By Odeisel

Today begins one of the most exciting weekends of NFL playoff action in years with rematches in the NFC and a pair of “threematches” in the AFC. Get your beer in the freezer and get on the phone with wherever you’re getting food because this weekend in the NFL is something you will not want to miss.

We’ll begin with the Seattle Seahawks, who with their 8-9 record are playing with house money. They take underdog status into storied Soldier Field to face the Chicago Bears. It’s been four years since the Bears made the playoffs but home field advantage may serve them well. Seattle hasn’t won a road game in the playoffs since a 1983 victory over the Dolphins.  

(7-9, 2-6 away) At(11-5, 5-3 home)

Key Matchups:

Quarterback:Jay Cutler has been Favre-lite this season, looking exceedingly good when he can contain himself and God-awful when he forces the action. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz has fashioned an offense that takes advantage of Cutler’s strong arm while mitigating his cowboy tendencies. Matt Hasselbeck delivered his signature game last week in dethroning the defending champs. He was gritty and effective with four touchdowns. Believe it or not, Cutler hasn’t been in a post season game since HIGH SCHOOL! The question is whether he can keep his nerves and mute his gunslinger urges and whether Hasselbeck can continue his momentum.

Advantage: Seahawks

Defense: The Bears are third in the league is takeaways and since Lovie has been the coach they’ve led the league (If you get to the Super Bowl with Shanahan’s favorite QB Rex Grossman, you need as many possessions as you can get). Julius Peppers has been chasing down quarterbacks this season like the student loan dudes and Brian Urlacher’s return to form after sitting out a year with an injury. Seattle won in Chicago earlier this year by holding on to the football. Can they maintain those sticky fingers?

Seattle likes to bring pressure from the edges with multiple blitz packages. Strong safety Lawyer Milloy served as an extra man in Seattle’s 4-3 scheme, roaming and switching back into coverage. That pressure was key to their earlier victory and likely the Bears, with an added ground game, can keep the game in the middle of the field on blitzes and take their time. Will Jay Cutler be able to stay patient?

Advantage: Bears

X-Factor: Marshawn Lynch

Don’t get it twisted, last week’s run was one for the ages, but it’s no secret that no one was exactly clamoring for his services this year. It remains to be seen if that run was a blip on the radar screen or whether it was his coming out party. If Lynch can duplicate his “Beast Mode,” it changes the complexion of the game significantly. The bears are adept at stopping the run.

X-Factor: Devin Hester

The Prime Time proclaimed greatest returner of all time is always a threat to take it to the house. Sooner or later he will get his hands on a punt or a kickoff and when that happens, Seattle’s special teams need to be able to mitigate the kind of damage that Hester is capable of. Hester is also an explosive if not consistent wide receiver so he is able to insert his big playability in two facets of the game to Lynch’s one

Advantage: Bears

It says here that while Seattle is on a roll and play carefree, since they aren’t supposed to be here that beating the Bears twice in Soldier Field is a lot. The Bears had a week off to rest some of those older players and Brian Urlacher will be going full bore. Seattle’s front line won’t be able to keep him and Peppers away from Hasselbeck. The game will be closer than people think. The Seahawks belong. But they won’t beat Da Bears.

21-17 Bears