The Bears believe they can win the Super Bowl and aren’t afraid to say so, which is a better way to start their 2006 training camp than the way they started last year or the year before that.
“It’s all about championships,” safety Mike Brown said Thursday.
“That’s how you’re remembered, and I think we have the foundation in place to do that.”
They are due. Every couple of decades they win it all, ready or not. They did it in 1946, 1963 and 1985.
For Chicago, one championship every generation is a tolerable pattern. Convenient, too, allowing grandfathers, fathers and sons to argue their own team’s qualities without the confusion of overlapping loyalties.
“In general, we have high expectations,” quarterback Rex Grossman said. “We feel we have a good team, and we’re working hard to be a great team.”
“Anything less than a ring will be a disappointment,” linebacker Lance Briggs said.
Such optimism in July puts the Bears in the company of about 20 of the 32 NFL teams. Deep down, a few know they have no chance, though they would be afraid to admit it out loud.
The Bears’ confidence is more credible than most, even though Super Bowl talk should be prefaced by the more pressing goal of winning a home playoff game.
That hasn’t happened since 1990, and the Bears are 2-6 in postseason games at Soldier Field since 1985. First things first.
Defending their NFC North Division title shouldn’t merit fireworks. Only the Seattle Seahawks are as heavily favored among the eight returning division champions.
Even the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots have more competition in their divisions than the Bears figure to have against the Packers, Vikings or Lions–all breaking in new coaches.
But such lofty predictions already have prompted the dean of division coaches, Lovie Smith, to warn his players.
“I wish what we did last year could help us this year, but I don’t think it can,” Smith said. “We have to start over. There’s a lot of talent in our division.
“Last year a few guys picked us the worst team in the league. We don’t really go with what’s said on the outside.”
A year ago the Bears entered training camp trying to erase the embarrassment of being the worst offense in the league. Two years ago linebacker Brian Urlacher pulled a hamstring in the first 15 minutes of Smith’s first camp.
Things went so well Thursday that even their first injury could be a blessing in disguise. It happened before camp started when star running back Thomas Jones “tweaked” a hamstring during a routine precamp physical.
Assuming it’s nothing serious–a large assumption when it comes to the Bears and “minor” injuries–Jones’ misfortune defused the only controversy of camp, eliminating the need for Smith to explain why Cedric Benson was the first-team running back. It also will limit Jones’ trade market as well as justify the Bears’ desire to keep as many running backs as they can.
For teams to win it all in the NFL, a lot of good things have to fall into place. For the Bears, that already has begun to happen.
They have the easiest schedule in the league. Before the new formula necessitated by the eight divisions, defending division winners were penalized by stiffer schedules.
They were the first team in the league to have all their players signed. This is as big a deal as last year’s story, when Benson was the last first-round draft choice to sign and missed the entire camp.
General manager Jerry Angelo could argue Brian Griese is the best backup quarterback the Bears have had since George Blanda.
Grossman got through the first practice and knows a daily health watch will follow him like a hip pad.
“My goal is to take care of my business and solidify that position that has been shaky since . . . I don’t want to put how many years,” he said. “I’d like to get a full season under my belt.”
Mark Bradley looked healthy and sharp enough in the first practice to justify the Bears’ lack of interest in trading for disgruntled receivers Ashley Lelie of Denver or Jerry Porter of Oakland.
Airese Currie practiced. He is the Bears’ secret weapon at receiver, so secret he missed his entire rookie season as well as this year’s mini-camp with injuries.
Top draft choice Danieal Manning made a nice interception in his debut.
Jones and Benson, supposedly not the warmest of teammates, were seen talking to each other on the field as practice ended.
A breeze and overcast skies limited the heat. It didn’t rain until later. Nobody got arrested all day.
If they don’t win the Super Bowl, at least the Bears had Thursday, when hope never will be higher.
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dpierson@tribune.com
