2008 NFL Preview: What's Wrong with 7-9 Asks Chicago Bears Owner Virginia McCaskey

For Chicago Bears fans last year's 7-9 record was a big disappointment. The Bears made it to the Superbowl in 2006-2007 but fell to a 4th place finish six games behind the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North last year. A 7-9 record isn't necessarily reason to panic in the NFL. The problem is, under the McCaskey family's 80% majority ownership a Chicago Bears sub-.500 record or worse has never been reason to panic. The Chicago Bears biggest problem isn't finding a quarterback. The biggest problem for the Chicago Bears are the mismanaging hands of the McCaskey family.

Annually ranked among the worst owners in pro football, 80 year-old Virginia McCaskey and family are oblivious to it all and keep any ray of hope for the future dim at best. How dim? As reported at Yahoo Sports one un-named Chicago Bears minority owner suspects the McCaskeys killed a big money marketing deal, citing a supposed conflict of interest with one of the NFL's national sponsors, just to keep profits low enough to avoid having to contribute to the league's revenue-sharing pool.

On the field, the highly touted Chicago Bears defense of a few years ago is now only fair to good, not great. Last season the Packers and Vikings both allowed fewer points with the Chicago Bears ranking 16th in the league, giving up an average of 21.75 points a game. If the Chicago Bears are going to make it into the playoffs the defensive unit will have to really toughen-up as they did in two years ago to offset difficulties with the offense.

Last season Chicago scored 101 fewer points than the Packers and the Chicago Bears will most likely start the season with much criticized Rex Grossman at QB again. Grossman played in only 8 games last season and his numbers were awful. Three TD passes, seven interceptions, and a very poor QB rating of only 66.4. Backup Kyle Orton, didn't cut it either, with three touchdowns, two interceptions and a 73.9 rating in three games. Either Grossman or Orton will be the Chicago Bears starter assuming they don't pick someone up. But, management has a way of messing things up there as well. In the pick-up-a-quarterback scheme of things the Chicago Bears ownership has always looked for greatness at bargain prices, Len Dawson when he was too old to play, Kordell Stewart, Greg Landry, Doug Flutie, the list goes on and on. Quarterback, with the exception of Jim McMahon in recent years (1985?) has always been a Chicago Bear problem. Chicago Bear History counts 49 change of starting quarterbacks since 1992.

Whoever starts at quarterback will have to work with a new rookie running back, probably Matt Forte, a second round pick and 44th pick overall out of this year's draft. Forte looks likely to replace running back Cedric Benson, who was let go after too many disappoints. Bernard Berrian, with 70 receptions last season is gone as is Mushin Muhammad who caught 40. Veteran free agent receiver Marty Booker was signed in the off-season to shore up the receiving corps as was Brandon Lloyd. Earl Bennet, the Chicago Bears third round draft pick and 70th overall from this years draft, should also see playing time at wide out.

The Chicago Bears offense's average time of ball possession ranked 30th in the league last year at 28.28 minutes per game. It's hard to score without a good solid quarterback, even harder if your not on the field much.

There are a lot of questions about the Chicago Bears this season. Will the defense return to dominance? Who is going to start at QB? Can this offense score points? There's no question though that the Chicago Bears ownerships philosophy hasn't changed. We play to win, just not necessarily on the field. No major acquisitions, no major names in the draft.

2008 Chicago Bears Predicted Record: 6 -10, 4th place NFC North