In 2010, the Bears were in the NFC title game and might have won if it weren’t for a sprained MCL. Last year, they were 7-3 and on a 5 game winning streak when Cutler (and then eventually Forte) got hurt.

I don’t think people realize how good this team can be if they stay healthy. Most look at their OL and see gloom and doom, but their OL was on pace to give up 36 sacks last year when Cutler got hurt. Another QB who got sacked 36 times last year? Aaron Rodgers.

You forgot the one really penny-pinching thing that Red McCombs did…

He gave an average coach like Mike Tice the head coaching job.

And that assessment is based off of what?? A photo & whatever press conference you saw while he was head coach of the Vikes?!?! He was a very intelligent player and has been smart enough to adapt in the NFL to other coaches systems or schemes!! If you listened to 5 minutes of coach Tice talking X’s & O’s you would likely flip your opinion of him rather quickly!! He may look like a meathead but he’s probably in the top 25% of NFL coaches when it comes to intellect and football knowledge especially!! He’ll do a fine job as OC in Chicago, in fact, I wish he was going on year three in that capacity!! If he had been serving as Bears OC the past two seasons I tend to think the Halas Hall trophy case would have at least 1 or 2 more pieces added to it! Go get em coach Tice!!

2002 he learned on the job.

2003 started 6-0. Missed playoffs on last second TD

2004 backed into playoffs and as Packers like to do, choke at home in the playoffs.

2005 finished 9-7 and missed playoffs by one game. Only reason he was fired 30 seconds after season ended was because Fred Smoot decided to have a love boat party. New owner didn’t care for the negative press coverage.

Yes, the Vikings did only make the playoffs once under Tice, however you did forget to mention that was when Red McCombs owned the Vikings.

McCombs was so cheap that:

1. It is widely known Tice got a letter of reprimand from McCombs after Red found Christmas cards in the trash, from a year ago. Red actually wanted Tice to send those out.

2. McCombs actually cut soap for scrubbing floors from the budget.

3. McCombs refused to hire any assistant coaches or coordinators that made more than the average coach at that position. That is why Scott Linehan left, because McCombs refused to pay an extra 500,000 dollars.

4. Reason why Randy Moss was traded. McCombs refused to pay his roster bonus.

5. McCombs refused to pay for free agents. When Antonio Pierce was the top linebacker free agent, he wanted to come to Minnesota. McCombs refused to pay that kind of money, he signs with the Giants. The Vikings sign Henri Crockett instead.

6. When Tice was fired, the Vikings finished 9-7 (actually 8-7 because ironically the Bears, tanked their last game since they won the division and had nothing to play for) and barely missed the playoffs. Brad Childress came in the following year and took a 9-7 team to a 6-10 team.

It’s very hard to win with an owner as cheap as Red was. I think Tice would actually do alright with an organization that actually tried to win.

“Bounty Gate” is ______ compared to ……

“Super Bowl Ticket (scandal) Gate”
“Love Boat (scandal) Gate”

I am not even a Saints fan, but why was this guy never suspended?

Marshall will actually go across the middle.

Bears have a solid defense, aged, but still a good enough unit.

They have one of the best special teams coaches in Dave Toub, consistently ranking in the top 5 each season.

2 years ago, they made the NFC Championship Game before losing to Green Bay. Last season, they were 7-3 before losing Cutler + Forte for the year.

It should be exciting to see Cutler + Marshall on the same squad again. Throw in Hester’s package and the versatile Forte, and they look like a monster team.