1. Christmas bonus
Rex Grossman stayed sharp with another turnover-free game, the running game stayed solid behind both backs and most everyone stayed healthy. Jason McKie’s ankle injury will test the Bears’ depth at fullback, but he has three weeks to heal. Lovie Smith’s plan of using Grossman for three quarters and bringing in Brian Griese when it mattered accomplished the goals of getting the starting quarterback momentum and the backup ready. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner also had another good day–do you like those crossing patterns?–for a unit that might be peaking at the right time.
2. Defense rests
That did not look like a Super Bowl defense. If Jon Kitna and Tim Rattay can cut up the Bears’ secondary two weeks in a row, what will Drew Brees do? Yes, the secondary missed Charles Tillman as much as it missed Nathan Vasher against the Bucs, but the trend is troubling. Rookie Danieal Manning has been caught out of position too often in recent weeks, and Todd Johnson appeared a little rusty. Devin Hester’s presence on nickel downs nearly cost the Bears. If the Lions had not dropped passes and had so many penalties, they might have moved the ball with even more ease.
3. Worth sticking around
Maybe the big reason the planned walkout of Lions fans with 8:57 left in the second quarter didn’t work was because the stadium was loaded with Bears fans who started their Christmas celebration early. Those who stayed might look back and say they saw the Bears on the verge of something only the ’85 Bears, the 49ers of 1984 and the ’72 Dolphins have done: go undefeated in conference. That was the only thing the Bears had to play for, but credit pride and the coaches for mustering intensity after a third-quarter letdown against the Lions, who played better than their 2-13 record.
4. ’07 resolution–and beyond
In terms of developments that mattered Sunday, the biggest came before the game when team President Ted Phillips and general manager Jerry Angelo said they hope a new deal will be struck with Lovie Smith before the Super Bowl. The Bears having the NFL’s lowest-paid head coach remains an embarrassment. But Smith’s price went up with every victory, so if he’s not complaining, why should anyone else? The bottom line is that the organization stands ready, willing and able to reward Smith, and Angelo will get a new contract for finding his guy.
