4 interceptions, but I still love Jay Cutler, and you should too.

Even though the Bears lost, it was not a total loss.

Cutler made a few connections to all three prominent WRs Hester, Bennett, and Knox. Cutler had 3 big interceptions, one of which led to a touchdown for GB, but they were not his fault, whether players gave up on the play, or ran the wrong routes (see Dez Clark for the former and the latter). Hester made a few great plays and I truly believe he will be #1 by the end of the season. My thoughts are that we will make the playoffs this year, but next year is when the Superbowl push will start (think of this year as 2005).

Exactly, we are beginning a new era on defense with prominent veterans from the 2006 Superbowl era. We now have a great Dline Coach (are you sick about hearing about this too?!) that will help the Bears Defense become top 5 potentially. The Dline is not there yet, just because Ogunleye got 2 sacks tonight and several pressures doesn’t mean our Dline is there (Ogunleye is in a contract year, he won’t be next year). The new defensive lineman like Gilbert and Harrison will be anchoring this team next year, Tommie Harris is no longer the player he once was.

Chemistry, the Central Science

Cutler needs time to develop chemistry with his WRs. Hester will still be a WR next year, Bennett will hopefully become a Hines Ward type receiver with sure hands. Knox is a rookie, and even with 86 yards tonight he showed it; on the final drive he gave up that ball as he lost his footing. Will Juaquin Iglesias step up? I sure hope so, I still have high hopes for him, but I don’t see him getting much time this year unless there are injuries.

Building for the Future

The 2010 NFL Draft will be stacked with Wide Receivers well into the third round, so you don’t have to worry about the fact that we don’t have a 1st round draft pick. Before Afalava I wished the Bears had a 1st round draft pick so they could go after Taylor Mays, the USC safety, who happens to be my favorite college player of this past decade, but I feel a lot better about the safety situation after this game with Payne and Afalava. We need a Cornerback badly though, I wouldn’t be saying this if Tillman and Bowman (talk about counting my eggs before they hatch!) could stay healthy. The Bears #1 need right now is CB, if we cannot draft CBs well the next two years it may put in jeopardy the playoff and Superbowl push of the upcoming years. DJ Moore did not look good in preseason, McBride isn’t an elite corner, Tillman is injured too often, and don’t get me started on Vasher!

It’s all about getting hot for the Superbowl

Partially yes, but if you have a great team it doesn’t hurt, see New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers. Going along with that idea, we have players that have been to the Superbowl, those players are hungry, real hungry, and that’s going to help us in the next couple of years.

Sorry if this entire fanpost seems a little farsighted, I’m always staring Through The Looking Glass.