[CBFF] Yahoo Sports: A Little Spark

[Steve Behrens]

   *A Little Spark*
   By Charles Robinson<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/expertsarchive;_ylt=AuLgKWz9ulZlxX4c05y6hBzhMMQF?author=Charles+Robinson>,
Yahoo! Sports
July 30,

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The smile was wicked, maybe even a little devious, not
so much the smirk of a Cheshire cat. Instead, when Lovie Smith smiled, it
was the expression of a physicist who just snuck out of a laboratory with
the formula for nuclear fission tucked into his sock.

"We're changing the whole look of this thing, huh?" the Chicago
Bears<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/chi/;_ylt=Agq3ARVIv4VByCuyVFhbfTbhMMQF>coach
said, nodding toward the practice field.

It wasn't so much a question as a statement of fact. Consistently touted for
defense and consistently trashed on offense, Smith thinks he has a hidden
secret. While the rest of the NFL world talks offense and blathers on about
the New Orleans
Saints<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nor/;_ylt=At1i86Mi61_8mvO05LxYGoThMMQF>and
San
Diego Chargers<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sdg/;_ylt=Aqua.qpMbKS6B248M7H0SnPhMMQF>,
the Bears largely are forgotten. But if Smith's vision comes to fruition,
Chicago will boast the league's most potent scoring unit next season.

"We caught a lot of crap over the offense," Smith said. "A lot, and we were
the second-best scoring team (tied with the Colts) in the NFL last year.
People keep talking about what we need to do on that side of the ball, but
all we really need to do is build a little on what we did last season."

Chicago has attempted to do just that, adding first-round pick Greg
Olsen<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/8285/;_ylt=AtxjiXVhL1IiLAJDksQ7rWzhMMQF>to
the tight end spot; getting former second-round pick Mark
Bradley<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7215/;_ylt=AtGixLpO0epQFTo2ZzWMnSbhMMQF>healthy;
and plugging dynamic returner Devin
Hester<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7806/;_ylt=AnRIBYJXhXMQJ0gZDwOYGqThMMQF>into
the depth chart at wide receiver. The result is the Bears boasting the
deepest set of skill position players the franchise has seen in years –
possibly decades.

"On our side of the ball, we've never been this good," said wideout Muhsin
Muhammad<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/3511/;_ylt=AmwV8jLFa8pmSF5yXS5QRUThMMQF>.
"Honestly, it might be a little tough to satisfy the egos. Everybody is
going to have demands about what they want stat-wise and ball-wise. But as
long as we win, I think ultimately everyone will be happy."

The wide receiver spot is far and away the most intriguing position on the
team, bolstered by the development of Bernard
Berrian<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/6837/;_ylt=Ajr_psZA4eF5rNcIuOrldb3hMMQF>and
the late-season contributions of Rashied
Davis<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7445/;_ylt=Ar0jmUwfdi9zc8Ql4zMxy7_hMMQF>.
But it's the experiment with Hester, who notched a league-record six returns
for touchdowns in 2006, that might open eyes across the league this season.

Hester's installation on offense doesn't come without some consternation.
The reality is that such a move almost never works for Pro Bowl returners,
who historically have struggled to become consistent, if not significant,
offensive weapons. The NFL landscape is littered with great return men who
were little more than mediocre receivers. Mel Gray didn't cut it. Neither
did Dante Hall<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/5182/;_ylt=AjA7pYlYhu0PPGAP1Zb48QzhMMQF>.
Eric Metcalf was close.

"Steve Smith<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players;_ylt=AshxKJETNJF_RjPQ5_TJGo7hMMQF?type=lastname&first=1&query=Steve+Smith&q=Steve+Smith>did
it," Lovie Smith pointed out. "That's what we're banking on with
Devin.
I know there are some guys that haven't been able to make that transition,
but we don't know anything about them. The guy that we see is Steve Smith.
He's been maybe the most electrifying player in the league the last few
years. There's no reason in our mind to think that Devin can't do that."

And while the first inclination is to think Chicago's coaching staff has
lost its mind, it's worth noting that Lovie Smith typically has read the
temperature of his team correctly in training camp. Two years ago, he
boasted that the Bears could have the best defense in football, and they
made good on the statement. Last season, he claimed the team was Super
Bowl-worthy, and indeed they were. Now he looks at Hester and sees Steve
Smith.

Hester hasn't disappointed, becoming easily the biggest buzz early in camp.
He already has showcased the ability to hold his own with Chicago's pair of
highly paid cornerbacks, Charles
Tillman<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/6371/;_ylt=Aj2RlZhJ.5V58_nY5ref5.LhMMQF>and
Nathan
Vasher<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/6869/;_ylt=AlAtvmU8ZiiQ.I_s5acXrH3hMMQF>,
and shown the ability to make spectacular catches.

"He runs good routes," Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "I've
been pleasantly surprised at how quickly he's adjusted to that. Now it's
just a matter of making all the adjustments to the coverages and blitzes
he's seeing on offense."

The Bears have limited his packages in the passing game thus far, also
working in reverses and some work with Hester lined up in the backfield. But
he undoubtedly has gotten into the head of the defense. At one point
Saturday, the offense ran a fake reverse to Hester and watched running
back Cedric
Benson<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7180/;_ylt=AlmdKSz0E0G_jy5CwYcGenLhMMQF>break
off a 40-plus yard run up the middle as most of the defense keyed on
Hester.

"People better not underrate what we'll throw at them this year," Hester
said. "We're going to be bringing all kinds of trouble."

Not that there aren't issues to be worked out. Although quarterback Rex
Grossman<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/6358/;_ylt=Agr8tvJECrrz1GoVTVQnaMPhMMQF>has
looked sharp in the early going – coaches say he's as good as he ever
has been this early in training camp – he still throws off his back foot at
times and can be erratic under pressure. But it's nothing that has the Bears
sweating. Instead, Smith and Turner are pleased with the progress Grossman
has built with new quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton.

After watching last season's tape – easily the best sustained base of film
Grossman has produced – Hamilton has pushed Grossman to improve his demeanor
in the pocket. In many of Grossman's worst performances, he wasn't
consistently moving forward and into throws when pressure was coming off the
edge. That led to some of the lofted "jump ball" passes that plagued him in
losses.

Hamilton's response has been to push Grossman either to pull the ball down
and run or move up into the pocket – or even outside it – in the face of
pressure. The hope is to keep Grossman's momentum going forward to produce
more crisp, accurate and strong throws against pressure.

"I can see some of that already," Muhammad said. "Rex's movement in the
pocket is a lot better. He's running a little. He's flowing in and out of
the pocket as plays progress. That's a sign of repetition and maturity."

And that fits with the overall mood of the camp, which has taken on a
distinctly veteran feel. With so much of the drama eliminated – Thomas
Jones<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/5036/;_ylt=AhV3QWcIW7GDHu7BSSKla2bhMMQF>and
Tank
Johnson<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/6806/;_ylt=AqqaPvyey7JY87ubsqoXcprhMMQF>are
gone, linebacker Lance
Briggs<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/6404/;_ylt=AoPn5GMbQxx32KEhrKFw767hMMQF>'
contract issue is resolved – the coaching staff says it can't recall a more
settled and businesslike atmosphere in July.

Even the positional controversies seem hushed. There's a burgeoning battle
between Alex Brown<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/5990/;_ylt=AhQmWh9NfJGf4DIonbrME7zhMMQF>and
Adewale
Ogunleye<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/5768/;_ylt=Alnq8bufOuYSzxQYeDS6vFbhMMQF>over
who will start at defensive end opposite Mark
Anderson<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7908/;_ylt=Ar_wipGbXvNpjffSTYPLtA7hMMQF>.
And there's some curiosity over Adam
Archuleta<http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/5467/;_ylt=Apc2BZ8ZD.exZ.oNjxHxoIbhMMQF>'s
impact on the safety spot. But odds are both of those storylines will work
out favorably for the Bears.

So what Chicago is left with is its best 53-man roster in ages, an offense
that looks like it's ready to take a huge step forward and a top-notch
defense loaded with veteran cornerstones. And best of all almost no drama to
be found.

As Smith admitted Saturday, "It's hard not to look at it and smile."

*Charles Robinson is a national NFL writer for Yahoo! Sports. Send Charles a
question or comment<http://sports.yahoo.com/top/feedback;_ylt=Am2OdEA_zqu_nTEU_lRk3HXhMMQF?author=Charles+Robinson>for
potential use in a future column or webcast.
*