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NFC North Standings: Chicago Bears in all-too-familiar place after Week 1

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 12:05 AM ET

So much for the Chicago Bears getting off to a fast start in 2025.

They sort of did -- Caleb Williams and the offense looked awesome on the opening drive against the Minnesota Vikings. But after that? Penalties, poor decisions by Williams, a tighter Vikings' defense, and more penalties cost the Bears the game.

Chicago lost, 27-24, and joined the Detroit Lions, Ben Johnson's former squad, at the bottom of the NFC North at 0-1.

On the other side of that coin are the Vikings and Green Bay Packers, who not only advanced to 1-0 on opening weekend, but also 1-0 in the NFC North.

So, yeah, here we are again. The Bears are in the basement of the division and staring down the barrel of a tough matchup in Detroit against a wounded (embarrassed, maybe?) Lions team that wants to prove they weren't wholly dependent on Johnson and former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for their recent run of success.

The Chicago Bears cannot afford to go 0-2 in the NFC North to begin the 2025 NFL season. Losing the first two games is bad enough for any team's post-season hopes; it's even worse when both losses are in the division to start the year.

Here's to hoping Johnson knows his former team well enough to avoid that dreadful start.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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