Final record of 10-6 would be a success

Q. With playoff hopes still in doubt, what do you expect from the Bears tonight?

A. With or without the playoffs, this is a team with an opportunity to finish 10-6.

Fans should expect the Bears at their best against the Packers, no matter the scenario.

The conditions will be miserable, but it will be a lot colder for the Bears if they don't show up with a better effort against their rivals than they had in the first meeting.

Q. If the Bears fall short of the playoffs, would you consider this season a disappointment?

A. Look, short of a Super Bowl, no team should feel like they've achieved the goal they set out to attain; that should always be the goal.

That Week 1 win at Indianapolis immediately changed expectations for a team many felt was not equipped to win more than a handful of games.

If they go and get 10 wins, even after blowing games in Atlanta and against Tampa, I don't know how you evaluate it any other way but as a positive.

It would give the Bears 41 wins since 2005 under Lovie Smith, which is right up there with the Cowboys and Giants as the NFC's winningest franchises.

Q. Whether or not they make it to the postseason, what must the Bears focus on in the off-season to make a Super Bowl run next season?

A. It's no different than any other off-season. They have to get better across the board.

I am an advocate of constantly building depth and quality on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

You can't go wrong with that philosophy. I think a closer look at how certain players are being utilized is fair. Getting a starting wide receiver, a cornerback, another backup quarterback, and the previously mentioned line play, would seem to be good place to start.

Q. What was the most pleasant surprise of this season?

A. It has to be the offensive line. John St. Clair and Josh Beekman were given little chance to succeed in 2008.

But they played well as a group with the holdover veterans Olin Kreutz, Roberto Garza and John Tait.

They are on pace to start all 16 games, clearing space for a 1,200-1,300-yard rushing season by rookie running back Matt Forte and giving Kyle Orton a chance to develop further as a pocket passer.

Q. What has been the biggest disappointment of 2008?

A. It has to be the inability to finish those games early in the season against the Panthers, Bucs and Falcons.

It points to a seasonlong battle with inconsistency in all three phases. In virtually every game, this team has endured a quarter or a half of breakdowns that hampered their progress and created more questions than answers.

Q. Do you believe that the Bears still possess the nucleus of a Super Bowl contender?

A. I would say yes. They stop the run, they take the ball away, and they play behind the line of scrimmage.

They need to crank up the pass-rush pressure with more consistency and close those windows in the passing game, but that defense can still play.

Kyle Orton needs a little help at receiver, but he's got a three-down feature back in Matt Forte, two tight ends to lean on, and Devin Hester should be better next season at receiver.

Dave Toub's special teams are always making plays, and the kicking game is in great shape.