Don't get too cocky et, Bears fans
Anyone who thinks the Bears are out of the woods because they lucked into a win Sunday night wasn't paying attention to the first half, when they played like something that bears do in the woods.
At 2-3, the Bears are alive, if not completely well, but there are still nine teams in the NFC with better records.
It wasn't just luck that allowed the Bears to escape Lambeau Field with a 27-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers. There were some encouraging signs, but it's always fortuitous when the other team gives you the ball five times and takes it away just once. Without the benefit of that turnover differential, the Bears wouldn't have won.
The defense was spectacular in the second half, pressuring Brett Favre, stuffing the run and flying around in much the same fashion as last season.
With that kind of defensive effort and continued exceptional play by the special teams, the Bears will make it to the postseason, even with an average offense.
But the defense should thank the Packers for going into a shell on offense, which helped account for five straight three-and-out series. The Brian Urlacher interception from Favre was such a lovely present that it should have come gift-wrapped, although it was an impressive grab by Urlacher.
As dominant as the defense was after the break, though, it's difficult not to dwell on the first half. For the first 30 minutes, the Bears didn't have a clue on how to defend a quarterback who turns 38 today and doesn't exactly have state-of-the-art weapons at his disposal.
Looking at the game as a whole, it's clear the defense is capable of playing tremendously or pathetically.
A little consistency, please.
With everyone healthy, the defense can still dominate, but injured cornerback Nate Vasher might be another couple weeks away, and tackle Darwin Walker suffered a knee injury Sunday.
The Bears' offense remains a work in progress, and the running "attack" will not be an effective complement to the passing game if it doesn't improve on its average of 3.1 yards per carry, which is 30th in the league.
Even on the rare occasions when the offensive line creates running room for Cedric Benson, he doesn't seem capable of making much out of it. On 101 carries this year, Benson doesn't have a run longer than 16 yards, and he's only gained more than 13 yards only once.
That kind of ground game isn't going to divert the defense's attention away from a passing game that showed some promise last week. Brian Griese did an excellent job of involving the tight ends, especially rookie Greg Olsen, who flashed his big-play talent in Green Bay. But none of the Bears' wide receivers caught more than 1 pass.
Former go-to guy Muhsin Muhammad has 10 catches this season for 102 yards, and his ineffectiveness could be a trend rather than an aberration. Bernard Berrian leads the team in catches and yardage but also in drops, and he left Sunday's game with a toe injury after just 1 reception.
Despite all their faults, the Bears looked like a playoff contender in the second half vs. the Packers. But they won't get to the postseason playing well for one half per game, which is what they've done so far this season.