Significance of 'Packers Week' not lost on Lovie Smith

Losers of four of their last five games, the Chicago Bears will enter Sunday's NFC North showdown with Green Bay in desperate search for a win to get back on track.

The Bears came up short once again on Sunday in a Week 14 loss to Minnesota, and currently sit in the No. 6 spot in the NFC for the second wild card spot with just three weeks remaining. With three contending teams all sitting one game back at 7-6 however, the Bears could fall well out of the playoffs with just one more stumble. And because of how tight the conference is at the moment, coach Lovie Smith is taking on a must-win approach for the rest of the season.

"Disappointed as we are with our loss, we have a three-game season -- really a one-game season as we see it," Smith told WBBM-780 on Monday, reported by ESPNChicago.com. "It should come down that way, where we have to beat our rival to stay in position to achieve our goal."

Jay Cutler and Chicago's offense were each completely shut down by the Packers in a 23-10 loss back in Week 2, although the stakes are significantly higher for this weekend's game. Cutler tossed four interceptions and was sacked seven times by Green Bay's defense last time around, but the Bears are as dangerous as any team in the NFL with their backs against the wall.