CHICAGO -- After squandering an opportunity to take control of the NFC North last week, the Chicago Bears have little margin for error over their final four games if they are to make the playoffs.
The Bears look to bounce back from last week's disappointing loss and continue their pursuit of a playoff spot on Sunday when they host the disappointing Jacksonville Jaguars, who are trying to avoid losing four straight for the first time in five years.
Chicago (6-6) plays its next three games at Soldier Field. Although it might not necessarily have to win its final four games to make the playoffs, that's the mentality the players are taking.
"Win out. Win the NFC North. We know what we have to do to get in (the playoffs)," center Olin Kreutz said.
The Bears find themselves in this position after a 34-14 loss at Minnesota on Sunday night.
Chicago entered tied with the Vikings atop the North with the chance to take a one-game lead - which would have essentially been a two-game lead with a season sweep of Minnesota - but left the Metrodome a game back in the standings.
The Bears appeared to be in position to take a control of the game -- and the division -- but their offense was shut down on a pivotal series in the first half.
With a 7-3 lead and five minutes left in the second quarter, Chicago had a first down at the Minnesota 1, but turned the ball over on downs. The momentum completely shifted after that, as Gus Frerotte and ex-Bear Bernard Berrian hooked up for a 99-yard touchdown pass on their first play.
"We're definitely running out of time with four games to go ... but we still have time," Chicago coach Lovie Smith said. "Nothing has been decided right now. We're one game out of first place. We need a little bit of help."
The Bears may have received a break. The Vikings play winless Detroit Sunday, but they may be without All-Pro defensive linemen Kevin and Pat Williams for the final four games for violating the league's anti-doping policy.
Irregardless of what happens with the Vikings, Chicago needs Kyle Orton and the offense to return to form.
The Bears averaged 27.9 points in their first eight games, but have been held to 14 or less in three of their last four.
Orton clearly hasn't been himself since he was carted off the field with a sprained right ankle near the end of the first half against Detroit on Nov. 2.
He sat out against Tennessee the following week, and has thrown for 418 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions -- all against the Vikings -- and has a 61.2 quarterback rating in three games since returning. He threw for 903 yards, five TDs, no picks and had a 106.2 passer rating in three games before the injury.
"When Kyle got hurt and missed that game, it kind of disrupted the rhythm," Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "That's not a knock on Rex (Grossman); the rhythm of the offense was disrupted a little bit."
Orton and the offense try to get back on track against the Jaguars (4-8), who have allowed 84 points during their three-game skid.
Jacksonville had lofty expectations this season after going 11-5 in 2007 and beating Pittsburgh in the wild-card game. The Jaguars, though, have been one of the league's biggest disappointments, sitting last in the AFC South, seven games behind Tennessee.
"This is unimaginable," running back Fred Taylor said after Monday night's 30-17 loss to Houston. "We never thought before this season we'd be at this point."
The Jaguars had three turnovers on Monday, and their two touchdowns came in the final 3 minutes of the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach.
Jacksonville has lost four of five, and is trying to avoid dropping four straight for the first time since Sept. 7-28, 2003.
"We have to find a way to get out of this little sandtrap that we're in," running back Maurice Jones-Drew said.
Jones-Drew was limited to 49 yards on 12 carries last week, and has rushed for 119 yards on 32 attempts during the losing streak.
Chicago's rush defense is sixth-best in the league (88.8 yards per game), but has been inconsistent lately, alternating stellar and poor performances in its last four games. The Bears have allowed 189.0 yards on the ground in their two disappointing outings, but 17.0 yards in the other two games in that stretch.
•Jaguars wide receiver Matt Jones is awaiting an NFL decision on his suspension appeal after meeting with league officials.
Jones, arrested in July on cocaine possession charges, appealed the three-game suspension handed down earlier this season.
"I'm glad to get that part done," Jones said. "Now we're just waiting on the final decision and that's all I can say about it."
He said the hearing in New York lasted "a few hours."
Jones, the teams leading receiver with 62 catches for 727 yards, said he was given no timetable on the decision, but believes the league hands down suspensions on each Monday or Tuesday.
Jones, a 2005 first-round draft pick, entered a drug treatment program in November in hopes of erasing a felony cocaine charge in Arkansas.
He was arrested and charged with one count of cocaine possession after a Fayetteville police officer saw the former Arkansas quarterback inside a parked car allegedly cutting up cocaine with a credit card. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Jones pleaded not guilty to the charge, then prosecutors agreed to move the case to drug court.
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