So looking back on the hollow feeling of the tie, you couldn't help but wonder about the implications of that result later. Was Matt Flynn's 16 point comeback only to fall short of a victory all for nothing anyway? Or could it mean, well, everything? We have to look.
If the comeback tie does not occur, we are currently 7-7, tied with Detroit. We would have a 2-3 division record, compared to 4-1 for Detroit. Chicago is at 2-3. We would still control our own destiny against them, as a victory over them would move them to 2-4 in the division compared to our 3-3, with a head to head split. Detroit would be a different story. If Detroit finishes 9-7, we would be going home if the tie had been a loss, regardless of what the Bears do, and regardless of whether or not we also finished 9-7. So yes, we could still overtake 8-6 Chicago on our own if we had lost to Minnesota, but would need help against 7-7 Detroit.
Now let's take a look at the implications of if we had won against Minnesota. We would be 8-6, tied with Chicago. We would STILL need a win, or at least tie, against Chicago to win the division. The reason is if we lost to them, we could do no better than 9-7, they could do no worse, and they would win the tiebreaker over us on the head to head sweep. Even if Detroit tied to make a 3 way tie, Detroit wins any 3 way tiebreaker on division record.
The one and only advantage of winning versus tying would be that we could afford to lose against the Steelers IF the Lions also lose on Sunday at home to the Giants (unlikely). If not, we would again lose control of our destiny as the Lions. This is not too different from our current situation (can afford to lose against the Steelers only if the Lions and Bears also lose).
So as confusing as that all may be, this should sum it up: the tie helps us a lot, and most likely will not hurt us at all. We do not control our own destiny right now without that tie.
If the comeback tie does not occur, we are currently 7-7, tied with Detroit. We would have a 2-3 division record, compared to 4-1 for Detroit. Chicago is at 2-3. We would still control our own destiny against them, as a victory over them would move them to 2-4 in the division compared to our 3-3, with a head to head split. Detroit would be a different story. If Detroit finishes 9-7, we would be going home if the tie had been a loss, regardless of what the Bears do, and regardless of whether or not we also finished 9-7. So yes, we could still overtake 8-6 Chicago on our own if we had lost to Minnesota, but would need help against 7-7 Detroit.
Now let's take a look at the implications of if we had won against Minnesota. We would be 8-6, tied with Chicago. We would STILL need a win, or at least tie, against Chicago to win the division. The reason is if we lost to them, we could do no better than 9-7, they could do no worse, and they would win the tiebreaker over us on the head to head sweep. Even if Detroit tied to make a 3 way tie, Detroit wins any 3 way tiebreaker on division record.
The one and only advantage of winning versus tying would be that we could afford to lose against the Steelers IF the Lions also lose on Sunday at home to the Giants (unlikely). If not, we would again lose control of our destiny as the Lions. This is not too different from our current situation (can afford to lose against the Steelers only if the Lions and Bears also lose).
So as confusing as that all may be, this should sum it up: the tie helps us a lot, and most likely will not hurt us at all. We do not control our own destiny right now without that tie.