I just read a blog from a Jets fan named Bleeding Green that while going through the jets home schedule picked the Jets over the Bears simply because the Jets defense will beat the Bears offense.

Now this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the disrespect that the Bears recieve from fans and experts from all over. People dont seem to realize just how good the defense was last season. If the bears had played all of their starters in the last game, they would have allowed less points per game than the 1985 Bears. All of their starters on defense are returning, and they picked up Ricky Manning jr. through free agency to solidify the secondary that was exposed as weak in the playoffs. They also entered the draft with a defensive mindset, drafting even more defensive players and one special teams/reciever player in Devin Hester.

Now their offense is where the questions arise. I acknowledge that the passing game the Bears have is not one that scares opposing defenses, but when people dont seem to realize how good their running game is. Thomas Jones perhaps had the most quiet 1300+ rushing yards i have ever seen, while Cedric Benson and Adrian Peterson could easily be starters on any team in the league. Peterson was a super-sub putting up 400 yards on 5.1 per carry. Benson, meanwhile played in only nine games and ran for 270 yards on 4.1 per. The Bears were number 8 in the league in rushing with 131.2 per game, and that was with Kyle Orton at quarterback, so the opposition knew the Bears were going to run and run and run. Now they have a more solid, and deeper quarterback rotation with Griese, Grossman, and Orton, which will enhance the passing game and the rushing game.

Its about time the Bears started to get some respect!