Ryan Poles was never wrong; he was just early. It’s been nearly four years since the Chicago Bears general manager made the bold proclamation during his opening press conference about his team taking the NFC North and never giving it back, a statement that became a punchline for fans over the last few years amidst numerous losing streaks.
Well, that infamous proclamation finally became true this weekend when the Bears took sole possession of first place in the division thanks to their 19-17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions’ 16-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. This is the first time under Poles that the Bears have held sole possession of first place in the NFC North, coming 1,385 days after he was introduced as the general manager.
Ever since Poles uttered that phrase, the organization seemed to move further and further away from competing for a divisional title. Prior to this season, the Bears were 15-36 under Poles, finishing dead last in each of his first three seasons.
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Poles already had gone through one coach, as well as multiple offensive and defensive coordinators. But after a 7-3 start to this season with Ben Johnson leading the way, things finally look different around Halas Hall, which makes Poles’ statement believable.
Now, have the Bears actually taken over the NFC North? Of course not; there are still seven games to go, and the Lions and Green Bay Packers are nipping at their heels. They could easily give back the division lead in two weeks with a couple of down performances. But for now, Chicago leads the way and is in prime playoff position this late into the season. That’s something to celebrate on this Victory Monday.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears GM Ryan Poles’ promise finally comes to fruition
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