Chicago (1-3)

In fairness, losing at San Diego in the opener, against Dallas at home, and at improved Detroit isn't unexplainable. But it is rather galling for a team that played in the Super Bowl eight months ago. The Bears this offseason kept their fingers crossed and hoped Rex Grossman would magically transform himself into an efficient quarterback, and in retrospect that thinking seems foolish. In essence, Chicago sacrificed the first month of its season while trying to figure out its quandary at quarterback.

The cost of not making the necessary move at quarterback has been compounded by injuries on defense, and the lack of last year's reliable two-headed running game, which misses the departed Thomas Jones. This has the looks of a post-Super Bowl letdown season to me, and remember, before Seattle broke the trend last year, five consecutive Super Bowl losers failed to make the playoffs the following season. Even if Brian Griese steadies the offense starting this week at Green Bay, the Bears are in for a humbling fall from grace.

• The Verdict: Dead. The Packers and Lions have too much of a head start in the NFC North.

I smell a bit....

All this means is that the Bears will turn it around and do decent through the rest of the season. SI is the same magazine that claimed they'd be lucky to win 4 games 2 seasons ago, and they made the playoffs.

SI, and their whole football department, need to stop worshiping at the Brady/Manning altar.

It's more fun to be a victim

There will never be an effective vaccine. I'll never get one anyway.

Not that I love the Bears chance, but SI is a magazine that knows nothing