CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears have closed the gap on the NFC elite.
Chicago served notice Sunday night that it's a serious threat in a conference long viewed as a two-team race between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints.
By virtue of knocking off the Rams 15-6 in a game that felt like a playoff preview, the Bears not only inched closer to wrapping up their first postseason berth since 2010, they also resembled a team capable of winning in January.