NFL 2025: Which Teams Could Stop Chicago’s Return to the Playoffs?

The Chicago Bears have been on a stunning ride throughout the 2025 NFL season. With week 16 fast approaching, the Windy City’s finest currently sits at a scarcely believable 10-4, just one year on from finishing 5-12 despite the drafting of a new franchise quarterback first overall. The dominant recent 31-3 beatdown of the Cleveland Browns catapulted Chi-Town back to the top spot in the NFC North with just three games remaining, guaranteeing their first double-digit win season since 2018.

Caleb’s Resurgence 

Many were writing off last year’s number one overall pick, Caleb Williams, as a bust after a slow rookie year, especially as the number two overall, Jayden Daniels, led the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1991. His 2024 debut was full of growing pains—too many sacks, too many picks. This year, though, the former Oklahoma Sooner has enjoyed a sophomore leap for the ages; he’s slinging the ball with poise, racking up over 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns already, carving up defenses with deep shots to DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, while scrambling for key first downs.

CALEB WILLIAMS ARE YOU SERIOUS

pic.twitter.com/YIJg829njC

— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) November 28, 2025

Despite being outsiders in the preseason, online betting sites now consider Chicago odds-on to make the playoffs. The latest Bovada football odds currently list the Bears as a -350 shot to reach the postseason for the first time since 2020. What that basically means is that it would be a huge shock if Johnson’s men were to slip up now. But hold the parade. The job’s far from done, and the current NFC playoff picture is a bloodbath.

Their closing schedule is downright brutal: home against the rival Packers, a road trip to face the resilient 49ers, and a potential winner-take-all finale against the desperate Lions. One slip, and it all crumbles—division lead gone, wild card squeezed out. These Bears are thrilling, but the margin is razor-thin. Here’s a closer look at the four teams that could ruin Chicago’s hopes.

Green Bay Packers

Sitting at 9-4-1 after dropping a heartbreaker to the Broncos in Week 15, the Green Bay Packers are only half a game back in the NFC North and still hold the head-to-head edge after edging the Bears a couple of weeks ago. Jordan Love’s been firing on all cylinders, Josh Jacobs is pounding the rock, and Matt LaFleur’s crew has a knack for rallying late… except for when Bo Nix is carving them up, it seems.

The final stretch? Brutal, but winnable in spots: at Chicago (huge, obviously), home against the Ravens, and closing at Minnesota. That Soldier Field rematch feels like a division title on the line. But here’s why they’re the biggest headache for Chicago’s playoff dreams: A win in Chicago flips the North upside down, gives Green Bay the tiebreaker, and probably locks them a wild card at worst.

The Bears have looked reborn under Ben Johnson, but stumbling against their eternal rivals could unravel everything. The Packers love spoiling Bears parties—don’t think they won’t try it again. If they do manage to leave Soldier Field victorious, then the pressure is ramped up on Williams and Co. in their two remaining games, both of which are equally testing.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks are flying high at 11-3, tied atop the NFC West – level with the Rams – after grinding out a win over the Colts. Mike Macdonald’s defense is suffocating, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is shattering receiving records, and they’ve got this quiet swagger that’s turned Seattle into one of the NFC’s scariest teams. Who saw this coming after last year’s mess?

Remaining games: Home thriller against the Rams, which will likely decide the fate of the West, a trip to Atlanta, and wrapping with an Arizona game, which looks to be a gimme. Win that Rams clash, and they’re probably locking the West and a top seed.

They don’t play the Bears, but oh man, they’re a massive indirect nightmare. With the NFC wildcard spots crammed—Rams, Seahawks, 49ers all hovering around 11-3/10-4—their strength of record is pushing everyone else down the pecking order. If Chicago drops one in their gauntlet and misses out on the NFC North title to Green Bay, Seattle’s locked-in spot could shove the Bears out entirely via tiebreakers. It’s frustrating: the Bears are battling divisional foes, while Seattle just keeps stacking wins and crowding the field.

San Francisco 49ers

How are the 49ers at 10-4 with their lengthy injury list? It’s anyone’s guess. Their fitness apocalypse has seen the likes of Nick Bosa and Fred Warner both ruled out for the season, but the Californians refuse to fade quietly. Brock Purdy’s managing games like a vet, Christian McCaffrey’s still a cheat code when healthy, and this defense bends but rarely breaks, despite consisting of career back-ups.

Their closing slate is manageable, beginning with a trip to the ailing Colts before hosting the Bears in a crunch clash with huge wildcard implications. They will then host the Seahawks on the final day with divisional honors potentially on the line.

This one’s direct and painful for Chicago—that road trip to Levi’s Stadium looms massive. The 49ers, sitting pretty as the No. 6 seed, are desperate to climb for a better spot or even steal the West if the Rams/Seahawks falter. Beat the Bears, and San Francisco not only boosts their seeding but could torpedo Chicago’s momentum heading into Week 18. Add to that the fact that this season’s Super Bowl is hosted at their stadium in Santa Clara, and the Niners will be more motivated than ever.

Detroit Lions

Poor Lions—8-6 after getting torched 41-34 by the Rams, their playoff pulse is fading fast in a loaded NFC. Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown can light up scoreboards, but defensive leaks have sunk them too often this year. They’re third in the North, needing miracles and a finish. Must-win city ahead: vs. Pittsburgh, at Minnesota, and that mouthwatering finale at Chicago. The Soldier Field closer? It could be do-or-die for both.

Detroit’s the desperate underdog that could bite hardest. Playoff odds are hovering low, but if they rattle off three wins—including spoiling the Bears’ potential clincher—they sneak in as a wild card while knocking Chicago out.

That Week 18 matchup screams chaos: the winner likely dances in the postseason, the loser watches from home. The Lions have nothing to lose, everything to gain, and divisional hate to fuel it. Bears fans know better than to sleep on a wounded cat.

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