Playoffs? Did You Say Playoffs?

Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney talked about it Thursday at Halas Hall when he mentioned how they'd love to play the final game of the season on a Sunday night in Green Bay, which would mean it has playoff implications.

Of course, that might be playoff implications for only Green Bay, too.

Eddie Jackson has said it, as well. The Bears haven't been "put away," in Jackson's words.

They're still living for the playoff run.

Sunday's game could go a long way toward deciding this because one more loss would pretty much finish any realistic chances. There are too many teams ahead of them in this chase for one of the bottom two wild card spots available in the NFC.

It hurts the Bears to think about those blown games to Detroit and Denver because two wins and two less losses puts them firmly in the middle of the playoff battle at No. 7 seed.

As it is, they're on the periperhy. It's going to take adding to this stretch of three wins in four weeks and they can't afford a road loss to Cleveland, a team tough to beat on the road.

There are five 6-7 teams leading them in the chase for the last wild card, currently held by Green Bay with a 6-7 mark.

Vaulting all of these teams seems impossible if they win three of four. They might not be able to do it with four straight wins. Teams are playing each other in this group but the Bears have no tiebreaker edge against Tampa Bay or New Orleans based on losses to those teams.

The Bears are tied with the Giants at 5-8 and even the Giants look to have a better shot with three straight wins. The Bears have won two straight.

"We just want to get to the playoffs," cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. "So we know what we need to do to get to the playoffs so we're going to do what we can and keep fighting like we've been doing all season."

Playoffs? Did you say playoffs?

Here's the bleak picture.

Even if they win every remaining game it might not mean anything except some pride.

NFC Wild Card Scene

Buccaneers (6-7)*

At Packers (6-7)

Jaguars (8-5)

Saints (6-7)

At Panthers (1-12)

*NFC South leader

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Minnesota (7-6) 6th seed**

At Bengals (7-6)

Lions (9-4)

Packers (6-7)

At Lions (9-4)

*Second of three wild card seeds

___

Packers (6-7) 7th seed**

Buccaneers (6-7)

At Panthers (1-12)

At Vikings (7-6)

Bears (5-8)

*Third of three wild card seeds

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Rams (6-7) 8th seed

Commanders (4-9)

Saints (6-7)

At Giants (5-8)

At 49ers (10-3)

___

Seahawks (6-7) 9th seed

Eagles (10-3)

At Titans (5-8)

Steelers (7-6)

At Cardinals (3-10)

___

Falcons (6-7) 10th seed

At Panthers (1-12)

Colts (7-6)

At Bears (5-8)

At Saints (6-7)

___

Saints (6-7) 11th seed

Giants (5-8)

At Rams (6-7)

At Buccaneers (5-8)

Falcons (6-7)

___

Giants (5-8) 12th seed

At Saints (6-7)

At Eagles (10-3)

Rams (6-7)

Eagles (10-3)

___

Bears (5-8) 13th seed

At Browns (8-5)

Cardinals (3-10)

Falcons (6-7)

At Packers (6-7)

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