This has been a long time coming for the Bears amid their seven-game losing streak: They were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention Sunday.
The team that sent them spiraling knocked them out. The Commanders finished off the Bears with their 20-19 win over the Saints. The Bears still had an unrealistic-but-technically-possible path to a playoff berth after their 38-13 loss to the 49ers last week.
They are 4-9 and have four games remaining. The best they can finish is 8-9, and in that case they would still be unable to catch any of the current wild-card teams, and the Lions lead the NFC North at 12-1.
The Bears’ place in the standings is much more significant as it pertains to the NFL Draft. At 4-9, they went into Sunday holding the No. 9 pick and still had a shot at the No. 1 spot. There were two 2-11 teams (the Raiders and Giants) and six that were 3-10.
They have the hardest remaining schedule and almost certainly will be an underdogs in all four remaining games: Monday at the Vikings, home against the Lions and Seahawks, then at the Packers.
