Chicago Bears Record vs AFC Teams since 2000

Why the AFC is the Bears’ "Long Distance" Relationship That Never Works Out

Since the turn of the millennium, the Chicago Bears have treated AFC matchups like a root canal: they know it’s coming every four years, it’s going to be painful, and they just want it to be over. While we dominate the "Midwest Nice" energy, our record against the American Football Conference suggests we might be too nice.

Since 2000, the Bears have a losing record against the AFC overall. We tend to play up (or down) to our competition. We’ve historically bullied the Raiders and Jaguars, but the Dolphins and Patriots have essentially used us as a "get right" game for two decades.

AFC DivisionNotable RecordsVibe Check
AFC NorthBengals (5-2), Browns (5-3)We actually like the North. It feels like home.
AFC SouthJaguars (5-2), Colts (3-4)Mostly "Meh," except for that one Super Bowl we don't talk about.
AFC EastJets (5-2), Patriots (2-6)Bill Belichick owns a piece of our souls.
AFC WestRaiders (6-2), Chiefs (1-5)We love Vegas; we fear the Arrowhead noise.

The Takeaway: If the Bears want to be taken seriously, they need to stop treating AFC games like a preseason scrimmage.