Week 16: Packers @ Bears, MNF on ESPN (7:30 CT)

[CubInOK]

BTW, I was thinking about it. We should definitely be rooting for Carolina tonight if Minnesota loses. If the Giants win, they get their confidence back and know they can beat the NFC elite. If they lose, they will be in shambles, and will need to probably play their starters for at least a half so they can get their confidence back and end the regular season on a high note before the playoffs.

If the Giants lose out they might not earn a 1st round bye.

[Illini Iceman]

BTW, I was thinking about it. We should definitely be rooting for Carolina tonight if Minnesota loses. If the Giants win, they get their confidence back and know they can beat the NFC elite. If they lose, they will be in shambles, and will need to probably play their starters for at least a half so they can get their confidence back and end the regular season on a high note before the playoffs.

If the Giants lose out they might not earn a 1st round bye.

 

The only other team that can get to 11 wins is the Vikings and it's now even looking good for #10 right now against Atlanta.

[cubweiser03]

Wow pretty good last couple days for the Bears. Bucs, Boys, Birds and the Vikings lose. 4 for 4 this week.

[brinoch]

Well, the Bucs, Cowboys, Vikings and Eagles all lost. About the best possible result. Now, to make this week perfect, the Bears need to defeat the Packers.

[CubInOK]

BTW, I was thinking about it. We should definitely be rooting for Carolina tonight if Minnesota loses. If the Giants win, they get their confidence back and know they can beat the NFC elite. If they lose, they will be in shambles, and will need to probably play their starters for at least a half so they can get their confidence back and end the regular season on a high note before the playoffs.

If the Giants lose out they might not earn a 1st round bye.

 

The only other team that can get to 11 wins is the Vikings and it's now even looking good for #10 right now against Atlanta.

OK that's what I thought. Anyway, it seems like all the wild card teams except for ATL lost today. I'm thinking this was a good day for the Bears. Of course, they gotta beat up the damn Packers tomorrow night. How cold will it be for the game?

[Jon]

BTW, I was thinking about it. We should definitely be rooting for Carolina tonight if Minnesota loses. If the Giants win, they get their confidence back and know they can beat the NFC elite. If they lose, they will be in shambles, and will need to probably play their starters for at least a half so they can get their confidence back and end the regular season on a high note before the playoffs.

If the Giants lose out they might not earn a 1st round bye.

 

The only other team that can get to 11 wins is the Vikings and it's now even looking good for #10 right now against Atlanta.

OK that's what I thought. Anyway, it seems like all the wild card teams except for ATL lost today. I'm thinking this was a good day for the Bears. Of course, they gotta beat up the damn Packers tomorrow night. How cold will it be for the game?

Looks like 5/-8 around kickoff improving to 8/-3 by the end of the game. The wind chill won't be nearly as bad as it is today.

[Wilson A2000]

Who has to lose for the Bears to get the wildcard? If the Bears win out and they are tied with another wildcard team, who makes the playoffs? Edited December 22, 2008 by Wilson A2000

[UMFan83]

Best case scenario is obviously SD over TB, ATL over MIN, WAS over PHI, CHI over GB

 

If that happens this what it looks like

 

NFC North

1. MIN 9-6

2. CHI 9-6

 

WC

5. ATL 10-5

6. DAL 9-6

7. TB 9-6

8. CHI 9-6

9. PHI 8-6-1

 

So this would be the Bears scenario for playoffs

 

Chicago wins the NFC North with a win over Houston AND a Minnesota loss or tie to New York Giants OR a tie over Houston AND a Minnesota loss to New York Giants

 

Chicago clinches an NFC Wild Card playoff bearth with a win over Houston AND a Tampa Bay loss or tie to Oakland AND a Dallas loss or tie to Philadelphia OR a tie over Houston AND a Tampa Bay loss to Oakland AND a Dallas loss to Philadelphia

 

I know I'm getting way way way ahead of myself, I just like to do this kinda stuff.

 

And assuming that the Bears beat the Packers (I know, I know, big assumption to make), this is our playoff scenarios for week 17.

 

Basically its:

 

For Wild Card:

Bears win

Tampa Bay loses

Dallas Loses

 

For Division:

Bears win

Vikings lose

 

There was a scenario that had the Bears going in at 9-7 if we were to lose in week 17, and we tie the Cowboys and win the tiebreaker based on strength of victory, but apparently by San Fran coming back to beat St. Louis, Dallas clinched that tiebreaker.

[UMFan83]

Who has to lose for the Bears to get the wildcard?

 

See above but Tampa Bay (over Oakland who put up a great performance over a hot Houston team today) and Dallas (over Philly)

[rawaction]

Well, the Bucs, Cowboys, Vikings and Eagles all lost. About the best possible result. Now, to make this week perfect, the Bears need to defeat the Packers.

 

No. Literally the best possible result.

 

Bears still have to win tomorrow and next week at Houston. However, they can get in the following ways:

 

Minnesota loss to NYG to get the NFC North division title

 

or

 

a Dallas loss to Eagles + Tampa loss to the Raiders to get the wildcard

 

 

That Atlanta loss is still the one the Bears would most love to have back. Win that game and they'd be clinching with a win tomorrow.

[SpongeWorthy]

The phrase squib kick still sends me into an apoplectic rage.

[Illini Iceman]

Who has to lose for the Bears to get the wildcard?

 

See above but Tampa Bay (over Oakland who put up a great performance over a hot Houston team today) and Dallas (over Philly)

 

So Atlanta and Dallas control their own destiny for the Wild Card spots right now?

[rawaction]

 

There was a scenario that had the Bears going in at 9-7 if we were to lose in week 17, and we tie the Cowboys and win the tiebreaker based on strength of victory, but apparently by San Fran coming back to beat St. Louis, Dallas clinched that tiebreaker.

 

That scenario must have been really old. Because now, that would mean the Eagles would be 9-6-1 and get in. Plus, Tampa has to lose and would be part of the 3-way tie at 9-7.

[UMFan83]

Who has to lose for the Bears to get the wildcard?

 

See above but Tampa Bay (over Oakland who put up a great performance over a hot Houston team today) and Dallas (over Philly)

 

So Atlanta and Dallas control their own destiny for the Wild Card spots right now?

Atlanta has clinched but yes, Dallas controls their destiny. A Dallas win next week and they are in.

 

Dallas is the only team that's more happy about today's results than us.

[RedFlash]

How big and stupid are those losses to the NFC South earlier this yr?

[Vanilla Ice]

Who has to lose for the Bears to get the wildcard?

 

See above but Tampa Bay (over Oakland who put up a great performance over a hot Houston team today) and Dallas (over Philly)

 

So Atlanta and Dallas control their own destiny for the Wild Card spots right now?

Atlanta has clinched

[Illini Iceman]

Who has to lose for the Bears to get the wildcard?

 

See above but Tampa Bay (over Oakland who put up a great performance over a hot Houston team today) and Dallas (over Philly)

 

So Atlanta and Dallas control their own destiny for the Wild Card spots right now?

Atlanta has clinched

 

If TB winds up not making the playoffs I bet Gruden gets fired.

[Handlebar McSkullet]

Everything has gone right so far....

http://blog.news-record.com/staff/culture/Culture%20Shock%20-%20The%20Joker-thumb.jpg

 

 

ITS ALL PART OF THE PLAN.

[SpongeWorthy]

New York has nothing tangible to play for next week no matter what happens against Carolina right?

[rawaction]

How big and stupid are those losses to the NFC South earlier this yr?

 

Yep, any one of them would mean the Bears control their own destiny. Winning the Atlanta game would have the Bears going for the clinch tomorrow night.

[Handlebar McSkullet]

New York has nothing tangible to play for next week no matter what happens against Carolina right?

 

Nope, if they lose then next week they can lose the bye

[SpongeWorthy]

How's that? They'd have 11 wins and the only other 11 win team would be a wild card Atlanta.

[UMFan83]

New York has nothing tangible to play for next week no matter what happens against Carolina right?

 

Nope, if they lose then next week they can lose the bye

 

With Minnesota losing, they've clinched a bye.

 

The only thing the Giants will have to play for is some confidence if they lose this week. I am cheering for Carolina today.

[hawkeyecub]

New York has nothing tangible to play for next week no matter what happens against Carolina right?

 

Nope, if they lose then next week they can lose the bye

 

No that was only if the Vikings won today.

 

The 1 and 2 slots will be locked up tonight so the Giants and Panthers have nothing to play for next week.

[Sosa21MVP]

How's that? They'd have 11 wins and the only other 11 win team would be a wild card Atlanta.

 

That is correct. The Giants clinched a first round bye when Minnesota lost today. If the Vikings had won, the Giants-Vikings game next week could have been for the bye. But not now.

 

Only thing we can hope for is that if the Giants lose tonight that they want to get that losing streak out of their system before the playoffs start.