The Chicago Bears stand four games away from the end of the regular season. They’re also four games away from potentially securing the #2 overall draft pick. Only two things need to happen for this to become a reality. They must lose all four of their remaining games, and the Denver Broncos must win at least once. The former doesn’t seem too difficult, with Philadelphia and Buffalo up next. They’re arguably the two best teams in the league. Then comes the Lions in Detroit. They are probably the hottest team going. One problem remains if the Bears do lose those three games.
That is the season finale against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. While they already lost once to their division rival, there is a fear among some Bears fans that Minnesota will rest their starters if their playoff seeding can’t be improved. That possibility took a significant hit on Thursday Night Football when the San Francisco 49ers clinched the NFC West division with a win over the Seattle Seahawks. That pushes their record to 10-4. At 10-3, the Vikings now cling to the #2 seed in the playoffs by their fingernails.
San Francisco plays Washington, Las Vegas, and Arizona to close out its season. There is a strong possibility they finish 13-4. That means the Vikings must win all of their remaining games to ensure that seed.
The Chicago Bears will likely get Minnesota’s best in the finale.
Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, Za’Darius Smith, and Harrison Smith will all be suited up. If so, the hope that Chicago closes the year without another win remains alive. Whether it actually goes down that way remains to be seen. The Bears have made their intentions clear. They don’t care about draft position. They’re trying to win games. They want to build a culture where winning isn’t only desired but expected. Such things can’t happen until you see actual results on the field.
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The Chicago Bears know they can beat Minnesota. They came close in the first meeting. They may have, if not for a bad start and a fumble near the end of the game. They’re a much more experienced team this time around, especially on offense. For all the good things the Vikings have done this year, their defense is among the league’s worst. If Justin Fields can get that running game turned up, the cold weather might make them decide to close up shop and get ready for the post-season.
It is going to be a fascinating next four weeks.
