The same old Bears, at least for a game

For once, I just wanted it to be pretty. I thought that's what Jay Cutler would mean for this franchise, and, come on, I still think that's what he's going to mean to this franchise. But Bears v. Packers Round One was anything but pretty. It was not what we - read, I - expected. The offense, which I spent so much time waxing poetic about, totally sucked. The defense, which I feared could be a potential downfall, was very good. Last night was not pretty. It was rather ugly. It was hard to watch. It was Bears football, just as we (again; I) have always known it.

Offensive line was awful. Matt Forte didn't do anything. Greg Olsen caught just one pass for eight yards. With the exception of Hester, the receivers were brutal. The play calling was bad. And then there was Cutler. If you had to give him a grade, it'd be impossible to go any higher than a D-. Some of those interceptions were his fault, some could probably be laid on the receivers. But yeah. This was the most anticipated debut for a Chicago athlete in my lifetime. And Cutler pretty much shit the bed.

More negatives, because I'm not ready to write happy things just yet:

- I know Patrick Mannelly is the best long snapper the world has ever seen. He's one of - if not the - longest tenured Bears. He's a captain, for Christ's sake. But to think a long snapper - a goddamn long snapper - has enough power to apparently call his own audible is a bit mind blowing. At it's core, running a fake is insane - deep in their own zone, nursing a two point lead in the fourth quarter, on 4th and 11. Then remember Mannelly basically called the play himself. Garrett Wolfe didn't know what hit him. These things can only happen to the Bears.

- Nathan Vasher, you need to leave. The person that decided he should start over Zack Bowman can exit, as well. Yeah, Greg Jennings is very good, but you just can't get burned that bad ever, especially with the game hanging in the balance. Pathetic.

- I don't want to talk about the injuries now, but, yep, that sure sucked.

- The call that allowed the Bears' go-ahead score to happen - an illegal contact call on the Packers against Hester - was an embarrassment. A terrible, terrible call. It's times like these when I wish Hawk Harrelson announced the games for all my favorite teams, because I'm sure his reaction to that penalty would have been priceless. Or silent.

Wait, why am I bashing Hawk? I like Hawk. Ugh, this is what Bears season does to me. 

Yes, this game was extremely frustrating. It was hard to watch. The Bears very easily could have won. Still, all is not lost, of course, even beyond the "it's just one game!" defense.

Most people think the Bears and Packers are both going to be good. Peter King picked the Bears to win the NFC. Simmons and Big Daddy Drew picked the Packers to win the Super Bowl. Both teams looked very good in the preseason.

And the Bears lost to the Packers. On the road. By six.

The result, in itself, isn't all that devastating. If I was told an hour before kickoff that the Bears would lose in Green Bay by six, that wouldn't have made me particularly angry. It's because the Packers are good and were at home. But it's how it happened that made it so frustrating.

The Bears will be alright. They lose prettier games. They'll win lots of games. This just wasn't how I wanted the season to start out. With the champs looming, the Bears could very easily be 0-2. Again, not the end of the world, and it certainly a strong possibility all along. Just not....pretty. Is it ever?