It wasn’t pretty, but the Chicago Bears pulled off another thriller win on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, stop me if you heard that one before.

In all seriousness, the Bears improved to 8-3 on the season and still hold the division lead going into Week 13 and control their destiny with six games left to be played.

The Bears understand more work needs to be done in terms of cleaning up some areas on both sides of the ball and hopefully can get some reinforcements back soon. But, it’s a quick turnaround with the next game coming on Friday against the defending Super Bowl champs in their home turf.

“It’s something we’ve been mindful of the moment the schedule came out,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said after the game. “Our coaches were certainly in the office a little bit later towards the end of the week there, getting ahead. We’ll have some coaches going in the office after the game (on Sunday night). Monday it’s going to be full steam ahead.”

While it’s a short week, it’s not technically a normal short week teams are used to that have to play on Sunday and then turn around the following Thursday. By playing on Friday, the Bears get an extra day to prepare for a game that’s now loaded with even more stakes.

Stakes could not be higher for the Black Friday matchup against the Eagles

With the Los Angeles Rams win on Sunday night, the Bears remain locked in the No. 3 seed behind the Rams and Eagles going into a Week 13 date in Philadelphia.

The implications of this game cannot be overstated and it’s the kind of game the Bears have been hoping for to finally prove themselves as a legitimate playoff contender. Chicago has gotten some favorable matchups this season, at no fault of their own, but it’s made people question the 8-3 start. Beating the Eagles on the road can put those critics to rest, but the Eagles have a lot at stake too.

“The remainder of the Eagles schedule is a bit intriguing. It’s not easy by any means, they have matchups either the Bears, Chargers, and Bills over the next handful of weeks. Not to mention, they’ll see the Commanders later in the season, when Jayden Daniels could theoretically be back on the field. Regardless, the offensive struggles for Philly are the biggest concern.

They seemed to take a step forward in Week 12 with some early success, but passive play-calling and notable mistakes in multiple phases cost them a win in Dallas. Now, the Eagles must find ways to get back on track, and the rest of the NFC continues to chug along. Philadelphia is one of the top teams in football when at their best, but we haven’t seen that often this season at all.” – Adam Holt, A to Z Sports Philadelphia

All of that being said, let’s take a look at how the playoff picture looks heading into Week 13.

THE CHICAGO BEARS ARE 8-3 ?

Are they headed to the playoffs?#NFL | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/aSkehXr3bz

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) November 23, 2025

Current NFC Standings

1. Los Angeles Rams (9-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (8-3)
3. Chicago Bears (8-3)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5)
5. Seattle Seahawks (8-3)
6. Green Bay Packers (7-3-1)
7. San Francisco 49ers (7-4)

The Rams remain locked in the No. 1 seed but the Eagles and Bears are lurking right behind them. As for the NFC North, the Bears are still sitting pretty.

Current NFC North Standings

1. Chicago Bears (8-3)
2. Green Bay Packers (7-3-1)
3. Detroit Lions (7-4)
4. Minnesota Vikings (4-7)

As previously said, the Bears still control their destiny in terms of the division title holding the top spot for the second consecutive week. However, the Bears have three divisional games remaining, including two massive games against the Packers, who are right on Chicago’s heels.

Chicago Bears News

Bears QB Caleb Williams offered a candid assessment of his personal performance despite the team’s win over the Steelers

He knows he can get better.

Kole Noble