[CBFF] Are Bears as close as Lovie Smith thinks? - Chicago Bears

[Tom Shannon]

Are Bears as close as Lovie Smith thinks? - Chicago Bears



Larry: I've heard Lovie Smith say a few times that the Bears are close
to being an elite team. How can he say that given their poor record
this season?

Bryan T.
 Elmwood Park, Illinois

Bryan: Lovie Smith believes the Bears are close to returning to
prominence because they've had a chance to win every game this season.
In their first 15 contests they've led in the fourth quarter eight
times and been tied on two other occasions. In their other five games,
they've trailed at one point in the final quarter by 4, 4, 4, 6 and 7
points. In other words, they've been in every game, with only a play
here or there deciding the outcome. Their loss to the Dallas Cowboys
was the only game that really got away from them late. I agree with
Lovie that wholesale changes are not necessary. I think if the Bears
can fix their running game and avoid a rash of injuries on defense,
they'll be right back in the playoffs next season.

Larry: It seems to me that Mark Anderson got a whole bunch of sacks
last season when the Bears were ahead by a wide margin and the other
team was forced to pass the ball. Am I right?

Phillip K.
 Skokie, Illinois

Phillip: Yes, the majority of Mark Anderson's sacks last season came
when the Bears were protecting a big lead and knew the other team had
to pass. Then again, the Bears had big leads in many of their games in
2006. Of Anderson's 12 sacks as a rookie, only one came with the Bears
trailing—he stripped the ball from Arizona quarterback Matt Leinart
and Mike Brown returned the fumble 3 yards for a TD to fuel a comeback
on Monday Night Football. The Bears led by at least 15 points on 9 of
the 13 occasions in which he registered at least half a sack including
margins of 40, 31, 28, 27, 22 and 20 points.

Larry: With the Bears winning five of the last six games against the
Packers, what is Brett Favre's updated all-time record against the
Bears as Green Bay's starting quarterback?

Tony P.
 Spencerport, New York

Tony: Losing five of six games against the Bears the past three
seasons has dropped Brett Favre's all-time record versus Chicago from
21-5 to 22-10.