NFL 2009: Strike Fear With the Bear

Where do we start with this team?  Lets go back a few weeks, to a time when the Chicago Bears made a move so big is caused gravity to stop. 

Was the move the move that will take this team to the next level? The arrival of Jay Cutler could only better a franchise right? Matt Forte coming off a monster rookie season is a positive thing correct? Tommie Harris is ready to be, as rapper Eminem once said about himself, "The Real Tommie Harris." 

The NFC North still remains an unclaimed division as three different franchises have won the division over the past three years. The Bears have the team to put the flag in the sand, and declare the north their's for this season.

The addition of Jay Cutler of course is an obvious reason to believe this team wants to make a serious run again.  Sure, you can believe all the hoopla about how the defense will get us there, but when you make a move for a franchise quarterback you are not just hoping to get to the playoff, you are planning to get there.

The big question with the offense is whether they will be able to move the ball with very few big name weapons. We know Matt Forte can carry the load rushing for 1,238 yards and eight touchdowns. Not to mention he also proved to be a valuable asset out of the backfield, catching 63 passes last season. 

The Bears are a running team and will continue to use Forte as much as possible. The downside to this is how long can he go before he needs an oil change?  You don't want to wear this kid down. He has a proven track record that he can carry the load, but there has to be other options in this offense. 

The tight ends will be the go to guys in this offense, which should leave no one to complain.  From all the reports, Greg Olsen is ready to be a leader for this team.  Both him and Desmond Clark were major parts of the offense last season, in which both played over 75% of the teams offensive snaps. 

My major issue with this offense (and its pretty much everyone's issue) is the question of who will step up at wide receiver. Will Hester take it to the next level and become an every down guy? 

I'm most intrigued with Juaquin Inglesias and what he will able to do. I watched him throughout his college career and have seen what he can bring to a game. He has great hands and isn't afraid to go across the middle. He may not be the fastest player, but in the NFL you can work around that if you have the ability to run great routes. 

Cutler will make all the guys in the group better. He will find a way to get them the ball and, unlike Orton, won't under throw Hester on a "go route." It's obvious the offense will only go as far as Cutler can take them. 

My crystal ball tells me this Bears team should average at least one more touchdown per game this year compared to last. Ron Turner should be able to have some fun with this offense this year.

The defense, while still a pretty respectable one, will need the offense to contribute this year. They can't do it alone and won't be able to like they did a few seasons ago when they made it to the Superbowl. 

Brian Urlacher is said to be feeling great and back in prime shape which would be a great thing for this defense. I think there are two spots that will be interesting come this fall.  One being the secondary, more so the corner position. 

The team drafted D.J Moore from Vanderbilt to come in and be a play maker.  With Peanut Tillman at one corner and the emergence of Cory Graham at the safety position, his may lead Nathan Vasher to take back his corner position after only playing eight games last season. 

If Vasher does take that spot come the start of the season, the Bears secondary will have to play like they did in the past. I expect Vasher to rebound nicely and perform the way he did in the past. If the secondary can get back to the way it was, this team could be even more dangerous then predicted. 

With new coaches in place, the team's philosophy should be drilled more into their heads than last season. There can be no more blow ups like what happened against the Falcons last year. Those are the plays that make you rip your hair out and want a change in the secondary. 

The team ranked 30th last year in passing yards per game. For a team known for its strong defense, that stat sure doesn't help.

Tommie Harris has to be ready to go this year as well. Whatever it will take to get him in the mind frame that will keep him focused on football has to be done. His health is also a main concern for this Bears team. 

Is a 80% Harris going to be better then most guys in this league? The down four will need to be on top of their game and Harris has to be the guy that makes them go. If the Bears' front four struggle early on, it gets the rest of the defense out of what they want to do. 

You force them to send guys like Urlacher into coverage instead of being able to clog holes and make plays at the line of scrimmage. If however, Harris can't give it a go, then rookie draft pick Jarron Gilbert will most likely be the candidate to fill in that slot.

The Bears have all the potential to win the NFC North and should be able to do so. Both the Vikings and Packers will of course present challenges, but I think the first team to 10 wins will be crowned division champs.

Remember, the Bears lost four games in the first six weeks of the season by three points or less. That 9-7 record could have been 13-3 or 12-4, and that's not an outrageous comment by any means! They just didn't close those games out, which is another topic for another day.

Of course, this team will be shooting for Jay to do more then manage the game, he will be needed to win a handful games on his own. His ability to do that will determine if we have a playoff game at Soldier Field this year.