This Bears season not so pain free

No such luck this season.

Not so far anyway. Not like last year. Not for the Bears, whose good fortune enabled them to reach last season’s NFC championship game.

Bears players are suddenly about as healthy as bugs in a puddle of pesticide, which helps explain Sunday’s 30-13 loss at New Orleans.

The Bears would have had a chance to beat the Saints a year ago because they would have been more healthy than an NFL team can expect to be.

But this game began with starters Chris Harris, Roy Williams and Lance Louis sidelined with injuries. Then Earl Bennett, Gabe Carimi and Major Wright left with injuries.

That probably isn’t what head coach Lovie Smith meant when he referred to the Bears going through growing pains, with the emphasis on pains, but it could have been.

So now the question is who should be the current No. 1 overall choice in the Bears’ hurt pool. The obvious answer has to be quarterback Jay Cutler.

The hurt pool? You know, the guess as to who will be the next Bear to suffer a serious injury, maybe even a season-ending injury, maybe even a career-threatening injury.

The second pick would be running back Matt Forte, as much of a workload as he is carrying for the Bears.

Third pick, let’s see, how about Cutler again? Actually, make him the fourth and fifth picks and every pick after that.

The Saints turned Cutler into frustrated mush. That he kept getting up was, yes, a testament to his toughness.

Not surprisingly the game’s key play occurred when Cutler was blindsided and fumbled, leading to a Saints touchdown.

“We’ll find out (Monday),” Cutler said when asked how he’s doing physically. “I’ll probably be pretty sore.”

That’s preferable to being in traction, which Cutler could be after being sacked 11 times in two games. He also endured myriad other hits, including a kick to the throat.

Cutler’s future will depend on his teammates’ health. The Bears’ offensive line isn’t exactly prime USDA-inspected beef to begin with and would be worse if Carimi and Louis miss much time.

Smith said when asked whether Cutler can keep taking this much punishment throughout a season, “We hope he doesn’t have to. There’s a lot of things we can’t let continue, and we won’t.”

Hope doesn’t block blitzing linebackers and defensive backs. Nor does it help players avoid injuries.

Luck is more powerful. It helped the Bears stay in one healthy piece last season. That doesn’t happen two straight seasons in the NFL.

Regardless, healthy or not, the offensive line and tight ends will have to protect better. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz will have to call more running plays. Offensive line coach Mike Tice will have to coach up what he has. Cutler will have to get rid of the ball quicker.

Overall the Bears won’t be able to rely on the good fortune they enjoyed in 2010. Despite the growing pains there will have to be as much growth as pain.

“We feel good about our 53-man roster, so other guys will get an opportunity,” Smith said.

The Bears’ depth wasn’t deep enough Sunday. With the veteran safety Harris missing, one enduring snapshot is youngsters Wright and Chris Conte chasing New Orleans receiver Devery Henderson into the end zone.

Many people would rather be lucky than good, but that doesn’t appear to be an option for the Bears this year.

So they better get better.