Finally, a defining moment for Ben Johnson's Bears
- Mark Potash
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Bears fans are tired of hearing about how the Bears haven’t beaten anyone this season. But the flaw in their counter-argument — that the Bears don’t control their schedule — is that the one time the Bears played a legitimate Super Bowl contender, they were waxed by the Lions, 52-21, in Week 2.
The Bears objectively have had a primrose path to their 8-3 record. Their last five victories have come against quarterbacks Mason Rudolph, J.J. McCarthy, Jaxson Dart, Joe Flacco and Spencer Rattler. And they’ve consistently beaten teams in the midst of a rut — the Cowboys (3-5-1), Raiders (2-9), Commanders (0-6), Saints (1-8), Bengals (1-8), Giants (0-6), Vikings (1-5) and even the then-AFC-North-leading Steelers (2-4).
The one time the Bears played a team that was heading north, they lost to the Ravens 30-16 at M&T Bank Stadium, with Tyler Huntley playing for Lamar Jackson. The Ravens haven't lost since, winning all six games since their bye. Fun Fact: The eight teams that have lost to the Bears are a combined 7-23-1 since playing the Bears this season.
But wait, there’s more. The Bears currently have the 31st-ranked strength-of-schedule in the NFL this season (.367, 45-78-1). Their strength-of-victory (.317, 28-61-1) is last among teams with winning records. Every team they’ve beaten this season ranks 18th or lower in the latest ESPN power rankings. Five of them are in the bottom 10. The average is 24.3. None of the teams the Bears has beaten is currently in a playoff spot.
The numbers make the Bears look like a paper tiger. But the eye test tells a different story. The Bears are undoubtedly making progress. The Bears haven’t gotten to 8-3 by maxing out against these weaker teams, but with room for growth. Between Ben Johnson’s play-calling and Caleb Williams’ special-play ability the Bears’ offense has two strengths that are universal.
That sets the stage for the most intriguing game of this rejuvenating season, against the Eagles on Friday at Lincoln Financial Field. For the first time since Week 2, the Bears have a chance to beat somebody. And they’re 11 weeks better than they were in Week 2.
The Bears’ arrow under Johnson is almost certain to be pointing up heading into 2026, but this is the Bears’ best chance for a statement game that confirms they’re on a path toward contention and not just improvement. The Eagles have their own flaws, but they’re a team that has beenin the Super Bowl in two of the previous three postseasons. They know how to meet the moment. They know how to win. After the Chiefs, they’re the current standard of excellence up-and-coming teams like the Bears have to match.
“This is a team that was just in the Super Bowl, so they have a winning culture. They have a winning mentality. We know that,” Bears safety Kevin Byard said. “We know they’re gonna be a 60-minute team as well, so there’s [not] gonna be [any] panic on us, but we just know that ever single play, you never know play can be the deciding factor of this game. … This is a heavyweight match for sure.”
On a short week, on the road, against a defending Super Bowl-winning team coming off a loss to a rival, the Bears face the challenge of raising their game to the Eagles’ level. It’s as close to a defining moment as the Bears have had this season.