1 Chicago Bears
THE BELIEF
A defense that ranked second in the NFL last season will be even stronger,controlling games with speed and takeaways. The offense, which was effective onthe ground in 2005 (eighth best in the NFL, led by Thomas Jones's 1,335 yards)but laughable in the air (31st, with overmatched rookie Kyle Orton atquarterback), will be revitalized by Rex Grossman, who has missed most of thelast two seasons with injuries after Chicago drafted him in the firstround.
THE REALITY
Offense, the draft gods whispered to the Bears' brass and coach Lovie Smithlast spring. This is my team, Smith told the gods. "All I heard was,'You've got to draft all offense,'" Smith says. "Well, you know what?We like the way we're doing things, and we're going to keep doing them the sameway." Chicago built defensive depth with its first five picks, sending theclear message that Smith's core philosophy of defense and running the ballremains in place.
The defense hasplayed two full seasons in the Tampa Cover 2 system Smith learned while a Bucsassistant from 1996 through 2000 and then used as defensive coordinator of theRams the next three seasons. The Bears believe in the scheme--during aneight-game winning streak last season they allowed only 8.5 points a game--evenafter it failed them in a 29--21 divisional playoff loss to Carolina lastJanuary.
"I hope teamsthink they have us figured out," says fifth-year defensive end Alex Brown,who had six sacks a year ago. "We're confident, we have a swagger, and it'shard to find a weak point on our defense. We expect to be dominant."
That starts withmiddle linebacker Brian Urlacher, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of theYear, who has mixed feelings about the system. "The Cover 2 is not myfavorite," says Urlacher. "Twenty-five or 30 times a game the middlelinebacker has to drop 30 yards downfield, which is not fun. I feel that takesme out of the play sometimes. But I'm 6'4", and that makes me hard to throwover. And look all around at our defense: Man, speed kills. Everybody can run;everybody can make plays."
Yet it'sdelusional to assume that Chicago can win the North again without a passinggame. The need to develop offensive balance became more urgent after Jones andfellow running back Cedric Benson, a 2005 first-round draft pick, went downwith minor injuries and missed chunks of training camp.
Grossman, who hasonly seven NFL starts, is being counted on to produce and stay healthy. (Hetore an ACL in '04 and broke an ankle in '05.) If he doesn't, veteran BrianGriese was acquired as a backup, dropping Orton to third on the depth chart.Olin Kreutz, the ninth-year center, says, "I haven't seen enough of Rex ingames to tell you what he can do. What I can tell you is that when he walks inthe huddle, people believe we're going to score. He's got the arm, theattitude. That thing they say good quarterbacks have? He's got it."
The Bears needit.
2006 SCHEDULE
SEPTEMBER
10 at GreenBay
17 DETROIT
24 atMinnesota
OCTOBER
1 SEATTLE
8 BUFFALO
16 at Arizona(M)
22 Bye
29 SANFRANCISCO
NOVEMBER
5 MIAMI
12 at N.Y.Giants
19 at N.Y.Jets
26 at NewEngland
DECEMBER
3 MINNESOTA
11 at St. Louis(M)
17 TAMPA BAY
24 at Detroit
31 GREEN BAY
(M) Monday
SCHEDULESTRENGTH
NFL rank 32
Opponents' 2005 winning percentage .445
Games against playoff teams 4
ENEMY LINES
AN OPPOSING TEAM'S SCOUT SIZES UP THE BEARS
> Thequarterback situation has the potential to be disruptive. If Rex Grossmanstruggles and the call goes to Brian Griese, the team could become divided.
> Lance Briggsis overrated. He gets a lot of tackles, but that's just the system bringing theball to him. He'll get blocked better this year.
> One playeron the Bears I wish I could have? How about Brian Urlacher. That's ano-brainer. He's the best defensive player in the league.
> Thesecondary, with Mike Brown, Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher, is very good.Ricky Manning was a good pickup in free agency.
> I'm not thatcrazy about their defensive line. They're O.K. inside with Tommie Harris, butthe ends are average. I just don't think the defense will be as dominant aslast year's.
They need CedricBenson to produce. He's the real thing. Thomas Jones is not a tough enoughrunner.
BREAKOUT PLAYER
Bernard Berrian
WIDE RECEIVER
In the two seasonssince the Bears drafted him in the third round out of Fresno State, Berrian hasonly 28 receptions. But look at his average gain: 16.8 yards a catch for hiscareer and 18.9 per grab last season, highest for anyone in the NFL (thoughthat came on a mere 13 receptions). Such numbers hint that Berrian has theexplosiveness to give Chicago the field-stretching presence it needs to takethe pressure off the running game and the defense.
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PROJECTED STARTINGLINEUP
WITH 2005 STATISTICS
COACH LOVIE SMITH(16--16 in NFL), third season with Chicago
OFFENSE
MUHSIN MUHAMMAD
POS WR
REC 64
YARDS 750
TD 4
CEDRIC BENSON
POS RB
RUSH 67
YARDS 272
TD 0
REX GROSSMAN
POS QB
ATT 39
COMP20
PCT 51.3
YARDS 259
TD 1
INT 2
RATING 59.7
JASON MCKIE
POS FB
RUSH 3
YARDS 22
TD 0
BERNARD BERRIAN
POS WR
REC 13
YARDS 246
TD 0
ROBBIE GOULD
POS K
FG 21-27
POINTS 82
DESMOND CLARK
POS TE
REC 24
YARDS 229
TD 2
JOHN TAIT
POS LT
HT 6'6"
WT 315
G 15
RUBEN BROWN
POS LG
HT 6'3"
WT 300
G 12
OLIN KREUTZ
POS C
HT 6'2"
WT 292
G 16
ROBERTO GARZA
POS RG
HT 6'2"
WT 305
G 16
FRED MILLER
POS RT
HT 6'7"
WT 314
G 15
DEFENSE
LANCE BRIGGS
POS WLB
TACKLES 107
SACKS 2
INT 2
ADEWALEOGUNLEYE
POS LE
TACKLES 40
SACKS 10
TOMMIE HARRIS
POS LT
TACKLES 32
SACKS 3
IAN SCOTT
POS RT
TACKLES 27
SACKS 0
ISRAEL IDONIJE
POS RE
TACKLES 20
SACKS 1
HUNTERHILLENMEYER
POS SLB
TACKLES 63
SACK 1
INT 1
BRAD MAYNARD
POS P
PUNTS 96
AVG 41.0
NATHAN VASHER
POS CB
TACKLES 46
INT 8
MIKE BROWN
POS SS
TACKLES 72
SACKS 1
INT 3
BRIAN URLACHER
POS MLB
TACKLES 121
SACKS 6
INT 0
CHRIS HARRIS
POS FS
TACKLES 58
SACKS 1
INT 3
CHARLES TILLMAN
POS CB
TACKLES 93
INT 5
2005 RECORD11--5
NFL RANK (RUSH/PASS/TOTAL): OFFENSE 8/31/29 DEFENSE 11/5/2
PHOTO
CHRIS BERNACCHI/SPORTPICS
BENSON
PHOTO
DAVID E. KLUTHO
BRIAN'S SONG He's not crazy about the Cover 2 scheme, but Urlacher is the top playmaker on a defense loaded with speed.
PHOTO
DON LANSU/WIREIMAGE.COM
TWO PHOTOS
PHOTO
HELMET PHOTO BY DAVID N. BERKWITZ