Bears facing each game with playoff mentality
With 6 losses already, the Bears' margin for error is so slim that they're bringing a playoff mentality to every game -- lose and you're out.
The overtime victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday allows them to advance.
"We feel like we have a second-round playoff game, another home playoff game, coming up this week against a Giants team that's in pretty good position right now with their (7-4) record," coach Lovie Smith said.
"In the playoffs, you have to win to keep playing; that's our mind-set. It will be a big challenge for us, but the playoffs are normally that way. Each game is a dogfight, and you'd rather play them at home and that's what we get a chance to do."
The Giants control the first of two NFC wild-card spots. The 6-5 Lions lead a crowded field in the race for the final berth, but six teams, including the Bears, are 1 game back at 5-6, and the Lions have lost three straight.
"To be truthful, I don't know how many teams are there with us," Smith said. "I just know the Chicago Bears are in the playoff hunt, and we control what happens with us by our play."
Of the six 5-6 teams, the Bears have the worst conference record (2-5), which could factor as a tiebreaker. The good news is they still get to play three of the six (the Redskins, Vikings and Saints) and they've already beaten a fourth (Eagles). They also lost at home to the Vikings.
Charlie hustle: With all the big plays in Sunday's 37-34 victory, Lovie Smith brought up one that was largely overlooked: 6-foot-6, 275-pound defensive lineman Israel Idonije running down 5-foot-10, 205-pound running back Andre Hall just 4 yards short of the end zone with 32 seconds left in the half, after a 65-yard gain on a screen pass.
The Bears' defense forced Denver to settle for a field goal.
"You look back on your season and there are plays that stand out that make a world of difference," Smith said. "On that long screen pass, most of you said, 'That's a terrible play by our defense,' and I was thinking the same thing.
"But the play that Israel Idonije made, after our defense kept them to a field goal, you could say that ended up being the difference in the game.
"Charles Tillman also was on the ground; just a gut check. You talk about playing hard 'til the whistle blows, those are the kind of plays that really get your team going. That's the type of effort it takes in order for you to keep taking those steps getting to the playoffs."
Blind to hindsight: In the wake of the season-ending injury to featured running back Cedric Benson, Lovie Smith was asked if he would still trade Thomas Jones, the team's rushing leader the previous three seasons, if he had it to do over again.
"How do you answer that question?" Smith said. "We don't have Thomas Jones here. This is the group we have, and we feel comfortable with it. Next question."