ESPN's math isn't exactly mathing with Bears' NFC North title chances

Entering 2026, there are not a lot of believers in the Chicago Bears winning the NFC North for a second straight season.

A big reason is that the Bears have the toughest schedule in the NFL, with so many stretches where they are playing either NFC North opponents or top teams from last year. Also, not many people believe they are talented enough to make a Super Bowl run because they still have holes in their defense.

ESPN Analytics used predictive analytics to show who the company thinks will win the division in 2026. It does not bode well for the Bears, with the Detroit Lions taking first place, but more surprising is who is second.

Lions: 38%

Packers: 33%

Bears: 19%

Vikings: 10%

ESPN believes the Bears have the third best odds to win the NFC North

A lot of it has to do with the strength of schedule, which is understandable. The Bears have a ton of tough competition coming in for the 2026 season that will not be easy on them.

Detroit has been the most common team picked to win the NFC North because they have the opposite problem. The Lions have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL, and with how good that roster is, they should be able to cruise into the playoffs unless they face injuries.

Speaking of injuries, the Packers are dealing with guys like Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft recovering from serious injuries, so how do they have better odds than the Bears to win the division? Not to mention, Green Bay lost a lot of talent at wide receiver and, on paper, is not as good as Chicago is with the roster.

Chicago may have their concerns with the defensive line and at cornerback, but the Bears are still a very good football team that should not be underestimated. That offense is good enough to finish in the top five with one of the best rushing attacks, a top-notch offensive line, and a quarterback who is a magician back there at making insane throws.

Read more: Hypothetical "Team Backup" might have exposed Bears' hidden talents

Bears fans would love to understand how ESPN is getting its numbers, so they can see how it is determining them. This is just more motivation for Chicago to use during the regular season, as it is another year where they are the underdogs and have to prove the rest of the NFL wrong.

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This article was originally published on beargoggleson.com as ESPN's math isn't exactly mathing with Bears' NFC North title chances.