CHICAGO — There are only so many different ways you can talk about the situation the Cubs are staring down.

It’s win-or-go-home time.

Talk is cheap. Actions are all that matters at this point, with the entire season on the line.

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Yet Cubs manager Craig Counsell still found an inspirational way to share his own perspective before Game 3 of the NLDS with his team trailing 2-0.

“Part of being great at this is responding to the bad stuff and running towards it, man,” Counsell said during the NLDS workout day Tuesday at Wrigley Field. “That’s part of this. And you can’t be afraid of it. You got to look forward to it.

“It happens sometimes. We put ourselves in a hole this series, no question about it. We get to decide how the story ends.”

The Cubs do get to decide how their season ends. And they know that, despite how the first two games of this series have gone, they are not yet eliminated.

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Returning home to Wrigley Field for Game 3 could provide the jolt of energy the Cubs need.

“Wrigley is a special place,” Counsell said. “Your moments here are remembered, and that’s the biggest thing. What I’ve learned is that this place — when you think it can’t provide more, it provides more.

“I think it did it for us last week. … But I think it’s just the place. The place has a wonderful way of doing it.”

The Cubs’ season is not over yet. It is still within the realm of possibility that this fall ends with Counsell and Co. hoisting the World Series trophy — even if Cubs fans may have a hard time envisioning that right now.

There are a lot of areas the Cubs need to clean up in their game if they’re going to even win one game against the Milwaukee Brewers — let alone three games.

But to a man, the Cubs also understand that they can’t worry about how they’re going to win Game 5 Saturday in Milwaukee — or Game 4 Thursday night at Wrigley Field.

Before they get into any of that, they need simply to win Wednesday evening.

“Games 1 and 2 didn’t go the way we wanted,” said Cubs Game 3 starter Jameson Taillon Tuesday. “That being said, all we can focus on is tomorrow. If we want to make a run at this thing and try to come back, we have to win tomorrow. You can’t look too far ahead.

“How that pertains to me is just doing my job, going out there and setting the tone. Preparing the right way, taking notes, watching video, going about my process the right way and making sure I’m buttoned up and ready to go.

“I totally agree with that. It starts tomorrow and obviously being a starting pitcher, hopefully I can do my job and set the tone. And see where that can take us.”