By Matthew CoudenShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe Chicago Bears suffered a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, allowing their division rivals to take control of the NFC North after Chicago's brief stay at the top.
While Green Bay looked like they might pull away with a home victory, the Bears kept fighting and evened the score at 21-21 in the second half. After Green Bay got back ahead with a Josh Jacobs touchdown, Caleb Williams' late-game attempt to hit an endzone touchdown pass resulted in an interception, sealing the Packers' win.
Before losing at Lambeau Field, the Bears were surging, with a surprising Black Friday win over the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, their fifth-straight. Sunday's 28-21 loss made things a bit more complex for Chicago's attempts to gain a spot in the NFL Playoffs, after being on the outside looking in last year.
Read more: Packers’ Matt LaFleur Has Blunt Response on Ben Johnson Postgame Moment
After the game, head coach Ben Johnson spoke about his team's challenge as they move forward, with four more games left on their regular-season schedule.
...“I mean, we’ll be a playoff team once we earn enough wins to become a playoff team. Right now, we’re a nine-win team, and I don’t think nine wins is gonna get you in this year,” Johnson said during his postgame remarks.
“We gotta do what we can to get enough wins to find a way to get into the tournament,” he said before leaving the podium.
Johnson praised the Packers' overall effort, including their defense with the pass rush. The Bears coach claimed his quarterback, Caleb Williams, "put his Superman cape on" several times during the game to get away and make plays, and called his team a "prideful" group that kept fighting.
Chicago (9-4) gets what some might call a favorable matchup next Sunday at home, as they'll take on rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders and the 3-10 Cleveland Browns. In addition, Chicago plays the currently playoff-bound San Francisco 49ers and division opponents, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, to finish its season.
The NFC Playoff picture is still uncertain. The Bears briefly held the No. 1 overall seed until losing to the Packers (9-3-1) on Sunday. Now they’ve dropped to No. 7 among potential playoff teams, which puts them in some trouble if they can't win enough going forward.
Right behind them are division rivals, Detroit, the 7-6 Carolina Panthers, and 6-6-1 Dallas Cowboys. Interestingly, another NFC North rival, the Minnesota Vikings (5-8), is still in the hunt.
Basically, the Bears can control their destiny by stacking wins in their remaining four games. Bears fans are likely hoping the team hasn't regressed after finding the confidence to secure some thrilling, and often close, wins in their previous games this season.
Read more: Browns’ Shedeur Sanders Sends Clear Message on Jerry Jeudy Dispute
For more about the Chicago Bears and the NFL, visit Newsweek Sports.
Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
NFLNFL Announces Punishment Decision for Eagles Player Before Chargers Game2 min read
NFLNFL Slaps Broncos LB Nick Bonitto With Hefty Fine Ahead of Raiders Matchup2 min read
NFLBears’ Caleb Williams Hit With Concerning Take Before Packers Showdown3 min read
NFLReport: Eagles Make Significant Change Before Facing Chargers3 min read
NFLVikings Announce New Quarterback Signing Before Commanders Game2 min read
NFLBills WR Punished By NFL Before Bengals Clash2 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
NewsMarjorie Taylor Greene Says She’s Received Over 700 Death Threats5 min read
NewsSupreme Court Could Be About To Let Political Parties Spend Unlimited Money7 min read
PoliticsDonald Trump’s Approval Rating Changes Direction With Millennials3 min read
PoliticsZohran Mamdani Posts Video on Immigrant Rights Amid ICE Raids4 min read
PoliticsTrump Reacts to Netflix Deal, Says Ted Sarandos Has Done ‘Incredible Job’5 min read
weather‘Freezing Fog’ Warnings Issued As Winter Weather Impacts Millions3 min readTrending
MillennialsDonald Trump’s Approval Rating Changes Direction With Millennials3 min read
collectingWoman Thrifts Platter for $4, Four Words Printed On Back Change Everything4 min read
WeatherWinter Storm Warning As Two Feet of Snow To Hit: ‘Considerable Disruptions’3 min read
WeatherPolar Vortex Map Shows States To Be Hit By Triple Cold Surge3 min read
WinterWinter Storm Warnings for 6 States as 10 Inches of Snow to Hit4 min readOpinion
For MembersOpinionConventional Wisdom: World Cup Draw Edition3 min read
OpinionWhy America’s Heartland Deserves Better Retirement Benefits | Opinion4 min read
For MembersOpinionConventional Wisdom: The ‘Demonic’ Transgender Essay Edition3 min read
OpinionOn Venezuela, Trump Needs To Ask the Big Question | Opinion5 min read
For MembersOpinionConventional Wisdom: January 6 Pipe Bomber Arrest Edition4 min read