The Chicago Bears celebrated their Black Friday win over the Philadelphia Eagles as if they’d won the Super Bowl.
Players celebrated wildly and coach Ben Johnson danced shirtless in the postgame locker room, his team having ascended to the top-seeded position in the NFC.
Hard to fault the Bears, given they’re 9-3 and better than anyone expected. And it’s not like their celebration was as brazen as 1985, when Chicago celebrated the impending arrival of the Lombardi Trophy six weeks before Super Bowl XX was actually played in the Louisiana Superdome when they released the iconic video “The Super Bowl Shuffle.”
Those Bears beat the New England Patriots 46-10 with a team most everyone considers to be among the top single-season teams in NFL history.
And here come the Patriots, who have been a big surprise themselves as the top seed in the AFC with an 11-2 record as they join the 49ers in the final bye week of the season.
Which begs the question: Could Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 5 be a Bears-Patriots rematch?
The 40-year anniversary of the release of “The Super Bowl Shuffle” was Wednesday. It’s the subject of a short documentary on HBO Max. The video is as absurd as it ever was and gets even more amusing with each passing year.
But a rematch is unlikely, and the guess here is neither team will be No. 1 and receive a first-round bye when the wild-card round begins on Jan. 10. And even if they do stay No. 1, chances are remote they get through the playoffs unscathed.
It’s been a fun year in Chicago, but Johnson isn’t Mike Ditka, Dennis Allen isn’t Buddy Ryan, Caleb Williams isn’t Jim McMahon and the Bears’ quality running backs aren’t Walter Payton. The ’85 Bears gave up 198 points (the fewest in the NFL) in 16 games, going 15-1. The ’25 Bears have given up 307 points in 12 games, 25th in the NFL. The ’25 Bears have scored 313 points in 12 games, the ’85 Bears had 486 in 16.
Chicago’s point differential of plus-6 suggests the Bears are to be credited with winning a lot of close games but are without the chops to shine when the postseason comes along.
The Bears’ remaining schedule includes two games against division rival Green Bay, a Week 17 game at Levi’s against the 49ers and a home finale against Detroit. Even their Dec. 14 game against Cleveland is no gimme, given the Browns’ defensive prowess.
The 49ers are currently the No. 7 seed and in good position, and could even surpass Chicago when the regular season concludes.
As for New England, this team under Mike Vrabel is better than the one that was horrifically overmatched under coach Raymond Berry and quarterback Tony Eason against Chicago. Their point differential of plus-110 is more befitting a legitimate contender. The Patriots have a two-game division lead on Buffalo and play the Bills on Dec. 14. There are road assignments at Baltimore and the New York Jets and a Week 18 game at home against Miami.
The Patriots are contenders, the Bears pretenders. Here’s a look at other contenders and pretenders — listed in order of seriousness — as the regular season inches past the three-quarter mark:
NFC contenders
2. L.A. Rams (9-3): at Arizona (3-9), vs. Detroit (7-5), at Seattle (9-3), at Atlanta (4-8), vs. Arizona (3-9)
A loss to Carolina bumped the Rams behind Chicago, but don’t expect them to stay there if they beat the Seahawks on Thursday night, Dec. 18.
5. Seattle (9-3): at Atlanta (4-8), vs. Indianapolis (8-4), vs. L.A. Rams (9-3), at Carolina (7-6), at 49ers (9-4)
A division title could be riding on their final game of the regular season at Levi’s Stadium and a chance for a return date on Super Bowl XL.
6. Green Bay (8-3-1): vs. Chicago (9-3), at Denver (10-2), at Chicago (9-3), vs. Baltimore (6-6), at Minnesota (4-8)
Sweeping the Bears and ending the season over division foe Minnesota could win the Packers the NFC North title.
4. Tampa Bay (7-5): vs. New Orleans (2-10), vs. Atlanta (4-8), at Carolina (7-6), at Miami (5-7) vs. Carolina (7-6)
Hard to see the Buccaneers doing worse than 11-6 with this remaining schedule unless something happens to Baker Mayfield.
3. Philadelphia (8-4): at L.A. Chargers (8-4), vs. Las Vegas (2-10), at Washington (3-9), at Buffalo (8-4), vs. Washington (3-9)
Jalen Hurts has been brilliant in two Super Bowls, winning one, yet is maligned more than anyone outside Brock Purdy.
NFC pretenders
7. 49ers (9-4): vs. Tennessee (1-11), at Indianapolis (8-4), vs. Chicago (9-3), vs. Seattle (9-3)
They have gone way above and beyond the call, but can’t see a home Super Bowl without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner.
8. Detroit (7-5): vs. Dallas (6-5-1), at L.A. Rams (9-3), vs. Pittsburgh (6-6), at Minnesota (4-8), at Chicago (9-3)
Not sure if the Lions ever fully recovered from last year’s playoff thrashing against Washington.
9. Dallas (6-5-1): at Detroit (7-5), vs. Minnesota (4-8), vs. L.A. Chargers (8-4), at Washington (3-9), at N.Y. Giants (2-11)
Cowboys are a thrill ride, ranked No. 2 in scoring offense (29.3 points per game), No. 31 in scoring defense (28.5). A big finish could win Dak Prescott the MVP.
10. Carolina (7-6): at New Orleans (2-11), vs. Tampa Bay (7-5), vs. Seattle (9-3), at Tampa Bay (7-5)
Maybe it’s recency bias, but I can’t get over how bad the Panthers looked against the 49ers, even after the subsequent win over the Rams.
AFC contenders
2. Denver (10-2): at Las Vegas (2-10), vs. Green Bay (8-3-1), vs. Jacksonville (8-4), at Kansas City (6-6), vs. L.A. Chargers (8-4)
Not that anyone is still around, but the Broncos were 24-10 winners over Carolina in Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium.
7. Buffalo (8-4): vs. Cincinnati (4-8), at New England (11-2), at Cleveland (3-9), vs. Philadelphia (8-4), vs. N.Y. Jets (3-9)
Because they’ve got Josh Allen, that’s why.
10. Kansas City (6-6): vs. Houston (7-5), at L.A. Chargers (8-4), at Tennessee (1-11), vs. Denver (10-2), at Las Vegas (2-10)
Ninth in scoring offense, seventh in scoring defense and Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. They’re better than their record.
8. Houston (7-6): at Kansas City (6-6), vs. Arizona (3-9), vs. Las Vegas (2-10), at L.A. Chargers (8-4), at Indianapolis (8-4)
One of the best defensive teams in the NFL, can pressure the quarterback, and C.J. Stroud is beginning to find the range he had in his rookie year. The Texans have won four in a row.
6. Indianapolis (8-4): at Jacksonville (8-4), at Seattle (9-3), at 49ers (9-4), vs. Jacksonville (8-4), at Houston (7-6)
The NFL’s top scoring team at 29.8 has hit a bit of a fade, losing three of its last four. Still have Jonathan Taylor though. Given the remaining schedule, if they make the playoffs they’ll have earned it.
AFC pretenders
5. L.A. Chargers (8-4): vs. Philadelphia (8-4), at Kansas City (6-6), at Dallas (6-5-1), vs. Houston (7-6) at Denver (10-2)
The only team with a realistic shot at the playoffs whose remaining schedule features only teams with records above .500.
4. Baltimore (6-6): vs. Pittsburgh (6-6), at Cincinnati (4-8), vs. New England (11-2), at Green Bay (8-3-1), at Pittsburgh (6-6)
Anyone know where Lamar Jackson went?
3. Jacksonville (8-4): vs. Indianapolis (8-4), vs. N.Y. Jets (3-9), at Denver (10-2), at Indianapolis (8-4), vs. Tennessee (1-11)
Trevor Lawrence has just about hit his expiration date in terms of developing into an elite quarterback. Maybe he’s just good and will never be great.
9. Pittsburgh (6-6): at Baltimore (6-6), vs. Miami (5-7), at Detroit (7-5), at Cleveland (3-9), vs. Baltimore (6-6)
Even with Aaron Rodgers, Mike Tomlin looks destined for another barely .500 season.