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Viewers Guide for Cheering the Chicago Bears to the Playoffs: Week 13 Edition

By Bill Zimmerman

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As Chicago Bears fans, I think we can all say that Thursday Night Football didn’t quite finish up like we had hoped. Not that any of us really want the Detroit Lions to win football games, but we certainly don’t want the Green Bay Packers winning games, especially when there was some hope that the Bears might be able to catch the Packers in the standings. Regardless, that Packers win is a dent in the Bears playoff hopes, but by no means is it crushing.

That’s one game from week thirteen in the books, but we have plenty left, and several which could potentially impact the Bears’ playoff chances. The Bears definitely have a postseason shot, but there’s no doubt about it, they need help from several different teams. So when you settle in for Sunday’s action, here’s what to watch and who to cheer for during all the NFL games.

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1:00pm ET: San Francisco 49ers (3-8) at Chicago Bears (5-6)- Let’s start with the obvious. The Bears need to win. You don’t make the playoffs by losing to the dreadful 49ers at home. The Niners are yet to win a road game and Blaine Gabbert is their quarterback. If the Bears lose to Gabbert, I don’t want to hear another Bears fan utter the word “playoffs” again this season- just don’t. I seriously doubt that happens, I think the Bears cruise to a pretty easy win (take the -7 if you’re a gambler).

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

1:00pm ET: New York Jets (6-5) at New York Giants (5-6)- A minimally impactful game. It’s highly unlikely the Giants will be competing for a wild card spot, but one more loss will virtually guarantee a 9-7 Bears team would finish ahead of them in the rankings, so cheer on our old pal Brandon Marshall and hope the Jets throw a knockout punch to the Giants.

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

1:00pm ET: Atlanta Falcons (6-5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6)- I know you’ll be watching the Bears game, but there should be two games you are flipping to during commercial breaks and this is one of them. Say it with me, “Let’s go, Lovie!” We need our old coach, Lovie Smith to hold serve at home and take down the Falcons. The more the Falcons lose the better and with Tampa sitting with 6 losses, the Bears can control their own destiny against this team by beating them in Tampa in a few weeks. The Falcons are fading, and let’s make sure that continues on Sunday.

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports


1:00pm ET: Seattle Seahawks (6-5) at Minnesota Vikings (8-3)- Last week, the Vikings helped the Bears out an took out the Falcons, but this week, a Vikings victory is even more important. The Seahawks are a major roadblock to the Bears playoff hopes and with several winnable games, the Seahawks must lose this game. If they improve to 7-5, that’s going to be serious problems for the Bears. Keep in mind the Seahawks have the tiebreaker against the Bears so they are actually two games behind Seattle, and not just one. This one is critical, let’s go Vikings!

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports


8:30pm ET: Dallas Cowboys (3-8) at Washington Redskins (6-6) (Monday Night)- Again, I include these NFC East games as mere technicalities. For these games to really matter, two NFC East teams need to emerge with 9-7 records, being that New York and Washington are 5-6 and the Philadelphia Eagles are 4-7, and there are still several interdivisional games, it really doesn’t matter, but until teams are officially in the rearview mirror, I’ll include them in these articles.
There it is for week 13, don’t focus too much on the NFC East teams, but while watching the Bears, keep a close eye on the Seahawks and Falcons, if the Bears can win on Sunday an couple that with Seahawks and Falcons losses, it will be one giant step towards the postseason.

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