by Miles West
Last Black Friday, the Chicago Bears had just lost their sixth game in a row, collapsing late in a poorly coached Thanksgiving matchup against the Detroit Lions. Hours later, Chicago made franchise history. Just not the kind anyone celebrates. Matt Eberflus became the first Bears head coach ever fired mid-season, the final indicator that the organization was nearing rock bottom. The team spiraled to four more losses before salvaging a sliver of dignity by beating their biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers, in the season finale.
Fast forward a year, and the Chicago Bears are in a completely different scenario. The Bears are fresh off an upset over the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, sitting at 9-3 and controlling their own playoff destiny. If someone had walked up to you last Black Friday and said, “By next December, the Bears will lead the NFC North with a shot at the No. 1 seed,” you would think they’re delusional.
But here’s the thing: this isn’t miraculous. This isn’t random. And it definitely isn’t luck.
Chicago earned this.
The transformation began two weeks after the 2024 season ended for the Bears. Chicago was deemed “offseason champs” for the third year in a row, by landing the most coveted head-coaching candidate on the market: former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The Bears gave him a five-year deal worth nearly $13 million annually, a decisive investment in one of the sharpest offensive minds in football. His arrival alone signaled a philosophical reset: Chicago was no longer interested in patchwork solutions. They wanted vision. They wanted identity. They wanted someone who could elevate the entire franchise, not merely manage it.
Free agency became the next building block. Chicago didn’t just block holes, they poured concrete. By adding center Drew Dalman, defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, and veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, the Bears reshaped two units that had dragged them down in 2024. Trades for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney and Pro Bowl guard Jonah Jackson rounded out the overhaul of the offensive line, flipping it from a liability to one of the league’s most physical fronts.
Even the draft, often hit-or-miss, turned into another win. First-round tight end Colston Loveland has become a matchup nightmare, immediately fitting in with Ben Johnson’s offensive scheme. Luther Burdern, selected in the second round, climbed his way into the WR3 role, complementing DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Then there’s seventh-round steal Kyle Monongai, who has paired with D’Andre Swift to form one of the NFL’s most efficient rushing duos.
By the time Week 14 arrives, the evidence is overwhelming: Chicago belongs where they are. The Bears have a commanding defense that leads the league with 26 takeaways and 16 interceptions. Another new hire in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has built a unit that doesn’t just create pressure. It creates fear. The secondary, thought to be a liability with injuries, now forces quarterbacks into mistakes. The pass rush, powered by Montez Sweat and a revitalized interior, closes games rather than losing them.
Offensively the Bears rank fifth in yards per game and lead the NFC in rushing. They’re no longer the team that needs everything to go perfectly to score. They win ugly. They win on long drives. They win with explosive plays. They win with patience. That versatility is why they’re sitting atop the division rather than peeking into the Wild Card window.
And now comes the matchup that will either validate everything or set Chicago up for heartbreak: Week 14 against Green Bay at Lambeau Field. The Packers are desperate. The Bears are ascending. And history hasn’t been kind to Chicago in this rivalry. A win would put the Bears firmly in the driver’s seat for the NFC’s top seed. A loss would open the door for doubt, for narrative, for the tired “same old Bears” storyline national media love to recycle.
But this team isn’t the “same old Bears.” They’re younger. They’re smarter. They’re tougher. And most importantly, they’re built to last beyond one hot streak or one lucky break.
Call it a comeback if you want. Call it a rebuild done right. Just don’t call it luck.
Chicago has built something real, and the rest of the NFC is starting to realize it.
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