NFL Power Rankings: Are the Bears in the playoff hunt?

So far, this has been a season of missed opportunities for the Chicago Bears. Mistakes in all three phases, as well as head scratching decisions from the coaches in game-planning, has led to Chicago’s disappointing 4-5 record. Had the Bears been able to sneak out just one extra win among their four narrow losses, there may be some actual postseason buzz surrounding this team.

That’s not to say there aren’t any postseason hopes for the Bears right now, but it’s more a faint flutter rather than a full on buzz. However, if the Bears can go to Los Angeles and knock off the 5-4 Rams, and if their offense can build off their small bit of success they just had against the Lions, then it might not look so silly seeing our team listed as “in the hunt.”

That pic was snapped before the Seahawks beat the 49ers last night, but I think it’s safe to say the loser of the NFC West race is the front runner for a wild card spot, which leaves the Bears catching the Vikings as their best chance at the playoffs. Chicago already has one win against the Vikes, but that’s still a wide gap to make up. Even if the Bears win out (a huge long shot) there’s no guarantee they make the playoffs. They’ll need some help along the way.

But enough about playoff dreams, let’s see what the NFL Power Rankers have to say about the Bears this week.

Here’s how ESPN has it.

20. Chicago Bears (4-5)

Week 10 ranking: 21

Most important game left: Sunday at Rams

Basically, the Bears have to win Sunday night to keep their dim playoff hopes alive. At 4-5, the Bears are 3.5 games behind Green Bay and 2.5 behind Minnesota in the NFC North. Chicago’s best chance at qualifying for the postseason is probably a wild-card berth, but it’s a crowded picture in the NFC. The Rams are one of the teams ahead of the Bears, but Los Angeles has lost four of its past six. Despite all of the Bears’ struggles, the Rams game is winnable -- and vitally important to Chicago. -- Jeff Dickerson

Here’s how Yahoo Sports has it this week.

19. Chicago Bears (4-5, LW: 21)

In the first 25 minutes of the first half Sunday, against a bad Lions defense, the Bears had 20 net yards and no points on four possessions. It’s probably a good thing for Mitchell Trubisky that he started to heat up in the final five minutes of the half and that carried over to the second half.

If Trubisky didn’t get it going would Matt Nagy have gone to Chase Daniel?

Pro Football Talk is snarky.

20. Bears (4-5; No. 23): In a battle of Mitch Trubisky and Jared Goff, everyone loses.

The Sporting News moved the Bears up too.

19. Chicago Bears, 4-5 (23)

The Bears got what they needed from Mitchell Trubisky against a bad Lions defense to stay in the playoff hunt and help Matt Nagy with his job security. The hard part is keeping that up against better teams. The Rams, Cowboys, Packers and Chiefs are all ahead in the second half of the season.

A big move up this week by the Washington Post.

18. Chicago Bears (4-5) | Last Week’s Rank: 24

Maybe Mitch Trubisky, after the win over the Lions, will allow the TVs to be back on at the Bears’ facility.

CBS Sports has the Bears up 1 to 20th.

So they do have a passing game? Maybe turning off the TVs helped Mitch Trubisky. He was good against the Lions to keep their season alive.

NFL.com has the Bears at 20 up from 21 a week ago.

Things got more interesting than they should have in the final minutes, but the Bears held on against a Lions team missing Matthew Stafford. The Bears offense managed just 20 yards total in their first four possessions, a funk that summoned memories of last week, when Chicago managed just 9 total net yards in the first half against the Eagles. The turning point Sunday came on Chicago’s final possession of the first half: A 10-play, 80-yard march that ended when Mitchell Trubisky found Ben Braunecker in the end zone for the go-ahead score. Trubisky threw two more touchdown passes in the third quarter, taking control of the game and releasing the pressure valve at Soldier Field. Though the Bears’ attack remains The Problem in Chicago, you can see a few beams of sunshine breaking through the clouds in the last two weeks. Can they build on it?

And now for the big question...