into Sunday. Similar to the Eagles in Week 12, the onus on this defense to create chaos and take the ball away will be magnified because neither of their opponents has done much of it in 2025.
On paper, the Packers are the better team. They’ve had a few more years of building a roster worthy of competing in the playoffs. Even so, the Bears played them tough a season ago with considerably less talent. As we’ve learned, divisional games are always a toss-up. Assuming Chicago can continue to round into form, this should be a fun game. It’s also worth noting that these two teams will meet twice over the next three weeks. The first of the two meetings will be at Lambeau Field. Two weeks later, they’ll be back at Soldier Field.
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