DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

- There were certainly plenty of people who saw the Lions going down to Dallas and beating a sub par Cowboys team. But did anyone seem them getting down by 24 points and having to rally for the second straight week on the road? This team is legit and I can’t wait to see how they’ll fare in a couple weeks when they play the Packers. The best part about seeing the Lions go 4-0 is that I know Tom “Killer” Kowalski is watching somewhere. Killer had been the Lions beat writer for MLive.com over the last two decades before abruptly passing away in his home before the season started. Him and I worked together at WDFN in Detroit and while he’s greatly missed, there’s no way he’s missing Lions mania right now. They’re finally doing it, Killer…

- When I previewed Week 4 on Thursday I wrote about how Sunday’s trip to Cincinnati was going to be a good test for the Bills, even though they were playing a 1-2 Bengals team. I wrote that because the Bills were coming off an emotional win against the Patriots and now had to travel to play a team they were expected to beat. I even told my father that this was the day the Bills lose their first game. When they took a 17-3 lead I was ready to eat my words but in a blink of an eye, the Bengals were kicking a game-winning field goal to improve to 2-2 on the season. The Bills are a good young team but they’re not good enough to overlook any opponent.

- You know, it’s rather amazing. The lockout was supposed to hurt teams with new coaching staffs and yet the 49ers are 3-1 under Jim Harbaugh and could have very easily been 4-0 had they not collapsed against Dallas in Week 2. It’s a long season but what a great job he’s done so far making the transition from Stanford to the pros. When they were down 23-3 today in Philadelphia, the Niners could have easily packed it in. But they didn’t and I think that’s a testament to Harbaugh. What a great day for comebacks and what a great win for San Fran.

- Cam Newton almost threw for 400 yards again – and against Chicago, no less. I thought he would struggle against the Bears’ Tampa 2 and he did throw a pick-six early in the game. But man-oh-man is he an athletic marvel. At this point I guess I should stop including him in the “Didn’t See that Coming” section, but I continue to be amazed at what this kid can do so early in his career.

AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM…

- Hey Rex Ryan, your old defense is a lot better than your current one right now. That’s back-to-back weeks your team has lost by double-digits and you haven’t even played the Patriots yet. Not good.

- For as much respect as he deserved playing in the second half of that San Francisco game two weeks ago despite suffering broken ribs and a punctured lung, Tony Romo equally deserves to be vilified today. There’s no reason why Dallas didn’t beat Detroit but 30 points after building a 27-3 lead. But Romo virtually gave the game away on his own. Those interceptions he threw were pathetic. PATHETIC. All of Canada can smell his wretchedness today.

- Hey Rob Ryan, what do you think of Calvin Johnson now? When asked about trying to defend Megatron earlier this week, Ryan said: “We work against better receivers with Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. They are probably two of the premier receivers in football, but this guy is right there. He’s almost that good. He’s excellent.” He’s almost that good? No, he’s in the top 5 – if not the top 2. For those wondering, Johnson finished with eight catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ come-from-behind victory today in Dallas. He also caught the game-winner in the closing minutes. Pfff, almost that good. Please…

- Kevin Kolb needs to start earning that five-year, $63 million contract he signed in the offseason. The Cardinals have lost their last three games despite having the ball in the closing minutes with a chance to win in all three. That reflects poorly on the quarterback. Kolb took four sacks (including an inexcusable one on the Cards’ last possession), threw more interceptions (1) than touchdowns (0), and lost a fumble in Arizona’s loss to New York on Sunday. Derek Anderson could have done that.

- How the hell was that Victor Cruz play not a fumble? He may have given himself up but he didn’t slide feet-first or kneel on the ball, thus prompting an end-of-the-play whistle. He stumbled, wasn’t touched by a defender, and then flipped the ball forward as the Cardinals jumped on it. That was a fumble and it proved the difference in the game. That said, I liked what Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt said following the loss. In a nutshell, he said that the game should have never came down to that play and he was right. The Cards were up by 10 with just over five minutes remaining in the game. They should have won without needing that play to be ruled a fumble.

- The Broncos lost 49-23 today and neither Tim Tebow nor Brady Quinn took a snap. Kyle Orton may have thrown three touchdown passes but he also tossed a very Tony Romo-like three interceptions as well. He was brutal and the Broncos weren’t going to mount some massive comeback, so why didn’t John Fox take a look at Tebow or Quinn? If he’s not going to play either of them in a rout, when is he going to play them? It’s mind-boggling.

- How much more of a beating can Ben Roethlisberger continue to take? Last year he played through a broken foot and now he may have broken the other one. He’s a tough dude but the guy can’t play with two bad wheels. Pittsburgh has got to fix its offensive line.

- Hello David Garrard? This is the Miami Dolphins…

- I’m sorry but Michael Vick seems like the same arrogant, immature person to me. Did you hear his comments to the media following the Eagles’ inexcusable choke-job to the 49ers today? “Do I really have to answer that question?” Yeah Mike, you do. And drop the attitude while you’re at it.

- The Eagles are example No. 501 that stockpiling a bunch of free agents in the offseason doesn’t always lead to cohesion and victories. And don’t expect this team to figure things out soon. Andy Reid has a real mess on his hands.

- A tale of two NFC teams: The Packers take a 28-17 lead at halftime, score a touchdown midway through the third quarter to make the game 35-17, and then keep their foot on the pedal. Final score? Packers 49, Broncos 23. The Falcons build a 27-7 lead early in the third quarter, largely using the hurry up offense with Matt Ryan and by staying balanced offensively. But almost immediately after Matt Bryant’s 50-yard field goal with 13:40 left in the third, the Falcons go into prevent mode defensively and try to run the clock out offensively. In other words, they not only take their foot off the pedal but they completely get off the highway and take the scenic route home. Final score? Falcons 30, Seahawks 28. And if Pete Carroll doesn’t foolishly attempt a 61-yard filed goal in the closing seconds, Atlanta is 1-3 on the year instead of 2-2.

- Speaking of Pete Carroll: What on earth was he thinking attempting a 61-yarder with 13 seconds remaining instead of going for it on 4th and 8 from Atlanta’s 43-yard-line? I realize that converting a 4th and 8 isn’t easy. But I like my odds of getting a first down better than I do of Steven Hauschka kicking a freaking 61-yarder. I don’t care if he was booting them from that range in warm ups: All kickers hit from that range in warm ups. It’s no surprise the kick wasn’t even close to going through the uprights.

- I don’t know what offense was more inept this weekend: the Browns or Ohio State’s.

- So much for the Rams winning the NFC West. They’ll be lucky to win four games at this rate.

CHAMPIONSHIP…

- Aaron Rodgers looks like he’s playing against a bunch of Pop Warner kids every Sunday. Several times today I said to myself, “Shame on that Aaron Rodgers. Look at him throwing all of those touchdown passes on that poor Pop Warner team. He ought to be embarrassed.” It’s amazing that Green Bay can go from Brett Favre to this guy and other franchises go decades without finding one decent quarterback.

- Call it lucky, controversial or whatever, but give Eli Manning and the Giants credit for mounting that fourth quarter comeback in Arizona today. It’s not easy to play a physical divisional game on the road last week and then turn around and fly cross-country seven days later. But the G-Men did. They’re certainly tougher than their NFC East rivals, the Eagles.

- Do you think the Ravens’ defense was fired up to play their former coordinator Rex Ryan tonight? And follow up question: Do you think the Ravens took their wake up call against the Titans two weeks ago seriously? Destroying an 0-4 Rams team is one thing. Destroying a good Jets team is quite another. Baltimore looks goooood.

- Granted, Tarvaris Jackson actually played well on Sunday but tell me why again the Seahawks didn’t need Matt Hasselbeck? The 36-year-old is on pace for 4,608 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Clearly the man still has plenty left in the tank.

- What are the Patriots now, 687-0 after a loss? They were impressive today. The Raiders are competitive and it’s never easy for any team to fly cross-country and win. (And not only look good doing it.) But that’s what the Pats did. They always take losses seriously and it shows when they win the following week.

- That, right there, is the signature win that the Texans have been searching for. No, the Steelers haven’t looked great this season but they’re still the Steelers. Losing Andre Johnson was a killer but guys like Arian Foster stepped up. This is the Texans year to finally claim the AFC South, but they need to keep playing hard for 16 weeks. Hopefully for they’re sake Tennessee continues to play well so that Houston is pushed from here on out. This isn’t a team that needs to cruise into the playoffs and then go one-and-down because they weren’t challenged. Keep them focused, Gary Kubiak.

- Bengal fans had to have appreciated what Andy Dalton did in the second half today. After a rough first half, the rookie completed 11 of 16 passes for 182 yards in the second. On the Bengals’ game-winning drive, he connected on 3 of 4 passes for 46 yards and converted a third down by using his legs. Big win for the young pup.

With the lockout in the rearview mirror, NFL fans can now put away their “Lawyer Jargon for Dummies” textbooks and start hitting the rumor mill once again.

Since I’m a fun guy who likes to have some fun and enjoys a little fun, I’ve decided to have a little fun by trying to predict where some of the top free agents will land over the next two weeks. Remember, this is all for fun and is not to be taken too seriously. If you’re the asswipe who reads these things and immediately gets in a tizzy because you disagree, then be aware of my one and only rule when it comes to predictions: Don’t criticize me if you don’t have the stones to leave your own predictions in the comments section.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s have some good ol’ fashion family fun! (Have I overused that word yet? Did the joke land? It wasn’t funny in the first place? All right…) Here are 10 free agents and my predictions for where they might land. In the “Hedging my bet with” section, I list an alternative to where I think said free agent may wind up.

Nnamdi Asomugha, CB: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It has been reported that the 2011 NFL salary cap will (roughly) be around $120 million, which leaves the Bucs with (roughly) $60 million to spend in free agency. Of course, that doesn’t mean that cheapo Malcolm Glazer will open his wallet, but we do know that the new CBA comes with a salary cap floor. Thus, teams like the Bucs will have to spend something in free agency. The Bucs have built a solid, young core centered around quarterback Josh Freeman. With Aqib Talib’s legal situation up in the air, they have a definite need at corner and if teams like the Eagles, Cowboys and Jets feel as though Asomugha’s price tag is too steep, maybe the Bucs will step in and shell out big money to land the top free agent on the market. (And if you’re wondering about whether or not Asomugha is a fit for Raheem Morris’ defensive scheme, don’t worry about it because the man is a fit for every defense.)
Hedging my bet with: New York Jets

DeAngelo Williams, RB: Carolina Panthers
The emergence of Mike Goodson and Jonathan Stewart make Williams expendable but the Panthers are still the frontrunners to retain him in my eyes. He says he wants to stay in Carolina and while he’d be a fool to not at least test the market, I think he’ll eventually stay put. The Panthers realize they need a good stable of running backs no matter who starts at quarterback this season, so re-signing Williams is still a priority despite expanding rolls for Goodson and Stewart.
Hedging my bet with: New York Giants.

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB: New York Giants
If my prediction for DeAngelo Williams comes to fruition, then I don’t see Bradshaw playing for anyone but the Giants this season. He has to realize that his best opportunity to be a feature back remains in New York, even though the Giants have shown a willingness to keep Brandon Jacobs around. If Bradshaw can stay healthy and stop putting the ball on the ground, he should be Tom Coughlin’s primary back.
Hedging my bet with: Miami Dolphins.

Santonio Holmes, WR: Washington Redskins
The Jets will make re-signing Holmes there top priority, but I have a feeling that he’ll go where the money is. Granted, Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen make all the decisions now in D.C. But Daniel Snyder still sets the tone and seeing as how desperate the Skins are to add offensive playmakers, this could be a great fit.
Hedging my bet with: New York Jets.

Jonathan Joseph, CB: Detroit Lions
A few months ago I was convinced that the Lions would break the bank for Asomugha. But there have been reports out of Detroit that suggest they won’t pursue the top corner on the market despite their glaring need at the position. Instead, the Lions could “settle” for the 27-year-old Joseph, who is coming off a down year but played exceptionally well in 2009. He’s physical and aggressive, which is exactly what head coach Jim Schwartz desires in a corner. I predict this to be the Lions one biggish (for lack of a better word) signing this summer.
Hedging my bet with: San Francisco 49ers.

Sidney Rice, WR: New England Patriots
There are several potential landing spots for Rice this summer, none bigger than Chicago and Washington. In fact, if my prediction for Holmes falls through, I could definitely see Rice in a Redskins uniform this season. That said, this is where Bill Belichick works his magic. The Patriots don’t necessarily need a true No. 1 to win, but I could see Belichick convincing Rice to sign an incentive-laden deal (because of his injury history) just to play in New England with Tom Brady. Then after he blows it up for a year, the Patriots will give him a new contract and once again cash in on the Vikings’ misery.
Hedging my bet with: Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, and St. Louis Rams.

Cullen Jenkins, DE: Washington Redskins
Jenkins is the top 3-4 defensive end on the market but he’s scheme-diverse in that he could play in a 4-3 as well. Methinks the Redskins and Broncos are his top suitors heading into free agency and Jenkins has already expressed interest in signing with Washington, making D.C. a solid fit for him all around.
Hedging my best with: Denver Broncos.

Ray Edwards, DE: Philadelphia Eagles
I fully admit that I had the Falcons listed after Edwards’ name when I first posted this article, but this report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (which admittedly slipped past me when I took my daily trip around the newspaper world on Monday) has forced me to change my mind. (Don’t worry: I kept one finger on this paragraph just in case, so my editing it is totally legal.) Apparently the Falcons are not interested in Edwards and are content with their current defensive end rotation, making the Eagles the new favorites to land the soon-to-be-former Viking. Like many teams around the league, Philly has a need for a pass rusher and Edwards is one of the top 4-3 defensive ends available (especially after the Panthers re-signed Charles Johnson to a massive deal on Tuesday).
Hedging my bet with: Cleveland Browns.

Vince Young, QB: Buffalo Bills
Young isn’t a free agent yet but he will be once the Titans release him. He won’t draw interest as a starter and while there have been rumors that he wants to play for the Dolphins, I don’t see Miami pursing him. The Bills didn’t draft their quarterback of the future in April and while Ryan Fitzpatrick is certainly capable, Buffalo needs to bring in more competition at the position. Chan Gailey likes mobile quarterbacks so maybe Young could resurrect his career in a city desperate for a winner.
Hedging my bet with: Seattle Seahawks.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB: Tennessee Titans
Mike Munchak has already stated that he wants a veteran quarterback that can come in this season and not only start, but also teach rookie Jake Locker. That sounds like Matt Hasselbeck to me, who is seemingly on the outs in Seattle.
Hedging my best with: Seattle Seahawks.

Dave Mahler of 950 KJR in Seattle tweets that he the Seahawks have offered the Eagles a first and a third round pick for quarterback Kevin Kolb. Mahler says that he hears this “from a source.”

But following his tweet, Mahler did qualify his statements via his Facebook page:

“Deal I reported yesterday was made sometime in the last 4 months..I think it says more about where Hasselbeck is on the priority list in Seattle than it does about the chances of Kolb coming. Eagles since offer have also reportedly expresssed desire to trade for players instead of picks.”

Speaking of Hasselbeck, the Nashville Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt writes that Hasselbeck could still be on the Titans’ radar.

“I’m talking about three members of the front office, all have ties to Seattle,” Wyatt said. “They know Matt Hasselbeck. Likely Jake Locker knows Matt Hasselbeck because he’s worked with him.”

Re-signing Kerry Collins would make a lot of sense for the Titans, although it’s not like the new coaching staff has an allegiance to Collins so maybe Hasselbeck would be a fit there. Either way, the Titans need to bring in a veteran quarterback to help take some of the pressure off Locker’s shoulders. Even if it’s a forgone conclusion that a rookie will start, no head coach wants to just hand a young player a job without making him earn it first. (Especially a young quarterback as raw as Locker.)

Getting back to Seattle, I wonder if the Hawks will eventually decide to bypass trading for Kolb and give Charlie Whitehurst a chance to succeed as the full-time starter. Outside of his solid play against the Rams in Week 17 last year (a game that won the NFC West and lifted Seattle into the playoffs), it’s not like Whitehurst has shown that he deserves a full-time opportunity. But the Seahawks did trade a third-round pick and swapped second rounders with San Diego to acquire him from the Chargers in 2010, so they may decide to give him a shot.

We’ll see. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Kolb when the lockout finally lifts.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is not expected to return to the Seahawks in 2011.

From Rotoworld.com:

Schefter made this statement on NFL Live, and ESPN’s John Clayton — a former Seahawks beat writer — has been saying the same. Charlie Whitehurst is the only Seattle quarterback under contract, and OC Darrell Bevell’s ties to free agent Tarvaris Jackson could lead to another offseason addition. Neither Whitehurst nor Jackson is a starting-caliber quarterback, however.

Interesting that a report like this would come out two weeks after the Seahawks failed to address their need at quarterback via the draft. As Rotoworld points out, Whitehurst will have the opportunity to earn the starting job but one has to believe that Pete Carroll will make a run at Carson Palmer, Kevin Kolb, Kyle Orton or Vince Young when/if they become available when/if the lockout is lifted. (Palmer would make the most sense because of his ties to Carroll at USC, but he’s not the long-term fix the Seahawks need so Seattle may take a pass if Cincinnati makes him available.)

If Hasselbeck is indeed done in Seattle, the Dolphins may be a fit. The Redskins could also be interested too, as Hasselbeck is familiar with Mike Shanahan’s system having played 13 years in the West Coast Offense.

Ah, Twitter. Where athletes without internal filters can get into trouble using 140 words or less.

Earlier this week, Jets’ cornerback Antonio Cromartie bashed the NFL and player’s union for the lack of progress in the CBA negotiations. Several players, including Ray Lewis and Darnell Dockett, took issue with what Cromartie had to say and publicly supported the union.

Seahawks’ quarterback Matt Hasselbeck took things a step further by taking a cheap shot at Cromartie’s intelligence by tweeting: “Somebody ask Cromartie if he knows what CBA stands for.”

According to ESPN, the tweet was later removed but not before Cromartie found out about it. The cornerback’s response was nothing short of, well, something Antonio Cromartie would say.

“hey Matt if u have something to then say it be a man about it. Don’t erase it. I will smash ur face in.”

Realizing he said something stupid and knowing full well that the corner would in fact smash his face in, Hasselbeck quickly issued an apology to Cromartie on Twitter using the standard, “Hey man, I was just kidding about what I said earlier!” excuse.

“Sorry for the joke man. No hard feelings,” a tweet from his account said. “DB’s & QB’s have a hard time getting along I guess sometimes. lol.”

Not phased by what any of his NFL mates had to say about his comments earlier this week, Cromartie also defended himself against Lewis and Dockett.

“I don’t give a who about Ray Lewis or [Darnell Dockett] talking about what I said,” Cromartie said in a message posted on his Twitter account, according to the New York Daily News.

“There’s 10′s of thousand ppl who will lose jobs. They taking our healthcare away and for players that have surgery can’t even get rehab once March 3rd gets here.”

What’s interesting is that most fans would agree with Cromartie’s take on the situation. There needs to be less banter and more progress so that we have football next season. But the players don’t need one of their own bashing their union when they’re trying to show a united front. It definitely doesn’t help their cause when one player is telling another that he would smash his face in.

What a mess.

Here are five thoughts on the Bears’ impressive 35-24 victory over the Seahawks in the Divisional Round on Sunday.

1. What inexperience?
Jay Cutler did Sunday what Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan couldn’t this weekend: Elevate his game when it mattered most. For all the talk about his lack of postseason experience, Cutler played like a 10-year playoff veteran on Sunday. He set the tone early with a picture-perfect 58-yard touchdown pass to Greg Olsen on the Bears’ third offensive play from scrimmage and then showed pure grit and determination on his 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. On the day, he was 15-of-28 passing for 274 yards with four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) and zero interceptions (although he came close to throwing a couple of picks, including one at the goal line). Cutler has really put a lot of his past troubles behind him and deserves praise for his unflappable play on Sunday. He was highly impressive.

2. Cutler also got a lot of help from his offensive line.
The Bears’ O-line has taken a lot of heat for its play over the last couple of years, and deservedly so. But they’ve been a transformed unit since midway through the season and a lot of credit goes to Mike Tice and Lovie Smith for moving guys around to better match their strengths (and quite frankly, hide their weaknesses, too). Cutler was excellent but he also had plenty of time to survey the field and pick apart Seattle’s overmatched secondary. His front five did an outstanding job swallowing the Seahawks’ pass-rushers and keeping them out of the backfield.

3. That’s Bear defense right there.
The final score doesn’t do the Bears justice. Their defense played out of its mind for three quarters and that’s about as aggressive as I’ve seen Chicago’s secondary play all season. Unlike other teams who like to play their corners 10 yards off the ball and give opponents easy yards via slants and screens, the Bears’ DBs suffocated Seattle’s wideouts all afternoon. Granted, nobody outside of Brandon Stokley fought back, but credit still goes to the Bears’ corners for bringing the fight to them right from the start. Once again, Julius Peppers failed to record a sack but he got pressure on Hasselbeck all day. You have to focus on him to really appreciate what he does for that defense. He helped paved the way for fellow linemen like Tommie Harris, who did rack up two sacks. Without a doubt, J-Pepp was worth the money the Bears spent this offseason.

4. Martz should still scare the bejesus out of Bear fans.
It makes sense that Mike Martz would attempt a halfback pass when his team was up 28-3 and in complete control of the game early in the fourth quarter. I mean, when all you need to do is run out the clock and put a bow on that sucker, the right decision is to have Matt Forte take a direct snap on a 1st and 10 from your own 43-yard-line and attempt a pass. The pure fact that Forte threw the ball right to Aaron Curry (who returned the gift to Chicago’s 33-yard-line to set up Seattle’s first touchdown) was a pure fluke.

All kidding aside, that’s the crap that Martz has been criticized for in the past and needs to stop. I’m sure Forte was instructed to run the ball if a receiver wasn’t wide open and a defender wasn’t within 20 yards, but why even call that play? The only reason the Seahawks even had a field goal at that point was because of a great kickoff return. Just stay the course next time, Martz. But to be fair, he really did call a great game. The play action pass to Kellen Davis late in the fourth quarter was outstanding.

5. The Seahawks were who we thought they were.
The Seahawks gave football fans an upset for the ages last weekend, but they once again looked like a different team on the road. The final score doesn’t tell the whole story, because this team was dominated on Sunday. Hasselbeck played pretty well, but Chicago’s front seven owned Seattle’s O-line and his receivers dropped way too many passes. I know he wound up reaching the end zone at the end of the game, but Charles Tillman absolutely abused Mike Williams, who clearly wanted nothing to do with running routes, catching passes or trying to help his team win. Hopefully he remembered his purse when he cleaned out his locker following the game. He wasn’t the only one who played like he still had a hangover from last week, either. Most defenders would love to have a clean shot at a quarterback when he’s running, but safety Earl Thomas tried to arm tackle Cutler in the second quarter and the Bears’ signal caller muscled his way into the end zone. When the Bears got up 14-0, Seattle’s defense packed it in. And hey, who could blame them? They were on the field for the entire first half because their offense was trying to see if it could set the record for most three-and-outs in a single game. I’d like to personally thank the Falcons and Seahawks for sucking all the life out of these playoffs.

6. The media gets the match up it craved.
At the start of the postseason, the media wanted one of two matchups for the NFC Championship Game: Michael Vick vs. his former team in Atlanta or Packers-Bears in Chicago. And as soon as Tramon Williams intercepted Vick last Sunday in Philadelphia, most of the media turned into Cheeseheads. Well, thanks to the Falcons and Seahawks giving the Packers and Bears a couple of free wins this weekend, ESPN can blow their load talking about this Green Bay-Chicago matchup for the next six days. Just think, if the Bears would have done their jobs and finished off Green Bay in Week 17, they wouldn’t have to worry about trying to defend a red-hot Packers team next weekend. (Sorry if I sounded like a bitter Falcons fan in this last point. It’s probably because I’m a bitter Falcons fan who had to watch my team get steamrolled by the juggernaut that is the Green Bay Aaron Rodgers.)

Matchup: Seahawks (8-9) @ Bears (11-5)
Kickoff: 1:00PM ET, Sunday

1. Will inconsistency doom the Seahawks again?
There have been seven separate occasions this year when the Seahawks have played at home and then gone on the road the following week. In those seven games, they went 0-7 and lost by an average margin of 23.6 points. Last week the Hawks played at home and pulled off the upset of the year by knocking off the defending champs. But they won’t have home field advantage or the element of surprise this week when they travel to Solider Field. Can Seattle finally put together back-to-back solid performances and pull off another upset? Or will their issues with consistency burn them again?

2. How will Cutler play in his first-ever postseason game?
The Seahawks do have one distinct advantage over the Bears this weekend, which is that their quarterback has postseason experience and Chicago’s doesn’t. Matt Hasselbeck has played in a Super Bowl. Before this season, Jay Cutler never had a winning seasons at either the college or pro level. Will his lack of inexperience cost the Bears this Sunday or will he rise to the challenge like he did against the Eagles and Jets earlier this year? Seattle ranks 29th in total defense and 30th against the pass. This is a unit that Cutler has to torch. He can’t throw three interceptions and have Devin Hester and his defense bail him out. He’s had a great season but now is the time to elevate his game.

3. Will the Seahawks kick to Hester?
The answer to this question should be no, but sometimes special teams coaches and punters think that they’re smarter than everyone and kick to him anyway. If he gets an opportunity to return a punt, it’s not a question of “if” he’ll put the Bears in good field position but, “at what yard line are the Bears going to start in their opponent’s territory?” Brian Schneider has a tough job this week in trying to figure out a way to neutralize Hester the best he can. If it were me, I’d be telling punter Jon Ryan to get as much distance on the kick as possible but to make sure the ball eventually lands out of bounds. There’s no reason to give Hester a chance to return the ball, even for a team like Seattle, which has had good special teams play this season.

4. Will Martz stay balanced?
This is right around the time of year when Mike Martz wants to go back to proving to people how smart he is. But he must keep his offense balanced. Following back-to-back losses to the Seahawks and Redskins in Weeks 6-7, Lovie Smith tightened the reins on Martz during the Bears’ Week 8 bye. The team also shuffled its offensive line around to take advantage of his personnel’s strengths and hide their weaknesses. The result was a six-game winning streak for Chicago, which only ended when the Bears ran into the buzz saw that is the New England Patriots. Martz is a better playcaller when his offense remains balanced. Cutler is a better quarterback when Matt Forte runs the ball more than six times a game. Now isn’t the time for Martz to go off script: he needs to stick to the game plan and to continue feeding Forte in order to keep defense’s on their heels. There’s also no need to try to throw vertical every down when Cutler is more efficient throwing short-to-intermediate passes. Even though they’re playing a Seattle team that only won seven games this season, the Bears still need to be at their best, and that includes Martz.

5. Can Seattle attack Chicago’s weakness?
The Bears rank 10th in total defense, second in rushing defense and fourth in scoring. But if there’s one area where they can be attacked it’s in the secondary. The Bears have given up an average of 224.2 yards per game through the air this season, which ranks them 21st in the league in that category. That said, they’re actually pretty good defending the deep pass. They’ve only allowed nine pass plays of 30-plus yards this season, which leads the NFC. But Hasselbeck actually fared well against Chicago earlier this season while completing 4 of 7 passes for 85 yards with one touchdown and a 139.9 rating on throws traveling at least 15 yards. Hasselbeck understands the Tampa 2 defense that Chicago runs better than any quarterback in the league because he has loads of experience and has played against that scheme many times before. The Bears may humiliate inexperienced quarterbacks, but chances are Hasselbeck will hold his own this Sunday. But can his offensive line protect him from Chicago’s nasty front seven? And can he beat the Bears without the threat of a running game?