Bears Have Little Room for Error as NFC North Rivals Close In

Nobody was crowning the Chicago Bears while Caleb Williams was massaging his hamstring and watching Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum were careening through cameos as the starting quarterback.

Since Williams return from a monthlong absence due to a hamstring injury, the Bears have been climbing to a rung some expected when the season began.

Perceived weaknesses in the roster are filled. Acquiring defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans at the trade deadline awakened college teammate and high-priced edge Montez Sweat, and pieces behind them are falling into place.

The Bears (7-2) could cede control of the NFC North by Thanksgiving.

Chicago visits Detroit after a bye this week, and returns to play the New Orleans Saints in Week 11.

An intriguing matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) to start December before a trip to Miami might have the Bears sitting at 11-2 before the finishing stretch at Buffalo, home to the Packers and home to the Lions.

But to win the division, the Bears are going to have to figure a few things out against NFC North teams.

With Williams for all but the final few minutes, they lost to the Vikings at home Week 2 and were shredded by Jordan Love and the Packers at Green Bay on Oct. 11. To date in 2026, the Bears are 0-2 in the North and have been outscored 40-10. Chicago is the only NFC division leader without a division victory this season.

Head coach Ben Johnson certainly deserves his flowers for keeping the Bears ahead of the pack in the North, where only one win separates Chicago from the Lions (6-2), Vikings (6-2) and Packers (6-3).

Simmons' addition cannot be understated.

Then again, the Vikings made a major move this week to reinsert Kirk Cousins at quarterback. Given the success of Minnesota's defense against Williams, a passable option at the position might be enough to shift the power in the North. The Packers are on the verge of having All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons on the field. He didn't play late in the season when Williams found success against Green Bay.

Those factors make it essential for the Bears to take care of business in the month ahead.

Hibernating beyond the bye week or an inexplicable loss to the Saints or Dolphins would have lasting repercussions.