(670 The Score) If the NFL season ended Monday morning, the Bears would be in the playoffs.
The Bears are 6-3 and presently sit as the No. 7 seed in the NFC, the final wild-card spot. Of course, head coach Ben Johnson isn’t getting caught up in the standings, nor is that part of his message to the team. He knows that great challenges await for the Bears across their final eight regular-season games, starting against the Vikings next Sunday in Minneapolis.
“We know where we are in the NFC right now,” Johnson said Monday. “But I think the biggest thing and the message to the team is we’re a 6-3 team right now that’s looking to get to 7-3.”
After starting 0-2, the Bears have won six of their last seven games. They rallied to beat the Giants, 24-20, on Sunday.
The Bears’ culture has undergone a change in Johnson's first year in Chicago. In turn, they've also seen a difference in results. Following a 5-12 campaign in 2024, Chicago has already surpassed that win total this season.
The Bears have enjoyed a turnaround despite playing an inconsistent brand of football. They rank seventh in scoring offense and third in total offense but rank 28th in scoring defense and 27th in total defense. Injuries to key players have been a big reason for their struggles on the defensive side of the ball.
Johnson has been emphasizing the Bears' need to play a complete, four-quarter football game. They're still striving for that goal while enjoying success along the way.
“It’s a group that believes in what we're doing as a coaching staff, they believe in what we have in the locker room, and that belief comes through each and every week right now,” Johnson said. “They understand that we're always in these games. And so we have a very resilient group.
“(But) we still haven't put that whole collective 60 minutes, three phases together yet. Yet we’ve seen glimpses of it throughout the season so far. So I'm happy with the fact that we’re winning games and we’re finding the ways to win games and the guys are believing in what we're doing. And yet, we still have so far that we can still go and how much we can still accomplish as a whole team.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.