The Chicago Bears entered Week 13 as the third seed in the NFC behind the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams.
Chicago started things out with a 24-15 win over the Philadelphia Eagles to move up as the second seed in the NFC. All the Bears needed was a Carolina Panthers upset win over the Rams.
It actually happened.
After a back-and-forth game, a Panthers late-game turnover helped Carolina pull off a massive upset over the Rams 31-28. The win is the seventh of the year for them, but more importantly, Los Angeles dropped to 9-3 on the season.
What does this all mean for the Bears in the NFC playoff picture
Well, the Bears find themselves in unfamiliar territory, having gone from the third seed to the number one seed. Chicago holds the tiebreaker over the Rams based on conference record.
Los Angeles will drop to the second seed, while the Eagles will drop from number one to number three in the NFC. It's a wild turn of events for the Bears as the playoff picture has drastically changed.
Chicago started the season with two straight losses, so this possibility was never at the top of anyone's mind. Now, they are winners of nine of the last 10 games.
In the NFC North, the Bears are still in first place, with a one-game lead over the Green Bay Packers and a two-game lead over the Detroit Lions. Chicago still has two games against the Packers and one against the Lions, the rest of the season.
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The Bears are not out of the woods yet, as the race for the number one seed is still tight, but for one week, they are the top team in the conference that no one can deny.