Jan. 04--The Lions began their offseason housecleaning early, firing general manager Martin Mayhew and President Tom Lewand on Nov. 5, and then they set off on a run that just might save coach Jim Caldwell's job.
They'll begin the search for a new GM on Monday, and whoever they hire will have the power to make the call on Caldwell, who is reportedly well-liked by the Ford family. The point is, the Lions are rebooting the organization and breaking ties with former GM Matt Millen (Mayhew worked under him), and the Bears are still looking up at them in the NFC North.
The Lions, who finished 7-9 after winning six of eight games after the firings, held on for a 24-20 victory Sunday at Soldier Field in the NFC North Third-Place Game, a contest that affected the draft order more than anything else. Unofficially, the Bears will have the 11th pick after losing four of five to close at 6-10. It's the first time they have finished in last place in consecutive seasons since a four-year run in the NFC Central cellar from 1997 through 2000.
It seems like a long time ago there was fanciful talk of this team going on a run to reach the playoffs. Instead, the Bears finished with a dreadful 1-7 record at Soldier Field, the most home losses in franchise history, and were a meager 1-5 in the division. They are 4-14 in the division since Lovie Smith was fired after the 2012 season, and they're not going anywhere until they stop being owned by the Packers, Vikings and Lions, the last of which has beaten them in six straight meetings for the first time since 1968-70.
The losers' lament that the Bears were close in most of their losses carries only so far. Seven of their losses came by eight points or fewer, but they ran out of steam down the stretch with injuries piling up (something every team deals with), particularly at wide receiver. Good teams find ways to close out tight games on a consistent basis.
The belief at Halas Hall is that offensive coordinator Adam Gase will at least be offered a head coaching position. That's probably all it will take to lose him. One league source familiar with the firing and hiring process said he believes Gase will be busy interviewing all week -- no surprise there -- and figures a team will have a private jet waiting for Gase almost immediately.
"I was going to ask you guys if you could write some bad articles about him," quarterback Jay Cutler joked to reporters. "Maybe we can cool him off some. I don't see that happening. He's done a heck of a job. I couldn't be more happy for him. He's going to go through the process, and we'll see what happens."
So chances are better than not the Bears will be seeking a sixth offensive coordinator to work with Cutler heading into his eighth season with the team. Coach John Fox had plenty of nice things to say about Cutler, including that he was "proud" of Cutler's season.
The Lions intercepted Cutler three times, and he was hit while releasing the ball on two of them. It was the first time all season Cutler was picked off more than once. He ended the season with a career-best 92.3 passer rating.
His counterpart, Matthew Stafford, closed on a major roll, turning his year around after Caldwell launched offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and promoted quarterbacks coach Jim Bob Cooter to the position. Stafford threw 19 touchdown passes with only two interceptions in the final eight games. That's precisely why Caldwell and his staff might stick around.
Stafford had 32 touchdowns and 13 interceptions on the season, and while he had a more consistent corps of skill-position players around him than Cutler, you can make a case he is the second-best quarterback in the division behind the Packers' Aaron Rodgers.
GM Ryan Pace enters his second offseason with the Bears knowing major work is needed. Thirteen of the 22 starters Sunday were with the Bears at the end of 2014, when they finished 5-11. Roster turnover is needed before Fox and his assistants can coax more victories out of the team.
The Bears, like a lot of other teams, will be flush with salary-cap room. They have nine draft picks with a pair of extra sixth-rounders coming via trade. The bar has been set in Year 1 of the new regime, and Fox has a track record of quick turnarounds.
But they're still coming from last place in the NFC North, and that means they have a lot of ground to cover.
bmbiggs@tribpub.com
