Bears Stay Alive, Eliminate Buccaneers

The Chicago Bears’ playoff prospects seemed so dim. They had to win their last two games, and they needed so many other things to happen that realism suggested they should make other plans for January.

Then along came Sunday and, suddenly, the Bears had reason to believe.

“This business is crazy,” Erik Kramer said Sunday after his 256 passing yards helped the Bears to a 31-10 victory over Tampa Bay that eliminated the Buccaneers from playoff contention. “There were a lot of negative things going on. It was very stressful. But we played good and stayed in contention.”

Rashaan Salaam rushed for a career-high 134 yards and three touchdowns as the Bears (8-7) won for only the second time in seven games after a 6-2 start. They remained a postseason possibility thanks to Carolina’s victory over Atlanta.

Chicago still needs three things to happen to qualify for the playoffs: They must defeat Philadelphia at home next week; Atlanta must fall to San Francisco next week, and Minnesota must lose one of its final two games, tonight at San Francisco or next Sunday at Cincinnati.

“We have a chance,” Kramer said. “But Philly’s on a roll. They have been all season.”

The Buccaneers (7-8), who buoyed their playoff hopes with a victory over Green Bay last week, couldn’t survive Trent Dilfer’s four turnovers Sunday. Tampa Bay hasn’t finished with a winning record since it went 5-4 in the strike-shortened 1982 season.

“The objective we set was to get into the playoffs,” Dilfer said. “That, we thought, was very attainable. It isn’t any more. You accept that and reassess your goals. Now the goal is to play for pride. I’m sick and tired of embarrassing myself in front of the country.”

Dilfer completed 22 of 37 passes for 226 yards and threw his first touchdown pass since Sept. 24, but he was intercepted three times and lost a fumble.