Chicago Bears move alone into first in NFC North as Vikings fall to Bills
Minnesota's 23-6 Monday night loss to Buffalo leaves the 7-2 Chicago Bears alone atop the NFC North heading into their bye week.
The Chicago Bears are alone at the top of the NFC North, and they got there while resting. Minnesota lost 23-6 to Buffalo on Monday Night Football, which drops the Vikings into second place, half a game behind Chicago. Windy City Gridiron, SB Nation's Bears site, reported that the Bears now have sole possession of the division lead as they go into their bye week. The site's playoff picture after Week 9 also has them as the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
The Bears put themselves in that spot with a messy 27-24 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday night. According to Touchdown Wire, Chicago turned the ball over five times. Caleb Williams threw four interceptions, and Luther Burden III lost a fumble and was hurt on the play. It was the franchise's first win with at least five turnovers since 2006. Bears Wire credited the defense with keeping the game close, including a pick-six of its own, and noted that Cairo Santos won it with a 38-yard field goal.
The front office might not be done. Jeffery Simmons, acquired before the deadline, has already joined the defense. Head coach Ben Johnson told the Chicago Sun-Times that "we'll see if there is another move or two to be made."
The division lead is real but thin. The Bears' 9-3 home loss to Minnesota counts for something in any tiebreaker, so the Vikings are still well within reach. Minnesota's offense has stalled over the last two weeks, though, and that has given Chicago a little room it did not have a month ago.
What it means for the Saints game
The bye week gives Chicago time to recover before New Orleans visits on Sunday, November 22, on Fox. The biggest health question coming out of Sunday night is Burden, and the reports so far have not said how serious his injury is.
Over nine games the numbers point mostly one way. The Bears are 7-2 and have outscored opponents 241-184, a margin of 57 points. They have won four in a row, beating Atlanta, New England, Seattle and Tampa Bay by a combined 122-88. They are 4-1 at home and 3-1 on the road. Both losses were division games: the 9-3 loss to the Vikings and a 31-7 loss at Green Bay. Other than the opening 59-37 shootout at Carolina, the defense has allowed 24 points or fewer in every win.
The Tampa Bay game also shows the risk. Even with Williams' four interceptions, the defense and special teams saved the night, but Chicago can't count on winning that way every week. If the offense returns from the bye looking like it did against Seattle and New England, the Saints game is a chance to keep the division lead. If the offense keeps turning the ball over, the Bears will have little margin even at Soldier Field.