They went 11-6, winning the NFC North, and shocking the NFL world with some of the most incredible plays in NFL history from Williams.

However, for the 2026 season, ESPN’s Mike Clay gave the Bears a bleak projection in the NFC North that, unfortunately, has some truth to it.

Bears receive bleak NFC North projection from ESPN analyst

ESPN shared analysis on all of the NFC North teams, and Clay handed out win projections for every team in the division.

The Detroit Lions came in first place by a wide margin with 12 projected wins, while the Green Bay Packers were second with 9.5 projected wins. The Bears, after winning the division in 2025, are projected to have 9.3 wins and a third-place finish.

Clay’s projection would be an incredibly disappointing outcome for the Bears. Going from NFC North winners to third place in one season would be a tough fall for Chicago to undergo in one year.

However, there is some truth to this projection for one simple, unfortunate reason: the Bears have the “hardest schedule in NFL,” according to ESPN.

The Bears face the Lions and Packers twice, which will be tough matchups. The Minnesota Vikings aren’t gimme’s either.

Also going up against the Bears this season are the Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, and Carolina Panthers, among playoff teams.

The Bears do face the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, but the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are far from easy matchups for the Bears.

It’s a tough schedule for the Bears, and coming off such an incredible 2025 season, some regression wouldn’t be that unrealistic.

This might be a bleak projection from Clay, but with the hardest schedule in the league, and regression very much possible, this projection might have some truth to it. Chicago’s 2026 season might not be as great as its 2025 season.

More NFL news:

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In comments shared by ProFootballTalk, North pointed directly to Tennessee as his reference point:

“Not to point fingers, but I think the best comp is probably Tennessee from last year. They drafted No. 1 overall, took a quarterback who looks like he can play in this league, [and] they didn’t happen to get a national television appearance last year, either. … We don’t draft our way into primetime. We play our way into primetime.”

The Titans selected Cam Ward with the top pick in the 2025 draft and still didn’t earn a single scheduled national television appearance that season.

Tennessee once again will not play in any primetime games in 2026 despite having a budding star in quarterback Cam Ward, with the team’s last scheduled primetime appearance dating back to September 2024.

North’s Tennessee reference highlights how primetime is actually earned

The league’s position is grounded in how its broadcast partners operate. ABC, NBC, Amazon, and ESPN are paying multi-billion dollar rights fees to fill windows that audiences will actually watch.

A high draft pick generates franchise excitement, but it doesn’t move a national television needle on its own.

The Titans aren’t scheduled to play in primetime in 2026, although they could potentially be flexed into primetime contests during the season. The door isn’t closed.

The league’s scheduling philosophy holds that past performance dictates scheduling decisions more than draft status, which explains why established stars receive significantly more featured slots than unproven rookies regardless of their draft position.

More NFL news:

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But, while the Bears are in a good spot with their roster, there is still one major need that has to be addressed at some point this offseason: edge rusher.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell proposed one trade idea for the Bears in the 2026 NFL Draft that could have Chicago moving up a few picks with their NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings, to land their new edge rusher to pair with Montez Sweat.

Bears trade idea swaps 1sts with Vikings for edge help

“… but I do have the Bears paying a bit of a premium for the privilege of making a deal within the NFC North,” Barnwell writes. “Ryan Poles has already addressed some of the team’s weaknesses this offseason, but the Bears should still hope to add something meaningful on the edge.”

This trade idea from Barnwell would have the Bears send their 25th overall pick to the Vikings, along with their 60th pick in the second round, to land pick No. 18 and 163 (fifth-round).

Thanks to Chicago owning the Buffalo Bills’ second-rounder from the blockbuster DJ Moore trade, they can use one of their second-rounders to get aggressive in Round 1.

More: Dayo Odeyingbo named Bears’ most overpaid player for 2026

While the Bears would need to pay a bit more to move up with a team in their division, this move with the Vikings would let Chicago get a chance to take a top edge rusher.

While Ruben Bain, David Bailey, and Arvell Reese would surely be off the board at this point, the Bears could move up for Akheem Mesidor, Keldric Faulk, T.J. Parker, or some other edge rusher that they’ve identified as a player that they can’t miss on.

Zion Young or Cashius Howell would be intriguing options as well, and it is not out of the realm of possibility for one of those edge rushers to go between the Vikings and Bears picks.

Barnwell’s trade idea is a very aggressive one for the Bears, and might not be necessary for Chicago to land a good edge rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft. But if there’s an edge run, the Bears might have to swing such an aggressive deal to get their preferred edge rusher.

More Bears news:

The post Strategic Trade Proposal: Bears Eye 2026 NFL Draft Position Boost with NFC North Competitor for Edge Rusher Assistance appeared first on Jugo Mobile.

As Pittsburgh prepares to face Cleveland in Week 17, Rodgers turned that perspective toward Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders, offering praise that went beyond routine pregame respect.

Rodgers revealed he had followed Sanders well before their AFC North meeting became reality.

“I’ve followed No. 12’s career. I was pulling for him,” Rodgers said. “It was a tough draft slide, but he’s been patient, worked on his craft, and been playing pretty good.”

The comments reflected an appreciation for process rather than production, a theme that mirrors Sanders’ first NFL season.

Sanders’ route to the league tested that patience. After entering draft conversations as a potential early selection, he was taken in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Cleveland’s early-season quarterback situation kept him mainly on the sidelines, pushing development ahead of urgency. When opportunities did arrive, Sanders avoided pressing, opting instead for incremental growth.

Statistically, his numbers underscore a learning curve. Through Week 16, Sanders completed 92 of 167 passes for 1,103 yards, six touchdowns, and eight interceptions. His completion rate sits at 55.1 percent, with a total QBR of 18.6.

The Browns’ offense limited explosive output, but flashes appeared, including a 364-yard, three-touchdown performance against Tennessee.

Patience, perspective, and a defining AFC North test

Sunday’s matchup layers context onto Sanders’ development. Pittsburgh enters the season at 9-6 with a chance to clinch the AFC North and secure a playoff spot, while Cleveland sits at 3-12, focusing more on evaluation than results.

Rodgers’ own history gives weight to his assessment. Drafted 24th overall by Green Bay in 2005, he spent most of his rookie season observing Brett Favre before earning his chance.

That experience shapes how he views Sanders’ delayed ascent. The Steelers quarterback also acknowledged the broader arc of Sanders’ football life, from Jackson State to Colorado, and now into the NFL spotlight.

The Week 17 contest also places Rodgers opposite both Deion Sanders and his son in an NFL setting, an intersection of eras that underscores the moment.

Sanders has already faced established stars like Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, along with former No. 1 picks and varied quarterback profiles. Each outing adds to his education.

Rodgers’ endorsement does not suggest a finished product. Instead, it frames Sanders’ rookie season as groundwork.

Against Pittsburgh, the Browns quarterback gains another chance to absorb pressure, manage adversity, and continue the steady climb Rodgers identified as the objective measure of early success.

More NFL news:

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With only two-plus weeks left to play, the division title remains in the Bears’ full control with the Packers still well positioned to make the playoffs. Here’s looking at all the playoff implications of the Bears’ big win:

MORE WEEK 16 NFL:

NFC North current standings

1. Chicago Bears (11-4)
2. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)
3. Detroit Lions (8-6)
4. Minnesota Vikings (6-8)

NFC playoff picture: Impact of Bears win over Packers

The Bears improve to 11-4 and the Packers would fall to 9-5-1. The Bears earned the season series split and lead the division by 1.5 games over the Packers with only two games left. The Bears also remain as the No. 2 NFC seed behind the Seahawks (12-3).

The Packers stay at their current No. 7, the third and final NFC wild-card, staying behind the second- and third-place teams from the NFC West. They still are ahead of the Lions by a game and a head-to-head tiebreaker ahead of the Lions hosting the Steelers on Sunday.

NFC North clinching scenarios:

🏈Bears win one of their final two games at the 49ers or against the Lions, they are NFC North champs.

🏈Packers must win their final two games and have the Bears lose their final two.

🏈Lions must win final three, have Bears lose at SF, and have…

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 21, 2025

The Bears are in strong position to win the division with a win over the Packers. But they also need to face the 49ers on the road and the Lions (who beat them 52-21 in Detroit in Week 2) at home to close the season. The Packers go to the Ravens in Week 17 before hosting the Vikings in Week 18.

Regardless of the result on Saturday, Green Bay vs. Chicago for the NFC North title is still about to come down to the wire.

The post Bears’ Victory and Its Ripple Effect on the NFC Playoff Landscape: An Insight into the North Division Standings appeared first on Jugo Mobile.

With only five games left in the regular season, the division is trending to have its first-ever winner with fewer than double-digit victories. No team in the division is above .500 going into Week 14. Since the North spun off from the old AFC Central in 2002, the division has never been weaker.

Here’s breaking down where Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati stand going into their Week 14 games.

IYER: Updated AFC and NFC playoff pictures

AFC North standings

The Ravens (6-6) lead the division by a common-games tiebreaker over the Steelers (6-6) going into Week 14. The Bengals (4-8) are two games behind both teams, while the Browns (3-9), still alive to win the division, are three games back:

1. Baltimore Ravens (6-6)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
4. Cleveland Browns (3-9)

IYER: NFL picks against the spread for Week 14

AFC playoff picture

The Ravens would be the only AFC North team making the playoffs going into Week 14. They host the Steelers, a head-to-head matchup that will determine the division leader going into Week 15. 

The Ravens-Steelers loser would be at least two games back of a wild-card spot. The Bengals have almost no wild-card shot, down four games with only five games left to play.

1. New England Patriots (11-2)
2. Denver Broncos (10-2)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4)
4. Baltimore Ravens (6-6)
5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)
6. Indianapolis Colts (8-4)
7. Buffalo Bills (8-4)
8. Houston Texans (7-5)
9. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6)
10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)
11. Miami Dolphins (5-7)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
13. New York Jets (3-9)
14. Cleveland Browns (3-9)

IYER: Who sits atop the NFL power rankings?

Steelers remaining schedule

The Steelers will try to beat the Ravens to regain first place. They play that team again at home to close the season. Otherwise, their schedule is rather favorable, save for a trip to Detroit, where they won Super Bowl 40.

Ravens remaining schedule

The Ravens, have a tough schedule sandwiched between their two games against the Steelers. They just lost to the Bengals at home in Week 13. New England and Green Bay is a treacherous back-to-back ahead. That’s a good reason to fade Baltimore despite being the leader.

Bengals remaining schedule

The Bengals have the advantage here, having started 3-1 in the division with wins over the Steelers and Ravens. If they can upset the Bills in Week 14, they would have a fair chance to run the table and finish 9-8, giving them a real shot to take the division. The AFC North is setting up to come down to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, ending Baltimore’s two-year purple reign.

The post AFC North Rankings: Analyzing the Position of Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals in the Division appeared first on Jugo Mobile.

Tottenham will be on the warpath on Sunday, looking to derail the title hopes of their biggest rivals Arsenal as the two clash in the latest North London derby at the Emirates.

With Arsenal leading the Premier League table, now with a chance to build a six-point lead after Man City fell to Newcastle on Saturday, Tottenham can dent their hopes by picking up points on the road.

Spurs have not won at the Emirates in Premier League action since November of 2010, when they secured a 3-2 victory over Arsenal on an 86th-minute winner by Younes Kaboul. However, they do have a collection of draws in that span, securing a point on five separate occasions.

It won’t all be about stopping their opponents, however, as Tottenham have their own goals in sight amidst a crowded top half of the table. Spurs sit eighth entering Sunday morning, just two points behind fourth-placed Crystal Palace.

Tottenham lineup today vs. Arsenal: Projected starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Vicario (GK)

Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence

Palhinha, Sarr

Kudus, Simons, Odobert

Richarlison

Tottenham team news

Thomas Frank’s two biggest questions for prior to the international break concerned Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Bergvall, and neither player made the matchday squad. Bergvall is still recovering from the head injury suffered in the loss to Chelsea, while Kudus was not risked despite saying he was “getting better” after sustaining a knock in training this week. Both remain touch-and-go for this match as well.

Rodrigo Bentancur could come into midfield, but he also flew across the Atlantic for international duty and could be given a spot on the bench, with Pape Sarr deployed.

Despite the lengthy injury list for Spurs, they are mostly fit in the attack, meaning Frank must choose who to deploy up front between Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani, or whether to put both out there on the field as he did against Manchester United. He also has decisions to make on the wing, with Brennan Johnson, Mohamed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, and Mathys Tel all available.

Tottenham injury list

Below is the latest injury picture for Tottenham, including estimated return dates for those who are sidelined.

Lucas Bergvall

• Injury: Concussion
• Expected return date: November 23, 2025

Bergvall was substituted as part of the concussion protocol after a blow to the head in the loss to Chelsea. He was left out of the games against Copehagen and Manchester United before the international break, but he should be fine to return against Arsenal on November 23.

Mohammed Kudus

• Injury: Undisclosed
• Expected return date: November 23, 2025

Kudus sustained a minor knock during training, which forced him to sit out the win over Copenhagen. Frank hoped he would be available to face Man United on November 8, but he was not risked in the end. The winger should be ready for the North London Derby.

Radu Dragusin

• Injury: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear
• Expected return date: November 23, 2025

Romania international Dragusin tore his ACL in January in a Europa League clash with Elfsborg and his recovery timeline had been set at around 10-11 months. The club confirmed his rehab is on track, and Frank intends to give him game time in a friendly match during the November international break.

Ben Davies

• Injury: Thigh injury
• Expected return date: November 2025

Veteran defender Davies suffered a thigh muscle injury on international duty with Wales on October 13 as his 100th cap ended in defeat to Belgium. The 32-year-old immediately left the Wales camp and Frank confirmed he would be out for “a few weeks”. He won’t be back until later this month.

Dejan Kulusevski

• Injury: Knee injury
• Expected return date: November 2025

Kulusevski’s absence has been felt by club and country with the Sweden international yet to feature this season after undergoing knee surgery in May. The call to address a persistent issue was taken before Frank’s arrival at Spurs, and all parties are cautious over his comeback date after he played a key role under Ange Postecoglou.

Dominic Solanke

• Injury: Ankle injury
• Expected return date: November 23, 2025

Solanke needed a minor operation on an ankle injury in September. Frank had initially hoped the striker might be back by now, but he is now targeting a return at the end of the month.

Yves Bissouma

• Injury: Ankle ligament injury
• Expected return date: December 2025

Bissouma was another player injured on international duty with Frank confirming an ankle ligament damage suffered in training with the Mali squad.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder has not played for Spurs since being omitted from the UEFA Super Cup final squad for persistent lateness, and there are suggestions he could move on in January.

James Maddison

• Injury: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear
• Expected return date: June 2026

Maddison suffered ACL damage in a preseason game against Newcastle United in August, with his campaign over before it even started. The England international has left a creative gap in Frank’s team, but due to the length of his rehabilitation, he’s not expected to feature again this season.

Kota Takai

• Injury: Thigh injury
• Expected return date: November 2025

Japan international Takai is yet to make his Spurs debut following a summer move from Kawasake Frontale, and Frank is hopeful he will be ready to join in match action in November.

Arsenal vs. Tottenham match details

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In the first season since the NCHSAA moved from four to eight classifications, some familiar names remain in the final game. First among them is 7A top seed Marvin Ridge, which will face Chapel Hill in the final. The Mavericks are ranked No. 11 nationally by MaxPreps and are looking for their first title since 2016 after an agonizing loss in the 4A final last year.

While Marvin Ridge came up short last year, Western Alamance is back with a chance for a second straight title, albeit in a different classification. The Warriors took the 3A crown in overtime last year and will face East Lincoln in the 5A final Saturday. 

Two other teams in the MaxPreps national top 25 also will try to finish their seasons on top: No. 21 Hoggard faces West Forsyth in the 8A championship, while No. 22 Charlotte Catholic meets Middle Creek in 6A as the Cougars make a record 19th state title game appearance. 

Eight action-packed finals await. See the full schedule and information about how to watch below.

How to watch North Carolina high school soccer finals

The North Carolina high school soccer finals will not be available to watch on a national TV channel, but fans can stream games on the NFHS Network.

The NFHS Network offers two basic plans: an Annual Pass ($6.67 per month) or a Monthly Pass ($13.99 per month). These plans give subscribers the ability to watch live sporting events and create clips of their favorite moments from games.

North Carolina soccer state championships schedule

All games at Appenzeller Field at Guilford College, Greensboro

Thursday, Nov. 20

Friday, Nov. 21

Saturday, Nov. 22

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Following the Lions’ rough 16-9 loss at the reigning Super Bowl champion and current NFC top seed Eagles on Sunday night, here’s a look at where Detroit stands in the NFC playoff picture.

Lions’ current playoff picture

The Lions started Week 11 in first place with the No. 3 seed in the NFC. But after the Bears (7-3) beat the Vikings and the Packers (6-3-1) beat the Giants, the Lions didn’t get the needed win over the Eagles to keep pace.

Now the Lions are a full game behind the new No. 3 seed Bears and half-game behind the No. 6 seed Packers. They also now are a half-game behind the 7-4 49ers, who beat the Cardinals in Arizona to get back into the final NFC wild-card spot.

What are the Lions’ chances to win the NFC North?

The Lions are 1-2 in division games and 3-3 in conference games. They have lost on the road in the division to the Packers, split with the Vikings and beat the Bears at home. Detroit has three NFC North games left, with Green Bay still coming to Detroit in Week 13, plus at Minnesota and at Chicago back-to-back to close the season in Week 17 and 18 respectively.

The Bears are also 1-2 in the division and the Packers still have five more division games left and are 1-0 after beating the Lions at Lambeau Field in Week 1. That’s a lot of division play left for the final seven weeks of the season.

The great news for Detroit is the fact it has three straight games at Ford Field, where it plays much better (vs. Giants, vs. Packers, vs. Cowboys). The Steelers are the Lions’ final home opponent in Week 16. Also, the Lions don’t have a game outdoors again until Week 18 in Chicago, with road games against the dome-based Vikings and Rams.

Overall, other than a Rams revenge game vs. Matthew Stafford, the Lions will be favored in at least five of their final seven games. That gives them a chance to match their 12-5 record from last season, or at worst, finish 11-6.

In contrast, the Bears have three tough road games at Philadelphia, Green Bay and San Francisco left. They also have to host the Packers and Steelers at home. The Packers, other than the pair of games against the Bears and Vikings, have a road rematch with the Lions, while also traveling to the Broncos and hosting the Ravens.

Between Chicago, Green Bay and Minnesota, there will be a lot of round-robin dents given. With little separation and a front-loaded first-place schedule, the Lions now have an advantage facing a much more favorable finish.

The Lions’ losses have come to the Packers, Chiefs, Vikings and Eagles. Three of them were in brutal road environments vs. tough defenses. On flip side, Detroit tends to beat up on lesser teams with their explosive offense. The Bears also have had no true clunkers, while the Packers (see Carolina, Cleveland) have.

Don’t be fooled about where the Lions are now. They are still motoring toward another division title in the bigger playoff picture. Five more wins should do it. They still have a greater than 75 percent chance to win the division.

Lions’ NFC wild-card chances

If the Lions don’t win the division, the first-place Bears are more likely to take the NFC North crown over the second-place Packers. Meanwhile, Detroit should fall back on a wild card spot at 11-6, as the Seahawks, Packers and 49ers are all vulnerable enough as a whole for Detroit to supplant one of those teams.

The Lions at worst will not miss the playoffs and earn the No. 7 seed, earning a high-stake rematch with either the Eagles or Rams.

The post Detroit’s Path to Victory: How Third-Place Lions Can Still Claim the NFC North Title appeared first on Jugo Mobile.

Arc Raiders North Line Update Overview

Before we jump into details, here is everything coming with the Arc Raiders North Line update:

• New Map: Stella Montis
• Community Unlock Event
  • Breaking New Ground
  • Starts November 13 at 1:30 AM PT
  • A multi-phase community event leading to Stella Montis unlock
• New ARCs
• New Weapon and Gameplay Items
  • Energy Burst Battle Rifle
  • Impulse Mine, Timed Mine, Gas Jump Mine
• New Play Styles: Lone Wolf and Trailblazer
• New Stella Montis Quests

New Arc Raiders Map

The highlight of the update is Stella Montis, a map that has been visible on the world selection screen but locked since its release. Although this map was revealed during the Arc Raiders roadmap, it will not be playable right away. Players will have to unlock it together in a Helldivers 2-style community event.

This global event, called Breaking New Ground, is where the community works together to restore tunnels leading to Stella Montis. Embark has also teased two new ARC enemies: the Matriarch, a hulking machine described as a tougher version of the Queen, and the Shredder, which will only appear within Stella Montis once it’s unlocked. To take them down, players can equip the new weapon in Arc Raiders, the Energy Burst Battle Rifle. Three new explosives are also getting added to the game: Impulse, Timed, and Gas Jump Mines.

On top of that, two new playstyles, Lone Wolf and Trailblazer, will be introduced to support different approaches to combat and exploration. Stella Montis will also feature its own questlines, tying into the larger lore of humanity’s struggle to reclaim the surface. This marks Arc Raiders’ first major update since launch, setting the tone for the rest of 2025’s content cycle.

Arc Raiders North Line Update Release Date

The Arc Raiders North Line update goes live on November 13, 2025, at 1:30 AM PT / 4:30 AM ET / 9:30 AM GMT / 10:30 AM CET. Once it launches, the Breaking New Ground event will immediately begin, letting Raiders contribute Merits, the new event currency, toward rebuilding access to Stella Montis. The event will run until December, giving players a limited window to complete its objectives and earn exclusive rewards before the next content phase begins.

Embark Studios isn’t stopping there. Following the North Line, the next update, Cold Snap, is planned for December and will introduce new map conditions, events, and the awaited Expedition reset.

Are you excited for the Arc Raiders North Line update and the new Stella Montis map? Which ARCs are you preparing to take down first? Let us know in the comments.

When does Stella Montis release in Arc Raiders?

Stella Montis map will be released with the Arc Raiders North Line update on November 13, 2025, at 1:30 AM PT / 4:30 AM ET / 9:30 AM GMT / 10:30 AM CET. However, players must complete a global community event to unlock it.

What are the new ARCs coming to the Arc Raiders North Line update?

New ARCs coming to Arc Raiders are the Matriarch, a hulking machine described as a tougher version of the Queen, and the Shredder, which will only appear within Stella Montis once it’s unlocked.

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