As the 2025 NFL season rolls into Week 6, ESPN’s latest NFL Week 6 Power Rankings land the Chicago Bears at No. 20. For Bears fans, it’s a surprisingly low slotting for a 2-2 team.
Notably, the Bears are ranked behind the Atlanta Falcons, the only other 2-2 team in the NFL, and the Houston Texans, who currently stand 2-3.
The Dallas Cowboys, who the Bears defeated in Week 3, are one spot behind Chicago at No. 21 (they own a 2-2-1 record).
To put the Chicago Bears’ ranking into context, let’s compare it to the rest of the NFC North:
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The Lions are the clear favorites in the NFC North — again — and are looking more and more like the team to beat in the NFL. So much for the negative impact losing so many assistant coaches would have on Dan Campbell’s group.
The Packers’ defense has received a big boost from Micah Parsons, and while I still don’t believe Jordan Love is a legitimate Super Bowl QB, Green Bay will continue to garner more respect than the Bears until Chicago plays a more consistent brand of football.
Sure, the Vikings have one more win than the Bears, and, yes, they did beat Chicago in Week 1. But the Bears are trending up, while it feels like Minnesota is trending down. Any team that’s led by Carson Wentz can’t be taken seriously.
Indeed, the Chicago Bears are in no position to complain about a top-20 ranking. The last few years have been lowlighted by rankings that were in the bottom five.
However, it still feels somewhat low, especially with clubs like the Falcons and Texans slotted higher.
A win over the Washington Commanders — who are currently ranked 14th — on Monday Night Football will go a long way in creating more national respect for this Bears team.