Unlock the ultimate Bears playoff path. Discover which NFC opponent guarantees a home game and analyze the ideal scenario for Chicago's Super Bowl dreams.
The Chicago Bears are through to the Divisional Round of the playoffs after taking down the Green Bay Packers 31-27 in another thrilling edition of the rivalry.
Much like Week 16, the Bears didn't score a touchdown until the fourth quarter. Chicago went into halftime down 21-3 and limited Green Bay to six more points in the second half. The Bears put up 28 points in the second half to get the win.
The Los Angeles Rams punched their ticket to the next round after beating the Carolina Panthers 34-31 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Now, fans will have to watch the final NFC Wild Card game to see who the Bears face next. The Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers are facing off in a rematch of the 2022 NFC Championship Game.
Here are the scenarios for Chicago fans to watch ahead of the Divisional Round:
San Francisco Wins
The Bears are familiar with just how potent the 49ers' offense is.
Chicago took on San Francisco in Week 17 with the No. 1 seed in the NFC on the line. The Bears lost 42-38, and with that, their chance to compete for the top seed in the conference.
However, if the 49ers beat the Eagles, it wouldn't mean Chicago sees the 49ers again; instead, Chicago would face the Rams. The Bears would still host the Rams, but would have to find a way to slow down star receiver Puka Nacua and quarterback Matthew Stafford.
For the 49ers, they would get a rematch with the Seattle Seahawks after losing the No. 1 seed to them by a score of 13-3 in Week 18.
Philadelphia Wins
The Bears and Eagles have also already played this season.
In Week 13, Chicago went to Lincoln Financial Field and came out with a 24-15 win on the road. With the current playoff model, the Eagles would face the Bears if they beat the 49ers on Sunday.
The Eagles' win would also mean the Rams would play the Seahawks. That could be an exhilarating game after what took place in Week 16.
The Rams and Seahawks went to overtime, with Seattle winning on a two-point conversion 38-37.
The Best Outcome for Chicago
This one should be a no-brainer.
As much as it will pain Chicago fans, the best-case scenario for the Bears is to root for an Eagles win.
Philadelphia's offense has struggled at times this season after the departure of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Moore left to become the head coach of the New Orleans Saints this offseason, and things haven't been the same for the Eagles' offense.
The Bears dominated the Eagles in their last meeting in Week 13, especially in the running game. Both Kyle Monangai (130) and D'Andre Swift (125) finished with over 100 rushing yards, as the Bears controlled the game.
We'll see what happens on Sunday, but playing the Eagles again is definitely the best move.