Steve Silverman

The NFL is a superstitious league. Lose the Super Bowl and the bottom tends to drop out.

Six of the last seven Super Bowl losers have failed to make the playoffs the following season and it would have been seven straight if the Seahawks had not managed to claw their way into the tournament from the weak NFC West last season with a 9-7 record while giving up more points (341) than they scored (325).

The Bears come into the 2007 as last season’s runner-up. Coach Lovie Smith is as secure in his position as any coach and GM Jerry Angelo has every reason to feel good about his track record. Playing in the unimpressive NFC North, the Bears should have little to worry about concerning the division and have a pretty good chance to represent the NFC once again in Super Bowl XLII, right?

Not so fast. This has been a tumultuous offseason for the Bears.

• They decided not to extend the contract of well-respected defensive coordinator Ron Rivera.
• Defensive tackle Tank Johnson spent time in the local prison and was cut a few days after getting out of jail.
• They traded hard-nosed running back Thomas Jones to the Jets and turned over the running game to high-priced Cedric Benson.
• Role-playing defensive tackles Alfonso Boone and Ian Scott both left via free agency.

Those are just a few offseason events, leading the team with plenty of concerns as they prepare to open training camp.

Benson is the only new offensive starter, but if he does not live up to expectations there could be major ramifications for quarterback Rex Grossman and the receivers. The duo of Jones and Benson was the Bears offensive identity last year. They combined for 1,857 rushing yards and worked well together — even if they were not the best of friends.

Jones did his best running after Benson entered the game to give the Bears a change of pace, which turned him from a below-average back to a star because of a desire to prove himself. There are questions as to whether Benson can match that intensity.

If the running game slips, how will Grossman function? The Bears were able to live with Good Rex, Bad Rex last year because opponents usually focused on stopping the Chicago ground game. If that part of the game is no longer dependable, Grossman will have improve dramatically and not turn in any more 6-of-19 completions for 34 yards with 3 interceptions in a Week 13 win over the Vikings.

The defensive line was the team's strength last season, but that unit lost some of its bite when Tommie Harris went down with a severe hamstring injury late in the season. Harris returns, but he won’t find his usual running mates. Instead, it will be ex-49er Anthony Adams and holdovers Dusty Dvoracek, Israel Idonije and Antonio Garay. Dvoracek missed all of last season with a foot injury, but he is in shape and could be an X-factor. At least that’s what Smith and new defensive coordinator Bob Babich hope — the others are unproven.

Babich will run the “Tampa-2” defense exactly the way Smith wants it. Rivera preferred a more pressure-oriented pass rush and there slight tension between the coaches. That’s why Rivera is now coaching linebackers with the Chargers.

NFL 2007 Team-by-team reports, predictions

The Bears also plan to get explosive return specialist Devin Hester involved in the offense as a situational receiver. While Hester looked impressive during mini-camp, the move could backfire because less attention will be paid to his special teams work. Instead of gaining a receiver, the Bears could lose their most important playmaker.

It’s all bad in Chicago.

The Bears eased a huge defensive concern by signing Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs to a one-year, $7.2 million contract. Briggs is an excellent tackler, is quick, has great instincts and runs well and the Bears' defense would've been far less fierce without him.

Selecting tight end Greg Olsen should give the Bears consistency at a position that has been missing for decades. Third-round running back Garrett Wolfe from Northern Illinois may be tiny at 5-7 and 177 pounds, but he is a multi-purpose back who may be a difference maker. Defensive end Dan Bazuin has a non-stop motor and could help the pass rush.

However, the question marks are numerous and cannot be ignored. There are potholes on the road ahead and they could be quite treacherous.