Larry Mayer

Editor's note: This story will be updated throughout the remainder of the regular season.

As Week 16 looms, the Bears are in the thick of the NFC playoff race.

With a 10-4 record, they enter Saturday night's showdown with the Packers (9-4-1) at Soldier Field a half game ahead of Green Bay atop the NFC North.

The Bears can clinch a playoff spot this weekend with a win over the Packers coupled with a Lions (8-6) loss to the Steelers (8-6) Sunday in Detroit.

With a victory Saturday night, the Bears would capture the division title if:

• They win one of their final two games at San Francisco (10-4) or at home against Detroit

OR

• The Packers lose one of their final two games versus Baltimore (7-7) or at Minnesota (6-8) and the Lions drop one of their next two games against Pittsburgh or at Minnesota

Even If the Bears lose Saturday night, they can still capture the NFC North title if:

• They win their final two games and Green Bay loses one of its final two remaining contests

OR

• They split their last two games, the Packers drop their final two matchups, and the Lions lose one of their next two contests

Even if the Bears don't win the division, they can still make the playoffs as one of three wild cards. All three NFC wild card teams will come from the NFC North and NFC West, meaning that six teams are competing for five spots (two division champions and three wild cards): the Bears (10-4), Packers (9-4-1) and Lions (8-6) in the North and the Rams (11-3), Seahawks (11-3) and 49ers (10-4) in the West.

The Seahawks will host the Rams Thursday night in a first-place battle in the West. The 49ers will visit the Colts Monday night, giving San Francisco a short week to prepare for their home game against the Bears a week from Sunday night.