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Dan Peters
Sports Editor
Suburban
Journals of Chicago
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November 3, 2006
Bears Bother
the Quarterback Brad Johnson at each play.
©
Suburban Journals of Chicago photo
Bears 23,
Vikings 13...Hello NFC North Division Title and a 10-2 Stat !!
report by Dan
Peters
The Chicago Bears clinched their second straight NFC North division
title, now set their sites on bigger goal -- a No. 1 seed and,
maybe, with some luck, the conference championship.
The Bears may have to rely on their defense and special teams to get
them to the Super Bowl, not an impossible task, but a difficult one. A
few years ago, It was defense that propelled the Baltimore Ravens to a
Super Bowl berth.
Rex Grossman had another sub-par performance on Sunday, forcing the the
defense to take charge and win yet another game. The only offensive
bright spot was a Cedric Benson’s 24 yard burst for a touchdown to give
the Bears a 21-6 lead.
How About a
Touchback to Warm the Cold Weather??
©
Suburban Journals of Chicago photo
Grossman
had the worst performance in recent memory, not only
for the Bears, but the NFL. He completed only 6 of 19 passes for a
dismal 34 yards. Grossman also threw three more interceptions for
a quarterback rating of 1.3, against a defense that was ranked
second-to last in the NFL vs. the pass. He passer rating was the
lowest quarterback rating in a winning performance for a starter
(minimum 15 attempts) since December 1971, when The Viking’s Gary
Cuozzo registered a “0” rating against the Detroit Lions.
This was Rex Grossman’s second consecutive, three interception
game. “There’s a lot of things unusual about this press
conference right now. I’m frustrated in my play , and I’ve got to go
fix it. “It feels weird, It feels like we lost. We won a division
championship,” Grossman said in a post game press conference. "I
never really got anything going, and that is something I need to fix,"
It's a simple formula to fix. It's just hard to get done."
Grossman has now committed 18 turnovers (14 interceptions, four lost
fumbles) in the last seven games. Is Head Coach Lovie Smith about
to finally make the change to backup quarterback Brian Greise?
“Rex is our quarterback,” said Smith. “Were not changing. We’er 10-2
with Rex as our quarterback.” And he'll get another opportunity. Coach
Lovie Smith was adamant that a change is not
in the works and became agitated by questions about the quarterback
situation. "There's a difference between perception and reality," Smith
said. "The reality is we're 10-2 right now. We just won the division
with Rex at quarterback, so that's what I go on."
Special teams take charge as well… Rookie sensation Devin Hester tied
an NFL record with his fourth touchdown return. Hester caught a punt at
the 45 and ran straight to the highlight reel. He took a step back with
four Vikings closing in, reversed to the left side and ran all the way
to the end zone, breaking four tackles on the way. "The wind was
picking up and it was a bad situation, and he pooched the ball and (it)
kind of hit on the field and kind of rolled," Hester said.
"I had enough time to pick it up and run, and (I) kind of gave a right
jab and brought it back around to the left, and my teammates picked up
their guys and I got into the end zone.”
Welcome Back Ricky …. After a one-game suspension for his role
in a Los Angeles restaurant altercation, Ricky Manning picked off
his team-leading fifth pass and returned it for his first touchdown
this year. On the very next play from scrimmage, Brian Urlacher
intercepted Viking quarterback Brad Johnson. Later, Johnson was
benched and replaced by Brooks Bollinger. "The defense had to carry the
offense today," Manning said. "That's the way it is going to be
sometimes. We understand that, and we are up for that challenge if that
has to be done."
The Vikings also seem to have some quarterback issues as well, not
fairing much better than Grossman The veteran Brad Johnson was
11-of-26 with 73 yards and four interceptions before being lifted for
Brooks Bollinger late in the third quarter, and his last two passes
ended in the Bears' hands.
Thomas Jones… where are you? Cedric Benson outshined Thomas Jones,
possibly creating a running back controversy in Chicago. Benson had 60
yards on nine carries against a defense that was averaging a league-low
56.6 yards. And Thomas Jones added 32
on 12 attempts for the Bears. The Viking stout running back Chester
Taylor ran for 99 yards before bruising his ribs in the third quarter
and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for Minnesota (5-7). He returned to
the game, but did not carry the ball again.
Bollinger was 7-of-9 for 70 yards, but hurt his left shoulder on a
sack by Adewale Ogunleye late in the game. Rookie Tarvaris Jackson
replaced him and was 3-for-4 for 35 yards.
"It all happened pretty fast for me today," Bollinger said. "
(Childress said) I was going in, I went in."
Outfit and Delivers a Dick Butkus or maybe
a Brian Urlacher?
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Suburban Journals of Chicago photo
Notes:
Bears Tommie Harris left in the third quarter Sunday with
a sprained knee. Harris, who made the Pro Bowl last season, was hurt on
the second scrimmage play of the second half, a 6-yard run by Taylor.
After staying on the ground for several minutes, Harris was helped off
the field. ... Vasher suffered a hamstring injury. ... Vikings Pat
Williams, questionable with a knee injury, played. ... Taylor has 1,098
yards this season.
The Bears (10-2), lead the NFC by two games heading into Monday’s
match-up in St Louis Rams.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo
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