Bye week in review

There's no on-field Bears action to review this week, but let's take a look at how the other NFL games affected da Bears.

The biggest downer was the Packers beating the Jets in what turned out to be the first shutout in the NFL this season. The win moves them to 5-3 and a half-game ahead of the Bears in the NFC North. Rex Ryan had a bye week to prepare for this game, and while he got his defense ready, he couldn't get his offense ready to do anything against a team that had allowed more than 20 points to the Vikings and Dolphins, respectively, in its last two games.

Staying in the division, the Vikings went to New England and took one on the chin--literally. Favre needed stitches in his chin and was replaced by Tarvaris Jackson after getting carted off the field in what appeared to be either a comatose state or a deep sleep. It's quite possible that he died. Minnesota is now 2-5, including 0-4 on the road, and they're tied with the Lions at the south end of the NFC North.

Looking at the bigger playoff picture, it was a mixed bag for the Bears (like Halloween!). The surprising Bucs dropped 38 on the Cardinals to go to 5-2 and into a tie for first with the Falcons. If the season ended today (it doesn't), the Buccaneers would go to the playoffs. The Rams won as well and have climbed to .500, and the Saints got a big win over the Steelers last night to become the fifth NFC team with five wins.

Good for the Bears: the Cowboys' season essentially ending with a drubbing at the hands of the Jaguars; the Redskins laying another egg on the road and falling to 4-4; and the Seahawks falling back to 4-3.

Next week the Bears head to Toronto to face the Bills in a must-win game while the Packers get a home game against the embarrassingly bad Cowboys.