Thanks to their division championship, the Bears have earned a first-round bye and won’t play their first playoff game until January 14 or 15 at Soldier Field. Depending on this week’s wild-card games, the Bears’ opponent could be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Carolina Panthers, or the New York Giants. Scope out these possible conference semifinal opponents and the rest of the playoff field at NFL.com and ESPN.com’s exhaustive professional football page.

Does all this playoff talk make you reminiscent of the Bears’ storied 1985 Super Bowl championship team? Relive the Super Bowl Shuffle and other memories at the Chicago Tribune’s 1985 story gallery (free registration required).

For more team history, visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame Bears page or check out What Bears They Were: Chicago Bears Greats Talk About Their Teams, Their Coaches, and the Times of their Lives, by Richard Whittingham. There's also a new biography, Papa Bear: The Life and Legacy of George Halas, by Jeff Davis.

Itching to impress your friends while showing team spirit? Memorize the lyrics to the Bears’ fight song, “Bear Down, Chicago Bears,” available at the Chicago Public Library’s Web site.

If you're not quite sure exatly what it is you're watching, crib with Holly Robinson Peete's Get Your Own Damn Beer, I'm Watching the Game! A Woman's Guide to Loving Pro Football.

Don't forget the snacks while watching the playoffs! The Food Network, About.com, and Epicurious offer party ideas and recipes.

Go Bears!