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For the 2007 Bears, the excuses outnumbered the victories in their embarrassing fall from Super Bowl XLI to a 7-9 record and last place in the NFC North. Among the factors cited for the disappointing follow-up were the "Super Bowl hangover" that has plagued losers of the big game the year after, injuries, old age and a lack of turnovers that traditionally have characterized Lovie Smith teams. Add to that the unfortunate trade acquisitions of defensive tackle Darwin Walker and safety Adam Archuleta, and you've got the recipe for a six-game dropoff. The injuries clearly took a toll, starting with the season opener. Former Pro Bowl safety Mike Brown and nose tackle Dusty Dvoracek, who had won the starting job after spending his rookie season on injured reserve, were both lost for the season with torn knee ligaments. Brown was the brains of the secondary and an emotional leader on and off the field. Dvoracek had already proven to be the team's best run stopper. Just as critical were the 12 games that Pro Bowl cornerback Nathan Vasher missed with a partially torn groin muscle. In his first three seasons, Vasher picked off 16 passes, the active leader on the team. Other injuries weren't as severe but chipped away at the defense, the heart of the team. Tackle Tommie Harris made his third straight Pro Bowl, but he wasn't nearly the same player as he played through knee and hamstring injuries much of the season but amazingly never missed a game. The training camp acquisition of Walker was supposed to provide insurance in the middle of the line, but the veteran missed five games with minor injuries and was a non-factor in at least five others. Counted on to be part of the solution, Walker was more like part of the problem. When a torn triceps forced unrestricted free-agent pickup Anthony Adams onto injured reserve and out of the final four games, it meant that each of the Bears' top four tackles were seriously affected by injuries, and they missed a total of 24 games. Without the anticipated push in the middle from the d-line and minus Vasher and Brown, the franchise's all-time leader with seven defensive touchdowns, the Bears weren't able to put the kind of pressure on opposing offenses that characterized their Super Bowl season, when they forced a league-high 44 turnovers. A flurry of takeaways late in the season, when it was too late, still enabled the Bears to finish with 33, eighth best in the league. Archuleta came up way short as a complement to, and then a replacement for, Brown, as he struggled in coverage, missed tackles and finally was benched for the final five games. In the first 13 games of 2007, the Bears had a league-low nine interceptions. In 2006, the Bears forced at least two turnovers in 13 of 16 games. In '07, there were six games in which they had one or zero takeaways. The Bears went into last season believing they were still youthful enough to keep their window of opportunity open for at least another year. At most positions, that is true, but signs of aging were evident along the offensive line early and often. At 35, left guard Ruben Brown was unable to finish his 13th season when a persistent shoulder injury finally required surgery, and then understudy Terrence Metcalf played himself back onto the bench after five forgettable starts. Right tackle Fred Miller, 34, became more susceptible to speed rushers and false starts, but there was no one better to replace him. Left tackle John Tait will be 33 before the Super Bowl and would benefit from a move to the right side, and C Olin Kreutz, who will be 31 by training camp, missed his first Pro Bowl in seven years. Given the starting job all to himself for the first time, Cedric Benson was decidedly underwhelming. The fourth overall pick in 2005 didn't resemble a legitimate NFL starter until his final two games, when he averaged 7.0 yards per carry, but he suffered a season-ending fractured ankle in Game 11. In his first nine games, Benson averaged just 3.0 yards per carry, although the offensive line must share the blame for that embarrassing number. The offense was further handicapped when quarterback Rex Grossman played so poorly that he was benched after three games, precipitating the quarterback shuffle that has become synonymous with Bears football. Brian Griese started the next six games and played decently before a minor left shoulder injury provided coaches with an excuse to give Grossman another chance. He performed much better for four games before an ankle injury ended his season. That gave third-stringer Kyle Orton a chance to start three games, and he did well enough to completely muddle the QB picture for next season. Notes, Quotes • Since Lovie Smith took over the program in 2004, the Bears are the only NFL team with a winning record against both teams in the NFC title game. They are 6-2 against the Packers and 2-1 against the Giants. • Despite a disappointing 7-9 record, the Bears finished with back-to-back wins to conclude the season for just the third time in 21 years. They were the only consecutive wins during the 2007 season. • Although LB coach Hardy Nickerson has already resigned after just one season, Bears GM Jerry Angelo agrees with coach Lovie Smith's desire to keep the coaching staff intact. That might seem a strange game plan for a 7-9 team that saw five assistants depart on the heels of the 2006 Super Bowl team that went 13-3, including defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, who was not offered a new contract, and defensive line coach Don Johnson, who was fired while still under contract. "He's got to feel comfortable with the people that he works with every day, and that obviously is Lovie's call," Angelo said. "He feels real good about his staff. We have made changes on our staff before. If that were what he felt was in our best interest, I'm sure he would have done it. We've won with these coaches, and we feel that the problems that we have can be corrected with this staff." • Lloyd Lee, a defensive assistant for the Bears the past four seasons, is expected to replace Nickerson as linebackers coach. The Dartmouth graduate worked with the Bears' nickel backs last season and has been an assistant linebackers coach in the past. He was the defensive quality control coach his first two years in Chicago. • While RB Cedric Benson has yet to return first-round value, the fourth overall pick in 2005 has demonstrated that he gets stronger as the season progresses -- when he stays healthy that is. In the first nine games of his first three seasons, Benson has averaged just 3.3 yards per carry, but in the last seven games of those seasons, he has averaged 5.2 yards per attempt. Quote To Note: "We have to play good defense, that's first and foremost. What's good defense here in Chicago? Good defense is takeaways, not giving up big plays, playing aggressive with top effort. Unfortunately we weren't able to get those takeaways, and we gave up far too many big plays on defense." -- Bears GM Jerry Angelo. Strategy And Personnel The Bears have a lot of holes to fill on an offense that wasn't great to begin with and backslid last season. The offensive line needs upgrades in at least two positions to be of playoff caliber. QB Rex Grossman and No. 1 WR Bernard Berrian are unrestricted free agents, as is WLB Lance Briggs. All three could be gone. The QB position is mediocre across the board, and if Grossman goes, that leaves only unproven Kyle Orton and Brian Griese, who is considered strictly a backup at this stage of his career. At running back, someone with speed and big-play ability is vital considering Cedric Benson doesn't appear as though he's ever going to perform like a first-round pick, and there's not much behind him. UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS Quarterback: Starter -- Rex Grossman. Backups -- Kyle Orton, Brian Griese. Grossman is an unrestricted free agent whose chances of returning are 50-50. The Bears won't pay him starting money but would welcome him back at a moderate price to compete for the job. He was benched after a poor start but played much better, though not great, when he got a second chance later in the season. After two years of sitting, Orton finally got another chance to start the final three games and showed enough to be a contender for the No. 1 job next season. He has the best chance of any of the quarterbacks returning next season. Griese is too expensive to keep as a No. 3, so if Grossman re-signs, Griese is gone, unless he takes a pay cut. He's still a decent backup capable of managing a game but unlikely to be a difference maker. Running Backs: Starters -- RB Cedric Benson, FB Jason McKie. Backups -- RB Adrian Peterson, RB Garrett Wolfe, FB Lousaka Polite. Benson was a major disappointment for most of the season, averaging 3.0 yards per carry through the first nine games with no runs longer than 16 yards. He seemed to find a rhythm in Games 10 and 11, averaging 7.0 yards per carry, but then suffered a season-ending fractured ankle. It wasn't nearly enough to guarantee him the starting job next season, but he will be in the mix. Peterson is a competent third-down back with solid receiving skills, but he's nothing special as a runner and not the guy you want starting. Wolfe showed some wiggle and quickness, mostly as a receiver out of the backfield. He tended to get engulfed between the tackles, although he has enough speed and quickness to get the corner on a team with a decent o-line. McKie is a solid blocker, period. Polite is about the same and can contribute on special teams. Tight Ends: Starter -- Desmond Clark. Backups -- Greg Olsen, John Gilmore. Despite the presence of a talented first-round pick (Olsen), Clark held on to his job and had one of the best seasons of his nine-year career. His 545 receiving yards were third best on the team, and his 44 catches were fourth. If Clark can maintain the same level of play, the Bears will utilize even more two-TE sets next season because Olsen looks like a star with the ability to stretch the field and the athleticism and sticky hands to take the ball away in a crowd. Gilmore does most of the dirty work (blocking). Wide Receivers: Starters -- Bernard Berrian, Muhsin Muhammad. Backups -- Devin Hester, Rashied Davis, Mark Bradley. Berrian probably won't be back, although his departure would leave the Bears severely short-handed at wideout. They could make an effort to bring him back but won't pay him as a star, and he might not want to come back to an offense with a lot of holes to fill. Muhammad is clearly on the decline and no longer close to a No. 1, but he still makes some tough catches and is physical and a good-sized target. Hester is a work in progress who has shown flashes of greatness but is not a quick study. Davis is tough but small and not that fast. He's a decent No. 4. Bradley seems to have all the physical tools but, after three years, he hasn't figured out how to use them. Offensive Line: Starters -- LT John Tait, LG John St. Clair, C Olin Kreutz, RG Roberto Garza, RT Fred Miller. Backups -- G Ruben Brown, G Terrence Metcalf, G/C Josh Beekman, G/C Anthony Oakley. Most of the offensive troubles can be traced to this overaged, underachieving unit that is in dire need of an infusion of young talent. It was supposed to be a cohesive unit because of the abundance of experience, but the Bears were plagued by false starts all season and neither the pass protection nor run blocking were adequate. Brown started the first eight games at LG before suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery, which could end his long, illustrious career. He's a free agent and will be 36 before next season starts. Metcalf had been groomed as a replacement for six years but was a bust when he got his chance to replace Brown and wound up benched in favor of St. Clair, a journeyman backup tackle and not a long-term solution. Tait is OK at LT but would be better off on the right side, although that means the Bears would need to draft or sign a standout LT since there are no prospects on the roster. Kreutz is still outstanding, although he wasn't voted to the Pro Bowl for the first time in seven years. Garza is solid but nothing special, and the 34-year-old Miller needs to be replaced. He's become increasingly susceptible to speed. None of the backups are potential starters with the possible exception of Beekman, who never got a chance as a rookie. Defensive Line: Starters -- LDE Adewale Ogunleye, DT Tommie Harris, NT Darwin Walker, RDE Mark Anderson. Backups -- DE Alex Brown, DT Anthony Adams, NT Dusty Dvoracek, DL Israel Idonije, DT Antonio Garay, DE Dan Bazuin. Ogunleye had his best of four seasons in Chicago, leading the team with nine sacks and the linemen with 70 tackles. Harris, a standout at the three technique, made his third straight Pro Bowl because he had seven sacks in the first half of the season but just one in the second half. He was ineffective for long stretches, although he played through the kind of injuries that sidelined other less-committed players. Walker did not play through injuries after getting a big signing bonus in a renegotiated deal, and he was a non-factor most of the season. Walker is due a $5.2 million roster bonus in March that would be a ridiculous waste of money given his production in 2007. Anderson was given Brown's starting position in training camp but suffered through a sophomore slump, as his sacks dropped from 12 to five. Brown is a better two-way player, and although the Bears play three in their DE rotation, Brown should be the starter. Dvoracek is a force as a run stuffer and earned a starting job, but he played just one game before a knee injury ended his season. He could be back as the starter next season. Adams was paid a lot less than Walker but was a much better player and can play both the 3-technique and the nose. Idonije's versatility makes him invaluable. He plays tackle and end in addition to special teams. Garay is a backup at best, while Bazuin is an unknown quantity who barely got on the field before landing on injured reserve. Linebackers: Starters -- WLB Lance Briggs, MLB Brian Urlacher, SLB Hunter Hillenmeyer. Backups -- Jamar Williams, Rod Wilson, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Nick Roach. Briggs is history and Williams is slated to take his spot. Briggs has made three straight Pro Bowls but won't get the money he wants from the Bears, who have been impressed with Williams' smarts and versatility in two years as an understudy at all three LB spots. Urlacher's demise was greatly exaggerated. Except for a brief slump when he was hampered by an arthritic back, he played at or near his Pro Bowl level. But he didn't get his seventh trip to Hawaii, although he may have deserved it more than Briggs, considering he had the rare combination of five sacks and five interceptions. The assignment-sound and reliable Hillenmeyer was given more responsibility in nickel situations last season and he is a solid starter, even if he isn't in the same class as his LB mates. After Williams, the other 2007 backups are all primarily special teams players, but very good ones. Pro Bowl coverage ace Ayanbadejo is an unrestricted free agent with one foot out the door. Defensive Backs: Starters -- LCB Charles Tillman, RCB Nathan Vasher, SS Brandon McGowan, FS Danieal Manning. Backups -- S Mike Brown, CB Trumaine McBride, CB Ricky Manning Jr., SS Adam Archuleta, CB Corey Graham, S Kevin Payne. The corners form an excellent tandem when they're healthy, but that wasn't the case in '07, when Vasher, an excellent ball athlete and interceptor, missed 12 games with a nagging groin injury. The big and physical Tillman is well suited to play press coverage in the Bears' Cover 2 and is excellent in run support. Safety was a disaster last season, starting with the season-ending knee injury to 2005 Pro Bowler Brown in Game 1. Trade acquisition Archuleta was a bust, a liability in coverage and an inconsistent tackler. The Bears would love to have a healthy Brown back, but he's missed 43 of the past 64 games with a variety of injuries and will have to accept less money to return. McGowan turned out to be a physical presence, but he's still suspect in coverage and has an injury history, too. Manning is big, fast and can be physical, but his play is way too inconsistent for someone with his tools. He needs to take another step next season or step aside. McBride was a most pleasant surprise, playing much better than his size and draft status would indicate. Graham has a future, at least as a special-teamer, where he was excellent. Payne impressed with his athleticism and heavy-hitting, and he could challenge for a starting job soon. Special Teams: K Robbie Gould, P Brad Maynard, LS Patrick Mannelly, KOR Devin Hester, PR Devin Hester. Gould's FG kicking was only slightly less accurate (31 of 36) in 2007 than it was a year earlier (32 of 36) when he went to the Pro Bowl. Maynard was his usual consistent, accurate self. Mannelly remains as steady as clockwork, while Hester was arguably the Bears' MVP, breaking his own NFL record with six return touchdowns, four on punts and two on kickoffs, and he is already arguably the greatest returner in NFL history. |
