Whatever doubt that lingered around the Chicago Bears before the 2026 NFL season has now fully evaporated. By defeating the New England Patriots, the AFC champions from a year ago, in front of the entire country, the Bears have proven that their 2025 season was no fluke, and that those fans and analysts who picked them to be a legit Super Bowl contender were right to believe in them.

This matchup was always going to be one of the hardest games on the Bears' 2026 schedule , one that would serve as a true litmus test for where the team stands in Year 2 of the Ben Johnson era, and they passed with flying colors. It was touch-and-go for a while, and it came down to the game's final minute, but the Bears pulled it off and deserve all the credit in the world for this win.

We'll have plenty of time to analyze this win in-depth over the weekend and even throughout next week as the Bears now enter their mini-bye with a 5-2 record. For now, let's hand out some game balls, starting with the man of the hour.

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