November will be a big month for the 4-3 Bears for a lot of reasons.

No. 1 is they play four more November games after starting the month off with a win over the Browns. They're at home against the Cardinals, then at the 49ers, home vs. the Eagles, and at the Vikings.

No. 1A is that coach Lovie Smith says November is important.

"There is a part of the year where you get yourself in position (September and October)," Smith said. "You can't be out of it. By the time you get to November, that's what a team is. Early on, you're working through different things. We feel good about getting that first win in November, and this is a key month for us."

Smith made that point to his team the night before the Browns game.

"Lovie pointed out that you don't make or break your season in September and October," linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer said. "It's November and December where you really figure out what you're made of. We're 1-0 in November, and hopefully that's a sign of things to come."

In the two years that the Bears have made the playoffs under Smith, they were a combined 13-4 in November and December. In the three non-playoff seasons, they were a combined 12-13.

The Vikings are threatening to run away with the NFC North at 7-1. The Bears and Packers are tied for second in the division at 4-3, and Chicago and Green Bay trail the 5-2 Eagles and Cowboys, plus the 5-3 Giants. Even a 3-2 November would put the Bears at just 6-5 and probably leave them with slim playoff hopes and looking at a three-game December stretch that includes the Packers and Vikings at home sandwiched around a road game against the Ravens.

"We feel like we're still in good position," Smith said. "We're doing the things we need to do. We're taking care of business at home (3-0, but two of the wins are vs. the Lions and Browns). We have a lot of division games coming up later on (four of the final six games). But right now the best thing we can do is put ourselves in position to contend with the Vikings, is to win the games we have right now."