5 NFL teams who benefit the most from expanded playoff field

As with the Atlanta Falcons, the Chicago Bears play in a division with three potential playoff teams. While the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings could return to the postseason, the Detroit Lions are expected to remain in the NFC North cellar. However, it’s not as clear cut over who will win the NFC North as it is in the NFC South. Chicago has a serious chance to do it in 2020.

Of course, Nick Foles will have to beat Mitchell Trubisky out of camp and run away with the starting quarterback job. If he does what he is expected to do, Chicago could be a team in the vein of the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles. While the 2020 Bears are probably not winning a Super Bowl, they really feel like a top-half team in the NFC at the very least. This could be a great team.

Looking at the rival teams that finished ahead of them last year, one or both will regress this year. The team most likely to regress in the NFC North has to be Green Bay, as they masqueraded as a 13-3 team that was probably three wins worse than their record. Minnesota should be a good team again next year, but this could be the last year of the Super Bowl window.

So with an expanded playoff field, Chicago faces less pressure to get in. The defense should be phenomenal and they don’t have to keep lying to themselves about how it’s not working out with Trubisky anymore. If he can’t complete simple 10-yard passes, then let Foles run the show. Chicago could just as easily be a division winner as the Bears could be a Wild Card team.