Bears hit the Bay Dec. 28. Chicago fights for survival while San Fran guards its throne.
Niners -3.5
The Athletic:
After beating Green Bay last week, the path for the Bears is simple. Win this weekend or watch the Packers lose on Saturday, and they are NFC North champions. Chicago is currently 86 percent to win the division, and a loss only drops it to 77 percent. There is no reason to panic going into Week 18, even if that is second nature to Bears' fans at this point. As I mentioned with the Packers, a lot depends on the health of Jordan Love. However, it's not just the division on the line this week; the Bears are still alive for the top seed. A win will boost their odds to 35 percent to clinch the first-round bye, whereas a loss would eliminate them.
The 49ers have everything in front of them. They control their path to winning the NFC West as well as the No. 1 seed. A win over the Bears increases their division odds to 46 percent, setting up a win-and-clinch scenario against Seattle in Week 18. While that should be the main focus, winning at least one game should help their seeding, as right now, they have a 12 percent chance to be the No. 5 seed but also a 9 percent chance to be the No. 7 seed.
Niners -3.5
The Athletic:
After beating Green Bay last week, the path for the Bears is simple. Win this weekend or watch the Packers lose on Saturday, and they are NFC North champions. Chicago is currently 86 percent to win the division, and a loss only drops it to 77 percent. There is no reason to panic going into Week 18, even if that is second nature to Bears' fans at this point. As I mentioned with the Packers, a lot depends on the health of Jordan Love. However, it's not just the division on the line this week; the Bears are still alive for the top seed. A win will boost their odds to 35 percent to clinch the first-round bye, whereas a loss would eliminate them.
The 49ers have everything in front of them. They control their path to winning the NFC West as well as the No. 1 seed. A win over the Bears increases their division odds to 46 percent, setting up a win-and-clinch scenario against Seattle in Week 18. While that should be the main focus, winning at least one game should help their seeding, as right now, they have a 12 percent chance to be the No. 5 seed but also a 9 percent chance to be the No. 7 seed.
