• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Bears need major help in playoff chase

Dec 22, 2008 - 6:19 PM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- After spending a second straight weekend watching the scoreboard, the Chicago Bears' playoff hopes are still alive as they prepare to host the Green Bay Packers on Monday.

The Bears (8-6) enter the penultimate week of the season one-half game behind the Vikings in the NFC North and trailing three teams in the wild-card race - Dallas and Tampa Bay, who are each 9-6, and Philadelphia, which is 8-6-1.

Losses by Minnesota, the Cowboys and Buccaneers kept not only Chicago's playoff chances alive but also its hopes for the NFC North title.

If the Bears win their final two games and the Vikings (9-6) drop their season finale against the New York Giants, Chicago would claim the division title.

The road to the wild card appears a bit bumpier. Chicago must win its final two games and hope for losses by Dallas and Tampa Bay.

The Bears, who stayed in the playoff chase with a 27-24 overtime victory over the New Orleans last Thursday, also could become only the fifth team since 1980 to finish 10-6 and still miss the playoffs.

With the Packers out of the playoffs and the Bears likely headed toward postseason extinction, Monday's contest between the longtime NFC North rivals lacks the normal juice a Green Bay-Chicago contest produces.

Green Bay (5-9) has dropped four straight and officially was knocked out of the playoffs following last week's 20-16 loss at Jacksonville.

The Packers haven't won since routing the Bears, 37-3, at Lambeau Field on November 16. Green Bay's Ryan Grant rushed for a season-high 145 yards.

Chicago quarterback Kyle Orton returned after missing a game with a sprained right ankle but passed for only 133 yards.

Following that game, Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota were in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC North at 5-5. Since then, Minnesota is 4-0, Chicago 3-1 and Green Bay 0-4.

The Bears are seeking their first three-game winning streak since their 2006 Super Bowl season.