Brandon Gordon

The Chicago Bears watched their season end in overtime against the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs earlier this month. It was a finish that felt both crushing and revealing. Late-game heroics forced overtime and showed how much this team had grown, even as missed opportunities and costly turnovers ultimately decided the outcome. Playoff football rarely offers forgiveness.

The Chicago Cubs entered the offseason with lingering questions after their NLDS loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. That series exposed a roster that was competitive but incomplete. Instead of reshaping the team aggressively, Chicago has operated with noticeable restraint. The result feels more like hibernation than a sense of urgency. For a club with postseason expectations, that is a dangerous place to live. If the Cubs have made one thing clear, it is where their focus has been.

One year ago, the Chicago Bears were a franchise searching for direction. Talent existed, but inconsistency, protection issues, poor coaching, and poor execution kept progress from becoming real. The roster felt stuck between rebuilding and competing, unable to establish a true identity. That uncertainty disappeared in 2025. After Chicago defeated Green Bay Saturday night, they secured a spot in the playoffs when Detroit fell to Pittsburgh late Sunday afternoon.