Chicago Bears’ Brutal Stretch Against Bills, Packers And Lions Could Be The NFL’s Toughest Playoff Test
The Chicago Bears may have survived last season’s pressure, but a brutal late-season run against the Bills, Packers and Lions could decide their 2026 NFL playoff hopes.
- The Bears will play games across five different days during the 2026 NFL season.
- Chicago faces Buffalo, Green Bay and Detroit in a brutal three-game stretch from Weeks 15-17.
- Ben Johnson’s side is chasing back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 200
The pressure around the Chicago Bears feels very different this year. After winning 11 games last season, expectations are now much higher for head coach Ben Johnson and his team. The Bears are no longer trying to prove they belong in the playoff race. Now they have to show they can handle the pressure that comes with being viewed as serious contenders. The challenge is tougher because Chicago has one of the hardest schedules in the NFL this season based on opponents' 2025 records. The Bears will also play across five different days of the week, making it difficult to build consistency and momentum during the most important part of the season.
Bears' tough Bills-Packers-Lions run could decide playoff hopes
Long before the playoffs begin, many inside the NFL believe Chicago's season may come down to a brutal run between Weeks 15 and 17. It starts with a Saturday night road game against the Buffalo Bills, where MVP-calibre quarterback Josh Allen will test a Bears defence already dealing with a shortened preparation window. Buffalo remains one of the AFC's most dangerous teams despite its playoff loss to the Denver Broncos last season. Josh Allen led the Bills to 12 regular-season wins, and the organisation now enters a new era under head coach Joe Brady after Sean McDermott's departure. The added presence of wide receiver DJ Moore only increases the challenge for Chicago's secondary heading into a high-pressure road environment.
The emotional intensity only rises six days later when the Green Bay Packers arrive at Soldier Field for a Christmas showdown that could reshape the NFC North race. The rivalry already exploded across three dramatic meetings last season. Green Bay escaped Lambeau Field with a 28-21 win after a late interception in the end zone. Chicago answered back in Week 16 when quarterback Caleb Williams connected with Moore on a 46-yard overtime touchdown pass. Then came the wild-card meeting, where the Bears bounced back from a 21-9 fourth-quarter deficit to eliminate their oldest rivals 31-27.
Detroit Lions remain Bears' biggest divisional problem
Even if Chicago survives Buffalo and Green Bay, the schedule offers no breathing room. The Detroit Lions arrive next, giving Johnson's squad nine days to prepare for a team that has dominated this rivalry recently. Head coach Dan Campbell has built Detroit into one of the NFL's toughest teams mentally and physically. The Lions swept Chicago last season and have won seven of the last eight meetings dating back to 2023.