The Bears are NFC North Champions and now one game closer to a first-round bye in the playoffs after the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams are still one game ahead of the Bears in the standings, but if they lose one game and the Bears win out they’ll be tied at 12-4. The Bears would win the tie-breaker in head-to-head record because the Bears beat the Rams last week on Sunday night.

Unfortunately the Rams have a favorable remaining schedule, playing the 4-10 San Francisco 49ers and the 3-11 Arizona Cardinals. The Bears also play the 49ers, but close the season on the road against the 7-6-1 Minnesota Vikings, who are playing for their playoff lives. The Vikings are barely ahead of the 7-7 Eagles and Washington Redskins for the final playoff spot.

And the Bears two remaining games are on the road, while the Rams have one more home contest.

The Bears could really use that first-round bye. If the playoffs were to start now, the Bears would be playing the Vikings in back-to-back games in Week 17 and the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Three match ups against one team in a single season would be difficult. Especially, beating a team three times in a single season.

Home-field advantage at Soldier Field in the Divisional Round would do wonders for the Bears and their chances of reaching the NFC Championship game. The weather in Chicago is a great equalizer, particularly to the high-powered offenses of dome or warm weather teams.

The Rams are trending in the wrong direction, while the Bears are trending in the right direction. It could happen.