The Bears have at least three things going for them against Carolina on Sunday: home field, a week off and history.
Since the current 12-team playoff format began in 1990, only two teams have been able to accomplish what the Panthers will be trying to do: beat a “bye” team on the road in a rematch after losing the previous game. One was quarterbacked by Joe Montana, the other by John Elway, and neither Hall of Famer had an easy time.
Good luck, Carolina QB Jake Delhomme.
The Panthers lost to the Bears 13-3 on Nov. 20. They played in New York last week while the Bears watched, and they must now travel to Chicago this week.
What Bears quarterback Rex Grossman is trying to do is hard enough: enter the playoffs after throwing only 39 passes during the regular season. But Grossman’s task might be easier than Delhomme’s as the Panthers face two historic obstacles.
— Traveling to play a team coming off a bye. Of the 60 conference semifinal (or divisional) playoff games since 1990, 49 have been won by home teams coming off bye weeks. That’s 82 percent.
— Reversing the result of the previous game. Of those 60 playoff games, 33 have been rematches of games played during the regular season. On 26 occasions, the team that won the previous game prevailed again. That’s 79 percent.
Since 1990, only the 1993 Kansas City Chiefs and the 1997 Denver Broncos won under the circumstances facing Carolina. There have been 11 rematches in divisional rounds since 1998, and every winner has prevailed the second time.
Of the 11 winners, 10 teams were at home after enjoying the bye week, which seems to trump all other elements.
All but one. If the Bears turn over the ball, forget all the above.
