Bears Face Must-Win Thursday Night Game as Vikings Lead NFC North

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From Game Time Decisions

Chicago Faces a Crucial Game as the NFC North Sets the Conference Pace

Chicago enters tonight as a three-point favorite with an opportunity to remain two games behind Minnesota. The 5-0 Vikings are at home against 2-4 Indianapolis and are favored by nearly a touchdown, making another Minnesota win appear likely.

A Chicago loss would leave the Bears three games behind Minnesota, with their earlier loss to the Vikings effectively increasing that deficit to three and a half games. Chicago still has another game against Minnesota, but that matchup will be on the road. With 10 games remaining after tonight, the division race would not officially be over, but overcoming that gap would be extremely difficult. If the Bears want to win the division, tonight’s game feels close to a must-win situation.

The playoff picture is less concerning because the rest of the NFC has struggled. However, staying in the division race could require Chicago to win five or six consecutive games, including the rematch with Minnesota.

Minnesota looks capable of reaching the playoffs and winning the division, although questions remain about how the Vikings would perform in December, January and the postseason. Their dominant defense has kept them in games without requiring much from the offense. That could change in the playoffs, where scoring three touchdowns may be necessary to win.

The NFC North currently looks like the strongest division in the conference. The West and South have not established themselves, while the East may be fortunate to send more than its required division winner. Although Minnesota has the best record, the Vikings could still be viewed as only the second- or third-best team in their own division.

If the playoffs started today, all four NFC North teams could qualify, with the three wild-card spots coming from the division. Seattle is 3-3 and could fall to 3-4, while even a Rams win would leave them at 3-4. After the Rams failed to beat Arizona at home, there is no certainty that they will defeat the Raiders in Las Vegas.

The NFC could also produce two division winners with losing records, one from the East and another from the South. Craig believes Carolina has separated itself from the rest of the NFC South after winning on the road against Philadelphia, even though Philadelphia was missing several players. He expects Carolina’s win total to be around nine or nine and a half, putting 10 wins within reach.

The NFC East appears far less settled. The division race could extend to the final week, with a seven-win team potentially winning its last game to finish 8-9 and claim the division.