The Chicago Bears have become one of the NFL’s most surprising and polarizing teams in 2025. Written off after an 0-2 start, they have since ripped off eight wins in their last nine games. Chicago has featured a resilient defense, clutch offense, and the steady hand of first-year head coach Ben Johnson. Now sitting at 8-3 and alone atop the NFC North, the Bears suddenly find themselves at the center of the NFC playoff conversation. With a brutal six-game gauntlet ahead, though, the debate intensifies: Are these Bears for real? Or are they one hot streak away from crashing back to Earth?
Surging after stumbles
The Bears continued their winning ways with a hard-fought 31–28 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12. Facing a tough Steelers squad playing without Aaron Rodgers, Chicago’s offense once again showed grit. After falling behind 21–14 in the second quarter, the Bears responded with 17 unanswered points. They flipped the game and seized control heading into the final minutes.
Caleb Williams shook off early struggles and found his rhythm late. He leaned on star receiver Rome Odunze and running back Kyle Monangai to engineer multiple scoring drives. However, the real difference-makers were the defense and special teams. A first-quarter interception set the tone, and a late fourth-quarter strip-sack secured the win. It was another example of Chicago’s complementary football identity.
The victory marked the Bears’ fourth win in a row. It has been a remarkable turnaround for a team once plagued by inconsistency. Despite injuries at key defensive positions and some sporadic offensive execution, Chicago has displayed a toughness and resilience uncommon for such a young roster. Under Johnson, the Bears have grown from a chaotic and mistake-prone group into a disciplined team capable of executing under pressure.
The question remains, though: Is this sustainable? Here we'll try to look at and discuss if the Bears are genuine contenders or not.
Why the Bears might be contenders
Clutch performances and late-game resilience
No team has better embodied “finding a way” than the Bears. Chicago has become a late-game machine. They have demonstrated the poise that typically defines veteran playoff teams. Williams already has five game-winning drives this season. Even when the offense sputters early, it regularly finds life when it matters most.
The Bears have also become exceptional at protecting leads late. That's something they’ve struggled with in past seasons. Their ability to close out tight games is a defining trait of playoff contenders.
A defense built to create chaos
The Bears also lead the NFL with 22 takeaways. That includes multiple forced turnovers in six of their eight wins. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has built a unit designed to attack the football, swarm ball carriers, and generate momentum swings. Even when missing key players to injury, their defensive energy and opportunistic mindset have kept them competitive. Teams that force a ton of turnovers tend to stick around deep into January. Chicago fits that mold.
Offensive firepower and improved line play
Williams isn’t carrying this team alone, too. Chicago fields a deep, dynamic group of playmakers. This includes Rome Odunze, a true WR1 capable of winning at all levels. They also have D’Andre Swift, who adds versatility in the run-and-pass game. And then there's the aforementioned Monangai along with WR DJ Moore and even TE Colston Loveland.
When the offense is clicking, it can score quickly and creatively. This makes the Bears dangerous in shootouts or grind-it-out matchups.
Buy-in under Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson entered 2025 as a highly regarded offensive mind. Through 11 games, he’s proving he might be an elite head coach as well. Player buy-in is evident, and the locker room is unified. In addition, Johnson’s calm demeanor has stabilized a franchise once defined by chaos.
If the Bears continue their rise, Johnson could be a frontrunner for Coach of the Year.
Why the Bears might be pretenders
Weak strength of schedule
Here’s the counterargument, though: Chicago’s run may be fueled by beating up on weaker teams. Of their eight wins, six have come against opponents with losing records. Five of those victories also came by a combined 13 total points. They beat Dallas convincingly. They beat New Orleans convincingly. But they also let inferior teams stay in games far too often.
Even at 8-3, the Bears carry a -6 point differential. That's, a historically bad indicator for strong teams. Negative point-differential teams often regress sharply when facing elite opponents. In short: the Bears win close but lose big. That’s a dangerous pattern.
Struggles against top-tier teams
Chicago has been blown out by Detroit and Baltimore, the two best teams they’ve faced so far. Now, the final stretch of the season is a gauntlet. The Bears will face the Eagles, Packers, Browns, Packers again, 49ers, and Lions. Only the Browns have a losing record among that lot.
If Chicago is going to maintain their NFC North lead, they’ll need to win at least three of these games. That’s a massive challenge for a young, still inconsistent team.
Uneven quarterback play
Williams has been impressive overall. However, his completion rate has fallen below 60 percent in four straight games. The offense also becomes stagnant when the defense doesn’t produce turnovers. Against elite defenses that limit takeaways, can Williams consistently deliver? That remains unproven.
Contender with something to prove
The Chicago Bears are far from pretenders. That said, they are not quite full-fledged contenders yet. Their ability to win close games, create turnovers, and rally behind a brilliant young coach gives them a legitimate shot at the playoffs. Their roster is talented and culture is shifting in the right direction.
Still, the true test lies ahead. If the Bears survive their brutal six-game stretch and maintain control of the NFC North, they won’t just silence doubters. They will truly announce themselves as a team capable of beating anyone, anywhere.
For now, the Bears are real enough to take seriously. They have enough upside to shock the NFL. Of course, they still need to continue growing, tightening up their offense, and proving themselves against the league’s elite.
