It's been a long time since the Bears reached the Super Bowl. The Saints have never reached the Super Bowl. Two hungry teams expect to kick off Championship Weekend Jan. 21 at 3 ET on FOX. It also figures to be an exciting game between two teams who have shown an ability to hit big plays ... as well as an ability to come up with damaging mistakes. Both the Bears and the Saints will also look to get the ground game running with a pair of quality backs (Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush for New Orleans, Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson for Chicago). The big battle could be Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees against the opportunistic Bears passing defense.
Saints:
The Saints added Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and Marques Colston this season, but with the game on the line, they turned to a somewhat overshadowed stalwart, and now they're headed to the NFC title game for the first time in their 40-season history. Deuce McAllister rushed for 143 yards and scored twice in the third quarter to help lead New Orleans past Philadelphia 27-24 before a raucous Superdome crowd in an NFC divisional playoff. "This year, some things have happened for us and it's like, wow, this may be destiny," McAllister said. Reggie Bush scored on a 4-yard run worthy of the highlights to give the Saints a 13-7 lead in the third quarter. After the Eagles went ahead 21-13, McAllister scored on a 5-yard rush and an 11-yard catch-and run to give the Saints a 27-21 lead. Despite a couple of scares late in the game, the Saints held on for an emotional victory. "It means everything," Bush said. "All that stuff we went through as a team, these are the type of games we live for. And this game is even bigger for the city." At 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 21, the Saints will be in Chicago in the NFC Championship Game.
Bears:
Even with a defense that showed its teeth at the right time and an offense that demonstrated its quick-strike capabilities, the Bears' divisional playoff hopes sat on the foot of second-year kicker Robbie Gould. And Gould delivered, booting a 49-yard field goal in overtime to give the Bears a 27-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Thomas Jones scored two first-half touchdowns and Rex Grossman threw for 282 yards, including a 68-yard scoring strike to Bernard Berrian, to pace the offense. The Bears move on to host the Saints in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 3 p.m. ET. "We win one game, we're in the Super Bowl, two wins away from having a ring on my finger for the rest of my life," Grossman said.
