Bears return to da-minance
Da Bears are back in vogue with a bruising defence
Start spreading “ Da” news. Da Bears are back. Da Bears are for real. Da- zzling. They may have been believers in themselves heading into yesterday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, but there were still plenty of observers who had their doubts about da . . . er, the Bears. But their thoroughly convincing 13- 3 defeat of a Panthers team that had won six straight games has given Chicago the aura of legitimacy.
They’re talking shades of ’ 85, when everyone in the Windy City was doing some version or another of the cornball Super Bowl Shuffle.
Hey, if the White Sox can win the World Series for the first time in 88 years, why can’t the Bears go to their first Super Bowl in 20? Think Red SoxPatriots.
If they can beat the Panthers, it stands to reason that the Bears may well be capable of beating all comers in the wide-open NFC. They’ve now won six in a row themselves and at 7- 3 are in control of the weak- sister NFC North.
Until yesterday, the Bears’ wins had all been over teams with losing records but they could actually be in an even better position — their three losses in the first four weeks of the season were to Washington, Cincinnati and ( ugh!) Cleveland.
This Sunday’s game is another litmus test as Chicago is on the road in Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers, who have dominant thoughts of their own after barely knocking off the Falcons in Atlanta and gaining a share of the NFC South lead with Carolina, both at 7- 3 and a game ahead of the Falcons. The Cowboys and Giants also won yesterday to stay tied with 7- 3 records atop the NFC East, while Seattle’s win over the 49ers tightened the 8-2 Seahawks’ stranglehold on the West.
At this point it would appear the Seahawks and Bears are close to home free, destined for first- round playoff byes.
After the Buccaneers, Chicago’s remaining games include two versus Green Bay and one each against Pittsburgh, Atlanta and, to finish the season, Minnesota. The Bears, as the Baltimore Ravens did so well in recent memory, are winning with the NFL’s stingiest defence, one that has now held opponents to single digit scores in six of 10 games. Incredibly, they have yielded only nine touchdowns all season — next best going into yesterday was 13 each by Indianapolis and Cincinnati, who engaged each other in a full- bore shootout. Two early interceptions of Jake Delhomme passes led directly to Chicago taking a 10- 0 lead. The Panthers, known for their own defensive strengths, were unable to rattle rookie quarterback Kyle Orton, perceived to be the weak link in the Bears hopes. But he appears more comfortable each week and, in any case, incumbent Rex Grossman is nearing return from injury, should relief be necessary.
Chicago relies on sound line play and a grinding ground attack, keyed by running back Thomas Jones, plus an occasional strike to ex- Panther wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad. But it is the defence, led by linebacker Brian Urlacher, that has people making comparisons to legendary names such as Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka, Mike Singletary and Dan Hampton.
In his second season as head coach, after going 5- 11 in 2004, there’s a ( manly) Lovie Smith love- in going on at Soldier Field. The Bears, don’t forget, have won exactly two playoff games since that win over New England in Super Bowl XX. Long shots? By all means.
Entering the season, one bookmaker was offering 55- to- 1 odds on the Bears winning the Super Bowl (shortest odds were on Philadelphia and Indianapolis, both at 6- to- 1 and the longest, at 130- to- 1, were on Cleveland).
“ A victory would put is in a commanding position,” Muhammad said entering yesterday’s game. “ We have yet to get to a Super Bowl. It’s been 20 years, and most of the players on our team, while we respect the players from ’ 85, we want our identity around here.”