With all due respect to the ongoing angst of the Bears, they are not the most fascinating team in the playoffs. Beyond the nervous confines of Chicago, their story is comparatively boring.
Certainly the Bears remain a popular NFL brand with a national following that might draw bigger ratings than, say, Pittsburgh and Seattle. But for excitement, they’re more zzzzz than pizzazz. While alarm over Rex Grossman’s roller-coaster season interests the locals, his struggle ranks on the national radar almost as low as his latest 0.0 Bluto Blutarsky passer rating.
When it comes to quarterback sagas, Grossman is nowhere near the revival of Drew Brees in New Orleans, the comebacks of Jeff Garcia in Philadelphia and Chad Pennington of the Jets or the continuing quest of the Colts’ Peyton Manning. This doesn’t matter to the Bears, of course, and it might make Lovie Smith feel more comfortable for his team to escape playoff hyperbole.
The biggest name on the Bears, middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, is Chicago’s kind of blue-collar, taciturn star. In the galaxy of playoff star power, he isn’t even the most famous linebacker, possessing none of the bombast of Baltimore dancer Ray Lewis or the braggadocio of San Diego’s young phenom Shawne Merriman.
Just because the Bears remain the NFC favorite doesn’t mean they are a favorite fairy tale. They can’t even boast of bringing the No. 1 defense, having fallen to fifth in NFL yardage rankings.
In this 12-team playoff, there are approximately 11 more compelling story lines:
1. Saints. From worst to first only begins to describe their rise after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina to a symbol of hope. First-year coach Sean Payton, who turned the Saints from 3-13 vagabonds into America’s Team, is from Naperville and Eastern Illinois and even played for the Bears on their replacement team in 1987, so at least Chicagoans would have a second-favorite to embrace.
More Top Picks Best Running Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis
With Heisman rookie Reggie Bush and seventh-round receiver Marques Colston, Brees has turned the downtrodden Saints into the league’s top offense in yardage. Joe Horn might have to hide a cell phone in goalpost padding for old times sake.
2. Chargers. After scoring a record 31 touchdowns, MVP LaDainian Tomlinson is the league’s best player and coach Marty Schottenheimer claims he’s the best running back he ever has seen.
That’s more than most teams offer, but the Chargers also have Merriman, who led the league in sacks with 17 despite being suspended for four games. A Philip Rivers vs. ex-Charger Brees faceoff beats any other possible quarterback combination. Then there’s Schottenheimer, who along with former Chargers coach Don Coryell is among the most accomplished coaches never to reach a Super Bowl.
3. Colts. The longer Manning and coach Tony Dungy go without reaching a Super Bowl, the harder it will get. And the more intriguing. Already they have been around longer than most outstanding players or coaches without gracing the main stage.
In Tampa Bay, Dungy was fired before his defense was allowed to reach its peak. In Indianapolis, it looks like his defense, not Manning, is holding him back. The watch continues.
4. Eagles. Speaking of outstanding coaches, Andy Reid once again has beaten up on Hall of Fame coaches Bill Parcells of Dallas and Joe Gibbs of Washington in the NFC East, which the Eagles have won five of the last six years now.
Getting to another Super Bowl without jettisoned receiver Terrell Owens would be one thing; getting there without injured quarterback Donovan McNabb is another.
5. Ravens. Steve McNair was run out of Tennessee at age 33, apparently beat up and beat down. But his season is reminiscent of his valiant Super Bowl comeback against the Rams after the 1999 season and is worth a repeat.
With the flamboyant Lewis surrounded by another cast of outstanding defenders, the Ravens were easily the league’s top defense and pose the biggest threat to any offense.
6. Patriots. Belichick, Brady, Bruschi, Vinatieri. Oops. No Adam Vinatieri this year to extend the legend of coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and linebacker Tedy Bruschi. Vinatieri and his foot are in Indianapolis. But what a team to be contending for its fourth Super Bowl title in six years.
7. Jets. With two teams in the final 12, New York’s market suddenly becomes twice as large, dwarfing the Second City. Nobody expected the Jets to bounce from 4-12 under Herm Edwards to 10-6 under Eric Mangini, the youngest coach in the league, who turns 36 on Jan. 19.
Pennington throws with an arm that looks like it’s attached by paper clips. They have running backs named Washington and Houston who might as well be named Jones. But just think if the J-E-T-S get to their first Super Bowl since Namath.
8. Cowboys. Terrell Owens in another Super Bowl? Tony Romo in a Super Bowl? Marc Colombo in a Super Bowl? Thomas Jones’ little brother Julius in a Super Bowl?
Parcells’ coaching legend is a little dusty after three straight home losses and a second straight 9-7 season. A Super Bowl trip with his third team would fix that.
9. Chiefs. The way Edwards defended his unlikely team for making the playoffs sounded like he was convincing himself. Fantasy fans would enjoy favorites Larry Johnson and Tony Gonzalez, and if you think Grossman was down, remember that hit in the opener that knocked Trent Green into midseason. Nice comeback.
The Chiefs would be sentimental favorites of everyone thankful for the contributions of late owner Lamar Hunt.
10. Giants. No way this team should be in the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl. Tiki Barber can’t steal last year’s script from Jerome Bettis and go out a winner, can he? Eli Manning can’t beat brother Peyton to a Super Bowl, can he?
11. Seahawks. OK, maybe the Bears are a better story. But the Seahawks already have broken a string of Super Bowl losers failing to make the playoffs at five. They still have last year’s MVP, Shaun Alexander. They still have last year’s top NFC passer, Matt Hasselbeck. They now have Deion Branch, a former Super Bowl MVP with the Patriots.
12. Bears. Is this Lance Briggs’ final fling? Will Urlacher retire to New Mexico? Will Tank Johnson be able to leave Illinois? Will Cedric Benson get more carries than Thomas Jones? Will Devin Hester return the opening kickoff 109 yards?
Stimulating stuff, but does it play past Peoria?
———-
More Top Picks Best Winter Coats For Women Over 50