Bears show there is a new bully on block after win
After taking down reigning NFC champs, Bears can start talking about Miami
All questions led to Miami for Tommie Harris. So, presumably, do all roads for the Bears.
The wrecking-ball defensive tackle referenced the site of Super Bowl XLI after almost every question following the Bears' 37-6 demolition of the Seattle Seahawks, the NFC's representative in the Big Game a year ago.
The wrecking-ball defensive tackle referenced the site of Super Bowl XLI after almost every question following the Bears' 37-6 demolition of the Seattle Seahawks, the NFC's representative in the Big Game a year ago.
In what was billed as a meeting of the Seahawks' high-powered offense vs. the Bears' stingy defense, the home team dominated in every phase before a rocking Soldier Field crowd and national television audience, leaving the Bears as the conference's only unbeaten at 4-0.
In what was billed as a meeting of the Seahawks' high-powered offense vs. the Bears' stingy defense, the home team dominated in every phase before a rocking Soldier Field crowd and national television audience, leaving the Bears as the conference's only unbeaten at 4-0.
''You should be talking about us as one of the best in the NFL,'' defensive end Alex Brown said. ''Not just the NFC.''
Seattle coach Mike Holmgren entered with a 14-2 career record against the Bears, dominance that largely came while he was with Brett Favre in Green Bay.
''The difference many times was the quarterback, really,'' Holmgren said. ''It was important.''
No kidding.
Times have changed, and the Bears appear to have a passer of their own to go against the league's big guns.
Holmgren saw firsthand as Rex Grossman directed scoring drives on four of the Bears' first five possessions and outdueled Matt Hasselbeck, who was relegated to the bench midway through the fourth quarter after Ricky Manning Jr. picked him off twice and the Bears sacked him five times.
Manning's picks led to 10 points in the first half as the Bears blitzed to a 20-6 halftime lead. Grossman made it a laugher with a 40-yard bomb to Bernard Berrian in the third quarter, his second touchdown pass of the game and eighth of the season.
''We're off to a great start,'' said Grossman, who completed 17 of 31 passes for 232 yards, when asked if the Bears served notice. ''That's all I'm going to say right now.''
The defense held last year's top-ranked offense -- minus MVP running back Shaun Alexander -- to a pair of field goals. In the last eight regular-season home games, the Bears have allowed two touchdowns.
Hasselbeck (16-for-35, 196 yards) was hurried through his progressions as the Bears got to him with a four-man rush. Harris and rookie end Mark Anderson each had a pair of sacks, and the Seahawks' three- and four-receiver sets were worthless.
''When we know you're going to pass the ball,'' Brown said, ''you're in trouble.''
It was an important win for more than the most obvious reason -- the Bears hold a postseason tiebreaker over the Seahawks (3-1), who have won 24 of their last 27 regular-season games at Qwest Field. If the Bears want to make a deep playoff run, they need to get used to playing in prime time. It's not something they have done a lot, and it's a bigger adjustment than one might think, stirring all day as you wait to play.
It's why middle linebacker Brian Urlacher said he prefers rolling out of bed and playing at noon.
''We hope we have a lot of night games,'' coach Lovie Smith said. ''We need to get used to it.''
Running back Thomas Jones scored his first two touchdowns of the season and rushed for 98 yards, but it was Grossman's nine-yard strike to Muhsin Muhammad that put the Bears ahead for good and got them rolling. He protected the ball, made smart plays, and the Bears look only more dangerous now that the running game finally is clicking.
''I don't believe in making statements,'' Harris said. ''I believe in letting our actions speak for us. Hopefully, that gets us another step closer to Miami.''