Having come up short in Super Bowl XLI, the Chicago Bears realize recent history is against them in the upcoming season. Since the turn of the century, it has been uncommon for the previous season’s runner up to find their way back into the playoffs the following season. The Bears, of course, hope to be one of the exceptions, and they weren’t afraid to make some big changes since their loss to the Indianapolis Colts back in February.
What's New?
Cedric Benson has taken over as the starting running back, and he has some big shoes to fill following back-to-back 1,200-yard seasons by veteran Thomas Jones. Benson’s bruising style is a better fit for Ron Turner’s offense, but Jones’ leadership in the locker room will be missed. Injury is a bit of a concern as well with Benson, but if he stays healthy, he should have a break-out season.
The Bears also added a lot of speed to their offense in the form of record-setting return man Devin Hester, who has been converted to wide receiver, and rookie tight end Greg Olsen, who has wide receiver speed in a tight end’s body. It remains to be seen whether Hester can make the jump to offense, but all indications in training camp point to him being a handful for defenses to contain.
A pair of veteran tackles in Darwin Walker and Anthony Adams were added to an already dangerous defense, which should keep their rotation solid at the position, assuming Tommie Harris comes back as strong as ever. Adams will play a backup role, but Walker, whose ability to shoot gaps makes him a great fit for the Cover Two and probably an upgrade over Tank Johnson.
NFL Draft Picks
1st Round - Greg Olsen, TE Miami
2nd Round - Dan Bazuin, DE Central Michigan
3rd Round - Garrett Wolfe, RB Northern Illinois
3rd Round - Michael Okwo, LB Stanford
4th Round - Josh Beekman, OG Boston College
5th Round - Kevin Payne, S Louisiana-Monroe
5th Round - Corey Graham, CB New Hampshire
7th Round - Trumaine McBride, CB Mississippi
7th Round - Aaron Brant, OT Iowa State
Who's Gone?
As mentioned above, Thomas Jones is no longer the Bears starting tailback having been traded to the New York Jets during the offseason. Jones’ steadiness and leadership will be missed, but he lacks the power and explosiveness Benson possesses.
The defensive tackle position was hit pretty hard during as well with three key players no longer with the team for various reasons. Of course, most of us are aware of the Tank Johnson saga that ended with his release from the team. Even with the Johnson situation, backups Ian Scott and Alfonso Boone were shown little interest by the Bears and allowed to sign with other teams. And in a little bit of a surprise move, the Bears chose to not re-sign defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, so the keys to Lovie Smith’s defense are now in the hands of Bob Babich.
A pair of backup safeties in Todd Johnson and Cameron Worrell were also allowed to walk via free agency.
What Needs to Change?
The Bears need to find some consistency on offense, and it all starts with quarterback Rex Grossman. The guy put together some fairly horrific performances in 2006, but people tend to forget he had some very good outings as well. In fact, only Marc Bulger of the St. Louis Rams had more games with a passer rating over 100. With the speed added to the offensive unit and an improved Grossman, Chicago’s offense has the potential to be much more explosive in 2007.
Head Coach Lovie Smith also has to find a way to keep his defensive players fresh over the second half of the season. And he’ll use a heavy rotation at key positions to accomplish that goal, but injuries could put a monkey wrench in the plan if they pop up again this year.
Under Pressure to Perform
Rex Grossman - His awful performances were well documented, and he needs to avoid throwing any more real stinkers out there – especially early in the season – to keep the media off his back. Offseason work on his mechanics, along with a full year of experience, should help eliminate some of his downside.
Cedric Benson - An undisputed feature back for the first time in his NFL career, Benson will be expected to carry the load at running back. He was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and with Jones completely out of the picture, it’s time he live up to his potential coming out of college. For what it’s worth, the Bears really love the way he hits the hole, as compared to the more shifty style they were use to seeing with Jones.
Mark Anderson - Having taken Alex Brown’s starting job at right defensive end, Anderson will be expected to surpass his production as a part-time player in ‘06.
2006 Rankings
Overall Offense - 15th (324.9)
Rushing Offense - 15th (119.9)
Passing Offense - 14th (205.1)
Overall Defense - 5th (294.1)
Rushing Defense - 6th (99.4)
Passing Defense - 11th (194.8)
Prediction - The Bears mighty defense appeared to wear down a little toward the end of the 2006 season, but much of their late struggles ca be attributed to the losses of Tommie Harris and safety Mike Brown to season-ending injuries. With those guys back in the fold, and the addition of Walker at defensive tackle, the defense has the potential to be even better this year.
The key on offense is consistent quarterback play. If Grossman cuts down on the really bad games and takes advantage of the many weapons he has to work with, this team is going to be very hard to beat in the NFC.
Record:11-5 and first in the NFC North
