The NFC North remains one of the NFL's best divisions, and the Chicago Bears will struggle to win it in 2026.
Chicago kicked things off right, with the Bears beating the New England Patriots 30-24 on Thursday Night Football. That win gave the Bears a 5-2 record and put them in second place in an already tough division.
With the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers facing off and the undrafted Minnesota Vikings taking on the Indianapolis Colts, people hoped no one would win and that the game would end in a tie. Things went in the opposite direction for the Bears.
Bears saw two out of three NFC North rivals pick up wins in Week 7
The Vikings' offense delivered yet another not-so-pretty performance, but the defense saved the day with a 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Minnesota's offense finished with 275 total yards, but the Vikings' defense allowed just 215 yards, got an interception, and sacked Colts QB Daniel Jones four times.
As for the Lions, it took a last-second Jake Bates field goal and some help from the referees to take down the Packers 20-17. Green Bay kicker Trey Smack didn't help his team, missing two field goals, including a 35-yarder late in the fourth quarter that could have given them the lead.
Here is how the current NFC North standings look at Week 7 action:
1. Minnesota Vikings 6-0
2. Chicago Bears 5-2
3. Detroit Lions 4-2
4. Green Bay Packers 4-3
Bears still face an uphill battle to win the NFC North despite having momentum
Caleb Williams' return has helped the Bears big time with two wins within five days of each other, as they sit a half-game behind the Lions for second place. Even with the Vikings' offense struggling, Chicago can't seem to catch them in the standings.
Things won't get easier for the Bears, though, as they face tough teams in primetime games over the next two weeks. Chicago still has to face the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football in Week 8, then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football in Week 9.
Seattle is coming off an impressive 20-3 win over the previously undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. The Buccaneers just blew out the Carolina Panthers as Baker Mayfield returned to the starting lineup after his finger injury.
Read more: Bears news roundup: Cole Kmet is out for the season, Ben Johnson has no regrets
If the Bears want to get back on top of the division, it is going to be a grind to wait and see when the Vikings will lose next. It all comes down to how Chicago responds over the next two weeks to see if they can stay in contention, with everyone still having a winning record.
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