The Chicago Bears’ postseason drought lasted all of one season.
By virtue of the Los Angeles Rams’ win against the Arizona Cardinals – and not their own efforts against the Packers – the Bears are postseason bound. They’ll finish at 8-8 after falling to the Packers by a 35-16 margin. But that is no matter as of this moment, because Chicago’s football team is making the playoffs for a second time in three seasons. That’s not nothing. The Bears will face the Saints next weekend, and we’ll get to that in a moment.
This is a Chicago team that, by all means, was dead to rights after blowing a double-digit fourth-quarter lead to the Lions in Week 13 bounced back, rallied, and qualified for the postseason. It’s a testament to coaching, players’ will to work through the low-point of their year, and the general awfulness of the NFC playoff picture. Face it. The Bears aren’t heading to the playoffs without a late-season collapse by the Cardinals. But hey, it takes two to tango. And I’m not one to take a playoff appearance for granted. So … yay?
A friend of mine described it as “the saddest, happiest playoff thing ever.” And, yeah, there’s something comically sad about sliding into the postseason in this way. But I suppose it’s better than no postseason.
There’s so much to work through in the wake of the Bears’ clinching of a postseason spot. Not to mention the future ramifications that could be in the works. But in the meantime, cherish the joy of postseason football. After all, it’s just the sixth postseason berth this franchise has had since 2000. Enjoy what you can while you can.
New year, new Bears?
Guess we’ll find out when the playoffs kick off NEXT WEEK!