The Chicago Bears started the season with a 7-1 run, and they've gone on to lose five of their last six games to fall to 8-6. They're now on the outside looking in on the NFL playoffs, though they could still make it with some help from the Minnesota Vikings and the entire NFC East.

Joel Thorman of SB Nation released his Week 16 power rankings, and the Bears are only just inside the top half of the NFL.

15. Chicago Bears (LW: 15, 8-6): I would not want to be a Bears fan right now. Chicago was 7-1 at one point. Now they're 8-6 and in danger of missing the playoffs. They finish at Arizona and at Detroit.

Chicago is behind every other 8-6 team in the NFL, including the rival Minnesota Vikings, who hold the tiebreaker in the event of both teams finishing 10-6. They're just above the Pittsburgh Steelers, who sit at 7-7, and are one team away from being in the bottom half of the NFL.

Fortunately, Arizona and Detroit are both losing teams. Unfortunately, the Bears have lost to losing teams recently. It's going to be a close one, and the recent play can't have fans confident in a playoff-clinching finish to the season.