Chicago Bears: Story remains the same 100 years later
The Chicago Bears have been around for all 100 years of the NFL’s history but, after all that time, the story remains the same for this team.
The Chicago Bears started out as the Decatur Staleys in 1920 then became the Chicago Staleys in 1921, winning the championship in the latter year. After becoming the Bears in 1922, they won championships in 1932 and 1933 before becoming the team of the 40’s thanks to championships in 1940, 1941, 1943 and 1946, including a 73-0 victory over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship.
The nickname the “Monsters of the Midway” was coined to describe this team led by coach/owner/founder “Papa Bear” George Halas, a ferocious defense (playing both ways) littered with Hall of Famers and Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman.
After Luckman retired in 1950, the Bears have not had what can be considered a Hall of Fame, or even franchise-caliber, quarterback since. But they’ve also played the same way with the same roster styles since. For their history, the Bears have lived by a great defense and offensive line, a balanced rushing attack, with speedy yet unspectacular receivers and wildly mediocre to above-average quarterback play.
In 1963, the Bears won the NFL championship with a fantastic defense featuring Hall of Famers Bill George and Doug Atkins plus a balanced running game with Ronnie Bull, Joe Marconi and Willie Galimore and the solid and serviceable Bill Wade under center, a Pro Bowl level player not sniffing the Hall of Fame. The team also featured a tight end named Mike Ditka.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
The legendary 1985 team, arguably the greatest team of all time with arguably the greatest defense in NFL history, featured Walter Payton in the backfield. Jim McMahon was the quarterback and while the Punky QB was certainly no scrub, he was often injured and not exactly at the top of anybody’s Hall of Fame ballots.
The Bears made the Super Bowl again in 2006 with, again, another great defense that could win games by themselves. They often had to because Rex Grossman was at quarterback. It was after one such game when then Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green famously ranted in the post-game press conference that at the Bears “were who we thought they were.”
13 years since then and 100 years into their history and the Bears still are who we thought they were.
Now at the 2019 season, the Bears feature what is probably the best defense in the entire league with Pro Bowlers and All-Pros at all three levels. There will be more to come as well since this is such a young group.
Speaking of youth, their run game also features diminutive third-year back Tarik Cohen serving as the scat back who excels more catching the ball then he does carrying it. Hard-nosed rookie David Montgomery is showing more and more promise every game with Cordarrelle Patterson and Mike Davis sharing some of the load. The history of balanced Bears backfields holds form.
But still, there’s the quarterback. The Bears traded up to select Mitchell Trubisky No. 2 overall in 2017, the same class that featured Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.
While he hasn’t performed at the level of those two, he has performed well enough to take the Bears to the playoffs and himself to a Pro Bowler (for what it’s worth) in 2018. Trubisky also came a double-doink away from winning the playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. And really, Truibsky had John Fox guiding him in his rookie year. Who knows what effect that would’ve had on Mahomes or Watson?
This Bears team, with its makeup, only needs Trubisky to perform as a middle of the road quarterback for them to get to where they want to go. He played significantly better on Monday night in Week 3, albeit against a poor Washington Redskins team, than he did in the first twoo weeks. But that’s Trubisky — low lows and pretty decent highs. It’s the Bears way and always has been.
Other than the previously mentioned quarterbacks, this is a franchise that’s played in playoff games with guys like Jim Miller, Mike Phipps and Steve Walsh starting the game under center. This is a fanbase that will never lose faith despite the quarterback play, as evidenced by still celebrating the day the team traded for Jay Cutler as a monumental moment in franchise history.
Next. Predicting first loss for all 8 undefeated teams. dark
The Bears are the same kind of team that they’ve always been. If Trubisky doesn’t become a bonafide stud, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. The Bears will still be able to win the same way always has. This defense looks to be one of the best they’ve ever had, the running game looks promising and the Bears can still do what it takes to win the NFC North once again.
One century into the franchise and league’s history, perhaps they can reach the pinnacle of the league once again.