The Green Bay Packers might not be invincible, but they are currently enjoying a very solid lead in the NFC North. If any team has a chance to knock off the Pack, it's likely the Detroit Lions, who are currently two games back of Green Bay and have yet to face them. With Detroit in striking distance of first place and comfortably positioned for a Wild Card berth, every game is critical for the Chicago Bears, who travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles on Monday night.
With the Lions and the Minnesota Vikings off in Week 9, and with the Bears still yet to play, there hasn't been much movement in the North standings, but we can still look at where the Chicago will be positioned with a win or loss on Monday night. A loss would drop the Bears to 4-4 and a full two games behind the Lions, which would be a deep, though not insurmountable, hole. But an upset of the Eagles tonight would bring the Bears to 5-3, which would not only have them nipping at the heels of the Lions in second place, but would, for the time being, put them in the second NFC Wild Card slot.
With the caveat that the Packers' 45-38 defeat of the San Diego Chargers is the only game played so far by any North team, here are the standings heading into the Bears' Monday night tilt in Philly:
- Green Bay Packers: 8-0
- Detroit Lions: 6-2
- Chicago Bears: 4-3
- Minnesota Vikings: 2-6