The Bears are in trouble
It appears, once again, there will be a new representative from the NFC in the Super Bowl. The Bears can’t be serious about getting back to the Super Bowl.

In fact, they really can’t be serious about getting back to the playoffs.

This team is floundering with no real chance of snapping back into shape. It looked like they had some life after an unlikely comeback at Green Bay under the lights of Sunday night football on Oct. 7. But Chicago, living up to its flat self, couldn’t counter its momentum and lost at home to an uninspiring Minnesota team on Sunday.

Chicago is 2-4 and in last place in the NFC North. There just isn’t a spark for Lovie Smiths’ team. Ironically, the biggest lack of fire is coming from the Bears defense, which has long carried the franchise. Even though the Bears defense is fighting through injury, it is getting eaten alive.

Minnesota star rookie tailback Adrian Peterson ran for 224 yards against Chicago.  There was nothing Chicago could do to stop Peterson. The Bears defense has been bending all season showing that is no longer special. Clearly, the loss of former defensive coordinator Ron Rivera (he was let go after the Super Bowl) and the injuries are piling up.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more. more photos

But what happened Sunday showed that Chicago’s defense will no longer cover up the offense’s blemishes. Actually, with new quarterback Brain Griese the past few weeks, the Bears have shown the ability to score quickly. Under Rex Grossman, of course, the Bears couldn’t score at all.

Griese is not ready to carry the team, though. And if the Bears defense continues to be a sieve, the Bears have no chance of making the playoffs.

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