Bears' start has been OK but the best is yet to come
We're three weeks into the 2009 NFL season, and the Chicago Bears merit a passing grade, at the very least, with their 2-1 showing so far.
The two wins aren't enough to distinguish the Bears in the NFC North. They're in third place, behind unbeaten Minnesota and Green Bay, which is also 2-1 and defeated the Bears on opening night. Even Detroit can't be counted out yet, as the Lions ended their 19-game losing streak by beating Washington on Sunday.
But Chicago has kept its head above water while playing the toughest schedule of any division team. It has had a pair of tough road games, at Green Bay and Seattle, sandwiched around a Week 2 home date with defending world champion Pittsburgh. Minnesota rallied to beat a surprisingly tough San Francisco team this week but played a pair of pasties in Weeks 1 and 2. The Packers feasted on a terrible St. Louis team for their second win on Sunday.
What's more, the Bears had to endure that brutal three-game stretch while still gelling as a team. It was painfully obvious during the Week 1 loss to the Packers that new QB Jay Cutler and his young receivers weren't on the same page. They looked way more in sync against an excellent Steelers defense and again against a competent Seahawks unit.
Just imagine what the Bears could do offensively with an effective running game and if they ever faced a bottom-tier defense. Matt Forte has rushed for 2.5 yards per carry and a total of 150 yards. That's not just a sophomore slump, it's a sophomore collapse. Once the running game gets better (it has to get better, right?), Cutler and the passing game should also improve from effective to potentially explosive.
The next month-plus is the perfect time for the Bears to get their offense right. They host Detroit next week, and then have their bye week. After that, Chicago is scheduled for a pair of road games against decent teams in Atlanta and Cincinnati. Both the Falcons and the Bengals have been better defensively in 2009 than they were last year, but neither can be called dominant. There might not be two worse defensive teams in football than Cleveland and Arizona, who the Bears will meet in Weeks 8 and 9.
There are plenty of reasons to be concerned about the Bears defense, which is clearly down a notch with middle linebacker Brian Urlacher out for the season. I liked Lovie Smith's approach to Sunday's game against backup Seahawks QB Seneca Wallace — to blitz heavily. It was the execution that I wasn't thrilled with. Wallace threw for 261 yards, and with him under center in place of Matt Hasslebeck, I expected the Bears to get more than three sacks and two turnovers.
But the Bears are really banged up. The around-the-corner bye week should give end Alex Brown and linebackers Pisa Tinoisamoa and Hunter Hillenmeyer a chance to get close to 100 percent. Defensive tackle Tommie Harris can always use a week off at this point in his career. Facing offenses like Detroit and Cleveland in the coming weeks should help the Bears feel well in a hurry.
Something has to give at the top of the NFC North next Monday, when the Packers and Vikings will square off. Minnesota then has a gimmie game at St. Louis in front of three straight tough ones versus Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Green Bay again. Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson is awesome, but the Ravens and Steelers will make him earn every yard. The Packers have a much easier upcoming schedule, but it will catch up with them starting on Nov. 15, when they face Dallas, San Francisco, Detroit, Baltimore, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Arizona.
So be happy with where your team is at, Bears fans. I don't see the Packers or the Vikings going away any time soon, but the Bears should be able to match them blow for blow. They've played OK so far, but I think their best is yet to come.
