It’s already two weeks and counting since the Bears played their final game, and this past weekend’s wildcard playoffs reminded fans of the navy and orange what could have been.

Making the playoffs – and winning there – is a common denominator each fan can certainly appreciate. Yet beyond that, it’s difficult to predict just what type of future playoff challenge Bears fan are hoping for their team to represent.

With Jay Cutler now at the helm, some are probably thinking that the shootout at the OK Corral between the Cardinals and Black-and-Blue Division’s Packers is what the Bears ought to pursue. Yet to others, the way the Ravens waltzed into Gillette Stadium and laid a pounding on Pretty Boy Brady and his cast of overly self-enthralled Patriots is more the standard.

If beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, then which of the eight teams still in the Super Bowl hunt is the one the Bears might emulate? Who deserves the weighty allegiance of Bears Faithful’s vicarious embrace, now that their own squad has left them alone at the altar yet again?

Let’s take a look at each game:

Arizona @ New Orleans
This promises to become another shoot-out, but this time, Drew Brees ought to be scattering the ball around to the likes of Marques Colston, Robert Meacham, Reggie Bush and even Jeremy Shockey.

For most of the season, the Saints showed that they indeed have a defense and, second, that both of their lines aren’t afraid to bust people in the mouth. That’s good, because the Packers' defense was ranked even better, and Kurt Warner and Co. shredded them like good Wisconsin cheddar.

There’s something about Arizona, and it begins with Ken Whisenhunt and his Steelers roots. Yes, this team can certainly throw it with the best of them. But during the second half of the season, with the emergence of Beanie Wells, they also began to establish a ground game. Not THE ground game, but A ground game. Something to actually complement the prolific passing game and create symbiosis between the two rather than a mutually exclusive, one-or-the-other stasis.

The Bears could learn something from that and Cutler has the opportunity – with the right supporting cast – to become Warner-esque with the tools and speed surrounding him. Bears fans ought to get behind the Cardinals, for no other reason than they used to both play in Chicago. Somewhere deep within that Phoenix DNA lays a bratwurst and Italian beef-laden chromosome. Whisenhunt is a guy who not only appreciates that; he wants to evolve a team (like the Steelers) where it’s predominant.

Bears fans should take a look at Ken Whisenhunt's Cardinals for a blueprint of what their team could be like.

Baltimore @ Indianapolis
OK, the Colts took the Bears out (some say badly) in the Super Bowl three years back, and so that deserves banishment to the Bears' dungeon – forever. Not so fast.

The Colts are a finesse team, but Peyton Manning is not a finesse quarterback. He’s big and he’s bad and he gets pissed – but he keeps it under control and channels it toward the continued excellence of his cast. How come kids like Austin Collie or Pierre Garcon somehow magically become quality receivers, virtually overnight? Sure, Manning can thread a needle with an overgrown ostrich egg from about 70 yards, but his command of the game, determination and DEMAND that those around him perform to his level is what separates the Colts from the pack. Sound familiar, Chicago fans? A guy named Michael Jordan did a lot of that in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and Bears fans came to appreciate him pretty well.

Once Brian Urlacher went down in the first game of the season, there was nobody on the Bears' defense willing to step up in the same way. Dan Hampton would have done it years back, and Mike Singletary continues to do it from the sidelines, albeit in San Francisco. Accountability still means something in the Colts' backfield – as well as everywhere else – and while the Baltimore defense is to be envied, it’s the qualities that Manning represents that deserve recognition and emulation by Bears Nation (especially the current team).

Dallas @ Minnesota
Easy, hope for a zero-zero tie in which both teams self-implode and embarrass themselves. For Bears fans, this is a case of trying to decide on the worse of two evils.

Did anyone notice during the Alabama – Texas national championship game that the Texas team carried out the Texas flag flanked by two American flags rather than placing Old Glory in the feature position? Dallas claims to be “America’s Team,” which is yet another not-so-subtly veiled attempt to reduce American interest to what best suits the state of Texas. Can’t we all just turn a blind eye while Viva Mexico splays across the border and subsumes that dust pit south of the Rio Grande?

As for the dreaded Vikings, maybe Bears fans can just hope for overtime and for Jared Allen to pull Tony Romo down in the end zone for a 2-0 win. After that, it’s Katy bar the door for either the Saints or Cardinals to embarrass the Vikings again and deny the franchise yet another opportunity to lose the Super Bowl.

New York Jets @ San Diego Chargers
Rex Ryan and the Jets' defense are direct descendants of former Bears defensive coordinator and legend Buddy Ryan and his 46 Defense. Rex is pretty much as brash as the old man, but so far he’s walking the walk, and the young Jets aren’t afraid to punch people out, including those in their hometown who still consider the Giants the cock of the walk.

It used to be that Chicago was known as the “Second City,” and that might have once flown in terms of population (where Chicago is now No. 3) but never in terms of attitude. Strange, because New York is the clear No. 1 in that dynamic, but Bears fans have someone to love in the Jets since they’ve always been the second horse in a two-stable town.

Nobody much cares about the Chargers, and while LaDainian Tomlinson deserves accolades and comparisons to Walter Payton – as much for heart as for yardage – the Chargers are about equally as loyal as fantasy football owners in their continued commitment to LT. Take the Jets in the upset.

So, where to go with your loyalties after this weekend, Bears Nation? Stick with the Cardinals. Call them the “Chicago” Cardinals and bring out your No. 33 Ollie Matson jerseys. And know that the Bears could certainly use the same mix of aerial expertise, speed and complementary running to their own benefit next season. The Cardinals' defense continues to improve and, with Whisenhunt in charge, they’re likely to become one of the NFC’s (and NFL’s) best units before too long. And that’s the goal for every Bears fan: a team with the ability to harness a young, sometimes lunkheadead but dynamic-armed QB with a powerful running game and lash it together with a bad-ass defense with attitude. That’s the Bears team everyone wants to see.

Remind you of anything? Back in 1969, the Bears and Steelers were tied with 1-13 records and the Bears lost the coin toss for the first pick in the draft. The Bears could have tanked their one win of the season – a victory over the same Steelers in Week Eight – but they won when a loss could have brought them greater spoils. The Steelers used that first pick to bring in a strong-armed yet erratic quarterback who, early in his career, was often ridiculed for his backwater ways and perceived lack of intelligence, especially the many times he passed into the hands of his opponents rather than those of his own team.

But he sorted that all out. And Chuck Noll built a Super Bowl powerhouse around Terry Bradshaw that included a good multi-dimensional running game, tremendous receivers and a Steel Curtain defense that every Bears fans could love. Those Steelers played in eight AFC Championships and won four Super Bowls. With a flip of the coin – and a consistent strategy and plan – they went from a 1-13 laughingstock to laying the foundations for what is still one of the NFL’s most storied and successful franchises.

Whisenhunt’s Cardinals are Steelers West, and they lost by an eyelash to those Steelers in last season’s Super Bowl, before the Steelers failed by an eyelash to make the AFC playoffs this time. The Bears might have been the Steelers. They could still become the Steelers, and with the Steelers no closer to the Super Bowl tournament than the Bears these next few weeks, the best alternative is the Cardinals – the Chicago Cardinals.

And then we all hope that Whisenhunt’s mentor, the iron-jawed Bill Cowher, builds enough of a will to return to the game that, should the Bears tank again in 2010, the search for a new leader on the Bears sideline ought to be self-evident.

-- Thomas Tyrer

Overall, it was a pretty quiet final week of the NFL season for ex-Bears players.

Most, like their former Bears teammates, are packing it up and calling it a season. But there are still a few who are going to hang around for the playoffs.

Here’s how other ex-Bears fared in the final week of the regular season:

Thomas Jones, running back, New York Jets: Against a Cincinnati team looking ahead to next week, Jones rushed for 78 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-0 Jets blowout that secured them a wildcard playoff berth that rematches the teams in a divisional game this week.

Jones and rookie Shonn Greene were critical in the Jets’ playoff drive, including a win over previously unbeaten Indianapolis. They combined with Leon Washington (injured earlier in the year) to form the league’s top rushing attack.

Greene has filled in nicely for Washington, but Jones has carried the load for the Jets offense. Jones rushed for a career-high 1,502 yards (his fifth straight season over 1,100 yards) and a career-high 14 touchdowns.

Kyle Orton, quarterback, Denver: A disastrous second-half by Orton against the Chiefs, a team the Broncos beat by 31 a month ago, doomed the Broncos. Orton had three interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns, in a 44-24 loss.

Cedric Benson, running back, Cincinnati: Was inactive for the Bengals’ regular-season finale. They were resting Benson, who missed part of the season with a hip injury, for the playoffs.

Cedric Benson didn't play against the Jets Sunday but will be active when the teams rematch in the playoffs Saturday.

Tank Johnson, defensive tackle, Cincinnati: Johnson joins Benson as another Bear castoff headed to the playoffs.

Ian Scott, defensive tackle, San Diego: No plays in the win over Washington. The Chargers finish 13-3 and get a first-round playoff bye.

Bernard Berrian, wide receiver, Minnesota: Two catches for 50 yards in a 44-7 win over the New York Giants. The Vikings won the NFC North and are headed to the playoffs with a first-round bye. More than you can say for the Bears.

Justin Gage, wide receiver, Tennessee: Four catches for 38 yards in the Titans’ 17-13 win over Seattle. Tennessee finished 8-8 after starting 0-6. Gage overcame broken bones in his low back to play a few games down the stretch.

Rod Hood, cornerback, Tennessee: Four tackles (three solo) and a pass defensed in the Titans’ win.

Mike Brown, safety, Kansas City: Four tackles (one solo) in the upset of the Broncos.

Bobby Wade, wide receiver, Kansas City: One catch for 16 yards (five targets) in the victory.

Brandon McGowan, safety, New England: Two solo tackles in a loss to Houston.

Muhsin Muhammad, wide receiver, Carolina: Led the Panthers with seven catches for 85 yards in a 23-10 win over the Saints.

Chris Harris, safety, Carolina: Three tackles (two solo) in the Panthers’ win.

Marty Booker, wide receiver, Atlanta: No catches in a 20-10 win over Tampa Bay. Falcons finish 9-7. Doubtful Booker will be around next year.

Rex Grossman, quarterback, Houston: Watched Matt Schaub throw for 303 yards and two touchdowns as the Texans rallied for a 27-13 fourth-quarter deficit to win.

Mark Colombo, offensive tackle, Dallas: Has missed the final eight games of the season with a leg injury, but the Cowboys say he could be ready for the playoffs.

Brian Griese: Called Auburn’s thrilling overtime win over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl for ESPN Radio. His father, Bob, called the game for ESPN TV.

--MIKE REILLEY, Bears blogger. Follow him on Twitter @bearsblogblitz

After eight months of analysis, second-guessing and questions, we are left with this as the early return from the Jay Cutler-Kyle Orton trade: So what’s the big deal?

The Bears and Broncos swapped quarterbacks and draft picks last April with hopes of taking their teams to the playoffs in 2009, and their  best-laid plans were foiled by a variety of factors.

The Bears started 3-1 but faded as Cutler threw pick after pick after pick behind a shoddy offensive line and a struggling running game. The result: 7-9 and no playoffs.

The Broncos started 6-0 with Orton in charge, but faded down the stretch to finish 8-8, losing the season finale to a Kansas City team it beat by 31 just a few weeks earlier.

Kyle Orton posted big numbers in the Broncos' season finale - both in yards and interceptions - and Denver ended the season 8-8 after a 6-0 start.

Orton was awful in the final game with three interceptions in the second half, including two pick-sixes in a 44-24 loss to the Chiefs. It was by far his worst game of the season: 32-of-56 for 431 yards, a  touchdown and the three interceptions.

As Bears fans have learned, you can’t rely solely on Orton to win a game for you. If he’s throwing the ball 50 times, you’re in trouble.

So looking back on the 2009 season leaves both quarterbacks with disappointing results, both statistically and in the standings.

Here’s the breakdown of both quarterbacks this week and for the season, along with NFL Network video:

JAY CUTLER

Team’s record: 7-9 (2008: 8-8 with the Broncos)

Completions-attempts/percentage: 336-554 (60.6 percent) (2008: 384-616, 62.3 percent)

Yards: 3,666 (229.1 yards per game; 6.6 yards per attempt) (2008: 4,526 yards, 282.8 average)

Touchdowns: 27 (2008: 25)

Interceptions: 26 (2008: 18)

Sacks: 35

Analysis: He went 1-4 in night games, had four- and five-interception games and his statistics fell in every category but touchdown passes from last season. Cutler’s first season as a Bear is over, and the guy has to be relieved. He finished the season strong, with eight touchdown passes and one interception in wins over the Vikings and the Lions. But that doesn’t erase the disappointment from earlier in the season, which started with a 3-1 start but spiraled into a 5-9 mark before the strong finish.

Here’s what we’ll remember: The poor protection, receivers breaking off routes, Ron Turner’s baffling play calling. Cutler lived through all of it. With a better offensive line and at least one new front-line receiver next year, there will be better days ahead for Cutler & Co. The Bears learned a valuable lesson this year: You can’t slot the franchise quarterback into the program. You have to build around him. That work starts now.

KYLE ORTON

Team’s record: 8-8 (2008: 9-6 with the Bears)

Completions-attempts/percentage: 336-541 (62.1 percent) (2008: 272-465 in 15 games, 58.4 percent)

Yards: 4,202 (262.6 per game; 7.7 per attempt) (2008: 2,972 yards; 6.39 per attempt)

Touchdowns: 21 (2008: 18)

Interceptions: 12  (2008: 12)

Sacks: 29

  Analysis: Orton is entering a contract year and our hunch is the Broncos will make a middle-of-the-road offer and re-sign him. They have the flexibility, with the Bears’ first-round pick, to trade up in the draft and find a difference-maker at wide receiver in case Brandon Marshall bolts in free agency. But don’t be surprised if Josh McDaniels takes a quarterback with one of his high picks and develops him behind Orton.

-- MIKE REILLEY
Follow him on Twitter @bearsblogblitz

The War for the NFC North

Battle of Detroit, 2010 

In a dirty trench, several Bears sit around a fire. SERGEANT KREUTZ, PRIVATE WILLIAMS, and CORPORAL GARZA cook some beans. PRIVATES OLSEN and AROMASHODU smoke cigarettes. CAPTAIN CUTLER eats a candy bar, while LIETENANT FORTE sits next to him. They are grimy, bloody, and bruised. 

FORTE: Captain, what’re you going to do when the season’s over? 

CUTLER: Dunno, Lieutenant. Probably work on my grenade throwing. How 'bout you?

  FORTE: I’m going back home and riding the buses all day, and at every stop, when those doors open, I’m going to get off the bus running. Just like we did back in basic training. 

CUTLER: Still looking forward to the next season, eh, Forte? 

FORTE: You’re not? 

CUTLER:It’s not that. It’s just … well, I’m just ready to go home for a while. I’m going to crawl in a hot tub and not come out until every bruise and bump is gone and I forget this season even happened.

AROMASHODU: You can just turn it off, like that, Captain? 

CUTLER: You have to, Private. Otherwise you wind up like Lieutenant Hester over there.

  Cutler points to a figure sitting in the corner, twitching every few moments.  CUTLER: (cont.)He used to be our best offensive weapon. Never seen anyone charge an enemy like him. But he started overthinking things and his nerves got the best of him. Now he’s just as likely to run backward as forward.

  There’s an argument among Kreutz, Williams, and Garza.

  GARZA:Hey, Sergeant, quit hogging all the beans. 

WILLIAMS: Yeah!

KREUTZ: (gulping down a ladle of beans) Pipe down.  I got seniority and I deserve a bigger share. When you ladies have been around as long as I have, then you can get more beans.

OLSEN: Besides, you guys don’t want to be full of beans like him. 

KREUTZ: Watch it, private! That’s the same smart mouth that got you busted down from corporal.

  OLSEN: Ooh, what you gonna do, Sergeant? Send me to the bottom of the NFC North to fight the Lions?

KREUTZ: How 'bout I break that jaw of yours? 

CUTLER:Hey, knock it off, both of you. Look, we win this battle, and we can all go home. So just chill.

GENERAL LOVIE enters the trench, followed by the defensive unit: MAJOR BRIGGS, CORPORAL BOWMAN, and PRIVATE ROACH.

BRIGGS: Ten-hut!

The Bears don’t bother to get up. 

GENERAL LOVIE: At ease, men. It’s been a long season, and I know we’ve been through a lot. You have performed admirably, especially considering you have been outmaneuvered, outgunned, and outcoached. I’m very proud of you.

There’s a loud noise. Williams and Garza move away from Kreutz. 

GARZA: (waving hand under nose) Dios mio, Sergeant!

WILLIAMS: My word! We never had this kind of behavior at Vanderbilt!

KREUTZ: Yeah, well why don’t you write a letter to the Geneva Convention, Private College Boy.

  GENERAL LOVIE: Sergeant Kreutz! That’s enough out of you.

KREUTZ: Sorry, sir. Just offering my own personal interpretation of the season.

  GENERAL LOVIE: Keep it up and you’ll be out of this unit, Kreutz.

KREUTZ: (muttering under breath) That’ll be two of us.

GENERAL LOVIE: (composing himself) Now I just need you to muster up one more attack, against a group of Lions in Detroit. They’re a battered bunch, pummeled for years by offensive artillery and cut down by tough defenses. We should be able to overwhelm them. 

OLSEN: That’s what you said about the Cardinals.

GARZA: And before the battle of Cincinnati.

GENERAL LOVIE: I know, I know, but this team is different. These guys really stink. So let’s just get out and do our duty and this will all be over soon. Take your positions.

The Bears get ready to attack, massing near the trench walls. General Lovie looks at his watch, a whistle in his mouth.

GENERAL LOVIE: Wait for it…now! (blows whistle)

  The Bears go over the top, yelling and screaming as they charge Detroit. The Lions come at them as well. They are a ragged group of irregulars, but they fight ferociously and halt the Bears attack.

FORTE: Not again! They’re stopping us in our tracks!

KREUTZ: Not this week, pretty boy. Plug your nose and follow me.

Kreutz, grabs Williams and Garza, charging the Lions and knocking them over, allowing Forte and Aromashodu penetrate the Detroit defenses. Cutler pulls the pin on a grenade.

CUTLER: Aroma, catch!

  He tosses the grenade perfectly to Aromashodu, who catches it and drops it in the Detroit trench before it explodes.

From the flank, however, Detroit counterattacks. One soldier, MAJOR C. JOHNSON, gets behind the Bears defenders and drops a bomb on them. But Major Briggs rallies the defenders and beats the Lions back, allowing Cutler to toss another grenade to Aromashodu. Amid the smoke and explosions and cries of men, a whistle sounds. The men stop.

CUTLER: That’s it!

FORTE: Is it really, Captain? Is it really over?

General Lovie blows the whistle one last time.

GENERAL LOVIE: Season’s over, men! Season’s over!

Both the Bears and Lions throw down their arms and shout “Huzzah!” Groups of battered players come out of their trenches, hugging each other.

CUTLER: (embracing Major C. Johnson) Wow, nice moves there, major. Didn’t think you Detroit boys could attack like that.

C. JOHNSON: We could do that more often if we had better air support.

CUTLER: Hey, maybe you should fight for us … I could use a guy who knows how to catch like that.

C. JOHNSON: Yeah, but I already got a guy who throws to the other team.

They both laugh. They turn and see two other armies marching in the distance: the Vikings and Packers.

CUTLER: Well, maybe someday we’ll both be on a team that lives to fight in the postseason.

C. JOHNSON: Maybe, captain. Maybe.

They shake hands and go their separate ways, walking into the sunset.

General Lovie surveys the field of battle. He’s tearing up a little. One of his officers, COLONEL TURNER, stands by him. 

COLONEL TURNER: Is this the end for us, sir?

GENERAL LOVIE: Maybe, Colonel, maybe. But you know what they say. Old head coaches with Super Bowl appearances never retire. They just fade away … to college or back to being coordinators. But no matter what happens, I will miss these guys.

He sniffs with sadness, but his expression changes to disgust as he sniffs again.

Except Kreutz. I hate that guy.

-- BRANDON TRISSLER

The Bears celebrated the Lovie Smith Centennial with a 37-23 victory over the Detroit Lions, winners of two of their past 32 games.

Yes, Smith coached his 100th game as Bears head coach, and as we’ve written here weeks ago, it likely won’t be his last. He’s 54-46 as Chicago’s coach, only the second Bears leader with a winning record (Mike Ditka was 112-68) since Papa Bear George Halas last roamed the sidelines in 1967.

Smith and the Bears finished a disappointing 7-9 in a season of high hopes with the arrival of new quarterback and savior Jay Cutler. But injuries, poor defensive play and some incredibly bad pass protection and play-calling doomed this team after a 3-1 start.

Smith has two years left on his Bears coaching contract, and despite rumors of Bill Cowher and Mike Shanahan getting a sniff, don’t look for the McCaskey family to drop major cash to buy out Smith and then hire a high-priced coach.

So we’re stuck with Smith for at least another season, more than likely. But we’d like to see him make some changes, starting with a new offensive coordinator and replacing himself as defensive coordinator. A couple of offensive linemen, a go-to-wide receiver and a couple of defensive backs would be nice, too.

Here are your final Bears grades from this frustrating and forgettable season, along with some game highlights from the NFL Network:

OFFENSE

That clown who ran out the stands and onto Ford Field was the best run we’ve seen all season during a Bears game, though Forte had a nifty 53-yard run in the fourth quarter to help the Bears ice the clock. The goof covered 100 yards (though Nick Roach could have clocked him) before the red-jacket security staff pinned him in the end zone. Score!

No, all season we saw Forte reluctantly step into holes that collapsed around him, Frank Omiyale jump offsides, Orlando Pace prep for retirement and Chris Williams struggle. And to top it all off, Olin Kreutz slammed the team after Week 16.

If nothing else, we’ve learned that the Bears have a fine collection of No. 3 wide receivers in Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, rookie Johnny Knox and the late-surging Devin Aromashodu. But there’s not a No. 1 receiver in the bunch, and the Bears will need to find one in the offseason. Tight end Greg Olsen led the team in receptions with 60.

Devin Aromashodu and Jay Cutler displayed some late-season chemistry that had Bears fans jumping for joy at times.

Then there’s Cutler, whose quarterback rating dropped by 12 points from last year in Denver. He threw for 27 touchdowns, 26 interceptions and had 900 fewer passing yards than last year. It took offensive coordinator Ron Turner only 15 weeks to figure out that putting Cutler on the move cut down on sacks and utilize his strengths. When he did, Cutler had eight touchdowns and one interception in his final two games.

Against the Lions, Cutler gave us a glimpse on a key series in the fourth quarter, after the Lions tied the score, 20-20. He hit Hester for 48 yards over the middle on third down and Olsen for 30 yards on the next play, then hit Desmond Clark for a 1-yard touchdown two plays later. Give Cutler protection, and he’ll carve teams up and shift the momentum of a game. We need to see more of this – and against better teams – next year. Game Grade: B-plus. Season Grade: C-minus

DEFENSE

Memo to Smith: Teams have figured out the Cover-2 and it’s time to start mixing up your coverages. We suggest finding a full-time defensive coordinator and you return to managing the team.

Injuries killed the defense: Brian Urlacher’s broken wrist, safeties Danieal Manning and Al Afalava, Tommie Harris’s knees are shot, Adewale Ogunleye. And for crying out loud, will somebody give Gaines Adams a sandwich? The guy looks underfed for a rush end. Get him in the weight room in the offseason.

And where was the Bears’ feared pass rush this season? Wasn’t Rod Marinelli brought in to teach them to play better? That’s all we heard through training camp. But name one defensive lineman who improved under him … we’re waiting … and waiting. It sure wasn’t rookie Jarron Gilbert, who didn’t even get on the field until the last two games of the season.

Afalava played well and was the steal of the Bears’ draft. Nathan Vasher’s done, Peanut Tillman’s hurting and Manning could be wearing another uniform next year. So the secondary has some re-tooling to do, likely through free agency.  

The Bears blew a 20-10 second-half lead to a team starting Daunte Culpepper and Maurice Morris, and had not won in more than a month. Zack Bowman had a first-quarter pick, but he was no answer for Calvin Johnson on an early fourth-quarter drive that tied it 20-20. Johnson had a reverse and four catches, including a 5-yard touchdown, with Bowman trying to keep up with him. Game Grade: D. Season Grade: D

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kudos to special teams coach Dave Toub, who did a great job in nearly every aspect of the game. Knox blossomed as a feared kick returner, Hester played well when healthy, Bennett filled in nicely and Manning was downright scary on kick returns. And Brad Maynard and Robbie Gould were steady and reliable. (Good grief, remember the “Beavis and Butthead” days of Kevin Butler and Todd Sauerbrun?) Nick Roach, Jamar Williams, Adrian Peterson (when healthy) also did yeoman’s work on special teams. 

Hester’s return from a calf injury was marked by a nice 44-yard kick return in the first half (that the Bears wasted) and a puzzling hesitant return in which he was leveled at the Bears 13 in the fourth quarter. Game Grade: B. Season Grade: B-plus

COACHING

Smith needs to hire a new offensive coordinator (hello Mike Martz) and replace himself as defensive coordinator. He’ll likely be looking for a new special teams coach, too, as Toub may get a lot of interest from other teams. Season Grade for Smith: C; Season Grade for Turner: F

-- MIKE REILLEY
 Follow him on Twitter @bearsblogblitz