Bears sit fourth in midseason rankings despite 17 turnovers

The Chicago Bears hold the fourth-best standing in the NFL at the midseason mark, according to a new league-wide evaluation.

The assessment places the 7-2 Bears ahead of the San Francisco 49ers and the Jacksonville Jaguars, but behind the 7-1 Buffalo Bills, who are ranked first. The Denver Broncos occupy the fifth spot. This ranking comes after the Bears secured a 27-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Soldier Field on Sunday, a game that ended their road to a bye week with a high number of mistakes.

The report lists head coach Ben Johnson as the second-best coach in the league, trailing only John Harbaugh of the New York Giants. On the defensive side, Bears defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is ranked as the third-best player in the NFL. He trails Will Anderson Jr. of the Houston Texans and Fred Warner of the 49ers. The offensive rankings do not include a single Bear, with Josh Allen of the Bills named the top player.

The team’s performance against out-of-division opponents has been a defining feature of the season. The NFC North division has a combined 20-4 record against teams from other conferences and divisions. The Bears lead that group with a 7-0 mark. Only the AFC North at 16-8 and the NFC West at 14-9 have winning records against the rest of the league.

Despite the strong record against outsiders, the Bears have struggled with ball security. The team has committed 17 giveaways, which is tied for the third-most in the league. This contrasts sharply with last season, when the Bears led the NFL in takeaways and fewest turnovers committed. The report notes that if the 12 turnovers from the Bears' three worst games are excluded, the team averages less than one per game.

Quarterback Caleb Williams, who threw four interceptions against the Buccaneers, described his usual role in a postgame quote. "I'm typically the big eraser," Williams said. The evaluation rates his performance on a 10-point scale, giving him a 4 for the recent outing.

Other top contenders face their own distinct issues. The 6-2 Kansas City Chiefs have not completed a pass of at least 20 yards since Week 4. The 6-3 Green Bay Packers rank last in the NFL in rushing and will be without running back Josh Jacobs for an extended period. The 6-2 Detroit Lions and the Buffalo Bills both rank in the bottom five against the pass.

The Bears enter their bye week after nine games have been played. The next scheduled regular-season contest will occur after the break, as the team prepares for the final nine weeks of the 2026 campaign.