Bears Need Help from Packers to Make Playoffs

Dec 9, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; A Green Bay Packers fan cheers during the game against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. The Packers won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Bears fans will have to go against their natural-born instincts next Sunday and root for the Green Bay Packers to win to help the Bears get into the playoffs.  By virtue of their win over the Houston Texans, the Minnesota Vikings put their playoff destiny in their own hands.   Win against Green Bay and they’re in the postseason.  The Vikings pulled off the upset in Houston to set the stage for a critical Week 17 game in Minnesota against the rival Packers.

The Bears did their part with a 28-13 win over the Cardinals in the desert.  They’ll still need to take care of their business and get a win in the hostile Ford Field against the fading Lions for the Packers/Vikings game to matter.  To make things more interesting, the network honchos have moved the start of the Packers/Vikings game to 3:25 CST so the Bears won’t know their fate when they take the field.  If they win, they’ll most likely have to stick around Detroit to watch, dare I say root for, the Packers.

They have plenty at stake.  Thanks to the Seattle Seahawks win over the San Francisco 49ers, the Packers have slid into the #2 seed in the NFC.  They’ll need a win to assure themselves a first round playoff bye.  It’s a little ironic that the Seahawks, who stole a victory from the Packers early in the season, have helped them improve their playoff seeding.