Bears' Super Bowl push all depends on defense succeeding in one pivotal stat

Two things have been consistent all season with the Chicago Bears’ defense. 

One, the unit will create takeaways. The Bears finished with a league-high 33 takeaways (23 interceptions and 10 fumbles). It's been a part of the unit's identity. 

So has giving up yardage. Chicago allowed the fourth-most total yards (6,150) this season. Going into the playoffs, the Bears can't change who they have been all season and will have to hope the takeaways continue and the yards allowed don't translate into many points. 

But there is also another metric that must continue throughout the postseason: the Bears’ red zone defense. 

Bears's defense must win in the red zone to capture Super Bowl title

The Bears ended the 2025 regular season with a 56.14% red zone scoring percentage – 15th in the NFL. However, at Soldier Field, the Bears are finished as the number two red zone scoring defense in the league, only allowing opponents to score touchdowns on 36.0% of their drives, according to Team Rankings. 

Bears head coach Ben Johnson said during his press conference that the “defense played well enough for us to win that ball game” against the Detroit Lions in the 19-16 regular-season finale loss. 

The Lions finished one of four in the red zone, and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen echoed the head coach’s words during his media availability at Halas Hall when addressing what his unit can correct heading into the playoffs.

“Yeah, look,  just consistency in what we're doing,” Allen said. “And getting off the field on third down. That's probably been the biggest issue that we've had. Part of it is we've played some really good teams the last couple weeks, some really good offenses. And yet last week, we played a team and we held them to 19 points. Ultimately, that's what the goal is, is to limit the points and give yourself a chance to win.”

An opponent scoring 19 points should be a reasonable mark to surpass for the Bears’ offense. 

Bears captain Kevin Byard III provided his assessment of the Bears’ defense from the Week 18 loss to the Lions and emphasized how the defense kept Detroit out of the end zone. 

“Watching the film a few times, a lot of things that we didn't do well, I don't think we covered well enough on the back end with all the speed that they had out there on the field,” Byard said. “But yards are one thing, but obviously points is the main thing, and I think we did a good job of stopping that team in the red zone. I think similar kind of to what we did against Green Bay. They were able to drive the ball, but they were 0-5 in the red zone. I think this past game they were 1-4. It gave us a chance to win the game. We obviously want to be better than that from the 20 to the other 20. It gave us a chance to win the game. It just didn't work out that way this time.”

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If Chicago’s red zone defense plays like it has all season long at Soldier Field, then the Bears will be in a prime position to make it out of the first round in the playoffs.