How Sustainable Is the Bears’ Rise to NFC Dominance?
Following the Los Angeles Rams’ 31-28 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon, an unlikely team has taken the NFC's first seed. The Chicago Bears are atop the conference this far into the season for the first time since 2006. The Bears lead in multiple categories in the NFL, including takeaways and rushing yards for the season. Head coach Ben Johnson has made his mark in his first season with Chicago, setting the standard for the future of this team. The question now is, how long can Chicago stay as the first seed?
Not every fan and analyst in the NFL has been completely bought in on the Bears’ season thus far. Despite winning four straight games in a row, many believed the Bears had yet to defeat a team that was a true threat. To silence all the talk, Chicago would defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in what was a complete show of dominance. Both running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai had their way with the Eagles’ defense, and the offense for the defending Super Bowl champions could not figure out defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense. Now, the NFL world is beginning to believe the Bears could have something special. Before this year, Chicago had only had one winning season since 2013. Ben Johnson has not only shocked his own fanbase in the Windy City, but has the rest of the league scratching their heads about how he was able to change this franchise so quickly. The road ahead will not get much easier, however, for the current number one seed in the NFC conference.
Chicago will take on their rivals, the Green Bay Packers, this Sunday in a showdown that will determine who will be first in the conference with just a few more games remaining. They will then face them once again, just two weeks later, followed by the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. The road ahead for Chicago is going to be a gauntlet, but their victory over the Eagles has given them all the confidence in the world. They’ve now shown the ability to defeat a good team, and they’ll need to continue to do so if they want to stay in first place. It’s unfamiliar territory for a struggling franchise, but Ben Johnson has no plans on slipping out of first place.
