Re-Set Your New Year's Eve Schedule: Packers vs. Da Bearz Moved to Sunday Night

OK Packer fans, it's official: some of your New Year's Eve plans just changed. That's because the NFL decided -- courtesy of its new flexible scheduling system -- that they wanted the Packers-Bearz game to be it's final regularly scheduled game of the season. The game, set for noon originally, has been pushed back to 7:15 p.m. and will be shown on NBC. So, those who made plans to watch the game at noon and then indulge in New Year's Eve dinner or other get-togethers...basically, you may now be relegated to that uncomfortable but necessary task of excusing oneself occasionally to sneak a peak at a TV to catch a score, or to head to the car briefly to catch a radio update. C'mon, we've all done it! Or, you can set off divorce proceedings by saying, "Honey, I know we had special plans tonight. But they switched the game time! You understand, don't you?" Riiiiiiiiiiiight.

Anyway...whatever happens in the game won't affect Da Bearz whatsoever. They are in the playoffs, have a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout. Yes, that is as depressing as the lack of sun here in Packerland this time of year. The only positive that could come out of such a situation is that Da Bearz lose their first playoff game. As Seinfeld would say, "That's a shame." But back to the upcoming game. The general line of thought seems to be that the Packers will win the game because Da Bearz will be resting many of their starters for most if not all of the game. Even one of my Bearz-fan buddies said he expects the Pack to win.

But that wouldn't matter much if the Pack still didn't have a chance: going into this last game of the season, the Pack still can make the playoffs. Remarkable, really. What are the scenarios? Let us the count the ways.

Scenarios for the Packers to Reach the Playoffs

According to CBS Sportsline, here are the ways in which the Pack can make it.

• A win and a N.Y. Giants win and a clinch of strength-of-victory tiebreaker over the N.Y. Giants OR


• A win and a N.Y. Giants loss or tie and a St. Louis loss or tie OR


• A win and a N.Y. Giants loss or tie and a Carolina win OR


• A win and a N.Y. Giants loss or tie and an Atlanta win OR


• A tie and a N.Y. Giants loss and a St. Louis loss or tie and a Carolina loss or tie.

Got it? Good. Let us pray...