The season is over

Carolina 29, Bears 21.

The game wasn't that close. The Panthers dominated. The Bears' defense looked very, very ordinary today. The Panthers actually had about twice the total yards today that our average opponent had this season. You have to take your hat off.

I was afraid that all the trash talking this past week would backfire, and it did. I don't like trash talking; as much as I admire Urlacher's crack from an aesthetic point of view, if you're going to say things like that, you'd better be sure that you can deliver on them. The trouble is that you risk motivating the other guy. The upside just isn't there.

What's the lesson here? First, don't despair. The Bears are still the class of the NFC North. We'll be back next year- and for many years to come.

Secondly, the defensive line needs help. It's not exactly a weakness, but it's the weakest part of the defense that is our strength. It's also the key to a truly classic defense. When the Bears' defensive line gets to be nearly as good as their linebacking corps, they'll be there. As good as they are, they aren't there yet.

Third, we need to seriously considering trying to pick up a free agent veteran QB who can start. I know it won't be easy, but that single acquisition would have an impact so drastic that it's a no-brainer to try. Both Grossman and Orton will be good- in time. But I question whether you want to wait. If the Bears had a better passing game- and it was Grossman, and not his receivers, who came up short- they would have won even today.

I can't help thinking back to our Super Bowl XX victory. We'd had a great defense for years- and Walter Payton. We could run the ball. The final element was Jim MacMahon. When we developed a passing game, and the other team could no longer key on Payton, we were there.

Incidentally, I can't help but think back to the NFC championship game the season before the Bears won the Super Bowl. Final score: San Francisco 23, Bears 0. The headline in the San Francisco paper the next day: 'Next Time, Bring Your Offense.'

Still, Grossman did pull it together in the second half- unfortunately, when it was too late. Even if the Bears don't find that free agent veteran, once Grossman gets some experience he could well be the real deal- and remember, he's been hurt nearly his entire career. He's effectively not just a rookie, but a rookie only mid-way through his first season.

Finally, when you've won all season by running the ball, you don't spend the whole afternoon passing, like the Bears did today- especially when you have a running game, but not a passing game.

I'm disappointed, naturally- but hardly shattered. I never thought we'd win the Super Bowl this season. I'd hoped to win one playoff game- get to the NFC championship, like we did in '84. But still in all, we beat the Packers twice, won the division, and were the second seed in the NFC when the playoffs started.

Not bad for the team Sports Illustrated ranked before the season as the worst in the NFL- especially with their season ending with an eight-point loss to the team Sports Illustrated picked to win the Super Bowl- a team they'd not only beaten, but dominated, when they played during the regular season. And the Bears will only get better.

Incidentally, I think Dr. Z's Sports Illustrated prediction will turn out to be half right. With the Colts out of it- who would have expected that?- I think the Panthers are the class of what remains.

I think the team that ended our season today will win the Super Bowl.

ADDENDUM: After sleeping on it, no. I don't think Carolina will win the Super Bowl at this point- not with DeShaun Foster out with a broken leg. I don't see any of the other remaining teams that stand out, though, so anything can happen. If I had to take a guess at this point as to the ultimate winner, I'd say Seattle at this point. But don't quote me.

And the more I think about Rex Grossman's game yesterday, the more I think that maybe we don't need that veteran QB. Rex got started late, and made some critical mistakes. Bearing in mind that he's played less than the equivalent of a full season for the Bears (despite having been on the roster for three of them), that shouldn't be surprising. But once he got in the grove, for the most part he did just fine.

What we need is experience for Rex Grossman. One difference between that 1984 NFC championship game and yesterday is that yesterday we brought our offense. It was our defense that didn't show up.

Lovie blames the secondary, not the pass rush, for Delhomme and in particular Smith having such big days yesterday. Certainly the way our defensive backs were falling down, you'd think they were doing their impressions of Chevy Chase instead of impersonating a Super Bowl caliber secondary. Well, maybe our secondary could use some help- though I find it hard to overly criticize the seasons guys like Vasher and Brown and- before yesterday- even Tillman had. And I continue to think that we need to make our pass rush as devastating as possible. Best to have the opposing quarterback need lots of time to find an open receiver and not get it.

But my chin remains up. The future couldn't be brighter. We'll be back in the playoffs next year. And I would certainly much rather be a Bears fan than a Packers fan right now!