The Chicago Bears haven’t won the NFC North since 2018, with the victory marking their only division title since 2011. As Ben Johnson steps in as head coach, he is hoping to have the Bears back atop the NFC North sooner rather than later.
Still, it’s one thing to draw hype and another to succeed on the gridiron. Chicago is coming off of a 5-12 season in which they endured a 10-game losing streak. Furthermore, the Bears play in one of the toughest divisions in the entire league. It may take time before Chicago is truly competitors again.
However, Johnson’s arrival has plenty of fans and analysts believing in the Bears again. In fact, Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports laid out exactly how Chicago can win the NFC North in 2025.
“Caleb Williams has a legitimate foundation on which to grow,” Wilson wrote.
“The No. 1 pick of the 2024 draft was like a hamster on a wheel for much of his debut season, spinning and sprinting to make something meaningful of Chicago’s chaos,” Wilson wrote. “Now the gifted gunslinger has a fortified front featuring All-Pro guard Joe Thuney, plus another multipurpose outlet in Luther Burden III alongside DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.”
“On top of that, new coach Ben Johnson brings a widely respected balance of aggression and play design to the sidelines,” he continued. “If only Johnson can get his lineup’s on-paper talent to translate in between the lines, there’s no reason Chicago shouldn’t up its win total by at least a few games. And in a tight division where everyone might wear on each other, it’s possible that just getting above .500 could be enough for the Bears to sneak all the way to the top.”
Chicago Bears internal battles
Johnson’s first order of business is fixing Chicago’s abysmal offense. The Bears finished the 2024 season ranked dead last, averaging just 284.6 yards per game. Much of the issue was in the pass attack as Chicago finished second-to-last, averaging 181.5 YPG. How Johnson develops quarterback Caleb Williams will be crucial for the team’s success.
But it’s not like the run game was much better in 2024. Chicago ranked 25th, averaging 102 YPG. With a new offensive line in place, D’Andre Swift or whoever is carrying the ball for the Bears must set the foundation of the offense.
Johnson has tasked veteran Dennis Allen with helping to fix the defense. Chicago ranked 27th overall this past season, allowing 354.3 YPG. The Bears have strong defenders in all three phases of their defense. It’s up to Allen to put the pieces together and help Chicago be a dangerous matchup for any opponent.
Going from offensive coordinator to head coach is no small leap. But if Johnson is as strong as advertised, the Bears will be on the right track starting in 2025.
NFC North no joke
Every team in the NFC North except for the Bears made the playoffs in 2024. Despite any organizational changes, none of the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers or Detroit Lions are trying to give their spot up.
The Vikings will be turning to former No. 10 overall pick JJ McCarthy as their starting quarterback. Much like Williams to Chicago, how he performs will determine Minnesota’s outcome. Still, with defensive coordinator Brian Flores still leading that unit, the Vikings will be tough to beat every matchup.
As will the Lions, who have won the NFC North the past two seasons. Detroit saw both of their coordinators land head coaching jobs and center Frank Ragnow retire. However, head coach Dan Campbell has proven he knows how to rally the troops. And even though Johnson is now in Chicago, Detroit still has one of the strongest offenses in the NFL.
The Bears won their most recent matchup over the Packers, but Green Bay has been the far more successful team in recent years. Outside of the 2022 season, they’ve made the playoffs every year since 2019. With quarterback Jordan Love landing a lucrative contract extension, the Packers are expecting only more success under his watch.
Chicago has quite the hole to dig themselves out of to win the NFC North. But if not in 2025, Johnson is expecting to have the Bears back in contention sooner rather than later.
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