■ Win over Packers would keep Bears alive in playoff hunt.
Time is running out on the Bears’ stay in the hunt.
After their most complete performance of the season in the Dec. 5 win over the Cowboys, they didn’t get any of the help they needed to climb back into the NFC playoff race. The Vikings, Rams and Packers all won, which has pushed the Bears to the brink of elimination in Week 15.
The Bears can’t be eliminated Sunday if they beat the Packers. But if they lose, their playoff fate would be sealed by either a Vikings win (or tie) or a Rams win.
For what it’s worth, Vegas oddsmakers favor the Bears to be eliminated. The Bears are 4½-point underdogs at Lambeau Field, while the Vikings are 2½-point favorites at the Chargers, and the Rams are 1-point favorites at the Cowboys.
But this playoff fantasy is supposed to be fun, right? For the Bears’ part, they’ve narrowed their focus to beating the Packers and playing much better offensively than they did in the season-opening 10-3 loss.
“We’ve created that,” coach Matt Nagy said. “We’re in a position now where we’ve got to have help. But none of that matters if we don’t win. It means nothing. Let’s just control what we can control. Let’s win.”
Scoreboard watching
Seahawks at Panthers, noon Sunday: For the Bears to catch the Seahawks, the Bears would have to win out and the
Seahawks would have to lose out. That’s highly unlikely. But, as a rule, Bears fans should root for eliminated teams — in this case the Panthers — to beat those still in contention.
Eagles at Redskins, noon Sunday: This game is pretty much irrelevant to the Bears. The best the Eagles can finish is 9-7, and it’s difficult to envision a scenario in which the NFC’s sixth and final playoff team has only nine wins. The Vikings already do. Realistically, the Eagles’ only hope of making the playoffs is to win the NFC East. The Eagles hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bears because of their 19-14 win Nov. 3.
Vikings at Chargers, 3:05 p.m. Sunday: The Bears desperately need the Vikings to lose. The Vikings are favored by about a field goal despite being 3-4 away from home this season and 1-7 west of home since coach Mike Zimmer took over in 2014. If the Bears lose at noon, a Vikings win or tie would eliminate the Bears.
Rams at Cowboys, 3:25 p.m. Sunday: The Rams lead the Bears by a game and have the tiebreaker because of their headto-head victory Nov. 17. So the Bears need the Rams to lose as desperately as they need the Vikings to stumble. But as we know from the Bears’ dominant victory Dec. 5, the Cowboys aren’t exactly peaking at the right time. They’ve lost three straight, while the Rams have averaged 31 points in back-to-back wins. If the Bears lose, a Rams win would eliminate them.
NFC standings NFC scenarios
Cannot be eliminated in Week 15 if they beat the Packers.
1. Loss PLUS Vikings win, OR
2. Loss PLUS Rams win, OR
3. Tie PLUS Vikings win
1. Win PLUS Rams loss or tie, OR
2. Tie PLUS Rams loss