Bears Keep Hope Alive One More Week

I admit, I didn't get to watch a whole lot of the game yesterday. I was running around and having a holiday tradition with my friend where we watch the first two Die Hard movies. I saw most of the second and third quarters and I will be watching the game from DVR later this afternoon.

So while I can't speak to much specifically about the game I know most of what was said on here and I know what I did see.

Gathered from that, all I can say is; should we even want this team to make the playoffs at this point?

I know I wrote on Friday that history is on the Bears' side and that they could get hot and ride the 6th seed to the Super Bowl as has been done in recent years, but can they really?

Their offense is beyond a train wreck. Jay Cutler is good when he's good but when he isn't in a rhythm he is as inaccurate as a Revolutionary War musket. The offensive line is injury-depleted and a mess. Brandon Marshall is their only consistent weapon and the defense still isn't playing great.

Furthermore, as far as the larger playoff picture goes, there is little doubt that the NFC is the better conference right now. There are a number of very good teams on the NFC team who look to be in the mix for a Super Bowl title.

Even if the Bears get in the playoffs their first round opponent would probably be the Packers, what will have changed since the last time the teams met that says that the Bears can now somehow hang with the Pack? In fact of all the teams in the postseason right now which ones could the Bears beat?

San Francisco is better than they've played the last two weeks and would destroy the Bears like they did last month.

Seattle is the hottest team in the league right now and they could easily roll over the Bears.

The Falcons are similar to the Bears, in that they beat inferior opponents and struggle against the better teams, and most people still think they could bow out of the playoffs but with the chip they have on their shoulder and having to go to the Georgia Dome I don't see the Bears getting it done against them.

The Cowboys are about the only team I think the Bears could still possibly beat but Tony Romo is playing his best football right now and they are a far cry from the team the Bears steamrolled way back in September.

So what it comes down to is this; Is making the playoffs worth a Wild Card round blowout loss and possibly another short Lovie extension? How long could this go on? Three year extension, miss the playoffs twice, squeak in the third year to earn another three year extension, rise, repeat.

Sure we have hope but this team just isn't a playoff-caliber team anymore and if they get in it's going to get ugly quick. The Bears are better off missing the postseason and getting on with whatever changes the offseason will bring.

Plus, do you really want to root for the Packers in order for Chicago to make the playoffs?