The Chicago Bears picked up their seventh win of the season on Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys, climbing back into the playoff race in the process. The Minnesota Vikings currently sit in the last wild card spot and Bears are only one game behind them in the win column.
It is still an uphill climb, that will probably require them to win out, but the Bears have a chance to make the playoffs.
4. Bears schedule
The Bears have three games left, and they aren't going to be easy, but it's going to give them a shot to make the playoffs. The Bears finish their season playing the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Minnesota Vikings.
They are going to have to win out, but with a little help, that last game against the Vikings could be for a playoff spot. The Bears have already beaten the Vikings this year, and if the Vikings lost a couple of games before Week 17, a win in that game could get the Bears into the playoffs.
3. Wide receivers stepping up
Outside of Allen Robinson, there isn't a ton of big-name guys lining up outside, but everyone is stepping up and helping Mitchell Trubisky. Against the Cowboys, some guy named J.P. Holtz was the teams leading receiver catching three passes for 56 yards.
Anthony Miller has also turned into a key part of the offense catching 41 passes for 531 yards and a touchdown. They have been taking some of the pressure off of Trubisky by getting open and spreading the ball around has worked for their quarterback.
2. Bears defense
The Chicago Bears defense hasn't been as strong as last year, but they are still one of the better squads in the league, and seem to be just heating up. The Bears gave up 24 points to the Cowboys, but 17 of those points came in garbage time in the fourth quarter.
Through the first three quarters the Bears gave up only seven points and Dak Prescott was getting frustrated. That type of defense should cause issues for Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Kirk Cousins.
When the Cowboys faced off with the Packers in Week 1 the Bears only gave up 10 points, so they already know they can slow him down.
1. Mitchell Trubisky
Who would have thought a couple of weeks ago Mitchell Trubisky would be the number one reason why the Bears could make the playoffs?
For most of the season, Trubisky has struggled and there were some questions if he would even make it through the season as a starter.
Fast forward a few weeks and he is playing some of the best football of his career. He is making the right throws and looks confident. In each of the last two games, he has thrown three touchdowns and led the Bears to victory.
If he can continue to play like he has the last couple of weeks and stay away from the one or two bad throws a game, he can lead this team to the playoffs, and maybe he can be the quarterback the Bears hoped for when they drafted him with the second overall pick in the 2017 draft.
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