The Saints will welcome the Bears for Wild Card weekend
The NFL made the playoffs seven teams, not six, and because of that, the New Orleans Saints will play on Wild Card weekend, taking on the Chicago Bears.
In a perfect world, the 12-4 New Orleans Saints would’ve been able to get that coveted first-round bye. However, the league has made it seven per conference, meaning the second seed doesn’t get a bye.
The Saints were so close to it as well since the Seahawks made a meaningless comeback to down the 49ers. It was only meaningless because the Bears could’ve held up their end of the bargain and defeat the Packers, who with that win, sealed up the top seed in the conference.
Now, the Saints will get to have their revenge on a Bears team that couldn’t get them the top seed. New Orleans will welcome the Bears, who are the NFC’s seventh seed, in the Wild Card round next weekend.
In a phenomenal overtime victory, the Saints defeated the Bears on November 1. That was in the middle of the Saints’ nine-game win streak, and it was a battle that they’ll have to face again. However, it’ll likely be Mitchell Trubisky and not Nick Foles.
For New Orleans, they will be getting Michael Thomas back, and given his already-developed chemistry with Drew Brees, it should be like he didn’t miss a beat. Deonte Harris and others that may have been sidelined should be available as well.
Hopefully, the Saints, who used Ty Montgomery as a running back in Week 17, will also get Alvin Kamara off the Covid-19 list. Kamara has been the team’s most lethal offensive option this season.
No Wild Card weekend is necessarily easy. These are professionals that can all play at an ultra-high level; however, this should be the matchup that the Saints want. It’ll two top defenses that take the field.
The Saints’ much-better offense is likely the difference-maker. Allen Robinson could be a problem, but Marshon Lattimore should be able to lock up the elite receiver.
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That said, New Orleans should open as heavy favorites as they welcome the Bears to the Big Easy.