If this year indeed is Lovie Smith’s honeymoon with the Bears, nobody would blame Smith for taking a close look at the prenuptial agreement.
Injury and inconsistency have tested Smith halfway through his first NFL season as a head coach. The only constant in the Bears’ 2-5 start has been Smith’s unabashed optimism.
With 8 1/2 weeks down and 8 1/2 to go, here is a midseason look at the Bears.
Biggest surprises
Alex Brown, defensive end: The Bears thought they would get a Pro Bowl-caliber performance from the end position–but not this end.
Thomas Jones (left), running back: Until spraining his left foot, the team’s leading rusher and receiver had been durable and one of the best free-agent bargains in the league.
Craig Krenzel, quarterback: He’s drawing more comparisons to Joe Germane than Joe Montana, but this is a guy who wasn’t supposed to see the field until 2006. He has handled his promotion with poise.
Nathan Vasher, cornerback: Fourth-round rookie shares team lead in interceptions with two and already has earned a nickname from Smith as “the Interceptor.”
Ron Rivera, defensive coordinator: Considering the injuries to core defensive players and Bears’ scoring defense average, it would be hard to find an NFL coordinator doing more with less.
