General manager Jerry Angelo never spelled out how many games Dick Jauron had to win this season to keep his job, making only a vague reference to the Bears not meeting their goals after they were eliminated from playoff consideration.
That happened when the Bears lost Dec. 7 at Green Bay.
But the season was lost much earlier than that. The Bears’ playoff hopes disappeared early in the mess of a 1-5 start. They spent the first 15 weeks ranked last in total offense, and the defense couldn’t shut down the running game.
Jauron, who endured an injury-ravaged 4-12 season in 2002, had to deal with personnel losses on the offensive line in 2003. At times, Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz was the only experienced starter.
Tackle Marc Colombo, the first-round pick in 2002, needed a second knee operation in the summer and never played. In the final exhibition game, left guard Rex Tucker (torn ankle tendon) was lost for the season. Then right guard Chris Villarrial sprained a knee in the second quarter of the opener at San Francisco.
The running game, always the key to the offense, was effective only when Kreutz, Villarrial and Anthony Thomas were healthy and playing together.
Defensively, the Bears missed linebacker Rosevelt Colvin, who had 10 1/2 sacks in each of the last two seasons. The Bears didn’t see him as a pass-rushing star, and he left for New England as a free agent. Nobody replaced him as a consistent pass rusher.
The Bears did make investments in linebacker Brian Urlacher and safety Mike Brown, who signed long-term extensions in the off-season. Urlacher was voted to his fourth straight Pro Bowl, and Jauron went out of his way to praise Brown when asked if any other Bears should have gone. But neither consistently delivered the game-turning plays they did in their first three seasons.
The Bears won six of their last 10 games, but Jauron still was left with a five-year regular-season record of 35-45. Is it enough to save his job?
Angelo is expected to announce that Monday.
Quarterback factor
The QB story of 2003 began in February, when Angelo took one last look at Jim Miller’s shoulder and decided the Bears no longer could gamble on his health. To make sure all the free agents out there understood the opening was for a starter, the Bears released Miller, who failed in a comeback with Tampa Bay.
The idea was to bring in a veteran, Kordell Stewart, and draft one, Rex Grossman. After a 1-4 start, Chris Chandler replaced Stewart. Chandler injured his shoulder during the victory at Denver, and Stewart played well in the second half.
But Dec. 7 at Green Bay, Stewart threw an interception that Mike McKenzie returned 90 yards for a TD that ended the Bears’ playoff hopes, and Grossman started the last three games, becoming the eighth quarterback to start in Jauron’s five seasons.
Slow-start digest
The Bears started 1-5, their second-worst start under Jauron, better only than 0-4 and 1-8 in 2000. The Bears lost their first three games, leaving their record under Jauron in September 4-12. In other months, they’re 31-33.
Edinger factor
The Bears matched an offer sheet from the Vikings to keep kicker Paul Edinger. But Edinger made a career-low 72.2 percent (26-of-36) of his field-goal attempts. He beat Oakland and Washington with dramatic late field goals and kicked four in a zero windchill in the 19-10 win at Denver, the Bears’ only road victory. But he had two memorable misses. One was a 41-yarder in the 12-10 loss at Detroit on Nov. 9. Against St. Louis the next week, he missed a 34-yarder in a 23-21 loss.
Worst free-agent signing
Stewart didn’t work out, throwing 7 TDs vs. 12 interceptions. Would Jeff Blake have been better? He had a better year with a worse team, Arizona. And what of Jake Delhomme, who took Carolina to the playoffs?
Best free-agent signing
Desmond Clark should be the Bears’ tight end for several years, although his 44 catches were less than his best season (51 for Denver in 2001).
Worst personnel move
Trading Ted Washington to New England for a fourth-round draft choice hurt the Bears’ run defense.
Best personnel move
The 2003 draft was one of the best in the NFL. Grossman, Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs played well when given the chance. Michael Haynes played regularly in the defensive end rotation. Justin Gage and Bobby Wade have a chance to be part of the receiver corps for years to come.
Comeback of the year
Aaron Gibson, cut by Detroit and Dallas as he battled knee and shoulder injuries as well as weight problems, took over for Colombo at right tackle and gave the Bears 16 solid starts.
Quotable
“We don’t do anything differently than we did in 2001.”
–Jauron on the Bears’ 4-12 record in Septembers, including 0-3 in 2003.
By the numbers
1-7: Bears’ road record each of the last two seasons. They were 6-2 at the new Soldier Field.
1-9: Jauron’s record against Green Bay, including two losses in ’03.
1,024: Anthony Thomas rushing yards, 159 short of his career high in his rookie season, 2001.
52: Marty Booker’s team-leading receptions. He had 197 in the previous two seasons combined.
2.5: Sacks by Brian Urlacher, a career low.
