This week, while I was in traffic listening the the Score's new "All Theo Epstein All The Time" format. I considered some post-season possibilities. The season could easily end with the standings as they are today, which puts the Bears in the playoffs as WC2. Obviously, 10,000 more things are going to happen this season. Obviously also, you might just think that the Bears are a bad team and will soon be 4-5, but a few things about the conference are becoming clear.

The South is not as strong as predicted. NO will take it, and the Bears have the tie-breakers to keep any other South team out of a WC slot.

Any of three teams might win the East, but no WC will come from there. That division seems to be always evenly matched, it will just produce a winner and a bunch of 8-8 records.

The West will produce a strong winner in SF. No WC as usual.

The North: likely two WCs, but with the Lions fading a bit.

Playoffs likely go like this:

WC1
______________
Div 4 NYG . . . ________________
. . ______________
. Div 1 Packers


Div 3 Niners
. ______________
WC 2 . . . ________________
. . ______________
. . Div 2 Saints

Saints and Niners could easily reverse position on each other, but they are going to be in the same bracket no matter what. The Bears are the likely WC2, but WC1 is within reach.

The Bears need the WC1. The Bears would never beat both the Niners and the Saints on the road. And I don't even want to think about the Bears offensive line jumping in a play-off atmosphere dome. I can see Cutler covering his earholes and dropping F-bombs right now.

The Bears just have to handle the Giants, which is doable. Then, if any sloppy 10-6/9-7 can beat the the Packers at home, it's the Bears. You know Dave Toub is going to get some points that day. He's saving something up, and it's going to be the one he thought was better than that masterpiece punt return he ran with Hester and Knox. It will be a weather game, with nothing too flashy from Rogers. There will be plenty of things to avenge, and score to settle, as there always are in this rivalry.

It could be some kind of a 23-20 mess that the Bears just might, with everything going right, win. After that all they have to do is brush off the Niners. Then Lovie, on the neutral field, out-coaches Belichek. What could go wrong?

This posting system is messing with my brackets.

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The Cubs, I mean Sox, won, I mean lost--Tommy Williams.

If the Bears are WC2, they'd play the Packers in the second round, not the Saints, due to reseeding. Of course I don't like their prospects of beating the Niners and Packers back-to-back on the road any more than I like their chances of beating Niners-Saints.

here's a diorama that should explain it.











HALFTIME!!!!




... six to eight hours later ...

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That's a road to heartbreak, friend.

I wish you luck on the journey but I just can't travel that path with you.

Right now, I am hoping the Bears win one of the next two.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

There are no gimmes in November. Anyone who thinks that the Eagles' game next Monday night in Philadelphia is a "W" is kidding themselves, especially after what they did to Tony Romo's Cowboys last night on the "Al & Cris Show".

As for the rest of November, FOX Sports and the NFL have moved the rematch with Matthew Stafford & the Lions from Noon to 3:15p at Soldier Field November 13th. Chances are better than even money that the game will be designated as "America's Game of the Week" with Joe Buck, Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver providing the call.

The Bears then get their first of 2 mandatory games on the "NFL on CBS" November 20th, also a 3:15p start vs. Jay Cutler's buddy (NOT!) Philip Rivers and the Chargers on the Lakefront. Might that also mean Jim Nantz and Mac's buddy (NOT!) Phil Simms get this game on CBS Sports?

Last but not least, right after Thanksgiving time, the Bears face a Raiders' team that may or may not have one of two things come November 27th in Oakland at 3:05p on the "NFL on FOX". One, might Carson Palmer be the starting QB for Hue Jackson's team? Two, might Jason Campbell, who some have reported as out for the season with a broken collarbone, be back for this game? If there's one thing those guys seem to do very well, it's running the football.

I think the Lion game is a more likely victory.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.