MIKE DITKA is second-guessing himself for the way he prepared the Bears for Sunday`s National Football Conference championship game with San Francisco.
Ditka said Monday it was a mistake to travel to Santa Rosa, Calif., last Tuesday night for practices. He also said he should have tried to attack the 49ers` defense without a huddle.
The coach also revealed that he felt overconfident about beating the 49ers and that his team might have felt the same way.
But he was not looking for excuses.
”We didn`t match up with them in any area–offense, defense or special teams,” said Ditka. ”They beat us all along the line of scrimmage.”
San Francisco coach Bill Walsh appeared to work overtime for the Bears after last November`s 13-3 loss. The 49ers used a guard, Guy McIntyre, as a blocking back on one running play. They also used former college option quarterback Freddie Solomon at quarterback for a play and put Joe Montana in Solomon`s spot at wide receiver.
”I`VE GOT TO give them credit,” said Ditka. ”How many guys would think of putting a guard in the backfield? Plus, you got the best quarterback in football, and you put him out as a flanker.
”I think Bill was ready for this one. They taught us a lesson.”
By contrast, Ditka said last week`s victory over Washington was the emotional peak of the season for the Bears.
”I thought we`d handle the 49ers,” said Ditka. ”Maybe I was part of the problem. The players may have felt like I did. We didn`t seem as urgent as the first game.”
Ditka said he contemplated allowing quarterback Steve Fuller to go without a huddle and yell audibles at the line of scrimmage.
”I`m sorry I didn`t now. They wouldn`t have substituted as much,” said Ditka.
Situation substitution by the 49er defense provided fresh matchups that perplexed the Bear offense.
DITKA ALSO said he should have returned to the Atlanta Falcons` training site in Suwanee, Ga., where the Bears practiced before the Redskin game, instead of traveling to the Los Angeles Raiders` base in Santa Rosa, 75 miles north of San Francisco.
Ditka chose Santa Rosa because the Bears had lost three West Coast games during the regular season–to Seattle, the Los Angeles Rams and San Diego–and had traveled to Seattle and Los Angeles only one day before the game. Going to Suwanee would have increased the time change.
”There were too many fans in Santa Rosa, and the muddy field bothered the players. We couldn`t practice at the same tempo,” said Ditka.
Fans greeted the team at 10 p.m. at the motel complex when the Bears arrived New Year`s night. They milled around the area all week, forcing the club to change Walter Payton`s room to keep people from bothering him.
But Ditka reiterated he was not making excuses.
”No use belaboring it. They thrashed us,” he said.
