It was in week four, Sunday night on primetime television. The Chicago Bears embarrassed the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks 37-6 at Soldier Field. Brian Urlacher and Co. established themselves as the team to beat in the conference, and three months later as the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, that label remains the same.

The Seahawks return to the site of that humiliation on Sunday for an NFC divisional playoff game.

Injuries were the story last week against the Cowboys, and they will remain the same against the Bears. On offense, even if D.J. Hackett or Darrell Jackson is able to play, the production from these injured players will be limited.

On the other side of the ball, the Seattle secondary — the one that Rex Grossman torched back in October — will again be overhauled as Marcus Trufant, Kelly Herndon and Jimmy Williams can only watch from the sidelines.

While the anonymous defensive backfield performed admirably against Dallas' air-attack, playing on the road is a different beast, and Grossman loves to air it out. Chicago's young gunslinger can be forced into mistakes, but if he underperforms, expect him to be replaced by Brian Griese.

In the end, the difference in the game will be the Seahawks' offense. An unstoppable juggernaut last year, Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander must dominate like last year for the Hawks to have a chance at an upset.

Hasselbeck cannot afford to repeat the mistakes (two interceptions) of Saturday. Alexander must regain his MVP form and seize every yard with tough, physical running.

And don't forget the coach: Mike Holmgren will have to call a near flawless game to defeat one of football's most intimidating defenses.

The Seahawks may feel fortunate to have advanced from a bizarre wild-card weekend, but to exact revenge they will have to be almost perfect — like the team from last season.

Reach reporter Joshua Mayers at joshuamayers@thedaily.washington.edu