Dec. 08--Mired in a season headed the wrong direction down a one-way street, it's difficult to imagine a team in a more disappointing position than the Bears.
The Raiders, Redskins, Jets, Bucs and a handful of other teams have worse records, but none of them began the season with expectations like those the Bears had for themselves.
However, it is easy to make a case that the Saints, the Bears' opponent next Monday at Soldier Field, have been a bigger disaster in a season that began with Super Bowl aspirations. So buckle up and prepare for a week of buildup for the Underachiever Bowl before a national television audience.
The Saints, who have a 5-8 record identical to the Bears, remain alive in the wretched NFC South race, but they're completely dysfunctional and Sunday's 41-10 drubbing by the Panthers at the Superdome was just the latest evidence. Given a chance to forge ahead in the division with the hapless Falcons playing at Green Bay on Monday night, the Saints imploded in what was the Panthers' first victory since Oct. 5, when they defeated the Bears.
If you were clinging to hope for a Hail Mary, the Bears' minuscule playoff hopes were dashed when the Lions crushed the Bucs on Sunday, meaning the Bears will be out of the postseason for the seventh time in eight years. They are playing out the string in a series of home games that, when the season began, they envisioned would give them a nice edge to close out the year with momentum in a playoff march. Instead, they're stumbling to the finish with three weeks left until the organization will undergo change.
How much change lies ahead is pure speculation. Firing coach Marc Trestman would create dramatic turnover and represent a new way of doing business for the McCaskeys. The brain trust at Halas Hall has had weeks to ponder what will happen following the Dec. 28 finale at Minnesota as the season has been unraveling for two months.
Rewind to Week 5 at Carolina when the Bears were in the red zone, leading 21-7 with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. They appeared on their way to their third consecutive road win and a 3-2 record. Then Robbie Gould missed a 35-yard field-goal attempt wide right, the defense let Cam Newton drive the Panthers 75 yards in 99 seconds to cut into the margin en route to a comeback victory that sent the Bears tumbling. They've won only three games since, against the Falcons, Vikings and Bucs.
The Panthers' dismantling of the Saints as a 10-point underdog unquestionably makes New Orleans a greater disappointment than the Bears. Don't believe it? When the season opened, the Saints were 9-1 in Las Vegas to win the Super Bowl behind only the Broncos, Seahawks, Patriots and 49ers. The Bears were 22-1.
Optimism on Bourbon Street was fueled by the fact that Rob Ryan's defense ranked No. 4 in the league in 2013 when the Saints went 8-0 at home and finished 11-5. Five years after winning Super Bowl XLIV, Sean Payton's team was a chic pick to return.
The Saints poured huge money into free-agent safety Jairus Byrd and got next to nothing from him before he went on injured reserve. The cornerbacks have struggled mightily and Ryan's defense doesn't work without lockdown guys on the outside. He's a gambler and a blitzer like predecessor Gregg Williams, and no one will be surprised if Payton, who goes through defensive coordinators like Lovie Smith does offensive coordinators, will be looking for someone new to run his defense in three weeks.
Drew Brees has looked good at times, like last week at Pittsburgh and in the Oct. 26 blowout of the Packers, but he has been uncharacteristically off much of the season. Tight end Jimmy Graham has to be banged up more than anyone is letting on as he has three catches for 25 yards over the last two weeks. The Superdome is considered one of the more difficult road venues in the league and the Saints have lost four straight there for the first time since 1999. Maybe the Saints rally to win the division with the Bears, Falcons and Bucs their final three opponents, but they're headed nowhere fast.
After Sunday's loss, Brees said the team has leaders when it is in a rough spot, "but there should be more."
The Bears and Saints mirror one another in so many ways. It's a shame the Bears don't play in the NFC South, where an awful season can still mean a playoff date in January.
bmbiggs@tribune.com
Twitter @BradBiggs
