Quarterback Erik Kramer didn’t come to the media tent shaken and stunned moments after learning the Bears had lost their playoff chance when Atlanta upset San Francisco Sunday.
No, he showed the same poise and sound judgment he has all season. In fact, he smiled most of the way through it.
“We should have had a better stretch run,” Kramer said, “but I feel good about the way we finished up. Regardless of not
going to the playoffs, we still finished the way we wanted to.”
Kramer had to feel satisfied to have set the Bears record for touchdown passes in a season. His two scoring throws Sunday to tight end Keith Jennings raised his total to 29, one more than Sid Luckman had in 1943.
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“I’d like to make sure we get the team back we want,” Kramer said.
“I’d like to see that happen.”
He was referring to some key free agents on offense, including wide
receivers Curtis Conway and Jeff Graham.
On the line: Speaking of free agents, offensive tackle James Williams and guard Jay Leeuwenburg are uncertain whether they will be re-signed.
“I’m going out and explore other avenues,” said Leeuwenburg, annoyed the Bears have yet to give him an offer he considers fair.
Williams wasn’t as agitated as Leeuwenburg at not having a contract in hand yet. Team sources say Williams wants $2.5 million a year.
“I’m not going to lose any sleep over it,” Williams said of the negotiations. “I’m going to sit back and look at the big picture. I don’t know what (Vice President) Ted Phillips is thinking or (offensive line coach) Tony Wise is thinking.”
Planning ahead: The Bears finished third in the NFC Central, and next year’s non-NFC Central schedule is determined by final standings. So the Bears know they will entertain NFC East champion Dallas at Soldier Field in 1996. Also coming to Chicago will be St. Louis, San Diego and Oakland.
On the road, they’ll play Washington, New Orleans, Kansas City and Denver.
As usual, they’ll play home-and-home series with NFC Central rivals Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota and Tampa Bay.
Slump-buster: Tight end Keith Jennings broke out of a two-game slump in which he hadn’t caught a pass, snaring two catches for 14 yards. Both catches, though, were touchdowns, his first two-TD game.
In the first 50 games of Jennings’ career, he caught one touchdown pass; in the last 24 games, he has nine.
“I’ve been in a real rut,” said Jennings. “Today I knew they were going to come at me in the red zone, and they did.”
NFL debut: Mike Faulkerson, who spent most of the season on the practice squad, made his first NFL start, and after blocking most of the game from the fullback position, he caught two passes for 22 yards in the fourth quarter, second behind Jeff Graham.
What controversy? Kramer finished the season as the only quarterback in the NFL to take every snap from center. Steve Walsh finally got into a game, but not at Kramer’s expense. Walsh was the “holder” on the fake field goal. He lined up as Butler’s holder with Chris Gedney as the snapper.