In 2022, the Chicago Bears watched as the Houston Texans delivered them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Bears traded that pick to the Carolina Panthers.
Now, the Bears watched as the Panthers won a shootout with the Rams. Carolina’s upset win over Los Angeles was another deliverance for the Bears.
The Bears are now the No. 1 seed in the NFC as the month of December begins.
What we know:
The Bears’ turnaround in Ben Johnson’s first season at the helm has taken another step forward. They’ve gotten some help, to be clear.
But, the win over the Eagles on Black Friday means the Bears earn a tiebreaker with the Rams in terms of true NFC wins.
The Panthers took a 24-21 lead over the Rams with an aggressive offense. Dave Canales went for it on fourth-and-3. Bryce Young, the quarterback the Panthers took with the pick the Bears traded to them, threw a 33-yard touchdown to Jalen Coker on fourth and three.
In a rainy game, the Rams had a chance. With 2:34 left in the game, the Rams drove to Panthers territory. But, Matthew Stafford was sacked and had the ball stripped from him. The Panthers recovered and sealed the win with a third down throw from Young.
That leaped the Bears over the Rams.
What’s next:
The Bears have a chance to prove they’re worthy of that top spot.
They’ll go into Lambeau Field on Dec. 7 and take on the Packers. Not only is that a game to stay atop the NFC, but it’s a game that has critical NFC North implications.
The NFL’s best rivalry hasn’t had stakes this high in quite some time.
BearsSports
