The Chicago Bears won for the fifth time in their last six games on Sunday, and they now find themselves in the thick of a playoff chase.
The win over the New York Giants moved the Bears to 6-3 on the season, and pushed them into the playoff field, with a half-game lead over the San Francisco 49ers.
The road ahead for the Bears will certainly be tough, as they have big games remaining against some of the top teams in the NFC, but they’re still hoping that they can qualify for the postseason for the first time since the 2020 season.
Here’s how things currently shake out with one game remaining in Week 10.
NFC Playoff Picture:
1 Seattle Seahawks 7-2
2 Philadelphia Eagles 6-2
3 Green Bay Packers 5-2-1
4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-3
5 Los Angeles Rams 7-2
6 Detroit Lions 6-3
7 Chicago Bears 6-3
8 San Francisco 49ers 6-4
9 Carolina Panthers 5-5
The Bears and Lions are tied at 6-3 on the season, but the Lions hold the tiebreaker over Chicago since they won the head-to-head matchup in Week 2.
The Seahawks hold a better win percentage in their division than the Rams, giving them the tiebreaker for the division lead.
Finally, the Packers and Eagles are set to play Monday night in a game that will determine their order in the standings.
If the Season Ended Today…
If the season ended today, the Bears would qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season.
They would face a tough road through the postseason however, as they would have to take on the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in the first round.
The Seahawks currently hold the top spot in the NFC after a big win over the Arizona Cardinals, and they would receive a bye into the divisional round.
The Packers would take on the Detroit Lions, and the Buccaneers would battle the Rams in the first round if the current standings hold.
The Road Ahead
The Bears have played some of the worst teams in the league so far this season, but their schedule will soon get a lot harder, as they’ll have five of their final seven games against teams currently in playoff position. That includes two games against the Packers, along with home games against the Lions and Steelers. The Bears also have to hit the road to take on the Eagles.
That road ahead starts with a road matchup against the Vikings on Sunday, a team that beat the Bears on Opening Night back in September.
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