A recent article published on Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon predicts the Bears will lose the NFC North to their most detested rivals: the Green Bay Packers.
At present, Chicago holds a narrow lead in both the NFC North and the NFC overall. The Bears have the top spot for now, but can they hang on to it? Gagnon doesn't think so.
"The Bears are a great story, but their remaining schedule is just a nightmare.
There's a good chance they relinquish the division lead to the surging Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday, and even if they remain in the mix it's hard to see such a novice team hanging on against the Packers (again), 49ers and Lions in Weeks 16, 17 and 18, respectively."
Can the Bears hold on to the NFC North lead?
It's been many years since the Bears found themselves in the lead this late into the season, and head coach Ben Johnson is doing everything he can to hold on to that standing. According to the article, Chicago is a great story, but the remaining schedule is a "nightmare".
Indeed, the Bears don't have an easy road ahead of them, but to call it a nightmare is a stretch. Let's take a look at the rest of the Bears' schedule for the rest of the 2025 regular season and analyze where Chicago really stands.
Week 14 and Week 16 both come against the Packers, first at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, and then the Bears come home to Soldier Field. All eyes will be on this Week 14 matchup, with the seed positioning of the NFC hanging in the balance. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has already beaten the Packers at Lambeau before, something that hadn't been done since the Bears started Jay Cutler.
Between those highly touted matchups against Green Bay falls a home game against the Cleveland Browns for Week 15. The Browns have been on a journey this year, starting with three different quarterbacks, only to finish with a 3-9 record. No matter which way you look at it, the Bears should win this game. They've got the talent, ability, and coaching to do so.
Week 17 in San Francisco against the 49ers could be the matchup of the season, and the biggest test of Ben Johnson's first year as a head coach. With the powerhouses of the NFC West struggling for their respective division, this matchup could prove to be a mountain for both teams, especially if the 49ers are after a Wild Card spot. Depending on the results of the Packers/Bears matchups, it could be the Wild Card game.
Week 18, the final game of the regular season, brings the Detroit Lions to Chicago. It's tough to predict this matchup, given the beating the Lions gave the Bears earlier this season, and considering that the Bears have only lost once since then.
Read more: Good, Better, Best: Bears' long and bumpy climb towards January supremacy
The Lions have fallen from their perch atop the NFC North, but that doesn't mean we should count them out. If the Bears fall to the Packers twice, this could very well prove to be a Wild Card showdown as well.