When asked, many players will tell you that having a first round BYE in the playoffs means a lot after slogging through 17 weeks of football. The rest and extra practice can often make a difference in how well a team plays in the post-season.

But if given the choice, those same players would be almost unanimous in their preference for having home field advantage throughout the playoffs and getting the coveted rest during the first round. The only problem is that there’s just one team that gets that right and after Chicago pulled off the unthinkable tonight in their 36-30 overtime victory over the Vikings, New Orleans took home the honor.

Minnesota had plenty of opportunities to win the game last night, with quarterback Brett Favre putting on an aerial display yet again, in spite of the frigid conditions. But unfortunately for the Vikings, their special teams and defense let them down once again, and instead of preparing for a huge game next week where a win would guarantee home field advantage, Minnesota is now forced into hoping for an Eagles loss in Dallas to ensure a first round BYE with the #2 seed.

As for the Saints, they couldn’t be more ecstatic right now, given the horrible way they’ve handled their business over the past two weeks, and should rest their starters next week for most of the game in Carolina. Having a chance to play two games at home in front of a raucous crowd in New Orleans for a Super Bowl trip is huge for this team, as they feed heavily off the energy their fans give them in the Superdome.

The stage is set for Philadelphia to snatch some much needed rest and practice time if they can take care of business on the road in Dallas on Sunday, which is likely to be a fairly daunting task in light of what’s on the line for the Cowboys. A win for Dallas gives them the NFC East crown and a home game in the playoffs, plus the potential for a BYE if several elements fall into the place. A loss pushes them to the bottom of the heap in the playoff picture and a major challenge to win three straight playoff games on the road to get to the Super Bowl. The Eagles on the other hand, have their future in their hands and can guarantee a BYE with just one more victory, so they’ll likely be firing on all cylinders from the start.

Having an exciting end to the regular season is what every fan wants this time of year and all in all, it’s beginning to look like the NFC side of things will not fail to impress anyone with several high powered offenses geared up for a run towards the all important #2 seed.

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