Chicago Bears dealt firm playoff warning before 2026 opener

The Chicago Bears are entering the 2026 season looking to prove they can retain their spot atop the NFC North. However, they have plenty to prove with how 2025 played out.

Chicago won seven games via a fourth quarter comeback in 2025. Furthermore, they led the league with 33 takeaways. That type of play defined the Bears and was a reason they made a run to the Divisional Round.

However, the sustainability of that type of success has come into question. For Chicago to be considered true playoff contenders, they must hold and maintain leads. They can’t rely on “Cardiac” Caleb Williams every game.

Until the Bears show that level of consistency, pundits around the league will sour on their potential. At least Chicago knows exactly what they must do in 2026.

Chicago Bears fighting to keep playoff spot

Jun 9, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) looks to pass the ball during Chicago Bears Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Every team in the NFC North will be battling for a spot in the postseason. When the dust settles, Bill Barnwell of ESPN doesn’t see the Bears making it back to the playoffs.

“Caleb Williams could go supernova this season and compete for an MVP award, and the 2026 Bears could play at a much higher level for all four quarters of games on offense,” Barnwell wrote. “An overhauled defense could play much better on a snap-by-snap basis, too. That scenario absolutely exists. The numbers suggest that the Bears are going to take a step backward before moving forward, though, and in a division where every team posted a winning record in 2025, that might be enough to drop Chicago out of the postseason.”

As Barnwell notes, Chicago’s playoff hopes will rest on Williams’ shoulders. They will go as far as he does. The Bears have stacked the deck in his favor because of it, from hiring Ben Johnson as head coach to investing across their offense.

Williams has shown he is a big play waiting to happen. But if he, and the Bears at large, can hone in their consistency, the franchise will be taken much more seriously.

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