Here are five story lines to follow:

1. Playing with urgency: It’s a word NFL coaches and players toss around freely, but the Redskins have paid “urgency” little more than lip-service in two of their past three games. They came out flat against Arizona and lost in Week 13. Then, after squeaking past Philadelphia to get back in the playoff mix, they fell behind early to Carolina, got outplayed on both sides of the ball and now stand a half-game behind Green Bay and Tampa Bay for the final NFC wild-card spot. Coach Jay Gruden shouldered responsibility for not getting his team ready to face the Panthers on the “Monday Night Football” stage despite having an extra day to prepare. But it was a failure of execution, too, with careless penalties, dropped passes, blown defensive assignments and hurried throws.

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2. Rebounding on a short week: After laying an egg Monday night, the Redskins were left with a short week to prepare for the Bears. It consisted of meetings, a walk-through and one practice. Even if that proves to be enough time to install and master a game plan, the five-day turnaround is brutal on players who are injured or ailing. Entering Week 16 of an NFL season, that’s pretty much everyone, particularly the big men up front, who have taken a battering. Of the four Redskins named to the Pro Bowl this week, two are listed as questionable for Saturday’s game: linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (elbow), who leads the team with 11 sacks, and tight end Jordan Reed (shoulder). Reed couldn’t practice Thursday and may join safety-in-waiting Su’a Cravens in missing the game.

3. The running game: It has been a Redskins weakness on both sides of the ball all season. The offense hasn’t run the ball consistently, and the defense hasn’t been able to stop the run. Neither unit distinguished itself in the loss to the Panthers, who outgained the Redskins on the ground 148 yards to 29. Now comes Chicago and rookie running back Jordan Howard, who has been the highlight of an offense that’s on its third quarterback. Howard broke the 1,000-yard rushing threshold last week against Green Bay. When the Redskins have the ball, they need to stick with rookie Rob Kelley and at least a semblance of a balanced offense. The Bears’ run defense ranks 23rd in the NFL, one spot behind that of the Redskins.

4. Respecting the Bears: Chicago has just three victories. Its entire roster was snubbed for Pro Bowl honors. And Coach John Fox may soon be out of a job. But with little to play for other than pride, the Bears haven’t gone into hibernation. They may have lost five of their past six, but Matt Barkley, who’ll make his fifth start at quarterback in relief of Jay Cutler and Brian Hoyer, led the Bears within four points of upsetting Green Bay last week and within four of toppling the Lions the week prior. If the Redskins fall behind early, as has become a pattern, and take Saturday’s opponent lightly, they’ll likely know what it feels like to have little to play for other than pride come Week 17.

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5. Better play from Kirk Cousins: The Redskins quarterback broke the franchise single-season passing record in Monday’s loss to Carolina, topping his former mark of 4,166. With two games remaining, Cousins has 4,360 passing yards (along with 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions). But all those yards can’t obscure the fact that Cousins struggled against the Panthers’ front seven, rushing throws and missing receivers in spots. Given their defensive struggles and disappearing running game, it’s clear that the 2016 Redskins will go only as far as the passing game takes them. Cousins has enjoyed stout protection for the most part this season. Much will depend Saturday on his ability to maintain his poise against a Bears defense that would love to play spoiler to the Redskins’ hopes of clawing their way into the playoffs.