Chicago Bears Prediction: No.3 Seed In Playoffs Likely Because Of Schedules For Saints, Rams

The Chicago Bears still have plenty to play for in the final two weeks of the 2018 NFL regular season. The team has already clinched the NFC North title, and they’ve got a chance to improve their odds of going deep in the playoffs.

With a two-game lead over the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys, Chicago is just about guaranteed to get no worse than the No.3 seed in the NFC. They are competing for a top-two seed in the conference and a bye in the first round.

Chicago is two games behind the New Orleans Saints for the No.1 seed and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. Even though the Bears would own a potential tiebreaker, they’ve got a slim chance of actually catching Drew Brees and Co.

The Saints will end the season at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers. New Orleans can clinch the top seed with one victory.

The No.2 seed is a much more realistic goal for the Bears. They are a game behind the Los Angeles Rams for the NFC’s second-best record. Chicago defeated L.A. at Soldier Field a few weeks ago, giving them the tiebreaker over the NFC West winners.

If you look at the way both teams have played of late, you might think the Bears are going to catch the Rams. Chicago has just one loss in their last eight games, and that defeat came in overtime when backup quarterback Chase Daniel was forced to start. Los Angeles is on a two-game losing streak, and they have just one win by double digits in the last eight weeks.

The upcoming schedules, however, could make it difficult for the Bears to make a move in the standings.

It might not matter much that the Rams haven’t looked like the dominant team we saw in the first half of the season. They’ll face the NFC’s two worst teams in Week 16 and Week 17. Los Angeles will visit the three-win Arizona Cardinals Sunday before hosting the four-win San Francisco 49ers in the season finale.

The Rams are the biggest favorites on the Week 16 schedule, per OddsShark, laying more than two touchdowns in Arizona. L.A. beat the Cardinals at home 34-0 in Week 2 and they won in San Francisco 39-10 in Week 7.

The Bears will visit the 49ers Sunday afternoon. Chicago is a four-point favorite in San Francisco, where the 49ers are actually 4-3. San Francisco is 0-7 on the road.

Chicago could be an underdog in Week 17 when they visit the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota is the No.6 seed in the NFC, and they might have to win that game in order to get into the playoffs. If the Bears realize they are highly unlikely to get a bye, even with a win, they could choose to rest some of their starters.

With the way their defense is playing, Chicago might be the NFC’s second-best team, at worst. The Bears are second in opponents’ yards per play and third in points allowed.

But the final two weeks don’t work in Chicago’s favor. They are very likely headed for the No.3 seed in the playoffs, setting up a matchup with the No.6 seed at Soldier Field on Wild-Card Weekend.

It’ll probably be the Seattle Seahawks or Vikings that ends up with the No.6 seed. Chicago has already beaten both teams at home this season.