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Chicago Bears know Lions won't hand them victory in 'must win' game

The Bears don't expect the Lions to roll over in Week 17.

Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

The Detroit Lions will enter Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears with nothing to play for aside from pride and the potential of ruining the Chicago Bears' season. Detroit hasn't won since the first Sunday in November, but can knock the Bears out of the playoffs with a win, a possibility they likely relish.

"We're going to get their best shot," Cutler said on "The Jay Cutler Show" on ESPN 1000. "They're going to want to knock us out of the playoff race. We'll definitely get their best shot."

(via ESPN Chicago)

Ideally for the Bears, Cutler's prediction will be wrong and the Lions will come out flat, uninspired and looking to get the season over with as quickly as possible. If Cutler is indeed right, though, the Bears will likely have to battle for a victory that will keep them in the playoff hunt.

A Bears win would make the math for the NFC's final seed very simple. With a victory, Chicago would be in if the Minnesota Vikings lost to the Green Bay Packers but out if Minnesota also won. A loss, though, and Chicago will be eliminated -- that coupled with a Vikings loss would throw the playoff race into chaos depending on how the NFC East shook out.