Contrast from the past

Player for player, Bears' Hall-of-Fame laden Super Bowl champs in class by themselves

Ask Doug Buffone to compare this year's Bears Super Bowl team to the 1985 squad and the Bears legend will tell you there is none. ''Nobody had a Walter Payton, and nobody had a defense like that '85 team,'' said Buffone, who played for the Bears from 1966-80. ''I mean, we're talking about a defense that had a take-no-prisoners attitude. They didn't care what the score was, they never stopped. They ruined people and they knew it.

''Everyone will always talk about that '85 team.''

Buffone sees a lot of positives in this year's team. He believes Brian Urlacher will be a Hall of Famer, just like Mike Singletary. He believes Bernard Berrian can fly down the field, just like Willie Gault. And Buffone believes Devin Hester is the type of special return man the '85 team didn't have.

''But there's still no comparison,'' Buffone said. ''All you have to do is look at how many Hall of Famers you have coming off the '85 team. They had Hall of Famers coming out of the woodwork. With this year's team, you're talking maybe a handful of guys -- Urlacher and Lance Briggs.''

So how do the two squads stack up position by position? We'll give it a try right here.

The stats are from the 1985 regular season and the '06 regular season, unless otherwise noted.

vmcclure@suntimes.com

JIM MCMAHON VS. REX GROSSMAN

McMahon was an icon because of his personality, but on the field, his numbers were solid with an 82.8 passer rating.

The much-maligned Grossman actually passed for almost 1,000 more yards and five more touchdowns than McMahon, but McMahon missed three games in '85. Grossman's passer rating was 73.9.

EDGE:McMahon

WALTER PAYTON VS. THOMAS JONES/CEDRIC BENSON

Payton, arguably the greatest back of all time, is the Bears' all-time leading rusher with 16,726 yards. During the Super Bowl season, the Hall of Famer rushed for 1,551 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 4.8 yards per rush. Plus he was the team's leading receiver with 49 catches.

Jones ran for a respectable 1,210 this season. And it's hard for either Jones or Benson to match Payton's toughness.

EDGE: Payton

MATT SUHEY VS. JASON MCKIE Suhey was a solid lead blocker and a darn good runner. He gained 471 yards, averaging 4.1 per carry. McKie is a solid blocker and he's a dependable safety valve as a receiver.

EDGE: Suhey

WILLIE GAULT VS. BERNARD BERRIAN

Tough one. Gault, known for his blazing, straight-line speed, was a dangerous deep threat. He averaged 21.3 yards per catch and broke a 70-yarder. But some say Gault couldn't take a hit and would rather run out of bounds than turn up the field. He caught four passes for 129 yards in Super Bowl XX.

Berrian is fast, too and averaged 15.2 yards per catch during the regular season, and he made big catches against Seattle and New Orleans in the playoffs. Berrian had 775 receiving yards. Gault had 704 in '85, with 18 fewer catches.

EDGE: Gault

DENNIS MCKINNON VS. MUHSIN MUHAMMAD

McKinnon was a solid complement to Gault with 31 catches for 555 yards. He led the team with seven touchdown receptions.

Muhammad's production has tailed off, but he remains a reliable threat and, like McKinnon, blocks well. He caught 60 passes for 863 yards with five TD.

EDGE: Muhammad

EMERY MOOREHEAD VS. DESMOND CLARK

Moorehead was second on the team in receptions with 35 for 481 yards. He also was a strong blocker.

Clark had 45 catches for 626 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 13.9 yards per catch. He's equally as talented as Moorehead, but maybe not as strong of a blocker.

EDGE: Moorehead

JIMBO COVERT VS. JOHN TAIT Covert, a two-time Pro Bowler, was named to the NFL's all 1980s team. He was a team captain alongside Payton and the most recognizable name on the offensive line.

Tait can't match Covert's legend, but Tait does have one advantage: he still owns the longest rush for an offensive lineman since the merger (1970) with a 28-yard rumble as a Kansas City Chief in 2002.

EDGE: Covert

MARK BORTZ VS. RUBEN BROWN Bortz made the Pro Bowl twice, but he loses a couple of points for being born a Cheesehead (Pardeeville, Wis.) Brown was just named to his ninth Pro Bowl on Thursday, his first since signing with the Bears in 2004.

EDGE: Brown

JAY HILGENBERG VS. OLIN KREUTZ

Hilgenberg was a seven-time Pro Bowler and stalwart on the line. Kreutz was just named to his sixth Pro Bowl, second among Bears offensive players behind Walter Payton (10) and Hilgenberg.

EDGE: Kreutz

TOM THAYER VS. ROBERTO GARZA Thayer was athletic and versatile. Garza quietly had a solid season while starting all 16 games.

EDGE: Thayer

KEITH VAN HORNE VS. FRED MILLER Van Horne was a solid contributor but never made it to the Pro Bowl. Miller, like Van Horne, has a Super Bowl ring from his days with the St. Louis Rams.

EDGE: Miller

RICHARD DENT VS. ALEX BROWN Dent was the MVP of Super Bowl XX and had 17 sacks during the season, just a half off his franchise-record-setting season in 1984. He's one of the greatest pass rushers in history.

Brown has been somewhat inconsistent, and there was talk he'd lose his starting spot to rookie Mark Anderson.

EDGE: Dent

STEVE MCMICHAEL VS. TANK JOHNSON

McMichael had eight sacks and was a force against the run. Johnson has made some big plays, including one against Seattle in the postseason, but he made the most headlines with problems off the field.

EDGE: McMichael

WILLIAM PERRY VS. IAN SCOTT

The Fridge was more than just a cartoonish figure and offensive gimmick. He was an anchor in the middle of the defense and strong against the run. Scott has made four tackles behind the line of scrimmage and has broken up four passes after coming in for the injured Tommie Harris.

EDGE: Perry

DAN HAMPTON VS. ADEWALE OGUNLEYE

Hampton is a Hall of Famer who was a monster against the run and had 5.5 sacks in '85. Ogunleye had 6.5 sacks and has turned his game up in the playoffs.

EDGE: Hampton

MIKE SINGLETARY VS. BRIAN URLACHER

This is a debate for the ages. A Hall of Famer vs. a potential Hall of Famer. Singletary was second in tackles and had three sacks, an interception and broke up five passes.

Urlacher led the team in tackles and had 12 behind the line of scrimmage. He didn't have a sack, but that was due to the style of defense the Bears employ. He also had three interceptions and eight passes broken up. And Urlacher dominated with a weaker supporting cast.

EDGE: Urlacher

WILBER MARSHALL VS. LANCE BRIGGS

Marshall had six sacks, four interceptions and was third in tackles. He was a tremendous athlete who was equally strong against the run and pass.

Briggs doesn't get his just due because of Urlacher's celebrity, but Briggs has been extremely effective. He's second in tackles, has forced four fumbles, intercepted two passes and broke up nine others.

EDGE: Briggs

OTIS WILSON VS. HUNTER HILLENMEYER

Wilson was the third piece of the most talented linebacking trio in franchise history, and one of the best ever. He had 11.5 sacks, three interceptions and broke up five passes. He was fourth on the team in tackles.

Hillenmeyer has broken up three passes.

EDGE: Wilson

MIKE RICHARDSON VS. PEANUT TILLMAN

Richardson had four picks and broke up 25 passes. Tillman was third in stops, picked off five passes and broke up 11 more. He also forced a fumble and recovered one.

EDGE: Tillman

LESLIE FRAZIER VS. NATHAN VASHER Frazier had a team-high six interceptions and broke up 22 passes. Vasher missed two games but still had three interceptions and seven passes broken up.

EDGE: Frazier

DAVE DUERSON VS. CHRIS HARRIS Duerson had five interceptions, two sacks and a forced fumble and was strong against the run. Harris had two picks after replacing the injured Mike Brown and Todd Johnson.

EDGE: Duerson

GARY FENCIK VS. DANIEAL MANNING

Fencik led the team in tackles, picked off five passes and broke up 15 others. He was a team leader. Manning is a rookie who has played very well, finishing fourth in tackles and forcing four fumbles, picking off two passes and breaking up five others.

EDGE: Fencik

KEVIN BUTLER VS. ROBBIE GOULD Butler was another one of those recognizable characters, and he wasn't a bad kicker, either. During the Super Bowl season, he made 31 of 38 field goals. Butler is the team's all-time leading scorer with 1,116 points.

Gould entered the season as the Bears' all-time leader in field goal percentage (77.8 percent). He was 32-for-36 this season. His 49-yarder in the playoffs against Seattle was the game-winner in overtime.

EDGE: Gould

MAURY BUFORD VS. BRAD MAYNARD Buford averaged 42.2 yards per punt with a net of 35.1 in '85. His longest boot was 69 yards.

Maynard averaged 44.2 this season with a net of 37.6. His longest was 65. Maynard has been one of the most consistent performers on the team.

EDGE: Maynard

GAULT VS. DEVIN HESTER

Gault used his speed to return 22 kicks for 577 yards, including a 99-yard touchdown. Hester returned two kicks for touchdowns, and he has a lot more wiggle and electricity than Gault -- and Gault admitted it.

EDGE: Hester

KEITH ORTEGO VS. HESTER

Hester, who set a record this season with six returns for touchdowns, had three off punt returns.

EDGE: Hester