Bears

Shortly before the Vikings-Packers game Sunday, G the Vikings Fan looked at me sullenly. I had helped gather a large group of NFC North fans from all four walks of life, and following the Bears' defeat of Detroit, Minnesota's game against Green Bay was now a Vikings must-win. "This might have been a bad idea," G said about the prospect of watching the Vikings lose while surrounded by Bears, Packers and Lions fans. "If this goes bad, I might have to bounce. " I understood his concern - nobody wants to lose without empathy - but early in the first quarter, the Vikings were up 10-0 and it was not G who was...

Three linebackers, two offensive linemen and a wide receiver walk into Halas Hall … hoping to change the course of football history in Chicago. The Bears' newest draft class arrives with lofty expectations and daunting challenges at each position. It is composed of three guys (linebackers Jon Bostic, Khaseem Greene and Cornelius Washington) hoping to make fans forget about the franchise icon they're trying to replace; two (offensive linemen Kyle Long and Jordan Mills) who are hoping to prevent Kristin Cavallari from becoming a widow before her 30th birthday once she and Jay Cutler make it...

When I'm wrong, I'm wrong and I try and tell as few people as possible. I was wrong on Lovie Smith. He's gone. I'm so used to mediocrity I was expecting another year of blank stares and putrid offenses. But something changed, and it changed on Jan. 1, 2013. Mark that date down, maybe. I saw (I should have DVR'd it) Bears general manager Phil Emery give logical, detailed answers as to what his plans were, and what his criteria are. For once, it wasn't some zombie up there deflecting questions and dodging answers.

From 2005-07, Muhsin Muhammad starred as the Bears' No. 1 receiver on teams that won two division titles and played in one Super Bowl. He spoke with RedEye about his time on the Bears, locker room games and his infamous quote about receivers in Chicago. After you left the Bears, you said: "Chicago is where receivers go to die. " [Muhammad laughs.] I read that you were talking about yourself, Justin Gage and Bobby Engram. Was there anyone else you had in mind when you said it? [Smiles.]

Here they come to save the day. And it's a couple of familiar faces to help us out. Bottom feeders Arizona and Detroit. It's simple. The Bears beat them, finish 10-6, they make the playoffs. You would like that, except you wouldn't. If that happens, Lovie Smith comes back for another year, and we delay the blowing up of the NFL's oldest and creakiest franchise. You don't want that. Here's what you want: 8-8. No playoffs. Fans revolt. Phil Emery has to make a move. The McCaskeys have to make a move.

With the Bears (4-3) on their bye week, all Chicago fans had to do was sit back, relax and watch the other NFL action unfold, right? Not exactly. Even at this point in the season there are playoff implications to worry about. So how frightening were some of the results Sunday?   Detroit 45, Denver 10 Fear factor: 4 out of 4 An upset by the Broncos would have pulled the Bears even with the Lions (6-2) in the loss column. Instead, Detroit QB Matthew Stafford proved effective even at less than 100 percent.And the Bears play the Lions again Nov. 13. ...

The phone rings in Brett Favre's Mississippi home. "Hello? Hello? Bears?" Favre answers, startled. "Hi, um, is this Brett?" Bears general manager Jerry Angelo asks. "Yeah, yeah, this is Brett Favre. " "Sorry, did I wake you up?" "I guess I must have just dozed off. I'd been staying up staring at the phone for the last 48 hours, but luckily I fell asleep with the phone in my hand," Favre says. "Sorry, I can call back later. " "No! I mean, that won't be necessary.

The Bears have won four of their past six games against San Francisco dating to 2001. That's the good news. The bad news? They've lost nine of 10 in San Francisco, including seven straight. Here's a look at the losing streak.   Dec. 14, 1987 49ers 41, Bears 0: In a showdown of two 10-2 teams, Niners backup QB Steve Young posted his first career four-touchdown game in this vicious shellacking.   Dec. 24, 1989 49ers 26, Bears 0: A year after the Niners beat the Bears in the NFC championship game at Soldier Field, the Bears' troubled 1989...

Hello again, faithful readers. If you're wondering why I've been gone so long, my owners at RedEye sent me to London this summer. Not for the Olympics - to brush up on my English. Jeez, did I really just make that joke? I promise they won't all be that bad. Neither will the Bears, as a matter of fact, who I predict will be playing in January. But that's a column for about four months in the future. For now, here are my picks for the Bears' season. Sept. 9 vs. Indianapolis W - This is not your Lucky day, Andrew.

The number of Bears who have missed entire games this season gets scarier each week. Jay Cutler, Shea McClellin and Earl Bennett are on that list, and they may at least hope to play next week. Among the Bears who are done for the year or whose status is in doubt, we ranked them on our worry scale from 1 (they can get by) to 4 (prepare for disaster). - Tribune contributed Lance Louis, OL (knee) The offensive line is thin as it is, and Cutler's health is shaky at best.

Israel Idonije doesn't wear a helmet or absorb punishing blocks while performing his side job as a comic book creator. Yet the former Bears defensive lineman insists that developing his superhero title "The Protectors" has been more difficult than tackling an NFL quarterback. "I've been sacking quarterbacks for 10 years, so I'm a veteran in that department," said Idonije, a free agent who has spent his entire career with the Bears. "In the comic book world, I'm a rookie right now, so I'm going through all of it for the first time.

After having four biological children over 11 years, former Bears wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad and his wife, Christa, decided to expand their family through adoption. In 2007, they adopted a sister and brother from Ethiopia, and two years ago, adopted a girl from the Charlotte area. In town for a Gift of Adoption fundraising event, Muhsin spoke with RedEye about his adoption experience. What made you consider adoption? MUHSIN MUHAMMAD: Initially, I had a hard time thinking about adoption.

As Phil Emery prepares for his second Bears draft, he would be wise to study his predecessor Jerry Angelo. The Bears will pick in the first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds of the 2013 draft. RedEye takes a look at Angelo's best and worst from those rounds. FIRST ROUND BEST - Tommie Harris, defensive tackle, 2004 WORST - Michael Haynes, defensive end, 2003 Angelo's poor track record in the first round is well-documented, and we could debate his best and worst picks till the cows come home.

This is great time of year for me. Not so cold that I freeze my paws off, not so hot that I'm sweating through my fur. Also, the Bears schedule is here! Here now, my picks for the 2013 season: Sept. 8 vs. Cincinnati: W Sept. 15 vs. Minnesota: W Sept. 22 at Pittsburgh: L Sept. 29 at Detroit: L Oct. 6 vs. New Orleans: W Oct. 10 vs. N.Y. Giants: L Oct. 20 at Washington: L Nov. 4 at Green Bay: L Nov. 10 vs. Detroit: W Nov. 17 vs. Baltimore: W Nov. 24 at St. Louis: W Dec. 1 at...

After three months away from football, the Bears reported to Halas Hall last week to begin their conditioning. If they are anything like Joe Anderson, they returned to Chicago in really good shape. A second-year receiver out of Texas Southern, Anderson spent most of the 2012 season on the practice squad, playing on special teams for the season's final three games. Anderson spent the offseason at home in Houston with his girlfriend and their 1-year-old son. He spoke with RedEye about his training.

Somewhere in Chicago, the city's newest Bears fan was born today, and that child never got to see Brian Urlacher play as a Bear. In fact, I was 6 years old when Walter Payton retired, and I only hazily remember his highlights. Family members, NFL Films, YouTube, books and stat checking have filled in much of the picture, but there's nothing like watching a player week after week, season after season, to truly get a sense of his talent. So if you are the parent of a Bears fan age 6 or younger, please make sure the following information is relayed: 1. He...

My heart hurts. The Bears hurt my heart. Late Saturday, three friends, including G the Vikings Fan, cornered me at a party and asked how worried I was on a 1 to 10 scale about the Packers. I thought deeply and said, "About a six. " They were shocked, but I explained. "Consider me a firefighter charging into a burning house. Flames have been raging since long before I even arrived. The scene is bleak. "But I'm a professional. I'm not going to storm a house while lamenting, 'Good god, I'm running into a death trap!

Sure, several key Bears were injured last week. But there were still upbeat entering Sunday. They simply had to deal with Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch and a Seattle team that had beaten them the past two regular-season meetings at Soldier Field. However, when the dust settled, the Seahawks emerged with a 23-17 overtime win, relegating the Bears to a first-place tie with Green Bay. Who played like a beast and who ended up a bust?   BEAST Sidney Rice The former Minnesota Viking hauled in one clutch catch after another, including the game-winning...

Christmas, Part I is in the books, can't wait for Part II in a month. Part I was the Bears signing free agents - my gosh, I got what I asked for! Twice! I got me a nice, big, sturdy tight end! Martellus Bennett. He can run, catch and block! He's one of those basketball/football combo players. Good, because I really think he should play for the Bulls. With no Derrick Rose, they need all the help they can get. We also have a nice, All Pro left tackle. Jermon Bushrod. It's not an episode of "The Twilight Zone," this is actually happening!

Building the first ice rink at Soldier Field isn't as simple as constructing an oval, sticking a hose in the middle and turning on the faucet on a cold winter day. "You can't make ice that fast," Kevin Gift, senior project manager for Ice Rink Events, said matter-of-factly. He should know. Gift and his crew have spent the past three weeks carefully building and maintaining the rink that is hosting the first hockey games in the stadium's 89-year history. Creating the ice that four college hockey teams will skate on Sunday is a painstaking process that...