The Chicago Bears have firm control over the fate of the playoffs heading into the final week of the regular season. If Chicago wins in week 17, they will make the postseason for the first time in 2018.
But it won’t be an easy task, especially since the Bears welcome the Green Bay Packers to Soldier Field, where Chicago needs a win to secure a post-season spot. It will be the Bears or Arizona Cardinals – possibly both – who will make the postseason when the last week of the regular season is ready.
Here are three scenarios that must happen for the Bears to win a place in the playoffs in week 17.
Scenario no. 1: The Bears beat the Packers
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Result: Bears are caught on seeds no. 6 or no. 7
It’s pretty simple – if the bears win, they get in. Although, a win can make Chicago the sixth or seventh in the series, depending on how things turn out next Sunday. But, as Bears fans know, nothing has been easy with this team. And it gets even more complicated when it involves the Packers, a team that has had the Chicago number for most of a decade. The Bears can’t allow the Packers to win this game in the first quarter, as in their previous four-week meeting. If Chicago wants to make the playoffs, they have to take matters into their own hands. And that means taking out the ultimate anger against their Goliath.
Scenario no. 2: The bears lose to the Packers, and the Cardinals lose to Ram
Rob Schumacher-Republic of Arizona
The result: Bears obtain seed no. 7
Chicago can still make the postseason if they lose next Sunday against Green Bay, but it’s not ideal to leave your fate in the hands of another team. Especially one who could be without his starting defender. If the Los Angeles Rams find a way to beat the Cardinals, then the Bears would make the playoffs with a loss to the Packers. This seems to be the most realistic scenario of the three, given Chicago’s struggles against Green Bay. But with Rams quarterback Jared Goff potentially stuck with a broken thumb, it’s not a favorable situation for Bears.
Scenario no. 3: The Bears beat the Packers and the Cardinals beat the Rams
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Result: The bears catch the seed no. 6
Believe it or not, there is a scenario where Chicago can finish number 6 in the NFC. But if the Bears can beat the Packers and the Cardinals beat the Rams next Sunday, then Chicago would win the No. 6 seed, Arizona blocking the No. 7 seed and the Rams being eliminated from the playoffs together.