It\u2019s a good thing the Chicago Bears are accustomed to tight results this season. It appears the NFL playoff picture \u2014 particularly in the NFC \u2014 will be more of the same.<\/p>\n
The Bears\u2019 31-28 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> on Sunday kept them atop the NFC North with an 8-3 record and in the NFC\u2019s No. 3 playoff seed. If the season ended today, the division rival Green Bay Packers would visit Soldier Field for a wild-card playoff game.<\/p>\n Talk about one for the ages \u2026<\/p>\n [MORE: Five ways Bears made franchise, NFL history in win over Steelers<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n Before the Bears, who are 6-1 in one-score games this season, even can think about that, though, they still have work to do. If they don\u2019t keep stacking wins, they risk slipping out of playoff contention.<\/p>\n A road win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday certainly would help the Bears\u2019 playoff cause. The Eagles, who blew a 21-0 lead<\/a> Sunday in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, also are 8-3 and leading their division, but a Bears win would give them a head-to-head tiebreaker that could prove valuable at the end of the season.<\/p>\n The Los Angeles Rams, at 9-2, currently hold the NFC\u2019s No. 1 playoff seed, and their upcoming schedule looks favorable<\/a>, save games against the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks in a five-day stretch in mid-December. The Eagles beat the Rams in September<\/a>, though, so they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.<\/p>\n The Bears also still have games against teams that trail them in the NFC playoff standings. They will play the Packers twice (Dec. 7 in Green Bay and Dec. 20 at Soldier Field), visit the San Francisco 49ers (Dec. 28), and host the Lions (Jan. 3 or Jan. 4). So, in many ways, the Bears control their own destiny. Keep winning, keep leading the division.<\/p>\n The games against the Packers and Lions particularly are important. Chicago leads Green Bay by a half-game and Detroit by one, so wins are vital to an NFC North title claim, a guaranteed top-four playoff seed and at least one home postseason game. Losses could turn a dream season into a nightmare, as division record can be an important tiebreaker<\/a> in determining a wild-card playoff spot, if needed.<\/p>\n With all that in mind, here are the latest NFC playoff standings after Sunday\u2019s NFL Week 12 schedule finished, with the 49ers-Carolina Panthers game on deck Monday night.<\/p>\n NFC playoff standings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
x-division leaders
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