So Sunday marked the end of the the most disappointing Bears season in maybe the last 10 years or so. It wasn’t the worst season, if we’re measuring worst in terms of sheer volume of crap play. But it was the most disappointing, if we’re measuring disappointing in terms of the ratio of actual crap play to expected crap play.
The autopsy must start with our divisional play. We had no business losing twice to both the Vikings and the Lions. In fact, had we managed to split the season series with the Vikings, and win that Thursday night game against the Redskins (a game we absolutely should have won), I do believe we’d be in the playoffs about now. Someone check that for me; math was never my strong suit. Granted, we’d be the 6th seed, which means we’d have to beat the Seahawks in Seattle, the Cowboys in Dallas and the Packers in Green Bay—all to earn the privilege of losing to the Patriots in the Superbowl. But, even with my limited math skills, I can safely say that making the playoffs > not making the playoffs.
The small ray of hope is that the last two games of the season were probably the best games they played all year. Moreover, the last two games also proved that the Bears’ basic formula for success—swarming defense, superior special teams, adequate offense—can still win games, if they execute it right. So that could be a good thing, if it renews their drive and motivates them for next year, or it could be a bad thing, if it tricks the organization into thinking they can more or less stand pat and still be a serious contender next year. I’m afraid it could be the latter. While the formula can still work, it needs to work more than 7 times out of 16. And so the Bears need to make certain upgrades to improve that success rate, even if they keep the basic philosophy the same.
The problem for the Bears is two-fold. First, their needs are numerous. Second, many of those needs do not have obvious solutions, given the realities of the draft, this year’s free agent crop, and the salary cap. For example, wide receiver has been a problematic position for quite some time. Granted, Berrian has made improvements. But with the weak free agent class at WR, the Bears are going to have to bet a whole lot of money that he finally evolves into a legit #1. But you also need more than one WR. So either you pay handsomely for Berrian, and then watch him DBs cling to him like white on rice because you don’t have the money to pay Berrian and bring the rest of the WR corps up to par, let alone fill all your other needs too. Or, you let him leave and spread that money around. But let’s hope you put a lot of that money you’re saving into a new running back, because raising the running game back to respectability is the only way you’re going to take pressure off the receivers. And then you pray that puts them in a position to succeed despite their lack of skill. Not an appealing scenario for a team that dropped ball after ball after ball this year.
Where do they go with this and all their other trouble spots? At this point, your guess is as good as mine, and probably as good as theirs too.
