Steve Ruark/AP Photos
This has been a long time coming for the Bears amid their seven-game losing streak: They were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention Sunday.
The team that sent them spiraling knocked them out. The Commanders finished off the Bears with their 20-19 win over the Saints. The Bears still had an unrealistic-but-technically-possible path to a playoff berth after their 38-13 loss to the 49ers last week.
They are 4-9 and have four games remaining. The best they can finish is 8-9, and in that case they would still be unable to catch any of the current wild-card teams, and the Lions lead the NFC North at 12-1.