Chicago Bears: 10 Reasons They Are the Team to Beat in the NFC
If there's one thing that is for certain in the 2010 season, it's that we know absolutely nothing. Wait, if we know something, how can we know nothing? Paging Socrates...
Anyway, the Chicago Bears, an afterthought amongst many during the off season, preseason and much of this season, are prized for an NFC North crown, and a first round bye in the playoffs. What would've been a joke merely a few months, maybe even weeks ago, now seems like an almost certainty. A local radio announcer claimed that after the hiring of Mike Martz, this has a 90% change of being a complete disaster, and 10% change of working. I don't know if it worked yet, but it's close.
I, among many of their early critics, have since jumped ship.
This team is good.
This team is damn good.
You want to know why they have a very real chance of winning it all? Follow along.
They Dominated The Philadelphia Eagles
1 of 10
While the final score might have looked like a close game... it wasn't.
31-28 seems like a nail-biting, edge of your seat, high blood pressure affair. It wasn't.
Numbers lie.
Scores lie.
The Eagles were dominated in every phase of the game, and never truly posed a serious threat. Forte ran for 117 yards, Cutler threw for four touchdowns with no interceptions and the defense had Michael Vick running for his life on many plays. It took a perfect pass, and I do mean perfect, to get the score as close as it was, when Vick hit his Tight End in the end zone while he was perfectly covered and surrounded by four Bears.
Daniel Manning
2 of 10
Daniel Manning learned how to play safety. While he's split time with Major Wright recently, his solid play in the secondary has been a huge help.
He also has the most violent kick off returns you will ever see. The man gets the ball and goes. No hesitation, no east/west running. He runs like he's on fire. He runs like he wants to hurt you.
Mike Martz And The Offense
3 of 10
Don't lie. You didn't like the hiring of Mike Martz either.
And up until a few weeks ago, it seemed like a total disaster. While I don't think Martz got religion on the running game, I think he finally realized that what he had and what he wants are two different things.
Cutler is not an anticipate it and throw it guy.
He's a, my arm can fit in there, kinda guy. See it. Throw it. Move on.
While the offensive line still has their god awful moments, they've been solid the last month and a half. Just in time for the playoff run.
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The Soldier Field "Grass"
4 of 10
It should be an embarrassment to any professional organization that it asks multimillionaires to play on such a god awful pile of crap.
But they do, eight games a year, not including the playoffs.
While this doesn't really help the Bears since they're built on speed more than anything, they are at least used to it; at least more used to it than the other team.
Jay Cutler's Mobility
5 of 10
We know about his cannon for an arm, the goofy expression on his face and his stuck up super hot girlfriend.
What we often forget is, this guy has some speed and athleticism.
His ability to evade would-be sackers, get out on the perimeter and either throw it or run it for yardage can't be understated.
With shaky offensive line play, his mobility is at a premium for the team and his overall health.
The Resurgence of Devin Hester: The Return Man
6 of 10
"Anytime"
"Ridiculous"
"Sub par receiver"
Okay I made the last one up. Hester broke a two year cold spill when he ran a punt back for a touchdown against the Packers in week three.
He's had several "almost" moments this year as well. One more return and he holds the all time record.
His ability to shorten the field and scare the hell out of the other side's special teams is a big reason why the Bears are 9-3 and on their way towards the playoffs.
The Calm and Collected One: Lovie Smith
7 of 10
Yeah, I said it.
While I'm not the biggest fan of the man, his players seem to like him and they play hard for him.
A deep playoff run isn't anything new to Lovie Smith either.
He knows how to get the most out of his players and he never seems overwhelmed by the moment. While his "challenges" are definitely suspect and his stubbornness and arrogance can be quite annoying, they work for his team.
Julius Peppers
8 of 10
This guy got paid like ninety million bucks, or something ridiculous like that.
His numbers may not reflect it, but he has been worth every penny of that contract.
The Defense
9 of 10
As dominating as they were in the early months of the 2006 season? Not quite.
But they're damn good.
While embarrassed during the first half against Detroit, they returned in the second half to allow 67 yards.
67 yards.
Think about that.
Michael Vick and the Eagles put up 59 against the Redskins.
The Bears dominated them.
They're playing with that swagger and confidence that only comes from winning.
They're Healthy
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They're crazy healthy.
Quick, who's injured?
Anyone?
Okay they have a few, and it might start to hurt them at Linebacker:
Pisa Tinoisamoa and Nick Roach.
But other than that, and a one game miss after Jay Cutler got concussed... they've been ridiculously healthy this year. Call it luck or good conditioning (it's luck).
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