Chicago Bears face tough playoff race against Lions and Falcons – NFL News
The race for the final playoff spot is getting heated with three sides in the running for the two NFC wildcard spots. Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons are locked with each other with a 7-4 record and with the regular
season coming to its business end all three teams will be slugging it out to reach the playoffs with a shot on going to the Super Bowl XLVI.
“I really like that we control our destiny,” Bears Coach Lovie Smith said. “At this time of the season you want to get yourself in position. We’re in the playoff race and we do control that."
The National Football Conference North Division title is out of reach for both Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions with Green Bay Packers who have an 11-0 record having a clear path to the title. Packers could even confirm the title
in their name by the end of game week 13.
This leaves the Wildcard spots as the only way for Bears and Lions to get into the post season. Chicago Bears currently have the advantage with a better common opponents record than Detroit Lions with Bears 4-1 and Lions 3-2. Detroit
Lions also lose out for the second playoff spot if the season ended right now as Atlanta Falcons have a better head-to-head record against Lions.
Wildcard teams are seeded fifth and sixth in the playoffs facing off against the 3rd best and 4th best division winners with the first two leaders getting a bye in the first week.
The winners of the so called Wildcard round face off against the two division champions from each conference. The winners of the ties face off against each other to decide the best teams of the National Football Conference and
American Football Conference who face off against each other at the Super Bowl.
As Bears have the advantage currently with tie breakers the four remaining weeks will be crucial for all three contenders to improve their winning records and win tie breakers which will guarantee a spot in the postseason. Bears
however are not concentrating on the playoffs and are taking preparations one game at a time
“You’ve just got to take it one game at a time because I really feel that if we start to look toward a wildcard spot we’ll lose games that are in front of us,” said Bears cornerback Charles Tillman.
Detroit Lions are also not letting dreams of reaching the playoffs for the first time in twelve years. Quarterback Matthew Stafford told reporters
“We’re going to control what we can control, and that’s going out every week and trying to get wins, playing the best we can and letting the chips fall where they may after that.”
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