Bears still have enough talent to get back to the Super Bowl
The sky is not falling, and the Bears' Super Bowl dream isn't over because they lost safety Mike Brown and nose tackle Dusty Dvoracek for the rest of the season within a couple minutes of each other in the season opener.
You might recall the Bears made it to Super Bowl XLI, even though Dvoracek never set foot on the field in a regular-season game and Brown didn't play after a foot injury on Oct. 16.
The argument can still be made that the Bears have the most talent in the NFC and the best defense in the league, though having Brown at one of the safety spots certainly would make them a better team. Before Sunday's loss at San Diego, coach Lovie Smith's team had won 14 straight regular-season games with Brown on the field. They were 7-3 after Brown was hurt last year, but they were 6-0 when he was healthy. In 2005, with Brown playing the first 12 games, the Bears were 9-3. Without him, they went 2-2.
Dvoracek played so well in training camp and the preseason that he relegated Darwin Walker to backup status, even though the eight-year veteran has a $25 million, five-year contract. But the fact that they paid him so lavishly is the best indication that they consider him capable of stepping in at nose tackle without a drop-off in production.
The fact remains, the Bears are better prepared to handle devastating injuries, especially on defense, than they were a year ago. If Sunday's game was any indication, defensive tackle Tommie Harris is better than ever, which means he may be the NFC's most disruptive interior defensive lineman.
The Bears believe Anthony Adams, who wasn't activated against the Chargers, can contribute as much as Ian Scott and Alfonso Boone did last season, when they started 11 games combined. Adams started 34 games in four previous NFL seasons, but the Bears only need him to play behind Harris and Walker in a rotation that may include Israel Idonije, who can play tackle and end.
That still leaves the defense with three starting-caliber ends who can rush the passer. Starters Adewale Ogunleye and Mark Anderson each had a sack on Sunday, and backup Alex Brown blocked a field goal three plays after tossing LaDainian Tomlinson for a 4-yard loss.
At safety, the Bears were so confident in the talents of Danieal Manning, Brandon McGowan and rookie Kevin Payne that they traded Chris Harris for a sixth-round pick in training camp, even though he started 20 games in his first two seasons. Manning now replaces Brown.
The injuries to Brown and Dvoracek undermine some of the Bears' outstanding depth, but they shouldn't derail another playoff berth since the Bears remain the clear-cut favorite in the NFC North. By playoff time, they'll have had an entire season to overcome those losses and blend their replacements into the mix.
That's what great teams do. And if the Bears are a great team, that's what they'll do. If they don't, they weren't that great to start.