Bear-free weekend :: Site Title

If the Bears win their remaining two games as they have pledged to do, they will finish 10-6. Only five teams since the playoffs expanded in 1990 have missed the postseason with 10-6 records, according to the Elias Sports Bureau: the 1991 Eagles, the 1991 49ers, the 2003 Dolphins, the 2005 Chiefs and the 2007 Browns. So with the Bears in a position to lose all tiebreakers with the NFC North-leading Vikings and a half-game out of the NFC wild-card picture -- thank you, parity -- they need some help. That gives the Bears and their fans rooting interests in a handful of games Sunday and Monday involving wild-card possibilities and division leaders.

The Bucs likely will be in the playoffs so it would help the Bears if they could make the Falcons 8-6. The Bears would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Falcons -- remember those 11 seconds? -- so they need Atlanta to lose their next two to Tampa Bay and Minnesota before they finish with a gimme against the Rams.

The Redskins still have an outside shot at the playoffs with a 7-6 record and a favorable schedule beginning with the Bengals and Cedric Benson, who hasn't said anything stupid in at least two days.

Rating: One star: If you have any holiday decorations to put up, this three-hour block would be the time.

The Packers are essentially out of it at 5-8, but the Bears can ROOT for them to get drilled anyway, out of habit.

This is the game of the day as far as the Bears are concerned, and the first of three tough opponents for the Vikings. One Bears veteran said if the Vikings can win the division after playing the Cardinals, Falcons and Giants down the stretch, they deserve the title. The Cardinals may exhale after clinching the NFC West last week as Kurt Warner starts shopping for authors to write his comeback story.

Rating: Four stars: Find the most comfortable chair in front of the biggest TV -- the Williams Wall requires a big screen.

Feuding Cowboys have the Giants, the Ravens and the Eagles in succession so a berth once considered their birthright is not assured. The Bears must hope the demise in D-Town begins now.

Rating: Three stars: The Cowboys saga could offer more drama than "Desperate Housewives" in competing time slot, but keep those Christmas cards nearby in case it turns into a Giant blowout.

The Eagles might be the hottest team in the NFC so team officials might want to start explaining playoff tiebreaker procedures to Donovan McNabb now so he understands them fully by Week 17.

Rating: One star: The only fun will be seeing how many series it takes for Tony Kornheiser to forget the first name of the Browns' starting quarterback and call him Tommy Dorsey -- his name is Ken.