Going into the 2007 season, there wasn't a single NFC team that had more promise than the Chicago Bears.
So much for that.
After coming up short against the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl, it's been all downhill for the Bears.
The biggest problems have been at quarterback, where Rex Grossman threw six interceptions against one touchdown in his first three games.
Ouch.
The Bears also hurt themselves by giving away Thomas Jones. Jones was the first Chicago running back to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in back-to-back seasons since Walter Payton.
Cedric Benson has done absolutely nothing in Jones' stead, ranking 18th in the NFL in rushing—with more carries than most of the backs ahead of him.
Worse still, the tenacious Bears defense isn't getting any younger, and has been beset by injuries to most of its key players.
The stats speak for themselves:
The Bears D ranks 23rd in points allowed, 27th in total yards, 24th in passing yards, and 26th in rushing yards.
Not exactly the same unit from a year ago.
As for the current QB situation—when your starting signal caller goes by the name of Brian Griese, you know you're in trouble.
The Bears could have had Jeff Garcia instead of Griese. Think they regret that decision now?
In 2007, the Bears O is 20th in the league in points per game, 28th in yards per game, 20th in pass yards, and 26th in rush yards.
It's tough to win when your offense can't score and your defense can't stop anybody—which explains the Bears' 2-4 record, good for last in the NFC North.
My two cents: It's time for the Bears to start thinking about the 2008 NFL Draft.
There will be plenty of QBs on the board—Brian Brohm, Andre' Woodson, Matt Ryan, Colt Brennan, Chad Henne, Chase Daniels, Matt Flynn...the list goes on and on
Grossman obviously isn't the future in Chicago. To get back to the Super Bowl, the Bears need a new answer under center.
At least next year's draft class gives fans something to smile about.
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12 months ago
I agree that the Bears could pick up a good QB prospect in next year's draft. However, I definitely don't think they're out of it yet. Despite the Packers' 5-1 start, I don't think they will run away with the division, and the Vikings and Lions are middling teams as well. The Bears should still be focused on this year.
12 months ago
I don't think I'm ready to call them the "Bad News Bears" as of yet. The 2007 season is still very young, and the playoff picture hasn't even materialized yet. They showed some promise in the last 3 minutes of the game. Mosang is right...the NFC Central is really still up for grabs.
12 months ago
I think the Bears biggest issues have more to do with coaching than personnel. Yes, Griese is only a stopgap, but you can win with the guy for the moment. Besides the injuries, Smith's decision to get rid of Rivera has hurt the 'D' big time, and they don't seem to gameplan or adjust well to opposing offenses the way they did last year. The SD (most if it, anyway) and KC games (OK, and maybe the 2nd half of the GB game) were the only good, solid defensive efforts this year. Everything else was terrible.
I also agree that the season is still young and anything can happen in the NFC, but it really doesn't matter with the way the Pats and Colts are playing right now. There is no NFC team that comes close to those two right now.
12 months ago
What about drafting a running back? Grossman had phenomenal games when the Bears had more than 100 yards rushing. If the Bears could find a way to keep their offense on the field (giving their aging defense more time to rest) they could find their way back to the Super Bowl.
12 months ago
Yeah I think that is a good point. However, there best best bet might be signing a quality running back in the offseason. Having a rookie QB and RB might not be that smart. Not to mention with Benson still under his contract, it would be tough.
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