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The Bears have won three consecutive games to improve to 7-6 on the season and remain in playoff contention. But they’re still extreme long shots to get there.

That’s partly because of the state of the NFC playoff race: With the Vikings currently the 6 seed at 8-4, a 10-6 record is no guarantee of making the playoffs. And it’s partly because of the Bears’ schedule: They’re at Green Bay in Week 15, home against the Chiefs in Week 16 and at Minnesota in Week 17. The Bears will be underdogs in all three games, unless Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes or Kirk Cousins misses a game.

The clearest path to the playoffs for the Bears involves winning their three remaining games while the Vikings and Rams each lose twice. And that’s not a particularly clear path at all.

The Bears currently look like a hot team early in December, but it will probably turn out to be too little, too late.