Monday Night Football cannot get here fast enough. No, really, let’s kick off the NFL season before the so-called “experts” again flip-flop opinions.<\/p>\n
By the time the Chicago Bears <\/a>actually play the Minnesota Vikings in their Week 1 primetime showdown at Soldier Field, head coach Ben Johnson will be everything from overrated to a genius and quarterback Caleb Williams<\/a> will be either a dyslexic bust<\/a> or the next MVP<\/a>.<\/p>\nMORE: Bears get bad injury news on defensive starter ahead of Monday night showdown vs. Vikings<\/a><\/p>\nWe know this: the Bears have their hands full in the NFC North. They haven’t won the division since 2018 or a playoff game since 2010. Last year they went 5-12 and were the North’s only team to not make the postseason.<\/p>\n
The Detroit Lions have dominated the division the last two seasons, going 27-5. Last year they swept the North, beating the Vikings to secure the NFC’s No. 1 seed on the final weekend. The Green Bay Packers just traded for Micah Parsons, the Bears added Johnson and … it’s all so confusing.<\/p>\n
MORE: Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings Week 1: Who wins and why<\/a><\/p>\nJust ask ESPN analyst Peter Schrager. Talk about changing your mind, in the span of two days – 48 hours! – he went from pronouncing the Lions as a playoff team (ho-hum) to the Lions not being a playoff team (headlines!).<\/p>\n
“I think the Packers, Vikings, and Lions will all be playoff teams..<\/p>\n
I don’t think the Bears are in that conversation just yet” ~ @PSchrags<\/a> #PMSLive<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/pvXztNGVre<\/a><\/p>\n\u2014 Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\nOn Sept. 2 Schrager appeared on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show and said the Packers, Vikings and Lions will all be playoff teams again this season.<\/p>\n
Said Schrager of Chicago: “I don’t think the Bears are in that conversation just yet.”<\/p>\n
Fair enough. But … wait. Just two days later – on Sept 4 – Schrager again went on McAfee’s show and flip-flopped with the bold prediction that, on second thought, the Lions were not a playoff team.<\/p>\n
Said Schrager, “I don’t have the Detroit Lions making the playoffs.”<\/p>\n
Along with the losses of both coordinators (Johnson to the Bears and Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets), Schrager based his opinion on “the NFC North is loaded!”<\/p>\n
We’re ready for more football and less flip-flopping.<\/p>\n
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Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) makes a catch against Detroit Lions \/ Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images<\/p>\n