Bears-Steelers Week 12 Matchup Has Massive Impact On NFL Division Leaders

The Chicago Bears enter their Week 12 matchup vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers riding high, having won three games in a row and leading the NFC North. Under first-year head coach Ben Johnson and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season and win their division for the first time since the 2018 campaign.

The Steelers, meanwhile, have won two of their last three and lead the AFC North by one game over the red-hot Baltimore Ravens. With longtime head coach Mike Tomlin and ailing quarterback Aaron Rodgers leading the way, Pittsburgh is seeking its first division crown in five years.

While both teams will enter Sunday in first place, neither is currently favored to win their divisions, as noted by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.

“Of the eight current division leaders, six are favored to finish the job. Two are not. And those two teams, the Steelers and the Bears, are playing on Sunday,” Florio wrote. “The Steelers, at 6-4 and holding a one-game lead over the Ravens, are +265 to win the AFC North. Baltimore remains the favorite, at -310. The Bears have surged to the top of the NFC North, with a 7-3 record. But they’re third in the odds to capture the crown at +390, behind 6-3-1 Green Bay and 6-4 Detroit, both of whom has +130 odds to win the division.”

Florio added that both the Bears and Steelers have tough schedules the rest of the way.

Chicago still has to face the defending-champion Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers on the road, while hosting the Packers and Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. The Bears get an easy matchup (on paper) in Week 15 when they welcome the Cleveland Browns to the Windy City.

Pittsburgh still has to play the Ravens twice, as well as the Lions and Buffalo Bills, with easier contests vs. the Browns and Miami Dolphins sprinkled in as well.

Barring a tie in Week 12, whichever team wins Sunday’s battle will still be on top of their division for at least another week, while the other could drop into second place.

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