Bears coach Ben Johnson not ready
to talk playoffs with team in sole possession of NFC North lead
[November 18, 2025]
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears find themselves in unfamiliar
territory in sole possession of the NFC North lead and staring down
at the rest of the division.
The Bears (7-3) have won seven of eight after squeezing past the
Minnesota Vikings 19-17 to pull out yet another down-to-the-wire
game, and they're looking more and more like a team that could be
headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 even if they're
not making it easy on themselves.
Just don't mention the postseason possibility to coach Ben Johnson.
“We’re way far away from that," he said Monday. "I haven’t even been
thinking about that. We’re still in the third quarter of the season.
That’s really where we’re focused on. We set goals once we hit the
halfway mark and once we make it through the three-quarter mark,
then we’ll start shifting our focus. We’re in a good spot right now
for where we want to be this quarter of the season and we’ve got a
tough opponent coming to town here on Sunday.”
The Bears hold a slim lead in the division over Green Bay (6-3-1),
with Detroit (6-4) one game out of first place and Minnesota (4-6)
at the bottom. They host AFC North leader Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Five of the past seven games have been decided by five points or
fewer, with Chicago winning each of those five contests. This
season, the Bears are 3-0 in games decided by two points or fewer
and 5-1 when the margin is five or less.
What's working
Takeaways. Chicago leads the NFL with 22 takeaways and a minus-16
turnover margin after intercepting J.J. McCarthy twice.
Kevin Byard had one, giving him a league-best five picks this
season, and Nahshon Wright delivered the other when he made a
highlight-reel grab in the corner of the end zone. He leaped to pick
off a fade intended for Jordan Addison and landed on his back.
The Bears have three of the league's top four leaders in
interceptions, with Byard at the top and Wright and Tremaine Edmunds
tied for second with Jacksonville's Devin Lloyd with four.
What needs help
Caleb Williams' accuracy. Though he set a franchise single-season
record with his league-leading fifth comeback, Williams had a shaky
outing. He was 16 for 32 for 193 and again missed several potential
big plays.
[to top of second column] |
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson stands on the sidelines during
the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota
Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie
Parr)
“It’s something we’re going to continue to work
on,” Johnson said. “That stuff doesn’t just happen overnight. That’s
a work in progress. And that’s been the case everywhere I’ve been so
I’m not concerned about that at all."
Through Sunday, Williams ranked 27th among qualifying leaders in the
NFL in completion percentage at 59.7 and was one of just four below
60%.
Stock up
Return specialist Devin Duvernay. A former All-Pro, Duvernay had his
biggest moment with the Bears. The Vikings had just scored the
go-ahead touchdown with 50 seconds remaining when he returned the
kickoff 56 yards, setting up a 48-yard field goal by Cairo Santos as
time expired.
A third-round draft pick by Baltimore out of Texas in 2020, Duvernay
played four seasons with the Ravens. He was first-team All-Pro in
2021 and made the Pro Bowl again the following year. Duvernay spent
last season in Jacksonville before signing with the Bears.
Stock down
WR DJ Moore. The Bears need more from Moore, who had one catch for
18 yards while being targeted three times and carried once for 3
yards. He was wide open on a dropped pass and even bobbled the ball
he caught. Moore is second on the Bears with 421 yards receiving and
third in receptions with 31.
Injuries
CB Tyrique Stevenson (hip/calf) was injured in a collision with S
Jaquan Brisker late in the third quarter. He returned briefly before
exiting the game.
Key number
73 — The Bears ran 73 plays compared to the Vikings' 54, leading to
about a 14-minute advantage in time of possession — 36:59 to 23:01.
Next steps
The Bears host Pittsburgh on Sunday, though it wasn't clear if
they'll face old nemesis Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph. Rodgers,
who is 25-5 against Chicago counting the playoffs, missed the second
half of the Steelers' win over Cincinnati because of a left wrist
injury.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
