The Chicago Bears have locked up their first playoff spot in five seasons! They did so with a dramatic comeback win—22-16 against the Green Bay Packers. The Bears were able to secure their spot in the postseason with this win. They made history with this remarkable season 11 victory wins. And they can’t wait to welcome the archrival New Orleans Saints. This unlikely matchup through and as the NFC’s No. 2 seed represents absolutely astounding turnaround for the other franchise.
And just like that, the Bears are back in business this season! In fact, they’ve taken 11 of their last 13 matches including a pair of back-to-back victories. Their latest triumph secured their postseason spot after a wait for the Detroit Lions to lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The Bears’ last postseason win occurred during the 2010 season when they entered as the NFC’s No. 6 seed.
Tight end Cole Kmet, chosen 43rd overall that April, called it a big deal for the small town team.
“A signature moment for us to be able to be in the position we are with 11 wins and everything at the tip of our fingers is exactly where we want to be, I’ll put it that way.” – Caleb Williams
The Bears became one of the best stories in the NFL this season, proving resilient in the wake of a spring upheaval. They did win six games after trailing in the final two minutes of regulation, showing remarkable clutch ability. In doing so, they set the record for the most consecutive wins in a season since the NFL’s merger in 1970. They’ve outperformed expectations in close games too, with a stellar 7-2 mark in one-score games. This accomplishment is a radical departure from their last three seasons where they stared down a brutal 6-20 performance in those same clutch minutes.
The Bears’ defense has been instrumental in their success this season, winning the turnover battle ten times—the highest in the NFL—and claiming victory in all those games. This stat is a testament to their ruthless pursuit of their opponents’ weaknesses, matched only by their capacity to dictate the tempo of play.
As the Bears stanch the bleeding and look forward to their resuming all-NFC North tussle with the Saints, Kmet offered his insights on their journey.
“This does feel a little different. It feels like we’ve got a lot of things going on right now that can carry over throughout the rest of the year.” – Cole Kmet
The Bears’ last postseason appearance was in 2020 as the NFC’s third wild-card team, finishing with an 8-8 record after starting the season strong at 5-1. Coming off a disappointing six-game losing streak that season, their success this year has been especially impressive. Only three players from that 2020 team remain on the roster: Kmet, Jaylon Johnson, and Cairo Santos.
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