Bears should have their NFC North
title tested, with Lions, Packers, Vikings all poised for rebounds
[September 02, 2026]
By DAVE CAMPBELL
The Chicago Bears were one of the best stories in the NFL last
season under new coach Ben Johnson, with the development of
quarterback Caleb Williams, an impeccable turnover margin, and the
team's steely late-game resolve serving as driving forces behind
their first division title in seven years.
Consider, though, just how close the Bears came to missing the
playoffs again.
Their NFL-record seven wins after trailing in the last two minutes
of regulation included a stunner over the Minnesota Vikings, whose
go-ahead touchdown with 50 seconds left was washed out by a kickoff
coverage gaffe that led to a 56-yard return and game-winning field
goal by the Bears as time expired.
Had they all stayed in their assigned lanes on that play, the
Vikings probably would have been able to keep the Bears from scoring
and thus win the division by tiebreaker at 10-7 despite a
season-long slump by their offense and a rocky debut for quarterback
J.J. McCarthy.
That's how fine the line can be between success and failure in this
league, a thin margin for error that's sure to test the Bears this
year in their quest to repeat as NFC North champions in this
remarkably competitive era for the division.
Their schedule includes Super Bowl winner Seattle and runner-up New
England, plus 2024 season champion Philadelphia. They've already
lost an important player to a long-term injury, with newcomer safety
Coby Bryant out until at least December if not the rest of the
season. Their competitors, from the Detroit Lions to the Green Bay
Packers to the Vikings, are all poised for rebounds, and all four
teams finished with winning records.
From Johnson on down, though, these Bears carry themselves with a
confidence that won't be swayed by conventional NFL wisdom about the
challenge of bettering breakthrough seasons or tempted to think
they've arrived after winning one playoff game.
“It’s a completely different group, and we’re going back to work,”
Johnson said last week. "We’re forging our new path. It’s a new
chapter of Bears football right now.”
Bears are counting on scoring even more
Johnson got the job with Chicago because of his prowess as Detroit's
offensive coordinator, and the brash 40-year-old did not disappoint
in his debut as the Bears leaped from last in the league in total
yards in 2024 to sixth in 2025.
Johnson said in a recent interview with The Athletic his goal is for
the Bears to break the NFL's all-time scoring record. After posting
the most passing yards in franchise history in 2025, Williams has
plenty of momentum as his grasp of Johnson's offense and playing in
the pros continues to grow. He has young wide receivers Rome Odunze
and Luther Burden and tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet to
mature along with him.
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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) arrives for a joint
NFL football practice with the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Aug.
20, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Packers could use a solid start to build on when
Parsons returns
Green Bay has largely owned the NFC North since its current
iteration was formed in 2002, but guess which team has now gone the
longest since its most recent division title? Yes, the Packers have
grabbed the NFC's last wild-card spot in each of the past three
seasons, but their most recent NFC North crown came in 2021. There's
plenty of pressure on coach Matt LaFleur entering his eighth year
with a 3-6 record in the playoffs, but quarterback Jordan Love is a
good place to start with the goal to become a true Super Bowl
contender again. The healthy return of Micah Parsons would go a long
way toward that, too, with the three-time All-Pro edge rusher
expected back at midseason.
Vikings will break in a new QB, again
There's heat on Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell to win, too, entering
his fifth year without a playoff-game win. The roadmap to returning
to the postseason goes through an effective debut for Kyler Murray,
who will be the fourth different starting quarterback in four years
to open the season for Minnesota following McCarthy, Sam Darnold and
Kirk Cousins. O'Connell's work in 2024 toward revitalizing Darnold's
career suggests immense potential for Murray to succeed, with wide
receiver Justin Jefferson leading the list of capable skill-position
support.
Lions are still stacked with standouts despite last year's
disappointment
The trio of quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs and
wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is tough to top in the NFL for
overall talent, giving the Lions a sturdy base for their desired
bounce-back from a 9-8 finish. Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and
Isaac TeSlaa give Goff even more capable playmakers. Penei Sewell
remains one of the game's best offensive tackles, too. The Lions
also get a boost from a schedule that has them playing four of the
five worst teams in the league from last season.
Predicted order of finish
Lions, Vikings, Packers, Bears
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