Looking for Respect

In a season of unfulfilled expectations, the 4-7 Bears look to regain some respect, as they host the 1-10 St. Louis Rams on Sunday afternoon.

Any hope of a late-season playoff push was lost last week, as the Bears were crushed by the high-octane Vikings. Entering Week 13, the Rams are not surprisingly a one-win team, facing yet another offseason of major roster adjustments.

More than anything else for Chicago this week, as well as and the next four, brings an opportunity for the current roster and coaching regime to exhibit professionalism and heart. Should the Bears come together, and somehow “run the table” a 9-7 season would certainly do wonders for the confidence of this team going into next season, in addition to the possibility of the Lovie Smith administration being retained for another year. If the Bears can take care of the lowly Rams this week, ample spoiler opportunities lie ahead versus Green Bay, Baltimore, and Minnesota. On the other hand, is this Bears team in a position to look past anyone?

St. Louis heads into town with back-up QB and former Raven Kyle Boller at the helm. The oft-injured starter Marc Bulger went down a couple of weeks ago, and remains sidelined for this week’s game. With the exception of RB Steven Jackson, the Rams do not possess any playmakers on either side of the ball. St. Louis ranks near the bottom of the NFL in nearly all offensive and defensive statistical categories. A home loss this week would be disastrous for Chicago.

Should the Bears be able to regain any semblance of the team that devoured the Rams 27-3 in St. Louis last season, the four-game skid will come to and end.

If Jay Cutler expects to lead this team to greener pastures over the next few years, he had better get started by taking this team on his shoulders NOW, and generating some excitement that can be carried into 2010 and beyond.

As inconsistently as the Bears have played all season, they are clearly the superior team in Week 13. A home date in December against a 1-10 dome team should result in nothing less than a convincing victory.

The Bears will stop the bleeding this week.

Bears 24 Rams 10