QB Job Webb made his first start for the Vikings and he faced Michael Vick and the Eagles.

No one thought the Eagles would fall to the 5-9 Vikings, who got beat by the Bears 40-14 last Monday night.

The Vikings defeated the Eagles last night and that means the Bears will be the #2 seed in the NFC and will get a first round bye.

The Bears can still get the #1 seed in the NFC, which means they would get home field throughout the playoffs, but they would have to see the Falcons fall to the Panthers, the Saints fall to the Bucs and they would have to beat the Packers.

The game last night was a shock to the football world. I never found myself cheering for the Vikings, until last night’s tilt with the Eagles. The Eagles seem to be a tad overrated.

Thank goodness for Joe Webb. He and the rest of the Vikings clearly want head coach Leslie Fraser back next season.

Thanks Vikings for helping us out one last time, even though you probably didn’t want to.

Maybe the Bears can stop the Packers from making the playoffs and stop everyone from jumping on their bandwagon as well.

Bears-Packers preview coming Friday.

Here are the week 17 Bears power rankings from various sites around the web:

ESPN: #6 (Last week: #8)

Analysis, “Bears are tough to beat when they’re averaging 39 points in the past two games.”

SI.com: #6 (Last week: #8)

Analysis, “Having already locked up their playoff berth and passed out the NFC North championship hats and T-shirts in Minnesota the week before, it would have been easy for the Bears to suffer a letdown last Sunday against the Jets and not play with full intensity. But that was not the case, and that’s a very good sign for a Chicago team that’s obviously still hungry for more, and not just happy to be invited to the postseason party. The Bears locked up a first-round bye Tuesday night when the Vikings upset the Eagles, and Chicago’s charmed season just keeps getting better all the time.”

CBS Sports: #3 (Last week: #4)

Analysis, “Jay Cutler now has four consecutive seasons with at least 20 touchdown passes. He has 23 this season. Anybody still doubt him?”

WEEI: #6 (Last week: #8)

Analysis, “There must have been much celebration in Chicago when the unthinkable happened Tuesday night: the Vikings upset the Eagles. Philadelphia’s loss gives the Bears a first-round bye.”

Pro Football Talk: #6 (Last week: #8)

Analysis, “OK, maybe the Bears have a defense that can rattle Tom Brady.”

Yahoo Sports: #8 (Last week: #9)

Analysis, “If Brian Urlacher isn’t the NFL’s comeback player of the year, is Jay Cutler?”

The Bears signed 13-year veteran long snapper Pat Mannelly to a two-year extensionand signed versatile defensive tackle Matt Toeaina to a three-year extension.

These players have performed very well all season. Mannelly has been so consistent in his time with the Bears, if they let him test the market this off-season he would have been scooped up.

Toeaina has played great defense alongside Tommie Harris, Anthony Adams and Henry Melton.

The resigning of Toeaina might put Tommie Harris on edge, but who knows. If Harris can show up in the playoffs, I think he stays.

These two players earned these contracts and they get well deserved money for the next couple of seasons. Congratulations to Mannelly and Toeaina.

The Bears still have many free agents left to sign on the team. S Danieal Manning, C Olin Kreutz, LB Pisa Tinoisamoa, LB Nick Roach, LB Rod Wilson, LB Brian Iwuh, CB Corey Graham, DT Anthony Adams are all unrestricted free agents this off-season. QB Caleb Hanie and WR Devin Aromashodu are restricted free agents this off-season.

Look for the Bears to wrap some of these players up in the coming weeks, especially the starters.

No one thought this week 16 match-up between the Chicago Bears and the New York Jets was going to be a shootout.

It turned out to be one because Jets QB Mark Sanchez was completing slant passes with success against the Bears cover 2 defense.

Jay Cutler was tearing up the Jets defense in the second half when he threw three touchdowns. Two to Johnny Knox and one to Devin Hester. Cutler looked unstoppable and so did Matt Forte running and catching passes out of the backfield.

If the offense can consistently play on this level everyone in the NFC better watch out.

Devin Hester and Johnny Knox were Cutler’s favorite targets. Hester was excellent returning kicks when the Jets kicked to him. Forte was great running all day and he was catching wheel routes with great success.

The defense needs to get back on track against the Packers, if they want to get the #2 seed in the NFC.

Big win over the Jets, but this Sunday’s game against the NFC North rival Packers is even bigger.

The New York Jets will face the Bears for the 10th time ever when they travel to Soldier Field. The Bears are 6-3 all-time against the Jets.

It should be a snowy game. Both defenses are good, it will most likely come down to which quarterback makes the big mistake. Sanchez hasn’t been great lately, so I think he will make a couple of key mistakes in this big matchup.

The Bears need to win and watch Philly and the Giants lose today if they want to clinch that first round bye. That is highly unlikely considering the Eagles play the Vikings, in a game that may be postponed due to the blizzard in Philadelphia and the Giants play the Packers, who are very banged up.

The Bears have to focus on this game more than what it takes to clinch the first round bye, what it takes is a win over the Jets and a win over the Packers next week. Stay focused today Bears.

Final Score:

Bears 21, Jets 13.

The Bears won the NFC North division last night and beat down the Vikings 40-14 in a convincing win. They got great play from all three phases, offense, defense and special teams.

Jay Cutler was throwing the ball great last night. He was 14 of 24 for 194 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He had a QB rating of 106.6. The one interception came on a blitz by Antoine Winfield which caused the arrant pass.

Cutler had to get three stitches in his chin and he played the rest of the game with tape over his chin. Cutler played well even after that play.

The running game of the Bears was very successful as well. Matt Forte ran for 97 yards and averaged 5.4 ypc. Receiver Johnny Knox caught a 67 yard touchdown pass, Devin Hester added a 15 yard touchdown pass in the red-zone and rarely used Rashied Davis caught a nine yard touchdown pass to put the Bears up for good.

The offensive line played great all night. They allowed only one entire sack and that allowed Cutler and Forte to have success all night.

The defense came out to play after a disappointing performance last week against the Patriots. Brian Urlacher led the defense with 7 tackles and had an interception called back on a penalty late in the second half. Urlacher looked surprisingly slow on the return and that isn’t a good thing to see if your a Bears fan.

But back to the performance on the defensive side of the ball, they played tremendous. The forced five fumbles. They allowed Favre to drive down the field on the first drive and complete a touchdown pass to Percy Harvin. After that they completely shut down the Vikings offense, by forcing Brett Favre out of the game by injuring him.

Corey Wootton sacked Favre and forced him out of the game. That sack was the first of Wootton’s career and it will be apart of many highlights down the road. Israel Idonije, Lance Briggs and Matt Toeaina all added sacks. Charles Tillman, Julius Peppers and Chris Harris all added interceptions.

The defense allowed a total of 273 yards. They let the Vikings convert only 3 of 11 third down conversions.

The special teams was even more special then the defense or offense. Devin Hester not only caught a 15 yard touchdown pass, he returned a kickoff 79 yards to open the second half and then returned a punt 64 yards for a record setting touchdown. Danieal Manning was vicious on two kickoff returns. Robbie Gould added four field goals. Brad Maynard punted three times and did very well.

This was a great team performance. They now move on to the Jets next Sunday at Soldier Field. Then finish the season at Green Bay. They need to play hard these next weeks to get the momentum they need to earn a first round bye in the playoffs.

Great victory by the Bears and the Bears have won their first division crown since 2006.

Bear Down!

Here are the week 16 Bears power rankings from various sites around the web:

ESPN: #8 (Last week: #8)

Analysis, “How many people had Chicago as their preseason pick to win the NFC North? Very few.”

CBS Sports: #4 (Last week: #5)

Analysis, “They showed Monday night that they can bounce back after a tough loss. The defense was rugged against the Vikings. Two more victories and they get a playoff bye.”

Fox Sports: #8 (Last week: #8)

Analysis, “They didn’t exactly get off to a great start against the host Vikings, but the Bears hung in there and earned the convincing victory. But their path to securing a first-round playoff bye will get much harder coming up with the Jets and Packers on their schedule over the final two games.”

Pro Football Talk: #8 (Last week: 11)

Analysis, “In the end, the Bears have worn their desperation well; coach Lovie Smith has saved his job.”

Pro Football Weekly: #8 (Last week: #9)

Analysis, “Sat back Sunday and watched best scenario play out.”

WEEI.com: #8 (Last week: 10)

Analysis, “The NFC North champions now turn their focus on getting the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs. If the Bears win their remaining two games against the Jets and Packers, they will have that opportunity.”