For the second time in my life I'm rooting for the Steelers. I'll do it, but I don't have to like it.

I really dont understand this kind of discussion.Even if we somehow manage #2,we still have to meet the Packers in the NFC Champ game in a frozen Lambo,wich doesnt really go in our favor.Nobody cares about no.2 or if you made the playoffs and got out the back door,only champs matter.

Unless someone knocks them off in the 2nd round, perhaps a cold weather team like the Giants or a division rival like the Lions or Bears.

Packers may have lost a weapon. Rumor is Jennings may have torn MCL

I think the above is jumping the gun. There are several crucial points to the #2 seed.

First is that the team gets a bye. That's a week where you don't have to prepare to play an all or nothing playoff game and have a chance to prepare for that NFCCG presumably in Lambeau.

Second is that your first playoff game is guaranteed to be at home, where the Saints have looked to be close to unbeatable. In addition it's against a team that did have to play a playoff game the previous week.

Finally there are no guarantees that the Packers will win their divisional game in Lambeau. A few years ago a Vick led Falcons team beat Green Bay (albeit a different squad) in Lambeau. In that case the Saints become the host of the NFCCG. See point #2 above.

The Saints really lost their chance at the #1 seed on the last play of the first game back in September, and the Rams put the nail in the coffin. The #1 seed is out of reach this year.

But a couple of week ago many thought the #2 seed was out of sight too. But as I predicted in another post, SF was going to have some tough road outs against their division rivals who will happily play spoiler to their #2 dreams, just as the Falcons and Panthers would be happy to play spoiler to ours. The difference is that our last two games are in Dome Sweet Dome while SF still has to deal with the Steelers and has to take on the SeaHawks in Seattle.

Playoff positioning is everything for the Saints now. A playoff schedule of one week off, one week at home, and possibly one winner take all game in Lambeau is their best shot to getting back to the Superbowl this year.

SFIAH

and can someone please tell me the last time the current Green Bay players won a game in January @ Lambeau?

One thing I got from the OP. Nowhere does anything say we have to finish TWO games ahead of anybody. One game up is enough.

They do hold the tiebreaker, for now, and of course, we're tied.

Absolutely, #2 is achievable for us, if we take care of business. Even if we stumble, the 49ers last 3 games are tougher than they seem.

Pittsburgh, obviously, is supposed to be the test.

But then they'll go to Seattle on short rest, and Seattle is, as we know, a tough place to play.

And they they're on the road again at the Rams. Who would love to spoil the 49ers day more than the Rams? (besides some of us long-time Saints fans, who remember the old NFC West)

This is very doable, if we take care of business.

Im going to lay down a prediction now, but I dont want to jinx US, so I wont predict what the Saints will do, except to say the Panthers will give us the biggest fight. I say this because its on New Years Day, and I question whether our crowd will be 100%, plus they just generally hate us, and would love to spoil our day. But im not predicting our win/loss record.

My prediction is for the 49ers. I think they're going to beat Pittsburgh, and lose to Seattle.

Lets take care of business.
Kick the Vikings Azzes!!!!

Good point ... they were on the road all of the last playoffs as they were a wildcard team. And I think their running game just took a hit.

We have to win out first.

Actually we don't. We do have to finish ahead of of SF because at least one of their losses is an AFC loss and all of our losses, and all our remaining games, are NFC games. The first tiebreaker is conference record, so if each team finishes with the same record, SF would have less conference losses.

If SF loses 2 of the last 3, the Saints would finish ahead even if they dropped one more. So if for example SF drops both the Steelers and Seahawks games and the Saints beat both the Viking and the Falcons, then the Saints secure the #2 seed regardless of the results of the last game, which could turn the Panthers game into another preseason viewing.

SFIAH