Are the Bears Going to the Super Bowl?

Feature photo by serk1

As the Chicago Bears take the field this Sunday against the Detriot Lions, fans anxiously await the answer to one burning question: does an 0 – 4 preseason mean another lackluster season lies ahead?

There are some camps that say the preseason is not an accurate prediction of what a season will hold. After all, the 1985 Bears, one of the best NFL teams of all time, had a meager 1-3 record at the end of their preseason. Then there were the 2008 Detriot Lions, who went 4-0 in the preseason before their history making winless season. It can be argued that these games give an unrealistic preview since starters don’t play the full game, meaning most of the games are played by second and third stringers, not to mention the players that take the field and end up not even making the roster. (Ever catch an episode of Hard Knocks? Getting cut looks awful.)

Because of the unpredictable nature of the preseason, we decided to base our 2010 season preview on another source, the arguably less accurate, yet all-knowing, Magic 8 Ball. With this Bears team, the Magic 8 Ball is about as reliable a source as any…

Will the defense go back to being to the hard-hitting Monsters of the Midway they once were?

Magic 8 Ball says: Maybe

Yeah, it’s possible, and the addition of Julius Peppers to the roster definitely gives us hope. Peppers was a quarterback’s nightmare when he played for Carolina, and adding him to the mix of heavy hitting Pro-Bowlers Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher or interception king Charles Tillman, we’ve got a pretty deadly combination on our hands, if they’re healthy. Ah, yes, that one little issue that’s been plaguing the defense since last season. With Briggs already nursing an ankle injury this week, it’s hard to say if the defense can stay healthy enough to restore themselves to the number one defense they once were… but here’s hoping. We say the Magic 8 Ball is probably on track with this one.

Will the offensive line provide better protection for Cutler than last season?

Magic 8 Ball says: No way!

Whoa, 8 Ball, don’t be such a Negative Nelly. Yes, the O-Line needed some major work last season. Let’s face it, their protection was about as effective as the pullout method. But with Martz as the new offensive coordinator, Cutler should be getting more time to throw the ball, right? Right??? Hopefully. But judging by what happened the few times the offensive starters took the field this preseason, it may be more of the same: forced throws and a sacked QB. Not even new O-Line coach Mike Tice can do much to right this love boat.

Will the Martz-Cutler combo result in more points on the board this season?

Magic 8 Ball says: Definitely

Well, if you can say one thing about Jay Cutler, it’s that the guy has a cannon for an arm. The dude can throw, and he’s proven it. Granted, he showed it off more in Denver than he did here in the land of the running back. But Mike Martz is known for his “Greatest Show on Turf” so it’s possible we’ll see a lot more passes this year, especially with Chester Taylor on the receiving end. Let’s not forget though that Lovie still is the head coach, and the man likes to run the ball, not to mention it still is Jay Cutler we’re talking about here. Yeah, he has a great arm, but accuracy hasn’t been his greatest attribute while in a Bears jersey (Jay, you want to throw the ball to players wearing the same jersey as you). He had the most interceptions in the league last year with 26, and those can’t all be blamed on being rushed by the defense or not having solid receivers. Maybe he was scanning the stands for reality starlets instead of the field for open receivers. (Sorry Jay, we had to go there.) While we hope the wonderous 8 Ball is right, we can whole-heartily agree.

And one last one, just for kicks:
Will the Bears win the Super Bowl this season?
Magic 8 Ball says: My sources say no

You’re probably right 8 Ball, but as the South Siders like to say, don’t stop believing, kids. One week at a time, so let’s kick some Lion ass!