Chicago Bears in Review for 2006

It is a moment I would like to forget.

With just twelve minutes remaining in the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XLI, the Chicago Bears, down 22-17 to the Indianapolis Colts, lined up for a first down play on their own 38-yard line.

Quarterback Rex Grossman took a step back from the line, pump-faked to his right, and then threw a wobbly ball off his back foot into the waiting hands of Colts’ cornerback Kelvin Hayden.

Hayden, who had just intercepted his first pass of the season, proceeded to weave his way through the Bears offense on his way to the game-clinching touchdown.

At that moment, Chicago’s inhabitants fell eerily silent, as the dreams of winning our first Super Bowl in 21 years were shattered.

“The whole year our thing has been to finish (games),” linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer said after the game, “And that’s exactly what we didn’t do.”

For most Bears’ fans, the shock and depression of losing the Super Bowl has mostly worn off. However many are still haunted by the visions of that dreadful fourth quarter. It is that visualization that has some Chicago fans lying awake at night. I’ll admit, for the week following the Super Bowl, I was one of the sleepless.

Nevertheless one can only pout for so long, and I eventually began pondering over the amazing season of the 2006 Chicago Bears.

Has there ever been a quarterback who has undergone as much intense media scrutiny in one season as Rex Grossman did in 2006?

Most quarterbacks in their first full year of starting would have crumbled under that type of pressure. Yet Grossman stood firm, never made excuses for himself, and went about his business in a professional manner. Imagine how Ryan Leaf would have reacted after fielding the 478th question about Brian Griese.

Whether you think he’s the next Brett Favre or the next Elvis Grbac, there is no denying Grossman played a big part in the development of the Bears’ offense this season. Chicago ended the 2005 season ranked 29th in total offense, 31st in passing offense, and 26th in points scored. This season, the Bears ranked 15th in total offense, 14th in passing offense, and 2nd in points scored. That is a marked improvement over the span of only one season and much of that had to do with the play of Rex Grossman.

I’ll admit he was awful at times, but his 23 touchdown passes were the most by any Bears’ quarterback since Erik Kramer threw 29 in 1995. Grossman’s inconsistency is maddening but one can only hope that he continues to develop and push this offense in the right direction.

An enhanced receiving corps, led by the speedy Bernard Berrian, also contributed to Chicago’s strong offensive output. Berrian caught 51 passes for 775 yards and 6 touchdowns in his first season as a starter. His 15.2 receiving average was 20th best in the NFL. The Bears utilized his blazing speed to stretch opposing defenses and open up underneath routes for possession receiver Muhsin Muhammad (60 catches, 863 yards, 5 touchdowns) and resurgent tight end Desmond Clark (45 catches, 626 yards, 6 touchdowns). It was a downfield passing attack, that when clicking, was one of the best in the league.

The running game was just what you would expect from a Chicago Bears team: relentless. Thomas Jones was their bread and butter, carrying the ball 296 times and gaining over 1,200 yards for the second straight season. Former 1st round pick Cedric Benson played a much bigger role this year, gaining 647 yards and scoring 6 touchdowns. His bruising, downhill running style complemented the shifty Jones nicely.

Chicago’s newfound offensive balance was augmented by the great field position given to them by return man Devin Hester. Hester ranked 2nd in the NFL in punt returns average and set a single-season record with 6 kicks returned for a touchdown – none more important than his game-winner on Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals. He then added one more return touchdown on the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl. For those reasons, Devin Hester is my pick for the 2006 MVP of the Chicago Bears.

Just like last season, the Bears’ defense was the key to the team’s success. Brian Urlacher and company were absolutely dominant in the first half of the season, ranking 1st in nearly every defensive category. Their amazing team speed and hunger for turnovers has become a staple of the cover 2 system Lovie Smith has installed in Chicago.

However, losing two Pro Bowl players to season ending injuries – safety Mike Brown in Week 6 and tackle Tommie Harris in Week 13 –severely crippled the defense heading into the playoffs. One can only wonder how their presence on the field might have affected the outcome of the Super Bowl.

The biggest issue for the defense moving forward is the unrestricted free agent status of weak-side middle linebacker Lance Briggs. The Bears are $16.3 million under the salary cap heading into next season. This should give them enough money to sign Briggs to a long-term contract. If the two sides cannot reach a contract agreement, the Bears still have the option of placing the franchise tag on their second leading tackler. Either way, the Bears need to do whatever it takes to keep Briggs on the team. He has the ability to hit the gaps and stop runners in their tracks. Obviously this is a key element to this defense’s success.

Heading into the draft, it is imperative that the Bears select an offensive tackle early. John Tait and Fred Miller are savvy veterans who still have a good year or two left in them. Although they are 32 and 34 years old respectively, and no one behind them on the depth chart is ready to step in and produce.

Two offensive tackles in this year’s draft stand out as great fits for Chicago’s system. Joe Staley of Central Michigan is a converted tight end that runs the 40-yard dash in 4.81 seconds – outrageously fast for a 6’5”, 296-pound offensive lineman. His speed and range would work well in Chicago’s pull and trap-heavy rushing attack.

Tony Ugoh of Arkansas would also be a nice pick for the Bears. He has good size (6’5”, 301 lbs.) and a powerful upper body that he uses to drive defenders off the ball. His athleticism at left tackle would provide some much-needed backside protection for the lead-footed Grossman.

The final off-season concern for the Bears' front office is to upgrade the salary of their egregiously under-paid head coach Lovie Smith. Smith is in the final year of a four-year contract that pays him $1.3 million a year – the lowest salary of any head coach in the NFL. He was named Coach of the Year last season and brought this franchise back to the Super Bowl – a place they had not been in 21 years. He is a class act and one of the best football minds in the game. It is time the Bears' front office stepped up and paid the man what he is worth. They’ve waited too long as it is.

Overall, don’t expect many changes for the Chicago Bears next season; their schemes and personnel will remain pretty similar to that of this year. As was proven this season, the Bears have a winning formula in place, so don’t be surprised if you see them playing in Super Bowl XLII.