They're tied with the Packers atop the NFC North at 4-3 and have a great opportunity to take over sole possession of first place Sunday when they host the winless Lions while the Packers must travel to Nashville, Tenn., to take on the Titans, who were undefeated heading into Monday night's game against the Colts.

"I believe we have everything in our hands," defensive end Alex Brown said. "As long as we keep winning, we should stay in first place. I don't think Green Bay's going to play two games in a week, so they're not going to jump ahead of us."

Despite an uneven first seven games and a rash of injuries in the secondary, the Bears have positioned themselves for a playoff run.

Because of the bye week and the opportunity to rest and rehab, Bears coach Lovie Smith expects to have a healthier team Sunday than he's had in awhile. And it couldn't happen at a better time, with the stakes getting higher each week.

"I think football really begins when you get to November," Smith said. "That's when the separation really begins, and we want to be one of those teams that are contending in the end."

For that to happen, the defense has to play better, and no one knows that better than the players on that side of the ball.

Only three teams have allowed more passing yards per game than the Bears' 243.1, and they're averaging just 2.0 sacks per game. But they're a respectable 13th in points per game and tied for 15th in yards per game.

"We have some things that we need to work on," Brown said. "Do we suck? No, I don't think we suck. But I think we can play better. I think we've got to make more plays. Watch the film and you can see what we need to do better. I believe we will (make more plays). We've got a veteran group, and I believe that we understand what we need to do, and I believe we'll get it done."

The Bears insist they won't take the Lions lightly Sunday, even though their 34-7 victory just four weeks ago was by far their easiest of the season. The Lions remain winless, but they lost by just eight points Sunday to the 6-2 Redskins, by seven a week earlier to the Texans and by two in Week 6 to the Vikings, a team the Bears barely defeated, 48-41, in Week 7.

"The Washington Redskins are a pretty good football team," Smith said. "Except for a few big plays, Detroit gave them everything they wanted."

No one has to be reminded that the Lions beat the Bears twice last season.

"If we're not ready to play, then we won't win," Brown said. "If we expect it to be like last time, we won't win. We've got to understand that they're going to be hungry to come in here and beat us because we won a game over there."

With the Titans coming in the following week and then three straight road games, the 121/2-point favorite Bears can't afford to let the Lions steal a game they're supposed to win.