The winner of the Rams-Seahawks game will most likely have to face Drew Brees and the defending Super Bowl champs in the first round.  The only other possible opponent would be the Atlanta Falcons.  For this to happen Atlanta will have to lose at home to the Carolina Panthers.  If Atlanta wins they get a first round bye and home field advantage in the NFC.  Also, for Atlanta to be a wild card team, New Orleans must beat Tampa Bay at home.  Tampa Bay must win to have a shot at the playoffs, so the game won't be so easy, but if New Orleans wins and Atlanta loses then New Orleans is the #1 seed in the NFC.

So unless Jimmy Clausen has a major epiphany between now and Sunday and realizes that it is not the spoon that bends, only himself, Atlanta should crush the Panthers and secure the #1 seed.

In all likelihood, New Orleans will be forced to play the NFC West Champions on the road in what is sure to become an NFL Films Instant Classic.

Who Dat?

This Sunday, San Francisco versus St. Louis kicks off at 1:00pm ET.  Seattle versus Tampa Bay kicks off at 4:15pm ET.  Unless the 49ers and Rams go into overtime, Pete Carroll and company should know the result of this game by around kickoff.  Even if it does go into overtime, the result should be known by the 2nd quarter.  I'm not going to go into the improbable event of a tie in any game.

There are two possible scenarios:

1. San Francisco beats St. Louis.  Seattle must win against Tampa Bay in order to be in control of their own destiny.  San Francisco would then play the Cardinals at home the following week, in what would be a meaningless game for Arizona and a very meaningful game for the 49ers.  49ers would be the clear favorites here to take the NFC West.  The outcome of Rams-Seahawks would be irrelevant should the 49ers prevail.
2. St. Louis beats San Francisco.  This is a meaningful game to the Rams since they would control their own destiny with a win.  The Tampa Bay-Seattle result would become meaningless.  The winner of the NFC West will be solely determined by the Week 17 match-up between the Seahawks and Rams at Qwest.

Let's say that you are Pete Carroll.  It's 4:15pm ET.  You've heard word that the Rams have beaten the 49ers.

• Do you pull your starters to allow them rest and remove the possibility of injury?

• Do you play your starters in order for them to try to improve on a string of disappointing performances in preparation for the big game against the Rams?

• Do you play Charlie Whitehurst or Matt Hasselbeck, remembering the risk of injury in a meaningless game?