Talk about a rivalry game. On Sunday, Dec. 7, the Chicago Bears took on the Green Bay Packers in a NFC North showdown, with both teams duking it out for the top spot in the NFC North. The Bears fell to the Packers in a 28-21 showdown, and it stings.
Going into the game, the Bears were No. 1 in the NFC North a 9-3 record, and the Packers were close behind at No. 2 with an 8-3 record. Now, the Bears are 9-4, and the stakes to get to the postseason could not have been higher.
So, the Bears lost. So, what does that mean for their chances of getting to the postseason? The NFL’s research tells the playoff picture.
Chicago Bears’ Game Against the Green Bay Packers Is a Must-Win
The Bears and Packers are rivals in the NFC North, and that makes their matchup crucial, but this time around, there’s even more to it. It may seem early to think about the playoff picture, but it’s not, because every game matters now for the playoff picture.
According to NFL research, going into the game, the Bears had a 66% chance of making the playoffs. For this particular game, if the Bears win, their probability of getting to the playoffs goes from 74% to 90%, almost securing their chances of getting to the postseason. But, now, their probability is 64%.
For the Packers, since they won, their chances of getting to the playoffs went from 88% to 94%, giving them a very high probability of making it to the postseason. If they had lost, their probability would have gone down to 75%.
So, the Bears’ road to the playoffs got significantly more difficult after Sunday. But, it’s certainly not anything Johnson can’t handle.
The Rest of the NFC North
The Minnesota Vikings had a lopsided win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, December 7, in a 31-0 final score. It was a massive win for the Vikings, who now have a 5-8 record for the season. But, it didn’t help their playoff hopes, because they are already, for all practical purposes, out of the playoff picture. They aren’t technically eliminated, but they have less than 1% of a chance to make it. J.J. McCarthy and the crew will have to do some soul-searching before they kick off another season, since they were one of the first teams eliminated.
The Detroit Lions beat the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, December 4, bringing their record up to 8-5. According to NFL research, their chances of making the postseason went up to 54% after that win.
The New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars have the highest chances of making the playoffs going out of Week 14. It’s wild to see that the Patriots and Broncos have more than a 99% chance of making the postseason, and the Seahawks are at 97%. These teams are having strong seasons, and they’re favorites to go all the way. The teams who are already out of playoff contention are the Jets, Raiders, Saints, Browns, Falcons, Titans, Cardinals, Giants and Commanders. But, there are also teams with less than a 1% chance of making it, such as the Vikings.
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