Bears Win Over Vikings Costs Them in the Long Run

The Bears finished off the 2011 season with a win in Minnesota on Sunday to the tune of 17 to 13. But was the victory worth what it cost the Bears?

In the game, Brian Urlacher went down with a knee injury and the Bears dropped at least five spots in the draft. Now, the Bears will be picking 19th in April's draft.

I am not suggesting that the Bears should have dumped this game, but the way they won is what I take issue with. I said a few weeks back that the Bears needed to treat the last few games as if it where preseason to protect the core of this team. Now it looks like Urlacher will be OK and does not need surgery but what the heck were they thinking?

Lovie Smith said all week how they wanted to win this game and blah blah blah. But why? This is what drives me crazy about this coaching staff. From all I have heard from players, they love Smith and his staff and would run to hell and back for him.  

So I assume that they have one hell of a coaching staff Monday to Saturday. But once Sunday rolls around, it is a different story.

Sundays game showed just that. The Bears had nothing to gain by playing full boar with the starters. They had much to lose. Not just with draft position but with the chance a key player going down. The Bears got lucky that Urlacher's injury was not more severe.

Look at the Packers' Aaron Rodgers, who was inactive against the Lions in a game that had no meaning for their playoff outlook. Now I know that it is different with the Packers being in the playoffs, but with nothing on the line, you protect your core.

I think the Bears may need to think about cleaning house.

Smith's mishandling of challenges and timeouts and lack of ability to make adjustments on the fly are just a few reasons why I say that, not to mention his evaluations of talent. Caleb Hanie exhibit A. What about Kahli Bell?  

Every chance he has gotten he has done something with it, yet Smith has refused to play him favoring the likes of Marion Barber, Garret Wolfe and Chester Taylor.  

All signs look like Smith is not going to bring offensive coordinator Mike Martz back next year. With that, chances are that this team will need to learn a new offense any way. Smith just does not get it.

I know that a lot of people think Martz should go and I was even one of those until I realized what he brought to the table this year. With another year in the offense, Cutler was putting up a Pro Bowl season, the offense was averaging 26.2 points per game during the five game winning streak all with out the use of a true No. 1 receiver and an offensive line that at times was awful.  

Also, if you remember Mike Martz said all along how he did not want Caleb Hanie as his back up. He did change his tune this year but I think that was more Smith telling Martz what to say not his true feelings.  So not bringing him back is a mistake.

The Bears will not be making any moves siting injuries as the reason why this season went south. Good teams get past injuries and win—the Packers proved that last season. Not good news for Bear fans.  

But I will say that every year the Bears have a down season they come back. Only once in the Lovie Smith-era have the Bears not made the playoffs following a down year, so that is something to look to I guess.

Let me know what you think and BEAR DOWN!