With Week 16 already here and just three weeks remaining in the NFL Regular Season, the Chicago Bears effectively control their playoff destiny with the games left on their schedule. With a loss in Week 16, the Bears would still hold a 61% chance of making the playoffs, but every game during this final stretch is a crucial one in ensuring the best available slot in the postseason.
The Chicago Bears will face the Green Bay Packers in Week 16, followed by the San Francisco 49ers and finally the Detroit Lions in their Regular Season finale. Their two NFC North matchups are crucial as the Packers stand to earn to NFC's No. 2 seed, sending the Bears down to the final No. 7 slot.
If the Bears were to drop their next two games against the Packers and 49ers, and the Lions were to win two of their next three games, then we could see a situation where the Bears host the Lions in Week 18 with a trip to the playoffs on the line.
It's still the NFL and anything can happen, but we'll take a look at the worst-case scenario for the Chicago Bears with three weeks remaining in the Regular Season.
Bears lose to Packers in Week 16
Packers' quarterback Jordan Love owns a 4-1 record over the Bears in his career and he's once again playing his best football in the month of December. His last time out against the Bears was nothing out of the ordinary, leading his team to a 28-21 win and remaining undefeated (4-0) against NFC North opponents. Of course, they'll be without Micah Parsons moving forward, but Green Bay is still confident in their quarterback being the real difference maker in this particular matchup.
The Bears saw a forgettable first half against the Green Bay Packers just two weeks ago, but the second half was a whole new story as the Bears rushing game finally opened up. This matchup will be crucial for the Bears and that second half should be a promising sign if they're able to replicate that type of production for all four quarters.
Furthermore, Ben Johnson will have much more room to scheme without having to worry about Parsons, along with Caleb Williams earning some extra time in the pocket on his drop backs. Losing this game would be a terrible scenario for the Bears, but seeing must-win games during their next two could be all the more stressful with their season on the line.
Bears host Lions in Week 18 for final NFC playoff spot
While a “win or go home” game may be the simplest type of scenario for knowing their playoff future, the Chicago Bears shouldn't be eager to face the Detroit Lions in Week 18 regardless of their standing. The Lions notably beat down the Bears 52-21 during their Week 2 showdown and the loss has to be weighing on the mind of the Bears. The Lions have two very winnable games against the Steelers and Vikings up next on their schedule, with two Detroit wins seriously making things difficult for whichever team loses the Packers-Bears matchup in Week 16.
As previously mentioned, both the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions have a chance to play for the final NFC playoff spot. With a win in Week 16, the Lions' playoff chances rise to 45% while the Bears are down to 61% with a Week 16 loss. Either way, Chicago would prefer to have home field advantage and they'd like Detroit's season to end sooner rather than later.
