Bears vs. Lions 2012: Game preview, kickoff time, TV schedule and more

With a possible postseason appearance on the line, the Chicago Bears face the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon in one of Week 17's key match-ups. With the Bears, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Washington Redskins vying for the final two postseason spots in the NFC, Sunday's game has huge implications.

Unfortunately for Chicago, its playoff aspirations are ultimately out of its hands at this point, as the Vikings hold the tiebreaker over the Bears thanks to having a superior win-loss record against divisional opponents. That means the Bears not only need a win on Sunday, but a Vikings loss as well in order to secure the postseason opening.

Luckily, the Bears are playing a struggling Lions squad that hasn't won a game since the first week of November, and Chicago has typically dominated weaker opponents this year. The teams that Chicago lost to this year -- Green Bay, San Francisco, Houston, Minnesota and Seattle -- are a combined 52-22-1.

Sunday's game begins at 1 p.m. ET from Ford Field, broadcast on FOX.