Bear Down: Previewing The 2010 Chicago Bears
By Benjy Lipsman in News on Sep 9, 2010 5:20PM
This week's crisp morning air is a gentle reminder that football season is once more upon us. With the Bears opener just days away, just how will our team do in 2010? This is a make or break year for many in the organization -- most notably head coach Lovie Smith. While many on his coaching staff lost their jobs after last season's 7-9 campaign, Smith was retained. Another year without making the playoffs and he'll be looking for work. So, too, will GM Jerry Angelo after bringing the likes of Julius Peppers and Jay Cutler to the Bears in recent off-seasons. Despite a miserly reputation, the Bears have spent lavishly on players yet have not made the postseason since their Super Bowl XLI appearance.
We had high expectations for the Bears in 2009 after adding Jay Cutler to a team that went 9-7 in '08. We predicted they'd finish 12-4... silly us. The offense never performed to expectations behind an offensive line that couldn't protect Cutler and couldn't create openings for the running game. Not much has changed heading into 2010. While the Bears added former Vikings running back Chester Taylor to share the load with Matt Forte in the backfield, the Bears did little to address their wide receiver or offensive line situation. Returning four of five starters, new O-line coach Mike Tice simply shuffled the deck chairs on the Titanic. Left Tackle Chris Williams, the lone highly drafted offensive lineman in eons, looked lost for much of the preseason. How can Cutler perform with so little blind side protection? And yet there are high expectation because Mike Martz, who turned Kurt Warner into an MVP quarterback, takes over as offensive coordinator. Whether he can make that much of an impact on basically the same offensive roster is the big question. Cutler believes so, but we sure didn't see much to get excited about during the preseason. Martz claims, however, that its effectiveness comes from paring his legendarily large playbook down to specifically exploit that week's opponent. We'll see...
On defense, the Bears made the bold move of signing free agent defensive end Julius Peppers -- the top free agent available this off-season. He has looked impressive when on the field during the exhibition season and should solidify a retooled front four. Starters Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye are gone. Last year's mid-season acquisition Gaines Adams passed away over the winter. Anthony Adams moves atop the depth chart alongside Peppers, Tommie Harris and Mike Anderson/Israel Idonije. Brian Urlacher, whose season ended in week one last year, returns at middle linebacker. When healthy, he remains among the league's elite, but a calf injury kept him on the sidelines for most of the preseason. His health will a key component to the defense's success. Starting along side Urlacher are Pro Bowler Lance Briggs and Pisa Tinoisamoa, who also missed most of '09 with injuries. The secondary, the team's weakest link on defense a year ago, remains a source of concern. Last year's starter at free safety, Al Afalava, was cut last week and former Bear Chris Harris looks to fill the position for now -- but rookie Major Wright could play his way into the stating line-up in short order. He might have already done so by now were it not for a broken finger during the preseason.
Key Additions:
Julius Peppers - DE
Chester Taylor - RB
Chris Harris - S
Major Wright - S
Key Departures:
Alex Brown - DE
Adewale Ogunleye - DE
Gaines Adams - DE
Nathan Vasher - CB
Orlando Pace - OT
Even if the Bears have improved over last year, their schedule does them no favors. Brett Favre returns to the Vikings, who made the NFC conference championship a year ago--although he's missing some key pieces of his offense to begin 2010. Arch-rival Green Bay is a popular choice to win the Super Bowl and many believe Aaron Rogers will win this year's MVP. In addition to their NFC North foes, the Bears also must face the Cowboys, Eagles, Dolphins, Jets and Patriots. Will the Bears improve upon last year's 7-9? Yes, they will. But will they play well enough to prevent a major overhaul of the coaching staff and front office? Nope. We predict 9-7, getting over .500 only because the Packers rest their starters the final week.
Week-by-Week Predictions:
Week 1. Lions -- W
Week 2. @Cowboys -- L
Week 3. Packers -- L
Week 4. @Giants -- W
Week 5. @Panthers -- W
Week 6. Seahawks -- W
Week 7. Redskins -- L
Week 8. BYE
Week 9. Bills -- W
Week 10. Vikings -- W
Week 11. @Miami -- L
Week 12. Eagles -- W
Week 13. @Lions -- W
Week 14. Patriots - L
Week 15. @Vikings -- L
Week 16. Jets -- L
Week 17. @Packers -- W
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Final Record: 9-7