4 reasons why the Vikings will still win the NFC North this season
By Adam Patrick
Chicago’s remaining schedule is actually not easy
A bunch of the talking heads that cover the NFL have pretty much already given the NFC North crown to the Bears this season due to the opponents they have remaining on their schedule. However, Chicago’s next five games are not as easy as some may be led to believe.
Three of the Bears’ final five matchups of the year are on the road (New York Giants in Week 13, San Francisco 49ers in Week 16, Vikings in Week 17) and four of these five games are against teams that are still hunting for a spot in the playoffs.
Chicago is 3-2 away from home this season, with two of these wins coming over the 2-9 Arizona Cardinals and the Nathan Peterman-led Buffalo Bills.
The two home contests left on the Bears’ schedule are not going to be any sort of walk in the park either. In Week 14, they will take on the 10-1 Los Angeles Rams and then Chicago will play host to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in Week 15.
Rodgers hasn’t lost a road game against the Bears since 2010.
If Chicago only wins two of their next four matchups, then first place in the NFC North could easily come down to their last game of the season against Minnesota inside U.S. Bank Stadium. And the last time the Bears won a road matchup against the Vikings was in 2011.