The Sports Guru

Projected Record

10-6, 1st Place NFC North

Projected Schedule W/L
@Green Bay (L)
Detroit (W)
@Minnesota (W)
Seattle (W)
Buffalo (W)
@Arizona (L)
San Francisco (W)
Miami (W)
@NY Giants (L)
@NY Jets (W)
@New England (L)
Minnesota (W)
@St. Louis (L)
Tampa Bay (W)
@Detroit (L)
Green Bay (W)

Rex Grossman was drafted in 2004 to be the Bears’ quarterback of the future. Things didn’t go as planned for Grossman after he was hurt early in the year. The Bears struggled to a 5-11 record that season, Head Coach Lovie Smith’s first with the team. Heading into 2005, Grossman was once again primed to lead the Bears. Once again, Grossman was beset by injuries, missing 14 games. This time, however, the Bears were able to overcome the loss, going 11-5, and producing the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in Brian Urlacher. Heading into 2006, Grossman will once again try to lead the Bear’s deep into the playoffs, but this time the Bears find themselves better prepared to deal with his loss.

Team Strengths – Defense, defense, defense. The Bears D was dominate last season, until it counted most in the playoffs. The last two times the Bears have made the postseason they were led by their defense, but ironically, it was defense that let them down both times. Urlacher anchors a fast, hard hitting D that beckons to times gone by in Chicago. It will fall to the defense again of the Bears if they are going to make a run in 2006. On offense, the Bears do a great job of funning the football, and have a three headed monster in Thomas Jones, Cedric Benson, and Adrian Peterson. Mushin Muhammad is an effective receiver, if there is someone to get the ball to him.

Team Weaknesses - It has been the quarterback position that has plagued the Bears the past 2 seasons. Injuries to Grossman have forced the Bears to play unproven players, such as Craig Krenzel in 2004 and Kyle Orton last season. The Bears protected themselves this year by bringing in Brian Griese to backup Grossman. Griese is a steady, if unspectaculr, quaterback that at least give the Bears some semblance of a passing attack. If Grossman falters, Griese will be there waiting. If anything was proven in the playoffs last season it was the Bears D was susceptable to the big play. Steve Smith of Carolina burned the Bear’s secondary time and again, and if Mike Brown’s foot injury is serious the Bear’s may stryggle again against the pass.


Best Case Scenario – Improved play at the quarterback posistion takes the pressure of the defense. The Bears have some weapons on offense but need a QB that can get the ball downfield and stretch defenses. If that happens, the running tandem of Jones, Benson and Peterson will be highly effective keeping drives alive and keeping the defense rested on the bench. A weak division plays right into the Bears’ hands and a home playoff game is not out of the question.

Worst Case Scenario - If Grossman and Griese are ineffective it couls be deja-vue for the Bears in 2006. The Defense is good enough to beat mediocre teams during the regular season, but the postseason is a different story. Injuries to the DB’s will make the D vulnerable to attack downfield as seen last season. The running-by-commitee worked last season but all three want to be “the MAN” and that could cause problems. Urlacher has had injury problems in the past and they need him on the field to be successful

My Opinion - The Bears are one of the more intriguing teams in 2006. They possess alot of talent but will only go as far as the QB of choice takes them. Right now that guy is Rex Grossman, but he is untested and hasn’t played nearly enough for the Bears to get a true indication of his potential. They did the right thing to bring in some protection in Griese, but he has been enigmatic at best, never proving that he could lead a team far into the playoffs. That said, Griese brings more to the table and is much more consistent than Grossman, and the wondow of opportunity on this group is starting to close. It will be Griese that will be the starting QB of this team, if not by Week 1, then soon after.