Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson walks the sideline during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

How Chicago Bears can avoid 2025 nightmare scenario

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Matt Lombardo | Last updated Dec 10, 2025 5:41 PM ET

There’s little doubt that the Chicago Bears have made significant progress this season.

In head coach Ben Johnson’s first season at the helm, the Bears raced out to the NFC North lead, quarterback Caleb Williams has made big strides while leading a franchise record five comeback victories, so far this season, and a return to the postseason is within grasp for Chicago.

However, after tripping up against the Green Bay Packers, Bears aren’t assured a postseason berth and now it might be a long shot that they will host a playoff game at Soldier Field.

Chicago Bears’ nightmare scenario revealed after losing to Packers

Falling to the Packers dropped the Bears to 9-4, from the division lead to the current No. 7 seed in the NFC.

However, there is a bigger nightmare out there looming in the NFL’s stretch run.

Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon put together a list of ‘nightmare’ scenarios for each team across the league, including this potential Bears calamity:

“Home losses to the Packers and Lions in Weeks 16 and 18, respectively,” Gagnon writes, of the Bears’ nightmare scenario. “Would probably cost the rising Bears a playoff spot and indicate to the football world that they still aren’t on the same level as their more established NFC North rivals.”

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Oren Burks (42) in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game between Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Nov. 2, 2025.

Flipping the script, if the Bears can even split those two division games, Chicago is going to have a pretty clear path to the postseason.

Ahead of Week 15 kicking off, the Bears’ face the second-easiest closing stretch in the division with Chicago’s opponents boasting a .567 winning percentage.

If Johnson’s team can handle its business, and capitalize on the current 69 percent chance of making the playoffs by not only avoiding calamity but perhaps building the kind of momentum that can springboard a postseason run.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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