With Packers’ loss, Bears clinch first NFC North title since 2018

San Francisco – The Chicago Bears The NFC North was closed out on Saturday night at the conclusion of green bay lost 41-24 To baltimoreThe Bears earned their first division title before their meeting since 2018 san francisco 49ers Sunday night in a game that will help determine the NFC’s top seed.

Within eight days of playing their previous game, which resulted in a 22–16 overtime win against Green Bay, the Bears clinched their spot in the postseason after the Lions lost to the Steelers in Week 16 and clinched the NFC North crown. Ben Johnson is the second Bears head coach to win a division in his first full season with the team since the 1970 merger. Matt Nagy did this in 2018.

A year after finishing with a 5–12 record, in which former coach Matt Eberflus was fired mid-season, the Bears advanced to Week 17 with 11 wins and were on top of their division. In 20 of the last 23 seasons (2003–2025), at least one team has won their division in the season after finishing last or finishing last. The Bears will get a chance to host a playoff game at Soldier Field in January, which has long been a goal of Johnson’s, especially after seeing how the crowd was fed up with the change of pace after Chicago’s win over Green Bay on Dec. 20.

“I felt that crowd and was shocked by their impact [last] “Saturday night I think we all want to play in a playoff game in front of them so they can make that same impact there, so that’s going to be our focus,” Johnson said earlier this week. “We have to win this division or earn the right to play a home playoff game. We have a chance to do that in the next few games.”

A 12th win Sunday would tie the Bears’ most in a season in the last 15 years and keep Chicago alive for the No. 1 seed. The Bears must defeat both the 49ers and Lions in Week 18 and the Seahawks must lose one of their remaining games against the Panthers or 49ers to clinch the top seed in the conference and earn a first-round bye.

The Bears have won six this season after falling behind in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, the most in a season by any team since 1970. quarterback Caleb Williams‘ A late-game effort lifted the Bears again in their win over the Packers as the undrafted rookie wide receiver Jahde Walker and launched a 46-yard pass for a touchdown with 28 seconds remaining to tie the score at the end of regulation. dj moore To win the game in overtime.

“I get a little satisfaction from things like that and being able to be a part of helping this team, helping this organization, getting to the playoffs.” Williams said. “And my goal is not just to get to the playoffs, my goal is to win and win big. And so I’ll keep my head down, I’ll keep moving forward, for the people in this building, for the coaches and things like that, for this organization and for the city, to be able to be proud and happy, to be a Chicago Bears fan and supporter.”