Who Bears Fans Should Root For in the Other NFC Games

Besides winning out, the Bears also need help to get into the playoffs and here's who fans should root for this week to make a wild card possible or easier to achieve

Teams on the outside looking in at the playoff picture need help.

The Bears are like the proverbial holiday shopper looking in the storefront window, hoping for a gift from other teams while also needing to take care of their own business.

At least they'll know their status in the playoff chase this week before Sunday's game at Jacksonville because the Arizona Cardinals host the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and the Bears trail Arizona by a game.

Here's who Bears fans should be rooting for, with so many NFL games dispersed throughout a long holiday weekend prior to Sunday games.

49ers (5-9) at Cardinals (8-6), 3:30 p.m. Saturday

This one could be huge but probably won't be. The Bears need the win by the 49ers, who have been eliminated. Road teams in late December with nothing to play for traditionally are primed for blowout losses.

The 49ers look like the proverbial fork is stuck in them. They have looked much less formidable without injured Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback and tight end George Kittle, and there had been hope both would return this season. Garoppolo's window to return from injured reserve and a high ankle sprain has begun, but NFL.com reported he won't play against Arizona. The 49ers will start third-stringer C.J. Beathard instead of Garoppolo or backup Nick Mullens. Mullens has an elbow injury requiring surgery.

Beathard has a 1-9 record as a starter for the 49ers.

Beathard is also uncertain to have Kittle to help, even though Kittle was cleared by doctors to practice last week. The 49ers haven't said he'll return from the foot fracture he suffered.  

The last chance for a Cardinals loss would be in the final week of the season against the Los Angeles Rams in a road game. It's a game the Rams may need to win in order to take the division.

Rams (9-5) at Seahawks (10-4), 3:25 p.m. Sunday

The Bears need to be Rams fans because Seattle would win the division with a victory. If the Rams won, they then could clinch the division title and a home game against a weaker seed in Round 1 of the playoffs by beating the Cardinals in the regular-season finale. So they would have greater incentive to beat the Cardinals. If the Rams lose this, and then lose to the Cardinals in the regular-season finale, they could actually wind up behind the Cardinals in the standings and need to get in as a wild card by virtue of their tiebreaker—their win earlier over the Bears. So it's just another reason for the Bears to root for the Rams over Seattle.  

Titans (10-4) at Packers (11-3), 7:20 p.m. Sunday 

If the Packers win this, and the Rams beat Seattle earlier in the day, the Packers will own home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. They would be coming to Chicago in the regular-season finale with nothing to play for except to eliminate the Bears or to stay sharp for the playoffs. Remember, the Packers would have a bye if they end up No. 1 seed, so if they rested starters against the Bears they will have gone three full weeks away from game action when they open the divisional round of the playoffs. So they're sure to want to play starters for some of that Bears game.

Vikings (6-8) at Saints (10-4), 3:30 p.m. Thursday

The Bears should pull against the Vikings now even after beating them to gaini a game advantage. If Minnesota were to finish 8-8, and if the Bears beat Jacksonville and lost to Green Bay to finish 8-8, and Arizona lost both of its final games to San Francisco and the Rams to finish 8-8, then the three-way tiebreaker system eliminates the Bears first. The tiebreaker calls first for ties to be broken between teams within the same division if  all the tied teams didn't face each other. Well, they didn't. So the Bears lose the tiebreaker to the Vikings based on a better Vikings record within the NFC North. Then Minnesota would match up its tiebreaker—record against common opponents—with Arizona's. The good thing about this game for the Bears is it's on Thursday. If the Packers win Sunday they eliminate the Saints from the chase for home-field advantage in the playoffs. So the Saints will be trying to beat Minnesota to keep their slim hopes alive for top seed. 

Buccaneers (9-5) at Lions (5-9), noon Saturday

There's still a long shot here but if Tampa Bay lost to Detroit and then lost at home to Atlanta, the Bears could tie them and win the wild card at 9-7 based on their victory over the Buccaneers at Soldier Field. Any team losing back-to-back to Detroit and Atlanta should probably not be allowed in the playoffs anyway.

Bears (7-7) at Jaguars (1-13), noon Sunday

Of course the Bears need to win this one. If the Bears go to Jacksonville and lose to a team which only has incentive to lose, they not only could be eliminated from the playoffs but they probably shouldn't even waste their time returning to Chicago.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven