Going through the multiverse to see how Bears can make the playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Bears’ chances to make the playoffs this season are slim. Slimmer than the chances that a New Year’s resolution is carried out through July.
But they still have a chance, all the same.
A lot needs to happen for the Bears to make the playoffs, and they’ll need a lot of help from some bad teams. When you break it down, there are three simple steps that need to happen. Then there are several branches in the playoff multiverse from there.
Note: I did not include ties because including ties would absolutely break my brain. Also, I used several playoff calculators from different sources to try to check my work as best as I could.
STEP ONE: BEARS NEED TO WIN OUT
There are already seven teams in the NFC with eight wins. With just seven playoff spots, the Bears need to match that mark. They currently sit at 6-9, so they’ll need to beat both the Falcons this week and the Packers in the regular season finale to hit eight wins themselves.
STEP TWO: RAMS NEED TO LOSE OUT
The Rams are only contending for a wildcard spot since the 49ers already locked up the NFC West title. If the Rams win a single game, they’ll be at nine wins and ahead of the Bears. But if they lose to each the Giants and the 49ers, they’ll be tied with the Bears at eight wins. The Bears would then edge the Rams out on the conference record tiebreaker, with the Rams at 6-6 against NFC opponents and the Bears at 7-5.
STEP THREE: SEAHAWKS NEED TO LOSE OUT
Same deal with the Rams in step two. If the Seahawks lose to the Steelers and the Cardinals, they’ll be tied with the Bears at eight wins. Once again, the Bears win the conference record tiebreaker. But one win puts them at 9-8 and ahead of the Bears.
FUNKY PLAYOFF PICTURE TIME
You might be thinking to yourself, why do the Bears need both the Rams and Seahawks to lose out if they own the tiebreaker against each of them?
That’s because the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/going-multiverse-see-bears-playoffs-214213068.html
Author : NBC Sports Chicago
Publish date : 2023-12-26 21:42:13
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