The fact that the Chicago Bears are on their bye doesn't mean that they can't emerge from Week 10 as winners. Sure, players might spend their weekend sitting on the couch, playing golf, or doing whatever NFL players do with their time off, but Chicago's outlook could change significantly depending on the results of a few games.
The Bears are in the middle of two neck-and-neck races: First and foremost, they're battling all three of their divisional foes for the NFC North title. Second, they're neck-and-neck with the San Francisco 49ers in a fight to claim the NFC's No. 1 seed.
Both races could be shaken up by this weekend's results. If you're a Bears fan wondering who to root for in Week 10, we've got you covered.
Minnesota Vikings beat Green Bay Packers in an ugly game
Really, the Bears need the NFL to implement a one-time-only rule change that allows both teams to lose. The Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings are still in the thick of the NFC North title race, and either team would put pressure on Chicago with a win.
While the Vikings currently hold the better record (6-2 to the Packers' 6-3), Bears fans should be rooting for a Minnesota win on the road. The Packers have been the better team, especially in recent weeks.
Minnesota has lost back-to-back games, and while the Kirk Cousins trade will provide Kevin O'Connell's offense a boost, Green Bay is more of a threat to Chicago's division title hopes. In a perfect world, Cousins struggles in an ugly Vikings win.
With a win, the Vikings would pull level with the Bears, while the Packers would drop to a game and a half behind.
Detroit Lions fall to New England Patriots in Germany
This one's much more black and white. The Lions are one win away from tying the Bears atop the NFC North, and they would hold the tiebreaker with their 2-0 record in the division.
Chicago is relying on Drake Maye and the New England Patriots to keep that from happening. The Patriots are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Packers in which they allowed 45 points and turned the ball over four times. Maye has been wildly inconsistent this season, but he'll have to be at his best to overcome the surging Lions.
Detroit is finally getting healthy in the secondary, and its defense has become a league-average unit in the last month after beginning the season as one of the worst in the NFL. Bears fans will have to hope that Kelvin Sheppard's side fails to put the clamps on Maye and the Patriots.
Dallas Cowboys pull off an upset against San Francisco 49ers
It might feel unsettling to root for the Dallas Cowboys, but that's the nature of bye week football. The Cowboys are currently 3.5-point home underdogs against the 49ers, who hold a one-game lead over the Bears in the race for the NFC's No. 1 seed. With a Dallas upset, home-field advantage and a playoff bye would become tantalizingly realistic for Chicago.
It'll be easier said than done. Even with their laundry list of injuries, the Niners have rolled through most of their opponents. Brock Purdy is a serious MVP candidate, and Fred Warner could take home the Defensive Player of the Year award. San Francisco is stacked with talent, not to mention the schematic advantage that Kyle Shanahan provides on a weekly basis.
In all likelihood, this game will be a massacre. It's the best offense in football against a bottom-two defense. Bears fans are just holding out hope that "any given Sunday" applies here.
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