Three observations ...• This is the 15th straight year that five or more playoff teams didn't qualify the year before. The Bears, Falcons, Chiefs and Steelers are in. The Rams-Seahawks winner guarantees at least a fifth team.
• LaDainian Tomlinson needs 86 yards rushing vs. the Bills to become fifth player with at least nine 1,000-yard seasons, joining Emmitt Smith (11), Curtis Martin (11), Walter Payton (10) and Barry Sanders (10).
• Rams quarterback Sam Bradford needs to win at Seattle to become the first QB selected No. 1 overall to start a playoff game during his rookie season.
Two predictions• The Packers will beat the Bears easily because Atlanta will have secured the NFC's No. 1 seed earlier in the day.
• The Patriots will remember Wes Welker's knee injury in Week 17 last year when splitting playing time today.
