Game by Game Bears Prediction: Late Surge to Playoffs

The Bears likely would need nine wins to get to the playoffs with seven teams making it this year and here's one way they can do it, a game-by-game prediction of how they can be in the postseason

The playoff format calling for an extra team makes nine wins a real target.

When you take seven teams from a conference, odds are really good someone with nine wins is going, if not everyone who gets to nine wins.

That's not a good thing, but the league decided mediocrity is to be rewarded and in the case of the Bears it's a better chance at postseason play. It might even be a chance to save some jobs. 

With one playoff berth in five years and three failed first-round draft picks, general manager Ryan Pace has to be looked at with severe scrutiny by ownership this year. It's hard to fire someone when you get into the postseason chase even with nine wins.

The Bears open with Detroit, then don't play the Lions again until Dec. 6 at Soldier Field. They play the Vikings at home in a Monday night game and then again Dec. 20 in Minnesota. Of all those four games only the last Minnesota games looks difficult. 

The Vikings haven't won in Chicago since 2015 and have lost 10 of their last 11 on the lakefront. Bears coach Matt Nagy hasn't lost to either of these two teams since coming to Chicago, and don't expect it to happen this season.

The Lions added some decent pieces and finally a running back, but are still coached by Matt Patricia. Ultimately that's going to change, too, when this season ends. Maybe Minnesota makes a change, too. Rumors of Mike Zimmer getting canned seem to crop up every year, even when they're good. So that's four wins on the books.

The Giants game at Soldier Field on Sept. 20, another new coach, another rebuild going on, they'll lean on Saquon Barkley again and the Bears can always stop the run. They're almost always able to do this much on defense. They should be able to rush the passer again, as well. It should be a comfortable win.

It's not the only time the Bears get to face a team in rebuild mode. They have a road game against the Carolina Panthers early enough in the season when new coach Matt Rhule doesn't have everything nailed down yet but not so soon that they would be surprised by anything he does. They'll have plenty of film by then. The Bears should rule over Rhule.

The schedule makers dealt the Bears a nice hand for their showdown against Tom Brady, as they seek to leave the list of teams Brady has never lost against. It's a Thursday night game. It's a road game with travel for Tampa Bay.

A big-time team comes to the city for a night game against that defense, Soldier Field will be rocking like it did during the Rams game in 2018.  This is the seventh win needed.

Nick Foles is the big reason the Bears can be a playoff team again this year and he'll get to show this to the team that turned him away in favor of Gardner Minshew on Dec. 27 when he goes into Jacksonville for a win.

The ninth win comes at the expense of a team they should be able to beat at home with their current defense and with Foles playing quarterback—Green Bay.  

It's the final game of the season and the Packers could even be playing what is a meaningless road game in which they're resting players. 

Then again, at this point it might even be meaningless because their season is ending. It's hard to say this far out from a season lacking any real certainty due to coronavirus.

Also, it's easy to find other wins in this schedule. 

The Bears' ability to stop the run greatly increases the chance they can beat Tennessee on the road on Nov. 8. The Indianapolis Colts have lost their last five road games and have a losing road record since Frank Reich became head coach. The Falcons have had losing records two straight years. And even the first Packers game in Lambeau Field is more winnable than a regular game up there because the Bears are coming off a bye week and Green Bay is not.

Chances are there for the nine wins or more and here's how it occurs:

Bears 2020: 9 W, 7 L

Sunday, Sept. 13 Bears at Lions, noon ....................Win

Sunday, Sept. 20, Giants at Bears, noon..................Win

Sunday, Sept. 27 Bears at Falcons, noon.................Loss

Sunday, Oct. 4 Colts at Bears, noon.........................Loss

Thursday, Oct. 8 Buccaneers at Bears, 7:20 p.m...Win

Sunday, Oct. 18 Bears at Panthers............................Win

Monday, Oct. 26 Bears at Rams, 7:15 p.m...............Loss

Sunday, Nov. 1 Saints at Bears, 3:25 p.m..................Loss

Sunday, Nov. 8 Bears at Titans, noon........................Loss

Monday, Nov. 16 Vikings at Bears, 7:15 p.m.............Win

Week of Nov. 22 BYE

Sunday Nov. 29 Bears at Packers, 7:20 p.m. NBC...Win

Sunday Dec. 6 Lions at Bears noon Fox....................Win 

Sunday, Dec. 13 Texans at Bears noon CBS..............Loss

Sunday, Dec. 20 Bears at Vikings noon Fox..............Loss

Sunday, Dec. 27 Bears at Jaguars noon Fox.............Win

Sunday, Jan. 3 Packers at Bears, noon Fox...............Win

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