Win Or Lose, The Results Change Nothing.....

I've stated before that the result as far as final record for the 2009 NFL season doesn't matter any longer in making a decision on Lovie Smith and his job status with the Chicago Bears.  A win doesn't change my mind and should not change anything when it comes to who goes and who stays on this Bears team.  So the concept that a win over a team with a winning record as well as a division opponent is a mute point.
 
However looking at the game itself, this was a story of survival more than anything else.  Starting with the Bears defense who had a flashback of sorts to 2006 in the first half.  They held one of the better offenses in the NFL to 82 total yards and no points in the first 30 minutes of the contest.  It was like the fountain of youth and the Bears were sipping from the faucet loving every drop.  Then came the second half and the failure to adjust to the Vikings adjustments on offense led to the game getting into overtime.   
 
That has been the one achilles heel of this coaching staff that I've noticed not only this season, but the last couple of seasons.  The Lovie Smith regime has always had problems with second half adjustments and seem to be happy with one game plan and stick with it for the entire ball game.  If I fault Lovie Smith for one thing throughout his entire tenure as head coach, that is the one thing that puts a dent in my image of Lovie Smith.
 
So the defense had faults, but so did the passing game.  Even with four touchdowns by Jay Cutler and for the first time this season Cutler putting a game on his shoulders and winning it.  The passing game had miscommunications, running wrong routes, and Cutler forcing throws still in places he should not be.  I know the stat sheet will show that Cutler's QB rating was over 100 points better than last week (at BAL 7.9 / vs. MIN 108.4), but there were some plays where Cutler needs to be a better game manager rather than the gunslinger.  Time will improve this passing offense because the games that Devin Aromashodu and Johnny Knox are putting together are showing Bear fans that the WR position will be better than 2009.
 
The offensive line is still is not that good although I thought Chris Williams played extremely well against one of the top pass rushers in Jared Allen.  I think you have to start questioning if Matt Forte is the answer at running back and if he is another Curtis Enis/Rashaan Salaam.  If special teams coordinator Dave Toub doesn't get a new job out of this season, I will be shocked.  The secondary last night of Craig Steltz and Josh Bullocks did not allow the big plays down field, but the safety position itself is the weakest position on the field for the Bears.  
 
A win is a win, but as fans we should not overlook all the problems and issues of this team.  This is not a good football team and whether you like it or not....injuries are a big reason for it.  This game should "save" no one and I hope if a decision was in limbo, and management was on the fence about a certain change in the team......this win should not change a thing.
 
The Bears gave the 63,000+ last night who came out and sat in the cold a wonderful holiday gift...a win.  Enjoy it for what it is, but the same people who have already crucified this coaching staff in the public eye as well as guys like me who are welcome to the idea Lovie and crew are back for a 2010 run.....one win changes nothing.
 
-RoCk
 
Rock Mamola is the Associate Producer of The Mully And Hanley Morning Show and co-host of The Joe O And Rock Show on WSCR 670AM The Score
 
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