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NFL Thoughts: Chicago Bears and Beyond

The Wildcard round is history, and by history I mean historic.  I don't care what your record is, if you win your division you deserve to make the playoffs.  Because once you get in the postseason anything can happen.  And don't give me the B.S. about how it wasn't fair a team with a better record had to go on the road.  Tough.  The Saints were an overwhelming favorite, but the Seahawks took care of business.  It was a historic upset with a run for the ages to seal the deal.

1)  You just know on Saturday night the Bears were happy with the Seattle upset, thus setting up a potential trip for them to Soldier Field.  But now that it's a reality, and they have a chance to break down their playoff game film, they'll see this is no ordinary 7-9 (make that 8-9) team.  Matt Hasselbeck is a playoff tested QB, they have a big threat at WR, and if they get the running game rolling it could be a really good back and forth game.

2)  I was surprised at how easily the Ravens took out the Chiefs.  I thought K.C., with that stellar run game, would be able to run on Baltimore and control the clock.  And even though Jamaal Charles was Jamaal Charles, they just kept turning the ball over.

3)  The Ravens offense held the ball for nearly 42 minutes.  Is there anything better for a top defense than a ball control offense.

4)  Colts head coach Jim Caldwell is getting torched for calling his final timeout in the 4th quarter when the Jets were driving with just 29 seconds remaining, but I think the challenge flag he threw in the 1st when the ball clearly didn't touch Santonio Holmes on the punt was equally as dumbfounding.

5)  But nothing puts the "dumb" in dumbfounding, like Holmes did himself on the play in the first place.  Was he playing a solo game of Idiot Croquet?

6)  I was really hoping the Nick Folk game winner would have snuck through the uprights with about 12 inches to spare.  The headline would have practically wrote itself.

7)  So the Dolphins flirt with the idea of hiring Jim Harbaugh, then end up extending head coach Tony Sparano anyway?  Good for Sparano for getting more money out of the deal.  And I think the 49ers got them a hell of a coach.  I know it's not much of a stretch, but they win the NFC West next year.

8)  If Green Bay has an actual running game, that changes everything.  This James Starks fellow rushed for more yards yesterday than he had all season.  Fluke or for real? 

9)  Lock down corner, and former Raider, Nnamdi Asomugha is a free agent due to a clause in his contract.  Can anyone think of a team that could use an upgrade in the secondary?

10)  So here are my early picks for the weekend games, Pittsburgh, New England, Green Bay, and Chicago.  Who you all taking?