Bears' postseason hopes looking brighter

This was advertised as a pivotal game in the NFC playoff race, so the Bears and the Eagles played it that way.

It wasn't always pretty football, but it always was a pretty good football game.

The outcome was especially attractive to the Bears, who won 30-24 in Philadelphia to embellish their chances to qualify for the NFC playoffs.

Bears head coach Lovie Smith said all week that “Monday Night Football” is an opportunity to demonstrate to the world that the Bears are a good football team.

Well, after this performance on the road, the conclusion must be that they're at least a better team than the Eagles.

“We're a good football team,” Smith said. “We're not getting respect. Going on the road, the Chicago Bears shouldn't be 8-point underdogs.”

Sometimes two teams have so much at stake that it's difficult to fashion a snappy, sharp, crisp performance. This game was disjointed and maintaining momentum was elusive.

Smith always wants the Bears to “start fast and finish strong.” Mission accomplished: They took the lead, they lost the lead, they regained the lead.

“We have great leadership,” Smith said when asked how the Bears did it. “Guys have been (with us) a long time and been in these situations. You just have to stay the course.”

Each team made good plays. Each made bad plays. Some of the errors were forced. Others were careless. Some were made trying to make a big play. Some were made trying to prevent a big play.

The matter was destined to come down to a game of respective offensive playmakers against respective defensive playbreakers.

Quarterback: Michael Vick and Jay Cutler are similarly dangerous and erratic. Running back: LeSean McCoy and Matt Forte are similarly multidimensional. Quicksilver messenger: DeSean Jackson and Devin Hester are similarly explosive.

Despite all that firepower the defenses made every yard in the game precious, with special teams vital in the territorial battle.

“You can't shut down a player like Michael Vick, and McCoy,” Smith said. “But we were able to slow them down a little bit.”

As usual when it comes to Vick, Smith might have added. The Eagles' dynamic quarterback is 0-4 as a starter against the Bears during his career.

“They play great schemes,” Vick said of the Bears. “They play good, smart defense and are able to keep me contained.”

Beyond the longball threats, perhaps the difference was that Earl Bennett returned from injury to give Cutler his go-to receiver on third down.

“(Bennett) can make a lot of plays for you,” Smith said.

In the end, on the final Eagles' drive, the Bears' defense made the plays to keep Vick and his weapons out of the end zone.

Look, neither of these teams is ready right now to be in the elite class of one populated by Green Bay.

But the Bears (5-3) and the Eagles (3-5) think they're good enough to qualify for the postseason and by January be good enough to challenge the Packers and anyone else.

First, though, they have to make the playoffs, and that's why this game was so important.

“We have an opportunity to do something special,” Bears linebacker Lance Briggs said. “We're headed in the right direction.”

The regular season is only half over and no postseason dreams were won or lost Monday night.

But it sure did look like the Bears' hopes were bolstered.