The Chicago Bears have a shot at the number one seed in the upcoming NFL playoffs this Sunday- slim as it may be- which would give them home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Quite a change from the doom and gloom forecasts from yours truly back in August, huh?

The thing is that I'm not so sure the Bears would actually benefit from it. Sitting at the number two spot would mean the only team they would have to travel to face would be the Atlanta Falcons. The falcons are a team that can grind out games on the ground if they have to with bruiser RB Michael Turner and strike deep with reception machine Roddy White.

Why on earth would a Tampa-2 based defense built around speed want to face that on possibly a snow covered Soldier Field that already has the reputation for some of the worst footing in the NFL?

We saw how that all worked out against the Patriots, didn't we? And in the recovery period from the 38-7 shellacking came the realization that this defense isn't built for snowy games.

If Adrian Peterson were healthy and Joe Webb wasn't getting his first snaps that frigid night in Minnesota, the outcome of that game may have been drastically different.

Of the other teams in the NFC playoff picture, Atlanta is the only team I see as being able to ravage the Bears on a snow covered field. The Saints are one dimensional, the Eagles need dry surfaces as well for Mike Vick, the Rams are not there yet, and the Giants are thin at WR due to injuries.

The Bears' path to the Super Bowl might just go through someone else's house.. And that should be just fine.