If, as former 49ers G.M. Scot McCloughan has said with tongue supposedly planted in cheek, his current team in Seattle “beat[s] the hell out of” his former team from San Fran later today, the Packers will nail down the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff field. With the quest for perfection gone up in smoke (signals) six days ago at Arrowhead Stadium, the Packers would have nothing for which to play on Sunday night.
So the Packers would be facing a potential dilemma, especially if Saturday’s other results give the 7-7 Bears more than a glimmer of hope for a wild-card berth. Should Green Bay rest starters for all or part of the Christmas night contest? Or should the Packers try to knock their arch-rivals out of playoff contention, like the Bears tried (unsuccessfully) to do in Week 17 a year ago?
The last thing the Packers need come the middle of January is a Bears team with a healthy Matt Forte and Jay Cutler rolling back into Lambeau Field. Division foes are far less likely to be intimidated -- and far more likely to be motivated -- when they get a chance to derail a dream season. Just ask the top-seeded Cowboys in 2007, who lost to the Giants at home. Or the top-seeded Giants in 2008, who lost to the Eagles at home. Or the top-seeded Patriots in 2010, who lost to the Jets at home.
If the Niners win, it won’t matter -- the Packers will still need to win to lock down the No. 1 seed. But if the Seahawks make good on McCloughan’s laughing vow, Green Bay may have to decide whether to try to beat the Bears now, in order to ensure that they won’t have to face them later.
