Define Perfection

With every week of continued Bears victory, the question became louder. Could the Chicago Bears really go undefeated? Who could stop them? The schedule seemed to say the Giants, Patriots, Rams, and maybe the Vikings were the only remaining challenges to somebody, anybody, shutting up the classy act that is the 1972 Dolphins. (Really now, how is everyone attached to that circus not embarrassed in public? Are those yo-yos determined to continue until death?) There was only one minor problem. The Arizona Cardinals were on the field Monday night, well before any of those "harder" teams can show up. Nobody told them, or they didn't get the message, that they were supposed to get smoked like a salmon patty. The Bears defense was going to destroy Matt Leinart in his only second NFL start. How could they not, with everyone discarding (no pun intended) their O-line as nothing more than a series of well greased turnstiles? The suddenly vaunted Bears offense was going to have it's way. The Cards were without their possibly best wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald. The team was off to yet another impressive 1-4 start.

So what happened?
Sexy Rexy became Vexy Rexy as he began chucking the ball all over the field in a haphazard attempt to gain everything back with his next throw. Kids might imagine themselves to be pros as they play two-hand touch on their sidestreet. The real D. Clark should not be told to do a buttonhook at the old red Cutlass. When Grossman was doing fine, everybody was all a dither with the (premature) Favre comparisons. After one bad game, and he has only had a little more than a dozen games all together, how many people have forgotten that Favre wasn't the Favre they know and loathe in the beginning either. As a young quarterback Grossman will learn to stay within the system, work the offense and take the big play if and when it is given to him. It will (probably) be okay. Just breathe Bears fans. Step back from the edge.

It also didn't help that the receiver didn't do much when given something with which to work. Sure that isn't saying much, but on rough nights, every other thing comes into focus that much more. Obviously the defense (re: Urlacher) came up big in the fourth quarter. Did the Cardinals get special dispensation from outgoing Pope Tagliabue to start the game with twenty first half points? Sure the Bears offense seemed confused about whose side's offense they were playing for most of the game but still...

Overall, it could have been worse. Not by much, considering that there are no half points in the NFL, but a win, however hideous, is better than, well, what a fantastic loss? The streak rolls on. No team ever got to seven and oh before getting to six, so be happy the team escaped with the win and the hope that a young quarterback learned a valuable lesson. It is a good guess that if the team should lose and finish maybe 14-2, but win the last game of the season, a good number of folks will consider the ending, well, perfect.

Until the next time, be good.