How Chicago Bears Can Maintain First Place in NFC North Through Week 10 Bye

The Chicago Bears are sitting in first place in the NFC North going into the bye week, but their lead is anything but secure.

Chicago Bears defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (99) reacts after a tackle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Bears are enjoying a bye this week while the rest of their NFC North competitors will be in action.

Chicago enters its Week 10 bye sitting in first place in the NFC North, but their lead is anything but secure with the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions all on their heels.

The Bears sport a 7-2 record, but both the Vikings and Lions are 6-2, and the Packers are not far behind in last place at 6-3. And, all three teams own tie-breakers over the Bears for now, with Green Bay and Minnesota having the head-to-head advantage and the Lions sporting the divisional record advantage.

Of course, the Bears will have an opportunity to erase those tie-breakers later in the season, but that's where things stand now.

Here's a look at how the Bears can maintain their grip on first place despite not playing in a game in Week 10.

How Bears can keep first place through Week 10

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson stands on the sidelines against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

1. Chicago Bears (7-2
2. Detroit Lions (6-2)
3. Minnesota Vikings (6-2)
4. Green Bay Packers (6-3)

In order for the Bears to stay in first place going into Week 11, they will need both the Vikings and Lions to lose their respective games.

A win for either team would technically push them in front of the Bears, who could fall to as far as third place, even with the same record as the Lions and/or Vikings.

The only team that cannot move past the Bears is the Packers, who would still have one more loss than Chicago even if they emerge victorious.

As we know, the Vikings beat the Bears in Week 2, so that gives them the head-to-head tie-breaker advantage temporarily.

Meanwhile, the Lions sport a 2-0 record in the NFC North, so that's where their tie-breaker advantage over Chicago comes from. The Bears have lost both of their divisional games this season.

The Lions will square off against the New England Patriots in Munich, Germany, on Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. ET, while the Vikings draw a road matchup against the Packers at Lambeau.

NFC North chasing history

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) leaves the field after defeating the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is no doubt that the NFC North is the best division in football. Not only does every team sport a winning record, but Chicago, Green Bay, Detroit and Minnesota are all sitting in a playoff sport entering Week 10.

If all four manage to make the playoffs in 2026, that would mark the first time in NFL history all teams in a division make the postseason.

Adding to that, the most wins for a division in a single season is 45, which was set by the 2024 NFC North.

Through nine weeks, the Bears (seven), Packers (six), Lions (six) and Vikings (six) have combined for 25 wins, so this year's version of the NFC North is already more than half way to the record.

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