Chicago Bears Come Out of Hibernation: The Top Five of 2010

The surprising Chicago Bears defied predictions of mediocrity and took the NFC North Crown with an 11-5 record.  A combination of resurgent veterans and new talent contributed to their unlikely success. 

Here’s a look a the top five Bears of 2010. 

Number 5:  Brian Urlacher

Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher anchored a Bears defense that consistently ranked in the top 10 all season long.  His season ending injury in the beginning of the 2009 season served to recharge the linebacker who regained his speed and ferocity. 

Urlacher was in on 126 tackles, racked up four sacks, picked a pass and forced two fumbles.  This season saw the middle line backer pass Mike Singletary on the Bears’ all time leading tackler list. 

The stats tell only one side of the story. 

His knowledge of Coach Lovie Smith’s defense make him the quarterback of the team’s impressive 2010 defense.    

Number 4:  Jay Cutler

Erratic, unpredictable, but undoubtedly talented, the gun slinging quarterback both excites and frustrates alike.

 Cutler threw for 3,274 yards with 23 touchdown and 16 interceptions.  While the turnover count remains a cause for concern, the five-year-man from Vanderbilt shows great promise. 

Despite a sub standard group of receivers, the Bears offense managed to put up 40 points against the Vikings and another 38 against the New York Jets the following week.

Number 3:  Matt Forte

During the first half of the 2010 season, the Bears running attack was lacking to say the least.  An offensively bad offensive line combined with running backs that struggled to reach the line of scrimmage brought well deserved criticisms.

After the bye week, the team shuffled the line and Matt Forte emerged as the Bears go to guy in the backfield.  Forte broke the thousand yard mark eating up 1,069 and catching 51 passes for 547 yards.

Forte showed bursts of speed this season that were all but absent in 2009. 

The most impressive stat for Forte remains the 4.5 yards per carry.    

Number 2:  Devin Hester

Simply put, Devin Hester changes the way the game is played. 

In 2010, Hester abandoned the lateral running that plagued him the past two seasons and returned to the one cut and sprint formula that turned him into arguable the greatest returner in NFL history. 

Coaches on opposite sides of the field game plan to keep the ball out of Hester’s hands with angled punts and squib kicks that give an emerging Bears offense great field position. 

While still unproven as a wide receiver, Hester’s importance cannot be overstated. 

In his fifth year, he has broken the record for kickoff and punt returns with fourteen. 

He averaged 17.1 yards per punt return, the highest average in NFL history.

Number 1:  Julius Peppers

The most sought after free-agent last off season came to the Bears and his impact was well worth the multi-million dollar price tag. 

Julius Peppers possesses a rare mix of size, speed and talent. 

In 2010, Peppers earned eight sacks and two interceptions.  While his numbers aren’t record smashing, his impact on the field goes beyond the stat sheet. 

His presence strikes fear in opposing offensive lines.  This was most obvious during the Bears’ first meeting with the Green Bay Packers.  A significant amount of holding penalties and false starts came directly from fear of Peppers.

Other players along the defensive line have enjoyed success due to the attention Peppers draws.  Double teams open up attack lanes for Idonije and Melton. 

Few players in Bears history have had such an immediate impact. 

His skill set turned an average defense into one the more feared in 2010.