For Bears, still too many questions

The Bears pose all sorts of questions.

Foremost among them is whether they begin the playoffs tonight at Green Bay or merely the regular season?

Seriously, it seems the Bears already played a full 16-game schedule since acquiring Jay Cutler in the spring.

There has been so much speculation, so much optimism, so much trepidation, so many pronouncements, so many emotions - yet advisers tell me not a single snap has been made in anything but exhibition anger.

Nothing has been solved or settled. The Bears remain a mystery, which at least is better than being a miss-tery.

Usually by now opinions are formed about whether the season will unfold or unravel. Not this year. At least they haven't with any clarity.

If alleged experts insist they know how the Bears will do this year, immediately break into a chorus of, "Liar, liar, pants on fire."

Trust me, they're all just guessing. The only truth is, these Bears appear to be, what, somewhere between 5-11 and 11-5, and somewhere between missing the playoffs and making it to the Super Bowl.

The sure sign of indecision is hedging your prediction, as in the Bears won't win the NFC North but will earn a wild-card berth.

That's how I'm slicing it: The Bears will finish second to the Vikings in the division and still squeeze into the playoffs.

In other words I won't have a clue until the Bears answer some questions - starting tonight on national television against the equally baffling Packers.

You know, like will the Bears have enough able-bodied defensive backs to play 16 games or will Cutler have to fill in back there?

What exactly has Devin Hester become, anyway? Age aside, how old is Orlando Pace? Why is Tommie Harris so interested in health care reform?

Are Brian Urlacher and Olin Kreutz what they used to be? Can Matt Forte keep working three jobs to support his family?

Will Jeff Garcia, Jeff George or Jeff Joniak be quarterbacking the Bears at the end of the season or is this team serious about Caleb Hanie and Brett Basanez as its backups?

How long will it take to figure out how to spell Afalava, Tinoisamoa, Omiyale, Toeaina and Aromashodu after it took forever to figure out Ogunleye and Idonije?

As a world-renowned newspaper columnist I'm supposed to have all the answers, but you can't imagine how long it took just to determine the questions.

Oh, yeah, almost forgot this one: Jay Cutler?

I love that Bears general manager Jerry Angelo pursued and acquired him. It's great that this franchise has a potential franchise quarterback with remarkable physical attributes.

However, countless NFL quarterbacks have proven over the years that it takes more than athleticism to be a great quarterback.

Can Cutler exercise sound judgment? Can Cutler improve his touchdown/interception ratio? Most of all can he raise his record above .500, much less reach the playoffs for the first time, much less annually, much less win a Super Bowl?

I think Cutler can, and I think he will.

But thinking it instead of knowing it is a sure sign the Bears remain a mystery.

mimrem@dailyherald.com

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=291185">Spotlight on Jay Cutler in season opener against Green Bay <span class="date">[09/12/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/?id=290935">Big-game breakdown: Bears vs. Packers in season opener <span class="date">[09/12/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=291185"><B>Barry Rozner</B>:If Bears finally get their share of luck, anything's possible<span class="date">[09/12/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/?id=321029">Unholy football alliance: Bears fan marries Packers fan <span class="date">[09/13/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/?id=321029"><B>Mike Imrem:</B> For Bears, still too many questions <span class="date">[09/12/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>