Chicago Bears 2009 Review

After playing in the Super Bowl three seasons ago, the Chicago Bears have failed to make it to the postseason yet again. Finishing the 2009 season with a record of 7-9, Chicago placed third in the NFC North.

Many of this year’s struggles were a result of season-ending injuries to key players. During the preseason, running back Kevin Jones was put out of commission with a knee injury. Once the regular season was underway, the biggest blow was given to the Bears when Brian Urlacher dislocated his wrist in Week 1 versus the Green Bay Packers. And to make matters worse, newly acquired linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa injured his knee, which eventually lead him to be put on injured reserve along with Jones and Urlacher. Finally, running back Garrett Wolfe’s season-ending injury capped off the injury-riddled season for the Monsters of the Midway.

Despite the many injuries, Chicago still had players step in and make major contributions. Linebackers Hunter Hillenmeyer, Nick Roach, and Jamar Williams were shuffled around alongside Chicago’s Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs, who finished the season with a team-high 117 tackles. Cornerback Zackary Bowman stepped in as a starter midseason and finished with six interceptions on the year—which is first on the team and tied for sixth in the league. In addition, on the defensive line, eighth-year defensive end Alex Brown led the team with seven and a half sacks. Offensively, the loss to Jones and Wolfe in the backfield forced the Bears to sign undrafted rookie free agent running back Khalil Bell. Bell rushed for 220 yards on 40 carries.

Second-year running back Matt Forte didn’t have as great of a year as he did his rookie season, but did manage to accumulate 1,400 total yards from scrimmage—929 yards rushing and 471 yards receiving, along with four touchdowns. Quarterback Jay Cutler had a rough first year in the Windy City. Although Cutler did throw for 3,666 yards and 27 touchdowns, the former Denver Bronco led the NFL with 26 interceptions. Devin Hester led the Bears in receiving yards with 757, and tight end Greg Olsen hauled in 60 receptions and eight touchdowns—both team-highs. Rookie Johnny Knox’s great season resulted in a trip to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist for the NFC. Knox replaced another rookie, Minnesota’s Percy Harvin, for the spot on the Pro Bowl team. Kicker Robbie Gould was perfect on the year in extra points (33 for 33) and connected on 24 out of 28 field goal attempts (85.7%). Gould is now the second most accurate kicker in NFL history, only trailing San Diego Chargers kicker Nate Kaeding.

> Find Chicago Bears jerseys & hats online through Pro Football Fans for all your team gear!

Chicago began the season on a good pace; winning three of their first four games, but by midseason was sitting on a record of 4-4. The Bears started the second half of the 2009 campaign losing to the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Minnesota Vikings, and barely beating the worst team in the league, the St. Louis Rams. At 5-7, and with four games remaining, the Bears had to win out just to have a chance at the playoffs. That chance was gone when the Packers and the Baltimore Ravens handed them their eighth and ninth loses respectively. Even with the disappointing season, the Bears did manage to finish on a good note by defeating the NFC North champion Vikings in a dramatic overtime game on the last Monday Night game of the season, and the Detroit Lions on the road in the season finale.

Of the nine loses for the Bears, five of the games were decided by seven points or less.

In each one of those five games, Chicago was in position late in the game to either tie or take the lead. The main reason for most of these close losses was turnovers in the red zone. Cutler, who also led the league in red zone interceptions, ended four of the games with crucial interceptions. Had these five close games resulted in wins, Chicago would have finished with a 12-4 record, and would have easily secured a spot in the playoffs.

Now that the season is officially in the books for the Chicago Bears, signing and re-signing free agents, the upcoming draft, and making changes to the coaching staff can now be focused on. Looking at the overall picture, with one or two key additions to the ball club, plus the avoidance of major injuries, Chicago can be bound for the playoffs in 2010, and for years to come.

By Clyde Speller
ProFootball-fans.com Chicago Bears Correspondent