A Run For The Playoffs

However, if the Bears beat Seattle, it would not only provide their first winning streak of the season, but would also put pressure on the three teams - Detroit, the New York Giants and Washington - in front of them in the race for two NFC wild-card playoff spots. All three lost Sunday.

The Bears, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Carolina and Arizona are all 4-5.

"If we take care of business, we know we'll be in good shape at the end of the year," Smith said. "For us, we started this second half of the season. We're in the third quarter and Seattle is up next."

The Bears would lose any tiebreaker with the Lions, who beat the Bears twice this season.

The Redskins (5-4) have home and road games against Dallas, road games vs. Tampa Bay, the Giants and Minnesota, and home games vs. Buffalo and the Bears (Dec. 6) remaining.

The Giants (6-3), who have a history of second-half collapses, have road games left against Detroit, the Bears (Dec. 2), Philadelphia and Buffalo, and home games vs. the Vikings, Redskins and New England.

The Lions have an extremely difficult road ahead after hosting the Giants on Sunday. They have to play Green Bay home and away, Dallas and Kansas City at home, and have dates at Minnesota and San Diego.