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Bernard Berrian has been plagued with a bruised knee in the preseason. An MRI exam did not show any problem, and the Bears are hopeful their wideout will be back on the field soon. Berrian should be playing by the start of the season. Alex Brown partially dislocated his shoulder in exhibition play. He claims that he should be ready to play week 1 against Green Bay. Though that’s not a guarantee, his return shouldn’t be much later. Ian Scott is another DL with a minor injury (knee). He should be back for Week 1. Tank Johnson’s torn left quad muscle is healing on schedule, and he should be able to play by week 1. Bryan Johnson tore his hamstring and is out for the season. Cedric Benson is out with a shoulder injury. He should be able to play early on in the season, but it seems he’ll have to work to regain his starting spot from Thomas Jones.

Fantasy Impact: Berrian won’t have much fantasy value as a receiver, but whoever is throwing to him could use all the talent at the position they can get, so his injury may affect Grossman or Griese. The Bears defense has been plagued with these minor injuries. As long as they stay minor, and all the key players are expected to return by the start of the season, the Bears D remains a top fantasy pick. Jason McKie and J.D Runnels move up in the depth chart, but are both pretty weak fantasy options. Benson is an extremely risky pick right now, potentially missing the beginning of the season, and definitely having to fight to get back playing time.

Strategy: The Bears, under Offensive Coordinator Ron Turner, employ a run-first offense with emphasis on ball control, inside running, and play action. The Bears plan on making good use of their strong depth in the running back position and continuing their success on the ground. While their passing offense is far from their forte, they plan on getting as much as they can from a finally healthy Rex Grossman. If this doesn’t give much return, the Bears have a proven veteran in Brian Griese who has looked sharp in the preseason. Their receivers, led by Muhsin Muhammad and Desmond Clark (tight end), are coming back healthy and are eager to get more action. WR Mark Bradley seems fully recovered from his November ACL surgery and has been participating in full-squad practices, and DB turned WR Rashied Davis has looked great in the preseason. Look for their passing game to have more importance and success.

Fantasy Impact: Chicago running backs will have the brunt of the responsibility in gaining yards and touchdowns.

Strength: Offensively, their strengths for the 2006 season have much to do with the improvement of their situation at quarterback. Rex Grossman, for the first time in his career, does not have to learn a new offense. Aside from Grossman, the Bears have the best depth they've had at this position in years. The Bears strongest offensive asset is still their running game being 8th overall in rushing yards per game last year led by Thomas Jones's 1335 yard season. This year they are also looking to get production from young powerhouse Cedric Benson.

Fantasy Impact: The Bears running backs will have the opportunity to help their team continue their success and receivers will probably put up better numbers this year than last.

Weakness: Definitely outweighing the benefits, are the Bears' offensive weaknesses. While significant depth has been added to the quarterback position since last year, it is still not significantly better than average. Also, the only thing that is certain is that there is potential for success at quarterback.. With both Grossman and Griese proving that they can get injured at any time, any place, and in any situation, stability at the position is far from certain. The passing game is also weakened significantly by the Bears' receivers. With no superior young talent at the position, they are left to rely on veteran Muhsin Muhammad and hope for a breakout season by an injury-recovered Mark Bradley (which based on preseason play, doesn’t look likely). Last year the Bear's offense was 29th in total yards per game and 31st in passing yards per game and the defensive draft strategy the Bears used won't help these stats.

Fantasy Impact: Despite improvement, with the many offensive weaknesses, it is useless to invest in most Bears receivers, and risky to invest in the little talent there is.

Strategy: Chicago, with Ron Rivera coordinating what may be the best defense in the league, uses an eight man front when covering against the run and switch to a Cover 2 to defend against the pass. Their strategy relies heavily on the pass rush from their strong and talented front four to pressure the quarterback into throwing the ball before the dangerous intermediate/deep routes burst open.

Fantasy Impact: The Bears defense is one of the most consistent and reliable in the league and will have significant fantasy value.

Strength: At the core of the Bears strengths, of course, is their resilient defense which has gotten even stronger for the 2006 season. Their front four, the backbone of their stellar defense, will all eventually play (though DLs Tank Johnson, Ian Scott, and Alex Brown have been bothered by injuries in the preseason) after maintaining the fewest points allowed and 2nd fewest yards allowed last season. With defensive player of the year Brian Urlacher looking to have a repeat season and Lance Briggs settling his contract dispute and returning as a starter, their linebackers also remain solid. Despite criticism, Chicago's draft picks will only strengthen their defense even further, using their first 4 out of 5 picks on defensive acquisitions.

Fantasy Impact: The Bears have some of the best options in drafting IDPs.

Weakness: The Bears weakness on defense clearly remains in their secondary. as was exposed by Steve Smith in the embarrassing season ending loss to Carolina.

Fantasy Impact: The secondary probably won't hurt the Bears enough to have significant fantasy impact.

Johnson returns after one-game suspension - 12/28/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire

Impacts: Tank Johnson

Tank Johnson sounds like a man ready to put his recent troubles behind him. The Chicago Bears defensive tackle thanked his teammates and the organization for their support and said he can't wait to play against Green Bay on Sunday night. Johnson returned to practice Wednesday after serving a one-game suspension against Detroit last week. That punishment came after he was arrested on misdemeanor weapons charges, and then went to a nightclub with a friend who was shot to death. "Football is my focus," Johnson said. "I'm excited about work today. I'm excited about learning more about the game this week. Having two weeks off just makes you want to go out and play even more. I want to be a student of the game, and yes, I am very much still focused, very much ready to play, and I'm very attuned to what's going on." Johnson was charged with six counts of possession of a firearm without a gun owner identification card Dec. 14 after police found six guns in a raid on his home. His friend and bodyguard Willie B. Posey, who was living there, was also arrested on felony drug charges. It was the third arrest in 18 months for Johnson, who publicly apologized the next day and got a warning from general manager Jerry Angelo. That night, Johnson and Posey went to the Ice Bar, a trendy nightclub in Chicago's River North neighborhood, and Posey was shot to death. Johnson was inactive for the game against Tampa Bay that weekend. The Bears then suspended Johnson for one game, rather than cut him, on Dec. 19 for going to the club. Three days later, a judge ruled Johnson must stay at home except to go to work and needs permission to leave Illinois until it is determined whether he violated his probation on a 2005 gun charge. Johnson still has two court dates scheduled: -- Jan. 9 in Lake County for the latest weapons charges, which carry up to a year in jail.

Tank Johnson posts bond, must stay in Illinois - 12/22/2006
Source: ESPN

Impacts: Tank Johnson

Chicago nose tackle Tank Johnson needs court permission to travel outside Illinois, a decision that would become a factor this season only if the Bears make the Super Bowl. A judge ruled Friday that he must stay home, except to work or travel to work, until it is determined whether his Dec. 14 arrest for having firearms without a gun-owner identification card violated his probation on a 2005 gun charge. He already is suspended for Sunday's game at Detroit, the Bears' regular season ends at home against Green Bay, and Chicago has home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The Super Bowl is Feb. 4 in Miami. The judge also said the 25-year-old Johnson cannot drive himself, and denied a request to let him travel to Tempe, Ariz., for a holiday trip. Instead, his family will come to Illinois to see him, defense attorney Lorna Propes said. Cook County Judge John Moran set bond at $100,000 for Johnson, who was briefly taken into custody during his court appearance. Johnson later posted bond and left the courthouse in north suburban Chicago. Propes said Johnson is committed to making positive changes. "He wants now more than any other thing to be the best possible representative of the Chicago Bears and the city of Chicago he can be and that's his goal going forward," Propes said outside of court. Bears officials did not immediately comment on the judge's decision. During the hearing, Johnson, dressed in a brown-striped suit, was not handcuffed and said nothing, frequently staring at the floor. Defense attorney Frank Himel told the judge he thought a reasonable bond would be $10,000, arguing Johnson was not a flight risk and promising he would show up for future court dates. "It's a misdemeanor violation on top of a misdemeanor violation," Himel said, referring to the charges stemming from Johnson's recent arrest and the 2005 case for which he is serving probation. Johnson was sentenced to 18 months probation in November 2005 after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from an arrest after a nightclub valet reported seeing Johnson with a handgun in his sport utility vehicle. A petition filed Monday by the Cook County Adult Probation Department alleged that Johnson's arrest earlier this month in Lake County on misdemeanor weapons charges violated his earlier probation terms. Johnson was charged with six counts of possession of a firearm without a gun owner identification card after police found six guns in a raid on his Gurnee home. Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Rick Cenar said Friday that authorities found a semiautomatic rifle with 19 live rounds in the master bedroom, four unloaded weapons -- two rifles and two handguns -- and 300-350 rounds of ammunition in a basement utility closet and a loaded .45-caliber handgun under a leather chair in the basement. Less than 48 hours after Johnson was arrested, he was at a bar when his friend, Willie B. Posey, was shot and killed. Posey also had been arrested on drug-possession charges when police raided Johnson's home. Johnson is not a suspect in Posey's death, but the Bears suspended him for Sunday's game for being at the club. The Cook County probation-violation petition also alleges that Johnson failed to provide verification of court-mandated community service hours and that he underwent drug and alcohol evaluation. Cenar said Johnson has so far completed eight of the 40 community service hours. A third-year player, Johnson has said he will seek counseling. "I don't believe the team has to tell me it's my last chance, I know the opportunity that I have in front of me and it's great, it's immense and to squander that opportunity would be a tragedy at this point and that's not gonna happen," Johnson said Tuesday. Johnson is due in court in Lake County on Jan. 9 and in Cook County on Jan. 23 on the probation-violation allegations.

Grossman, Dawkins, Tomlinson among NFL Players of the Week - 12/20/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire

Impacts: LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Dawkins, Rex Grossman

Rex Grossman has gone from on the outs to the top of the heap. The maligned quarterback of the Chicago Bears, Grossman was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week by the NFL on Wednesday. The Bears (12-2) have locked up home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, although many feel their success had been in spite of Grossman rather than because of him. Calls for a quarterback change began when the Bears lost two games in November. Grossman threw three interceptions in the setbacks and was no better in a 23-13 win over Minnesota on December 3 as he completed just 6-of-19 passes for 34 yards and three interceptions. Grossman started to turn things around in a win over St. Louis and he earned the NFC honor with one of the best games of his career in Sunday's 34-31 overtime victory over Tampa Bay. Grossman threw two TD passes against the Rams and followed up that performance by establishing career highs in completions (29), attempts (44) and yards (339) as the Bears maintained the best record in the NFL with San Diego. It was the first 300-yard game by a Bears quarterback since 2002. Grossman is 8-2 all-time at Soldier Field and has won 16 of 21 career starts. A strong all-around performance in a key divisional showdown earned Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors while St. Louis Rams punter Matt Turk was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. LaDainian Tomlinson of San Diego was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week and fourth time this season. Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney earned the conference's defensive award and Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman captured special teams honors. Named to his sixth Pro Bowl on Tuesday, Dawkins was honored for his play in a 36-22 victory over the NFC East rival New York Giants. Dawkins was all over the field at Giants Stadium, recording 12 tackles, an interception and two forced fumbles to win the award for the second time in his career. Turk punted five times for an average of 49.8 yards and placed two inside the 10-yard line in the Rams' 20-0 victory over the Oakland Raiders. Tomlinson had the national stage of a Sunday night game against the Kansas City Chiefs to show his stuff and did not disappoint. He racked up a season-high 199 yards on 25 carries in a 20-9 victory.

Bears DT Johnson suspended for one game after third arrest - 12/20/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire

Impacts: Tank Johnson

Tank Johnson is getting yet another chance from the Chicago Bears. Arrested three times in 18 months, and at a bar when his friend was shot to death last week -- about 12 hours after he'd apologized for his latest run-in with the law -- Johnson's punishment was a one-game suspension. The team considered releasing Johnson but chose the lesser of sanctions when convinced that he would change his lifestyle and seek counseling, the defensive tackle's idea. He also submitted a list of changes he needed to make. "If we didn't see the remorse, if we didn't see a plan in place -- through him, not through us -- I can't say that this decision would have been made the way it was made," general manager Jerry Angelo said Tuesday. Angelo insisted the decision was not based on the Bears' playoff fortunes. The NFC North champions already have lost defensive tackle Tommie Harris to a season-ending hamstring injury and without nose tackle Johnson -- who was inactive last week -- their tired defense faltered before beating Tampa Bay 34-31 in overtime to clinch home-field advantage. "Collectively, as an organization -- ownership, coaches, players, myself -- we all agreed that the right thing to do was to keep Tank and keep working with him," Angelo said of a decision that will certainly draw criticism. "We know we're vulnerable going forward. I'm not going to sit here and tell you I'm 100 percent on board and trust all the things that we've talked to Tank about." Johnson will miss Sunday's meaningless game against the woeful Detroit Lions, but will be able to return for the season finale on New Year's Eve against the Green Bay Packers in what might be Brett Favre's final game. Johnson was arrested Thursday, and the following night was at a night club when his friend, Willie B. Posey, was shot and killed. Johnson is not a suspect in the death.

Apparently, Tank's a keeper - 12/19/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Tank Johnson

The Bears have a plan for dealing with Tank Johnson, and it doesn't involve releasing him. Eventually, they'll reveal what it is. With a conclusion expected Monday in how the team would deal with the embattled defensive tackle, the story that won't go away instead grew legs. The Bears know what they want to do but are exploring the complex matter with the NFL as it pertains to the collective bargaining agreement and personal conduct policy. At issue is whether the team can move forward with its plan without impeding on the league's jurisdiction for disciplinary issues. This much is evident: If the Bears were going to welcome Johnson back with open arms to play Sunday at Detroit, they wouldn't be in consultation with the league. Instead, they're looking at ways to sit him down the stretch, and they might have plans for him to participate in the postseason. The great unknown left coach Lovie Smith to take questions from all angles during an afternoon news conference, with general manager Jerry Angelo nowhere in sight. Angelo's own words make one wonder how the Bears can retain Johnson, who was charged with six misdemeanor counts of illegal possession of weapons Thursday. Johnson issued a public apology to the team the next day, then showed his contrition by partying 12 hours later at a downtown bar, where his longtime friend and self-proclaimed bodyguard was shot to death. ''We have been meeting internally all day regarding Tank Johnson,'' Angelo said in a statement released after 3 p.m. ''It is a complicated matter that involves many parties. We are currently pursuing a course of action and communicating with the league to reach a conclusion as quickly as possible.'' That means the Bears were not pouring all their resources into preparing for the Lions, scouting possible playoff opponents or analyzing draft prospects. Angelo said Friday that anyone who caused a distraction that took the team away from its ultimate goal would be dealt with ''severely.'' If Johnson returns, it will unquestionably be his final opportunity. ''I've been a coach a long time, and there are times when people disappoint you,'' Smith said. ''Have I been disappointed more than one time by a person? Yes. There comes a point where you draw the line and you say, no more. It comes to that eventually.'' Johnson has been arrested three times in the last 18 months and remains on probation for a previous weapons conviction. Foxsports.com reported that he tested positive for marijuana before the combine in 2004 -- when the Bears drafted him in the second round -- information that would've been available to the team. Also arrested Thursday was Johnson's friend and housemate, Willie B. Posey, a felon who was charged with felony possession of marijuana. Posey was shot and killed when the two were at Ice Bar in the early-morning hours Saturday. ''[Johnson] made a bad decision as I see it on that day,'' Smith said. ''I asked him to do some things, to get some things done, and he was in the process of doing some of those things. Some of his decisions on how he was taking care of some of those things, we would like to have back.''

Depleted 'D' turns Rivera into a juggler - 12/19/2006
Source: Chicago Tribune

Impacts: Tommie Harris, Tank Johnson, Alex Brown, Ian Scott, Alfonso Boone

The Bears defense did not have the kind of performance it is used to when it allowed 293 yards and 28 points in the second half Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But it was not exactly the same Bears defense as in weeks past. With tackle Tommie Harris out because of injury and tackle Tank Johnson deactivated, coordinator Ron Rivera stayed with his basic scheme, but with a helter-skelter variation. Besides increasing the number of blitzes, Rivera changed not only positions but also the rate of rotation on his short-staffed defensive line. For example, defensive end Alex Brown was in, then out for rookie Mark Anderson, then back in at tackle, then at end. Anderson was at right end, then left end. Run-stuffing tackles Alfonso Boone and Ian Scott were suddenly in on passing situations, with Scott deflecting three passes. Instead of the more normal rotation when Rivera has all his linemen, "what we were trying to do was get in a rotation that was going right from the very beginning," he said. "We wanted to give them a look at the speed guys, the power guys. We didn't want to just sit there and say, 'OK, this is us.' We're going to mix it up from the very beginning, mix it up and give the other team more things to look at. This is how we want to attack, in combinations." Most of the time the scheme and personnel worked. "Then we went through a period there of three [second-half] drives where we couldn't get a lot done," coach Lovie Smith said. "We talk about not giving up the big pass play, and we did that with a couple missed tackles and things. But I was really proud of the way the defense came back."

Bears survive Bucs' rally, win in OT - 12/17/2006
Source: NFL.com wire reports

Impacts: Muhsin Muhammad, Rex Grossman, Tim Rattay, Carnell Williams, Thomas Jones

The Chicago Bears earned home-field advantage throughout the playoffs the hard way. Chicago blew a 24-3 second-half lead Sunday and then recovered with big plays from backups Rashied Davis and Adrian Peterson in overtime to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-31. Robbie Gould, who missed earlier in overtime from 37 yards, connected on a 25-yard field goal with 3:37 left to give the Bears the victory. Coupled with Washington's upset win at New Orleans, the Bears (12-2) got the home-field advantage in all of their games during the NFC playoffs. The NFC North champions had already earned a first-round bye. Gould's field goal came after Davis made a great-over-the-shoulder catch of 28 yards on a pass from Rex Grossman to the Tampa Bay 20. Peterson, Chicago's third-team tailback, then had runs of 2 and 11 yards to move the ball to the 7. Trailing 24-3 in the third quarter, the Bucs (3-11) stunned the Bears with three fourth-quarter touchdowns, tying the game on Tim Rattay's 44-yard TD pass to Ike Hilliard with 3:44 left. Rattay, who replaced the struggling Bruce Gradkowski in the first half, also had a 64-yard TD pass to Joe Galloway that capped a 95-yard drive in the final quarter.

Police charge Johnson after finding guns at home - 12/14/2006
Source: ESPN

Impacts: Tank Johnson

Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson was charged Thursday with not having a gun owner identification card after six firearms were found at his Gurnee home. The misdemeanor charge carries a penalty of up to a year in jail upon conviction, said Jeff Pavletic, first assistant state's attorney in Lake County. Gurnee Police issued a warrant and searched Johnson's home, coach Lovie Smith said. Johnson, the Bears' starting nose guard, didn't practice Thursday and was driven away from Halas Hall by a Bears security official. Johnson turned himself in to Gurnee police, posted bond and was released Thursday night, Police Chief Robert Jones told a news conference. "It definitely is a concern because Tank has had to deal with some things like this in the past. Yes, it definitely is a concern," Smith said before charges were filed. He added that it was a distraction for the playoff-bound team. Police told the Chicago Tribune that a 26-year-old male and a 25-year-old female were in the home with a toddler and an infant when the police conducted their search. According to the Tribune, a man was led from the home in handcuffs by police. Witnesses told the Tribune that at least 20 police officers took part in the raid. Unless specifically exempted by statute, all Illinois residents who buy or possess firearms are required by law to have a valid Firearm Owner's Identification card. They are issued by the Illinois State Police. In November 2005, Johnson was sentenced to 18 months probation and 40 hours' community service after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge. He was arrested was arrested earlier in 2005 after a nightclub valet reported seeing Johnson with a handgun in his sport utility vehicle. Johnson also was arrested last February after a confrontation outside a Chicago nightclub, but the charges were dropped after the police officer he allegedly scuffled with decided not to continue the prosecution. Losing Johnson would be a major blow to the Bears, who've already clinched a playoff berth by winning the NFC North. Chicago is also without Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who underwent surgery Tuesday for a torn hamstring. Johnson was a second-round draft pick of the Bears out of Washington in 2004. "I'm disappointed," Smith said at practice. "Of course we're disappointed that something like this is coming up. We're constantly talking about our players, about doing the right thing, and our players do the right thing the majority of the time. But sometimes things like this come up."

Jones' pain may be Benson's gain - 12/14/2006
Source: Chicago Tribune

Impacts: Thomas Jones, Cedric Benson, Nathan Vasher, Todd Johnson, Leon Joe

The Bears have talked about giving Cedric Benson additional carries this season. Benson's play, with an average of more than 4 yards per carry in four of the last five games, is dictating some of that. Fate also is doing some play-calling. Thomas Jones injured his ankle late in the victory in St. Louis and did not play after his season-long 30-yard run for a touchdown on the Bears' first possession of the third quarter. He was at Halas Hall for treatment Wednesday and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers. Jones has started every game this season and was on the injury list last week with a groin strain. "Hopefully, he'll be OK," coach Lovie Smith said. Left tackle John Tait (ankle) joined Jones on Smith's injury report, along with linebacker Leon Joe (hamstring), safety Todd Johnson (ankle) and cornerback Nathan Vasher (hamstring). "Hopefully, we'll get these guys back," Smith said. "This late in the season we'll take this injury list any day of the week."

Bears DT Harris undergoes hamstring surgery, placed on IR - 12/13/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire

Impacts: Tommie Harris

The Chicago Bears are headed to the playoffs. But Tommie Harris will not be joining in on the fun. The Bears announced that they have placed Harris, their run-stuffing defensive tackle, on injured reserve Tuesday, ending his season. Harris underwent surgery earlier in the day to repair a torn hamstring, an injury he suffered in a win against Minnesota on December 3. He finished his third NFL season with 48 tackles and a career-high five sacks. The 23-year-old Harris, a first-round pick in 2004, is expected to make a full recovery for the 2007 season. It is the second major injury for the Bears (11-2), who lost safety Mike Brown to a season-ending right foot injury in October. Chicago already has clinched the NFC North and a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Bears claimed safety Nick Turnbull off waivers from Atlanta to fill the roster spot. He spent 10 weeks on the Falcons' practice squad earlier this season and appeared in two games with the team.

Rex shows his critics a thing or two - 12/12/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Rex Grossman

It was about six minutes into the game Monday against the St. Louis Rams when beleaguered Bears quarterback Rex Grossman did something truly extraordinary. Facing a third-and-seven from the 23 -- a yard line that forever will be named after Devin Hester --Grossman dropped back to pass against a heavy rush. A man who entered the game with minus-17 yards rushing on 19 carries this season, Grossman started high-stepping up the middle of the field and didn't stop until diving forward 22 yards later. With his job on the line, Grossman played with that kind of abandon. By the end of the game, he wound up with a 111.4 passer rating a week after producing a 1.3. He completed 13 of 23 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns and, just as important, never gave the ball away. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner said that was the only play from Grossman all night that was completely unexpected. ''I knew he was going to play well,'' Turner said. ''He is a good player who was in a little slump. If anything surprised me, that run surprised me. How he played didn't, but that run may have.'' Grossman seemed a bit distant and defiant during his postgame interview. He wasn't in a playful or chatty mood with a media corps that had turned on him during his slump. One Bears official observed the young quarterback had received ''The Shoop Treatment'' in terms of the constant criticism last seen in these part concerning former offensive coordinator John Shoop during the Dick Jauron era. In fairness, guys such as Terry Shea, Jonathan Quinn and Chad Hutchinson got it pretty bad in this town. too. The difference, of course, is that Grossman received his criticism while winning. Maybe the treatment of Grossman was harsh, but it was also deserved, as evidenced by the fact the team was on the verge of pulling him in favor of backup Brian Griese, who received half the snaps with the first-team in practice last week. ''I'm just happy for my teammates and my coaches,'' Grossman said when asked if he felt vindicated by his performance. ''For my teammates, just allowing them to make plays and allowing them to have fun and move the ball as an offense. Obviously, I wanted to respond the way the coaches were backing me and everything like that.'' Bears coaches seemed to be backing Grossman against their better judgment considering how he was giving the ball away, committing 18 turnovers in the last seven games. The expectations for the Bears have been sky-high since their unexpected dominance early in the season. Where once the issue was simply whether the young quarterback could hold up for an entire season, the concern recently has grown -- even as the Bears have continued winning -- into whether Grossman was the man to take them to the Super Bowl.

Harris won't return for playoffs - 12/12/2006
Source: Chicago Tribune

Impacts: Tommie Harris

The worst news of the night for the Bears came a few hours before their 42-27 victory over the Rams when the team learned defensive tackle Tommie Harris' season officially had ended. Harris will undergo surgery Tuesday morning in Dallas to repair a severely torn left hamstring suffered Dec. 3 at Soldier Field against the Minnesota Vikings. Dan Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys' team physician and hamstring specialist, and Bears team doctor Mark Bowen will perform the procedure. The Bears had held out hope that Harris would be able to return in time for the playoffs, but their biggest fears were realized after Cooper's examination. "It's a tough, tough break," general manager Jerry Angelo said. "We weren't anticipating that." Harris was said to be distraught over learning the worst-case scenario but encouraged about beginning the rehabilitation process as early as possible. He has never suffered a serious injury, and Monday marked the first NFL game he had missed after playing in 45 straight. Angelo stayed away from projecting a possible timetable for Harris' return until after the surgery, and the Bears have begun gathering information from the league on similar injuries. Hamstring injuries to NFL players typically don't require surgery so the severity of Harris' tear put the Bears into a wait-and-see mode. It also threatened to make a position of strength—defensive tackle—into a position of uncertainty heading into the 2007 season. Nobody can guarantee that Harris, a rare talent who relies heavily on a burst out of his stance, will recover in time for training camp and, if he does, return with the same explosiveness. The Bears also face the possible loss in the off-season of defensive tackles Alfonso Boone and Ian Scott, both unrestricted free agents whose contracts run out after the final game. Injured rookie defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek will return next year from a foot injury in August that placed him on injured reserve, and the Bears also like backup tackle Antonio Garay. But depth at the position, now and in the future, suddenly looks more iffy than it did a week ago. Angelo ruled out going outside the organization to find a stopgap replacement for the final month of the season and the playoffs and said "whatever we need now is in-house." That will change if another defensive lineman goes down with an injury. "We're OK with eight [defensive linemen]," Angelo said.

Bears profit on Hester's returns 42-27 - 12/12/2006
Source: NFL.com

Impacts: Rex Grossman, Bernard Berrian, Muhsin Muhammad, Steven Jackson, Marc Bulger

Devin Hester expects teams to keep on kicking deep to him. And he expects to keep right on returning those kicks to the end zone. The high-stepping rookie got the Rams' home dome rocking with chants of "Let's Go Bears!" as he set an NFL record with his fifth and sixth returns for touchdowns this season, a 94-yard kickoff runback in the second quarter and a 96-yarder in the final period. That sparked a 42-27 victory that gave the NFC North champions (11-2) a bye for the first week of the playoffs. "It's the NFL, and a team is not going to bow down to one player," Hester said. "They'll continue to kick to me." They're fools if they do. "It's like the gates of Heaven opening up for me," he added. A second-round draft pick, Hester also has three punt return touchdowns and ran back a missed field goal 108 yards against the Giants to tie the longest play in NFL history. But he had returned only six kickoffs all season before his historic romps that made the thousands of fans who trekked from Chicago rise from their seats. "I almost thought we were back at Soldier Field," coach Lovie Smith said. Hester struggled to find a position in college at Miami, but he has been a sensation with the ball in his hands on kick returns for the Bears. "The story of the game is Devin Hester," Smith said. "It's time we start looking at him as an offensive player. There are a lot of good offensive rookies in the league making big plays, but who has had as much impact as Devin Hester has in the league as a rookie right now?" He came through the middle on the first runback, then swiftly cut to his left untouched and sped down the sideline, high-stepping like a drum major the last few yards while holding up the football for the raucous Bears fans. Hester outdid himself in the fourth quarter when it appeared the Rams might try an onside kick. The only Bear standing deep, he went straight up the center of the field, again untouched, and turned around at the Rams 20 looking for pursuers. No one was there. He admitted it was a tribute to his friend Deion Sanders. "That played a major role in us losing the game," Rams cornerback Ron Bartell said. "We lost by 15. You take away those two returns, we've got a pretty good game." Beleaguered quarterback Rex Grossman had a pretty good game and the Chicago running attack dominated the last two quarters. Carrying a 14-13 lead into the second half, the Bears outgained the Rams (5-8) 191 yards to 31 in the third quarter. They scored on Thomas Jones' 30-yard run and Muhsin Muhammad's superb fingertip catch of a 14-yard pass from Grossman, who probably quieted calls for his benching -- particularly from the thousands of fans who outshouted Rams rooters much of the evening.

Griese ready but job still Grossman's - 12/08/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire

Impacts: Brian Griese

As Brian Griese carried his lunch down a hallway, he noticed a mob of media that had descended Thursday on Halas Hall and had this observation: "There are a lot of people here today." All of them were pretty much talking about the same thing. What has become front page news, the subject of fan polls and incessant talk radio and TV gabfests in one of the country's largest sports markets is whether struggling Bears quarterback Rex Grossman should be replaced by Griese. It seems to be a much a bigger deal than the Bears going 10-2, winning their division a second straight year and becoming the first team to clinch a playoff spot. The Bears didn't practice for three days after beating the Minnesota Vikings. So what did Grossman do? Maybe try to get away from the game and just chill? Nope. He watched tape -- mostly of his strong performances in the first five weeks to try and spot what he was doing right and where it went wrong. He worked out and chatted with his father, who played college football. "The few people who I have encountered have been real supportive and go get 'em type of remarks. I haven't come across anyone negative," Grossman said.

A Rex-amination - 12/07/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Rex Grossman, Brett Favre, Brian Griese

The entire staff was gathered in the football office. One by one, the head coach went around the room, polling each assistant. Who should play quarterback? Why? Sound like a meeting of the minds that Lovie Smith presided over Monday morning at Halas Hall? Maybe, but how far the Rex Grossman-Brian Griese debate got, we probably never will know. The Bears are maintaining a united front in sticking with Grossman, and other than switching to Griese, they don't have another choice. They have to be steadfast in their decision, even if Grossman is on a short leash. But that meeting is exactly how it went down in Green Bay 13 seasons ago, when Brett Favre was going through the same thing as Grossman -- making far too many boneheaded plays and regressing faster than anyone thought possible. ''Mike Holmgren went right around the table and got every coach's opinion,'' recalled Steve Mariucci, the Packers' quarterbacks coach at the time. As wild as it now seems, it was nearly unanimous: The staff encouraged Holmgren to turn the job over to rookie fifth-round pick Mark Brunell, who had been sharp running the practice squad. That's how erratic Favre had become in a season in which he threw 19 touchdown passes and was picked off a league-high 24 times. He had gotten some confidence in his first year in Green Bay, and one of the results was that he began taking more chances, forcing more plays than ever. Sound familiar? How Holmgren came to the decision to stick with Favre, no one knows. Speculation is that general manager Ron Wolf had input. ''You never knew what you were going to get from Brett,'' Mariucci said. ''He was just taking too many chances, and he was young, a little bit like Rex. ''But just because you decide to stick with the guy, that doesn't mean all your problems are solved. It means you have made that decision to keep giving him reps in practice and work like crazy to develop some consistency. Maybe the only way to do that is to play through it. When Rex plays well, their team is good enough to beat anybody. And he has played well at times. So they just need to find that consistent level.'' Mariucci, now working for NFL Network, has been a staunch Grossman supporter over the last several weeks and didn't change his tune the day after Grossman posted a 1.3 passer rating and threw three interceptions in the division-clinching victory over Minnesota.

1st for everything: DT Harris ruled out - 12/07/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Tommie Harris, Nathan Vasher, Todd Johnson

The Bears' struggling run defense will be without Pro Bowl tackle Tommie Harris on Monday in St. Louis. Harris, who sprained his left knee Sunday in a victory over the Minnesota Vikings, was ruled out on the injury report released Wednesday and will miss a game for the first time in his three-year career. Coach Lovie Smith said an MRI showed the injury is not season-ending, but Smith wouldn't specify if it was regular-season-ending. The Bears also listed a hamstring injury for Harris on the report. If the Bears earn a first-round bye in the playoffs -- which they can secure with a victory over the Rams and losses by Dallas (vs. New Orleans) and Seattle (at Arizona) -- their first playoff game would not be until the weekend of Jan. 13-14. The remaining injury news was expected. Cornerback Nathan Vasher (right hamstring), strong safety Todd Johnson (sprained right ankle) and reserve linebacker Leon Joe (left hamstring) are questionable. Rams quarterback Marc Bulger is probable with a rib injury and practiced Wednesday. • The news wasn't all bad for the Bears' defensive line. Video review by the league resulted in a handful of statistical changes. A run for no gain by Vikings quarterback Brad Johnson was changed to a sack for Tank Johnson. Adewale Ogunleye's strip of Tarvaris Jackson late in the game also was changed to a sack as video showed the ball coming out before Jackson reached the line. That gives the Bears five sacks in a game for the first time since Oct. 1 against Seattle and boosts the season totals for Ogunleye and Johnson to 5½ and 3½, respectively.

Injuries to Harris, Vasher not serious - 12/05/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Tommie Harris, Nathan Vasher, Todd Johnson

The Bears' belief that Tommie Harris did not suffer a serious knee injury was proven true Monday. An MRI revealed the Pro Bowl defensive tackle suffered only a sprained left knee, and indications were that it was to the medial collateral ligament. Harris told sources he expects to miss only a couple of games, and coach Lovie Smith said it's not season-ending. Whether that means he will return in the regular season, which has four games remaining, is undetermined. ''We're hoping that he'll be ready to go soon,'' Smith said. ''And when you have a sprained knee, you don't know exactly how long it is going to take you, but this isn't a season-ending injury by any means.'' The news also was good for cornerback Nathan Vasher, who left Sunday's win over the Vikings with a pulled right hamstring. ''It's not as bad as it could have been,'' Smith said. ''And we'll see how he progresses.'' Strong safety Todd Johnson (right ankle) also is improving and could benefit with an extra day to prepare for Monday's meeting with the St. Louis Rams.

Staying the course risky in football, too - 12/05/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Rex Grossman, Brian Griese, Kyle Orton

There is an old sailing term regarding the importance of keeping an unchanged course in navigation that has somehow found its way into the political lexicon. ''Stay the course'' has been a battle cry fraught with peril in international policy. Now it's a slogan at Halas Hall as Bears coach Lovie Smith stubbornly has decided to stick with struggling quarterback Rex Grossman. You almost have to admire the coach for sticking to his guns, or rather his gunslinger. The easy move -- some might suggest the wise move -- would be to bow to the will of the fans and the media and pull Grossman in favor of backup Brian Griese. ''You are a writer,'' Smith told a reporter. ''You don't come in here and say: 'What should I write? What should I do?' You go on what you think you should do. Right now, what we're doing ... we're 10-2 is what we're doing. I'm just asking everybody to stay with us. We have a plan. Let it play out.'' The situation is complicated by the fact that the Bears have a legitimate option at quarterback. But the issue is not Brian Griese. It's not about whether he failed in Denver, or why he has bounced around the league, or if he has the leadership ability to take a team to the Super Bowl. Those are considerations for another day. Future not bright with Rex Right now, the real story is the evaluation of Grossman, and whether he can lead the Bears to a Super Bowl. The evidence, based on 18 turnovers in seven games and a 1.3 passer rating in a miserable performance against Minnesota on Sunday, says that is not going to happen. Smith insists every personnel decision he makes is based on giving the team the best chance to win. He says Grossman does that. He has decided to stay the course in part because of the success the player had in the first five games of the season. ''I've seen Rex play well,'' Smith said. ''And that's what you have to go on. We have a lot of football left to go, we're just getting ready to start the last quarter of the season. I have, we have seen Rex play well. Offensively, our numbers are up. It had a lot to do with our quarterback, and I think he will get back to that point.'' Apparently, that is the differentiation Smith makes in his decision to stay with Grossman vs. the decision to bail on Kyle Orton last season. Orton was pulled at halftime of a December game against Atlanta after completing 2-of-10 passes for 12 yards, putting up a 29.6 passer rating. He had no touchdowns in that game, but no interceptions. Orton wound up starting again in the season finale at Minnesota and finished the season with 13 interceptions and nine touchdowns with a 59.7 passer rating.

Benson speaks softly, carries a big chip - 12/04/2006
Source: Chicago Tribune

Impacts: Cedric Benson

'I'd rather not talk," Cedric Benson explained patiently as reporters visited his locker Sunday. Seldom has an athlete been more polite or looked more uncomfortable turning down interviews than Benson, who rushed for a season-high 60 yards on nine carries, including a 24-yard third-quarter touchdown to help the Bears to their division-clinching victory over the Vikings. In typical form, Benson offers a few words here and there to the most persistent before wrapping up an eight-day period that begins with him running over people and leaves him feeling like he has been flattened himself. In other words, it is the kind of week to which Benson has become accustomed: Play just enough to be frustrated, allow your candor to make you feel even more misunderstood and alienated, and once again flash enough talent to keep your insides churning. A long week, indeed.

Bears optimistic about Harris injury - 12/04/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Tommie Harris, Tank Johnson, Ian Scott, Israel Idonije, Alfonso Boone

All Tommie Harris can remember is his legs spreading apart under him. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle had to be carted to the locker room after the second play of the third quarter when he tackled Vikings running back Chester Taylor at the bottom of a pile. ''I don't know what happened,'' he said. ''It felt like I was doing the splits. That's all I remember.'' Harris is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his left knee today, but the injury is not believed to be season-ending. That's good news for a defense that needs him. In his third season, the former first-round pick has yet to miss a game and the Bears will be in a tough spot without him. ''I've never been hurt,'' Harris said. One scenario would be for Ian Scott to get his starting job back until Harris returns. Scott lost his gig after the first three games and was replaced by Tank Johnson. But it figures to be a mix-and-match with Israel Idonije and potentially Alfonso Boone getting into the action. ''If [Harris] misses one play we miss his presence,'' Johnson said. ''We just hope he gets back as fast as possible because he's a dominant player in this league.'' The news was good for cornerback Nathan Vasher, who was forced out with a pulled right hamstring in the fourth quarter. The hope is it was a product of the blistering cold -- it was 20 degrees at kickoff, with a wind chill of 6 degrees. ''It felt like I had a tug,'' said Vasher, who said the cold could have something to do with it. ''I don't know the severity of it yet.'' In the nickel package, that meant rookie Devin Hester came on the field at left cornerback.

Bears win but Grossman struggles again - 12/04/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire

Impacts: Rex Grossman

Rex Grossman heard the boos through the cold air at Soldier Field. On a day the Chicago Bears captured a second straight division title and became the first team to clinch a playoff spot, their young quarterback struggled again. His QB rating was a microscopic 1.3. He completed only 6 of 19 passes for 34 yards and threw three more interceptions -- giving him 17 for the season and 14 in the last seven games. Thanks to defense and special teams, the Bears still beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-13. "I feel like I have pretty thick skin," Grossman said at his postgame news conference where he was peppered with questions about his poor play. "It's out there. I know the fans' frustration and everything. It wasn't a surprise to me. But it's definitely a situation that I don't want to be in. It's unfortunate. But it just feels weird. I feel like we lost and (I'm) wearing a division championship (hat)." Acknowledging that he, too, is frustrated, Grossman reiterated he hasn't lost his confidence and vowed to fix his problems. How to do that? Stop thinking so much, he said, and just go play football like he has most of his life. Coach Lovie Smith, who became agitated with some of the questions about Grossman, said he's not changing quarterbacks. Smith did make a switch at halftime of the 14th game a year ago, sending in Grossman to take over for Kyle Orton. So it's not like he's never pulled his quarterback before. But not this time, even though there have been numerous calls for veteran Brian Griese to relieve Grossman. "Right now we're 10-2 with Rex as our quarterback," Smith said. How does Grossman get better, especially with the playoffs looming in about six weeks? "As we win a division title, I'm not going to sit here and tell you about all the things we're going to do to change what we have going right now. Because there's not a lot," Smith said. Grossman was intercepted in the first quarter by Vikings linebacker Napoleon Harris at the 11-yard line, killing a Bears drive, and that seemed to set the tone for his shaky day. He didn't blame the frigid conditions with 20-degree temperatures and single-digit wind chills for his lack of accuracy. "We just never got anything going," he said.

Tommie Harris leaves with leg injury - 12/04/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire

Impacts: Tommie Harris

Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris left the game in the third quarter Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings with a leg injury. Harris, who made the Pro Bowl last season, was hurt on the second scrimmage play of the second half, a 6-yard run by the Vikings' Chester Taylor. After staying on the ground for several minutes, Harris was helped off the field. In his third season and a first-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2004, Harris has five sacks this season.

Bears beat Vikings, clinch NFC North title - 12/04/2006
Source: NFL.com

Impacts: Chester Taylor, Rex Grossman, Thomas Jones, Muhsin Muhammad, Brad Johnson

Now that they've clinched their second straight division title, the Chicago Bears can focus on bigger goals: a No. 1 seed and, maybe, the conference championship. Devin Hester ran into the record book again. Ricky Manning Jr. returned an interception for a touchdown, and the Bears claimed their second straight NFC North title with a 23-13 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on a frigid Sunday afternoon. Video highlights Big returns and the running game kept Chicago ahead of the visiting Vikings. "The defense had to carry the offense today," Manning said. "That's the way it is going to be sometimes. We understand that, and we are up for that challenge if that has to be done." Hester tied an NFL record with his fourth touchdown return, and Manning ran an interception back 54 yards for the Bears (10-2), who lead the NFC by two games. Chicago overcame another shaky performance by quarterback Rex Grossman. The Vikings couldn't overcome Brad Johnson 's, however. With the temperature around 20 and wind chill in single digits, Grossman did little to stop the debate whether he should remain the starter. And Johnson was replaced. With some fans calling for backup Brian Griese after a loss at New England, Grossman was 6-of-19 for 34 yards and threw three interceptions for the second straight week. But he stayed in the game. He has 14 interceptions in the last seven games after throwing three in the first five. He was picked off twice in the first half, and his first attempt of the third quarter was intercepted. "I never really got anything going, and that is something I need to fix," said Grossman, whose rating was 1.3 -- 0.0 after three periods. "It's a simple formula to fix. It's just hard to get done." And he'll get another opportunity. Coach Lovie Smith was adamant that a change is not in the works and became agitated by questions about the quarterback situation. "There's a difference between perception and reality," Smith said. "The reality is we're 10-2 right now. We just won the division with Rex at quarterback, so that's what I go on." Johnson wasn't any better than Grossman. The veteran was 11-of-26 with 73 yards and four interceptions before being lifted for Brooks Bollinger late in the third quarter, and his last two passes ended in the Bears' hands. Back from a one-game suspension for his role in a Los Angeles restaurant altercation, Manning picked off his team-leading fifth pass at the Chicago 46. He returned it for his first touchdown this year to make it 14-6 in the third quarter. On the next play from scrimmage, Brian Urlacher intercepted Johnson. That led to a 24-yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson and a quarterback change for the Vikings. Minnesota coach Brad Childress wouldn't say if that will carry over to next week. "I would really be remiss about making a decision about a starting quarterback a half-hour after a Sunday game," he said. "We usually make those decisions during the week." Benson had 60 yards on nine carries against a defense that was averaging a league-low 56.6 yards. And Thomas Jones added 32 on 12 attempts for the Bears. Chester Taylor ran for 99 yards before bruising his ribs in the third quarter and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for Minnesota (5-7). He returned to the game, but did not carry the ball again.

After further review, Wilson dissects Rex - 11/30/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Rex Grossman, Desmond Clark, Rashied Davis, Asante Samuel

Quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson was all smiles on the sideline after the Bears had picked up their fifth takeaway of the game Sunday at New England. The Bears were in business at their 22-yard line, down four with less than two minutes to play. If they got man coverage on the outside with Rashied Davis, they liked him on a deep post route. ''It looked good from the sideline,'' Wilson said. ''I said, 'Man, we've got a shot.''' The safety went with Muhsin Muhammad on an inside slant, leaving Davis one-on-one with Asante Samuel. He had a step on Samuel, and had Rex Grossman's pass led Davis, all the talk this week about the quarterback struggles might be 180 degrees in the other direction. Instead, it was the only poorly thrown ball of Grossman's three interceptions. After review, Wilson said the first two picks, also by Samuel, were the product of poor decisions. Samuel jumped a slant route by Bernard Berrian for the first one. ''Definitely a poor decision,'' Wilson said. ''The guy was real hard inside, and that was something we stressed earlier in the week, so he shouldn't have been working that side at all.'' The second interception was on a pass down the middle to tight end Desmond Clark. Grossman was supposed to throw it on seven steps and instead made the pass on five. ''The timing was off,'' Wilson said. ''The safety shaded over to the other side, so we were going to try to get [Clark] the ball. Dez was bending toward the middle, and Rex left the ball outside. ''The other thing is he pumped. He did that on five steps and he should have gone seven, so when he hit five, he makes the throw and Dez isn't into his route yet. So if he had taken the other two steps, now the corner doesn't have the chance to break on it as much.'' That illustrates the fine line between a good outing and one that is scrutinized for days.

Sharper: Grossman talking trash during Bears' first win - 11/30/2006
Source: National Football League News Wire

Impacts: Rex Grossman

Minnesota safety Darren Sharper remembers it clearly, even though it's been more than two months since Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman threw a late TD pass to beat the Vikings at the Metrodome. What happened next seems un-Rex like. The Bears' young quarterback started to talk trash to the Vikings. Apparently big-time. "In 10 years in the league I haven't had a quarterback do that any time to me, so we definitely remember that and the guys in the locker room remember that," Sharper said Wednesday as the teams got ready for a rematch Sunday at Soldier Field. "Will that decide the game on Sunday? I don't think so, but it gives us a little extra motivation," Sharper added. Earlier in the Sept. 24 game, Grossman was intercepted by Antoine Winfield, who went seven yards for a TD that put Minnesota ahead. But Grossman brought the Bears back, hitting a 24-yard pass to Rashied Davis with less than two minutes left for a 19-16 win. Then he celebrated, spicing it with some salty comments to the Vikings. "I probably said some things that I regret, but the whole game their DBs were talking to me, just really getting under my skin a little bit and probably more than I should have allowed it to," Grossman recalled Wednesday. "But they were just yapping the whole game. I threw the interception for the touchdown and Dwight Smith came up and smacked me on my helmet and was in my face. ... When we finally got the touchdown pass I probably went overboard a little bit with some of my emotions, some of the things I said." Admitting he was angry at the time, Grossman wouldn't be specific Wednesday about what he said but added that his comments were directed at Smith and not the three-time Pro Bowler Sharper. "I probably just should have gone to the sidelines and started celebrating," he said. "It's a situation that if I'm ever in again, I'll just stay calm and just go off to the sidelines and never say a word. He (Sharper) is blowing it up a little bit. What can you say really?"

Criticism of 9-2 team doesn't sit well - 11/30/2006
Source: Chicago Tribune

Impacts: Tommie Harris, Tank Johnson, Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown

A couple of the Bears bared their teeth Wednesday before practice. As outsiders came into their cave, they began to know how it feels to be raw meat. "What's this about us not being a 'fearsome foursome?'" 300-pound tackle Tank Johnson asked in a fearsome tone. He walked away. Defensive end Alex Brown, a pleasant conversationalist most of the time, spotted a media member who, in his opinion, had not been kind to the Bears' defensive line. He walked away. Adewale Ogunleye, the other defensive end, stood his ground. As the linemen's lockers by his side stood empty, Ogunleye gestured with a thumb to the off-limits training room. "That's why they're in there and I'm out here taking the heat," he said. Somehow, a 9-2 team that beat both of New York's teams on the road, then lost a four-point close call on the field of New England's three-time Super Bowl champs, came home to an astounding amount of criticism of both their offense and their defense. Some accepted it. Tommie Harris, for instance, was keenly aware of the brickbats thrown in Rex Grossman's direction as well as a newspaper story headlined "Not-so-fearsome foursome" that depicted Harris as going "from the most valuable member of the Bears' front four to its most invisible."

Pat Williams, Bears' Kreutz end their rift - 11/30/2006
Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

Impacts: Pat Williams, Rex Grossman

While the Vikings fight a war of words with Bears quarterback Rex Grossman, another battle between the teams has ended. Vikings nose tackle Pat Williams and Bears center Olin Kreutz apparently smoothed over their relationship during a pregame chat Sept. 24 at the Metrodome. "Everything is cool," Williams said. "We just go out there and play hard against each other." Williams started the rivalry last season by referring to Kreutz, a five-time Pro Bowl player, as a "joke." He later said Kreutz spearheaded efforts to deny him a Pro Bowl invitation. "I always talk about everybody," Williams said. "I go out there to have fun, but they take it serious. I don't mean any harm by it. I just have fun. I'm just trying to have fun inside the game. ... I'm just trying to make everybody talk about the game instead of negative stuff."

Rattling Rex all part of plan - 11/30/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Rex Grossman, Darren Sharper, Dwight Smith, Rashied Davis

When you've committed a Jonathan Quinn-like 15 turnovers in six games and you're being called Wrecks Grossman, Evil Rex, Chicago Dope, the weak link of the Bears, the Eli Manning of the Midway and the real hurtful one -- Gross, Man -- it's not a good time to be exposed as a foul-mouthed trash-talker. He who plays like garbage cannot spew garbage. Welcome, then, to Rex Grossman's latest career challenge. Called out daily in the national and local media as a potential saboteur to the Bears' Super Bowl run, he now has to answer the head games of the Minnesota Vikings, who gleefully revealed Wednesday that Grossman peppered their defensive players with nasty jibber-jabber after he threw a touchdown pass to beat them in September. And here we thought Rex was a nice young man who likes junk food, hangs out with his parents in their downtown condo, lives with his bride in a peaceful suburban neighborhood and watches ESPN when he isn't playing video games. The kid is a cocky S.O.B. If only he still played like one. 'He's stepping over the line' ''When he threw the last touchdown pass, it was pretty much in-your-face-type comments. Everyone on our defense remembers ... how he was acting,'' strong safety Darren Sharper said. ''He made a big play for his team, so he decided to be brash and talk trash. But there's always another time you face a team. This is another time for us to face him. ''I never had a quarterback say the things he said -- and I've been playing 10 years, and I've gone against some wild, brash, young quarterbacks. A quarterback should never talk trash, but that's because I'm a defensive back. I don't want any quarterback talking trash to me, but he made the play so he felt like he could run his mouth. Anytime ... a quarterback opens his mouth to me, he's stepping over the line.'' I'd like to report that Sharper is embellishing reality. I'd like to say Grossman kept his cool and walked off the field like Tom Brady. I can't. ''I was angry. I was really in the moment,'' said Grossman, showing his youth. ''I probably should have held back, but against a rival, with their fans screaming at me the whole game ... I probably said something I regret. The whole thing -- their [defensive backs] talking to me, really getting under my skin probably more than I should have allowed -- I probably went overboard with my emotions. I regret it. But if something happens like that the whole game, and you make a play to win a game, I couldn't help it but say something.'' Of course, considering the Vikings are ultra-notorious for lewd conduct on a Love Boat and indiscretions in back alleys and nightclubs, they leave themselves vulnerable to on-the-field yappers. But don't think Sharper, Dwight Smith and others actually are pained by any of Grossman's insults. This is their attempt to make him break mentally. The word is out on Rex, sad to say, and the rest of the NFL evidently believes he can be intimidated and baited, which is another way of calling him soft, jittery, mistake-mad and all those things that shrink championship dreams into second-round playoff losses. Considering Sharper made the remarks twice, this obviously was a preconceived plan. Operation: Rattle Rex.

'D' comes to Grossman's defense - 11/29/2006
Source: Chicago Tribune

Impacts: Rex Grossman, Hunter Hillenmeyer, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Kyle Orton

Members of the Bears' offense have been adamant in standing by Rex Grossman. But the beleaguered quarterback also has strong supporters among the very people who have to go back onto the field every time Grossman commits a turnover. Members of the defense have heard the criticism and say some of the Grossman roasting bothers them. "He's a good player, and he's never going to let that shake him," linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer said. "If it were going to, it would have already happened because he's been through so much criticism early in the season." For his first 18 starts, Grossman has a higher passer rating and better touchdown-to-interception ratio than Peyton Manning did for his first 18. And for the 11 starts in his first full year as the starter, Grossman's numbers compare favorably to Brett Favre's for the same span. Grossman has matched Favre with 18 TD passes and has thrown just one more interception with 14. Mystifying to some has been Grossman's roller-coaster ride from savior at Minnesota (game-winning pass) to bad at Arizona to dominator against the New York Giants to goat at New England. When he took risks downfield that didn't work out, he was criticized as reckless. When he ran a careful offense in the Jets game, he was criticized for doing little more than Kyle Orton and simply managing a game. "Every quarterback has good games and bad games," Hillenmeyer said. "And you never want to tell your quarterback not to make aggressive plays."

Pass-rushing to judgment - 11/29/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Tommie Harris, Alex Brown, Adewale Ogunleye, Tank Johnson, Brian Urlacher

Amid the quarterback hysteria surrounding the Bears' loss to the New England Patriots, perhaps it's time to ask what's going on with the defensive line. It has been quite some time since that unit dominated a game. While you can argue that pressure on the quarterback has led to interceptions, the fact is the line is not creating as many negative plays as it did earlier in the season. Tackle Tommie Harris' campaign for the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award has lost its steam. He hasn't had a sack in seven games and is stuck on five for the season. End Adewale Ogunleye leads the Bears with nine quarterback hits but has only 3½ sacks after missing time with a hamstring injury. End Alex Brown is fifth on the team with 55 tackles but didn't make a play against the Patriots. Tackle Tank Johnson finally broke into the starting lineup, but he hasn't been making any impact plays lately. The line as a unit has combined for 24 of the team's 25 sacks and is only four off the 2005 total of 28 sacks by linemen. But the Bears are five sacks off their pace of last season, when they finished with 44. Are they relying too much on the front four in rushing situations to compensate for coverage issues, or are the guys up front simply failing to make enough plays? What can be done to light a fire under that unit? While the problem is more on the interior, the only move that makes sense is more playing time for rookie end Mark Anderson, particularly in rushing situations. Brown and Ogunleye are proud men, and rotating them out more in passing situations might send the necessary message for them to pick up their games. Also, Anderson has played well enough to get on the field more. The fifth-round pick out of Alabama leads the Bears with eight sacks and has tied Brian Urlacher for the team's rookie record, despite losing a half-sack last week after the NFL reviewed film. He's one off the unofficial team rookie record of nine set by Wally Chambers in 1973. Doesn't the consistency of Anderson's production warrant more playing time?

Johnson is out indefinitely - 11/28/2006
Source: Chicago Tribune

Impacts: Todd Johnson, Ricky Manning Jr., Hunter Hillenmeyer, Cedric Benson, Rashied Davis

Bears safety Todd Johnson underwent an MRI exam Monday for what was diagnosed as a sprained right ankle suffered in Sunday's first quarter. How long he will be out will not be known until later in the week, but missing at least Sunday's game against Minnesota would be no surprise. "Things are looking pretty good for him," coach Lovie Smith said. "Hopefully he'll be back before long." So is it the dreaded high-ankle sprain, which can take six weeks to heal, or just a regular ankle sprain? Smith offered no diagnosis beyond a sprain, adding that, "my ankle's bothering me a little bit right now too. That [new artificial] turf was a little hard [Sunday]." Learning experience The Bears certainly didn't need to lose a game like Sunday's 17-13 setback to the Patriots. But one belief is that you often learn more from a loss than from a win, and the Bears' post-mortem perspective was precisely that. "When you win, you're not as hard on yourself as when you lose," said linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer, who had his highest tackle total (nine) of the season in extended playing time with nickelback Ricky Manning Jr. suspended for the game. "But when you lose, everything gets exposed, all the mistakes. Hopefully this is the last one we lose this year. It could end up being a blessing in disguise just in trying to look at all the things we need to tighten." Cedric Benson had 10 carries for 46 yards, but as with his teammates, the lessons from New England may have been more important than the numbers. "If we'd won that game, we might be walking around here [feeling good]," Benson said. "This keeps you grounded, lets you know where you stand and that you do need a lot of work. It just shows you where your errors are and what you need to correct."

Time not ripe for change - 11/28/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Rex Grossman, Brian Griese, Rashied Davis, Tom Brady

The question at quarterback before the season started was whether Rex Grossman could survive a 16-game season. Now the question is whether the Bears can survive Grossman. The young quarterback is at a crossroads because he gives the ball away too much. He's responsible for 15 turnovers in the last six games -- 11 interceptions and four fumbles -- after turning the ball over only three times in the first five. There already are plenty of voices calling for Grossman to be benched in favor of Brian Griese. Before that happens, it's only fair to consider Griese's body of work. He's obviously an accurate passer who will take what a defense gives him. He also has thrown seven touchdowns and seven interceptions in his last six games and 30 interceptions overall in his last 20 games. Griese could prove a viable option, but now is not the time for that move. That option isn't going anywhere. It's always available. First, it's important to see if Grossman can play through his problems, and Minnesota is the perfect team to begin that evaluation. It was the Vikings in Week 3 who first stumbled upon the strategy for attacking Grossman -- pressure him up the middle and use his height disadvantage against him. Grossman is obviously a strong-armed passer with a lot of intangibles that are important for success at quarterback. Listed at 6-1, he also lacks ideal height and, unlike most undersized players, isn't a great athlete. He has quick feet, a fast release and a lot of God-given ability, but he doesn't make a lot of plays outside the pocket and rarely attempts to run. Tom Brady was pretty pumped up about his 11-yard run Sunday that kept a touchdown drive alive. He eluded Brian Urlacher on that play. It's not one Grossman would attempt. He has minus-eight yards on 15 attempts this season and has rushed for 39 yards on 29 carries in his career, with a long of eight yards two leg injuries ago. National observers are dismissing Grossman as a pocket passer whose vision and mechanics break down when he's rushed up the middle. One suggestion is that the Bears roll Grossman out of the pocket or come up with gimmicks to get him outside, so he can get away from pressure and see the field better. The Bears tried to do that against Miami, and Jason Taylor reached up and intercepted a Grossman pass and returned it for a touchdown. Grossman's strategy of backing up in the pocket and throwing off his back heel hasn't proved much of a deterrent to the inside pass rush. More damning than physical limitations are the mental lapses Grossman has suffered. One player said in the locker room Sunday that the final interception Grossman threw downfield toward Rashied Davis came off a play designed to go to Muhsin Muhammad. Bears coach Lovie Smith and offensive coordinator Ron Turner said they liked the man-on-man coverage on the outside on that play. Still, Grossman opted to take a chance and put the ball up for grabs to Davis, who's generously listed at 5-9, 193.

Patriots 'defend' home turf against Bears - 11/27/2006
Source: NFL.com

Impacts: Tom Brady, Rex Grossman, Thomas Jones, Muhsin Muhammad, Reche Caldwell

Tom Brady 's decision to run on two key plays was a surprise. That he didn't fumble may have been more of a shock. Cutting on new artificial turf instead of the mud that was there two weeks ago, Brady set up New England 's decisive touchdown in a turnover-filled game, and the Patriots beat the Chicago Bears 17-13. "Must be the turf," Brady said. "I don't think that would have happened a few weeks ago." The Patriots (8-3) persevered despite five turnovers against the Bears (9-2), who had allowed the fewest points in the NFL going into the game with 120. New England was the second stingiest with 131. "Our defense took the ball, did a good job of that and we didn't do such a good job with it," Chicago quarterback Rex Grossman said. On third-and-9 at the Bears 14, Brady took off running for 11 yards, a scamper that left star linebacker Brian Urlacher behind. "I'll tell my kids one day I slipped Brian Urlacher," Brady said with a grin. "They won't believe me." Brady also had a 3-yard run for a first down at the 3, capping the drive with his 2-yard touchdown pass to Benjamin Watson that gave the Patriots a 17-10 lead with 8:22 left in the game. Before that drive, the Patriots had turned the ball over three times inside the Bears' 20-yard line against a team that leads the NFL in takeaways.

Johnson's injury stretches defense - 11/27/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Todd Johnson, Mike Brown, Hunter Hillenmeyer, Chris Harris, Nathan Vasher

Just when you thought being without Mike Brown was the biggest problem the Bears' secondary had, they lost his replacement on Sunday. Todd Johnson left the field in the first quarter with a right ankle injury and left Gillette Stadium after the game wearing a walking boot, leaving the defensive backfield in limbo. Johnson was supposed to be the fill-in for suspended cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. in the nickel package. The Bears made out all right without him, sticking with their base unit and keeping strong-side linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer on the field. They might not work out well, though, if they have to go long without Johnson. Chris Harris made a couple of big tackles in the running game, clobbering Corey Dillon for no gain on one run blitz, but his inadequacies against the pass were highlighted. Chad Jackson dropped what would have been a 57-yard touchdown pass on a drive in which the Patriots ended up punting. The Bears were in cover-2, and cornerback Nathan Vasher handed Jackson off to Harris, who was late arriving over the top. ''[Tom] Brady kind of looked me off, and I scooted inside,'' Harris said. ''I cheated in more than I should have.'' With Hillenmeyer on the field virtually the entire game, the Bears did a solid job of stopping the run, limiting Dillon to 40 yards on 11 carries and Laurence Maroney to 33 on 13. The Patriots went to some five-wide formations early but didn't exploit the holes in the secondary. ''We had some good matchups out there,'' Brady said. ''I wish I could have executed a little better. That would have been a much better day for the offense.'' As it was, New England piled up 354 yards of total offense -- the first opponent to top 300 on the Bears -- and while Manning will be back for next Sunday's game at Soldier Field against the Minnesota Vikings, the situation at safety is up in the air. The Bears didn't substitute a cornerback for Hillenmeyer in the nickel package for matchup purposes. Often when the Patriots spread the field, they do it with one or even two tight ends, Ben Watson and Daniel Graham. ''We had to try to scramble a little bit and make the adjustments after we lost Todd,'' defensive coordinator Ron Rivera said. ''I thought how we responded to the adjustments was pretty good. ''The big thing is because of being down on the nickel [without Manning], we had to match up. [Leaving Hillenmeyer in] was probably the best matchup. You don't want to put a corner on a tight end, and the tight end motions back into the backfield. Now the corner has to be part of the run fit. Corners don't do those things.''

Preview or warning? Tough to tell - 11/27/2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Impacts: Rex Grossman, Muhsin Muhammad, Bernard Berrian, Asante Samuel

It was like a game of hot potato that just seemed to get out of hand. Passes were batted off helmets, knocked in the air volleyball-style and ultimately placed perfectly into the waiting hands of Asante Samuel, whose three receptions matched Muhsin Muhammad for second-most from Rex Grossman behind Bernard Berrian's five. Sadly, Samuel plays for the Patriots -- and he should have matched Berrian, according to New England safety Artrell Hawkins. ''Man, I could have had six,'' Samuel said. ''I dropped a couple.'' Indeed, it was hard what to make of the Bears' 17-13 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, their second loss of the season and their second against an AFC opponent. The game had a playoff-type atmosphere to a certain extent. It was an old-fashioned, bare-knuckle slugfest that could be seen as a future Super Bowl matchup. ''We played a great football team tonight, and it would be a dream come tr