Best of iSportscaster - Ben Chiswick's Bears Blowout - NFL Week 16

Welcome to the Bears Blowout. I'm Ben Chiswick, enjoying every minute of what has up to this point been the most enjoyable football season in Chicago in recent memory.

You can go ahead and book it. Close the door, turn off the lights, and put the kids to sleep.

The Chicago Bears have won their first ever NFC North Division title, clinching a first-round bye in the playoffs with a game still left to play on their 2005 schedule.

And they could not have done it with a better backdrop.

On Christmas Day in Green Bay, the Bears were able to intensify what has been a nightmare of the season for the Packers.

Not only did Chicago secure the division crown at Lambeau Field, but they also dropped Green Bay's record to an embarrassing 3-12 with a 24-17 victory in Week 16.

Quarterback Rex Grossman made his first start of the season, suddenly reviving a passing game that successfully opened up the Bears' offense.

Grossman finished the game with only 166 passing yards.

But his ability to consistently...

throw medium and deep passes with accuracy brought an element to the Bears' offense that has thus far been missing all season long.

He found Musin Muhammad for a 12-yard touchdown pass in the Bears' opening drive,

and later dropped a perfect long ball right into Bernard Berrien's lap for a 54-yard gain.

The passing game opened up the running game for Thomas Jones,

who was able to chip in 142.

He had five rushing yards and a touchdown of his own.

And when linebacker Lance Briggs intercepted a pass and returned it for a score late in the third quarter,

the Bears all but sealed the victory with a 24-7 lead.

Brett Favre did lead the Packers back in the final quarter,

as the Bears played a bit sloppy defensively on Sunday.

But nerfing a seven-point lead with under one minute to play,

the Bears' defense sealed the deal with a three-play sequence,

that epitomized their play this season.

Tank Johnson and Alex Brown came up with back-to-back sacks,

and then Chris Harris snagged his second interception of the game,

the fourth such Christmas Day present delivered by Favre on the afternoon.

So now Chicago sits exactly where they want it to be.

At 11-4, they will head to Minnesota next week for a completely meaningless game with the Vikings.

Regardless of the outcome, the Bears well-relaxed during the first round of the playoffs,

and play host to a second-round match-up.

So the regular season finale means three things.

Chicago will try to play 60 minutes of injury-free football,

resting the guys who need it, especially on the defensive side of the football.

The defense will try to stay atop the league in a number of key statistics,

including yards allowed per game,

and points allowed per game.

Three, and most importantly, it will mean more reps for Rex Grossman and the first-team offense,

as they try to get as comfortable as possible heading into the playoffs.

Rex Grossman, remember, will be making his second start of the season in Week 17 in Minneapolis.

And that brings us to this week's Big Time Baller.

In a game whose outcome does not mean a whole lot,

the most important figure this week will be head coach Lovie Smith.

While a win or a loss will have no impact on the Bears,

what goes on over the course of the ball game most certainly will.

Lovie needs to make sure Rex gets another game under his belt,

and that means playing the entire first-string offense,

with the exception of running back Thomas Jones,

for at least the first half.

Conversely, the banged-up defense needs to use this week to rest up,

and recover from some of their injuries.

That means Mike Brown, Chris Harris, and Hunter Hillenmayer, among others,

get the week off.

That also means that important reserves like Mike Green, Brandon McGowan, and Leon Joe

will look for significant playing time heading into the playoffs.

So while the Bears will have more important things at stake this Sunday than winning a football game,

I still do like their chances.

Since they're not going to leave Rex out there,

in front of a second-string offensive line,

the Bears should play their starting offensive unit,

save Thomas Jones of course,

for most of the ball game.

Defensively, their reserve unit is as solid as many teams' starters.

The Vikings gave the playoffs a run for a while this season,

but have since fallen back down to earth,

and now in the finale are playing for nothing more than a hope of finishing above .500.

They will not do it.

Bears 23, Vikings 10.

Go ahead and call your bookie.

That's it for the Bears blowout this week.

I'm Ben Chiswick, wondering what it feels like to watch regular season action

with a ticket already stamped for the playoffs.

See you next week.