Analyzing NFL playoffs: 49ers vs. Saints

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As the Bears walk through their hiring processesgeneral manager, passing-game coordinatorQB coachthe NFL has some business to do this weekend. The games dont involve the Bears but there is rarely a game played somewhere that doesnt have something of interest for the Bears.

Besides, theyre worth analyzing, too. The home teams won all four of the wild-card games and all four will win the divisional games as well (this isnt home-field-advantage thing, incidentallyteams have home games because they have better records because they actually are better):

New Orleans at San Francisco (Sat. 3:30 p.m.)

Maybe the most fun matchup of the weekend. The Saints throw the ball exquisitely and have three Pro Bowlers on their offensive line. The 49ers stop just about everything, giving up less than 11 points per game at home.

All three of New Orleans losses came on the road and the Saints are 0-4 in road playoff games; San Francisco lost just once at home but hasnt been in the playoffs since 2002.

The 49ers run the ball well (129 yards per game) with Frank Gore, and the Saints, for all of their offensive pyrotechnics, have given up nearly five touchdowns (34 points) per game in their last three road playoff games.

Bears fans should keep an eye on this one. Besides Jim Harbaugh as San Franciscos coach (and dead-solid lock for coach of the year), Saints wide receiver Marques Colston is an unrestricted free agent. So is San Francisco cornerback Carlos Rodgers. Two of the Bears top three need positions going into this offseason.

Visualize those guys in Bears uniforms as you watch a late David Akers field goal:

San Francisco 23 New Orleans 20

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