Things are certainly looking up in the Windy City. The Bears have now won seven of their past eight games and currently sit atop the NFC North with a 7-3 record.
The Bears lead the NFC North heading into Week 12! 🐻 pic.twitter.com/wwsdFIUlXf
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 19, 2025
It's the first time since 2018 that they've found themselves with a 7-3 record at this point in the season. They were first place in the NFC North at that time and made the playoffs. They were also leading the division with a 7-3 record in 2010, when they finished as the NFC's second seed and were one game away from going to the big game.
Speaking of the Super Bowl, the Bears were leading the NFC North with a 9-1 record at this point in the 2006 season. They were leading the division with a 7-3 record through ten games the prior year, as well. They made the postseason both of those years, and were (quite) a few bad bounces away from winning it all in '06.
Before that, they were also (a very surprising) 8-2 at this point in the 2001 season. They were one game ahead of Green Bay at that time (in the then NFC Central) and also finished one game ahead of them in the final standings.
Chicago has led the division at this point in the year five times since the turn of the century. They have made the playoffs every year where that has been the case. What does it mean for this season? In an absolutely loaded NFC, potentially not much. Still, it's incredible that they're in a position where they control their own destiny at this point in Ben Johnson's first year at the helm.
Interestingly, the Bears have also never made the playoffs after beginning the year 0-2. Either that record is going to fall this year, or everything I said in this article will prove to be a gigantic nothing burger in roughly a month and a half.
Here's to praying for the former.