Skins vs. Bears Preview from Yahoo Sports

[The Bounty Hunter #21]

Joe Gibbs was brought back by the Washington Redskins last season in an attempt to revitalize a franchise he once led to three Super Bowl titles.

Instead, the organization went a fifth straight year without a playoff appearance.

After numerous changes in the offseason to correct last year's problems, Gibbs hopes to get the second year of his comeback started on a positive note when the Redskins host the Chicago Bears.

Gibbs returned to Washington after 12 years away from the NFL last season and opened with a 16-10 win over Tampa Bay. That feel-good moment was quickly forgotten, though, as the Redskins went on to loss eight of their next 10 games en route to a 6-10 finish.

The major problem for the Redskins was players either not producing, or not buying into Gibbs' offensive system.

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Veteran quarterback Mark Brunell was brought in to lead the team, but he was eventually replaced as the starter by Patrick Ramsey. Wide receivers Laveranues Coles and Rod Gardner were so frustrated, they're both no longer with Washington.

``You've got to evaluate yourself based on wins and losses,'' Gibbs said. ``I was 6-10. I think numerous other first-year coaches did better than I did. I felt like it was my responsibility to run the show on offense, and we didn't perform well. So I'd say: not good.''

Coles was traded to the New York Jets for wideout Santana Moss and the Redskins replaced Gardner with free-agent receiver David Patten, who won three Super Bowl rings with New England.

Ramsey will be the starter after posting a 65.4 completion percentage in leading Washington to a 3-4 record over the final seven games last season.

Gibbs has remade the roster with players he prefers, ones who are more likely to be comfortable within his system.

``I think the organization deserves better than what they have had for six or seven or 10 years,'' said right tackle Jon Jansen, the only player remaining from the franchise's last winning team in 1999.

``This is an organization that has seen great, great success, and we don't want to be the ones that have allowed it to go unsuccessful for so long. With coach Gibbs coming back, that was a step to getting back to the success. We want to win games for a man who's been good to us and very loyal to us.''

Jansen is back after missing all of last season with a ruptured Achilles', and linebacker LaVar Arrington returns after missing 12 games in 2004 because of a knee injury.

Washington lost linebacker Antonio Pierce and cornerback Fred Smoot to free agency, but took corner Carlos Rogers in the first round of the draft.

Patten said he signed with the Redskins because he was ready to take his turn as a leader.

``No one expects us to do anything in the NFC East this year,'' Patten said. ``Everybody's negative, and we've kind of brought it on ourselves because we've struggled in the past. But the bottom line is it's a new year -- everybody's even.''

Washington finished 30th in the NFL in total offense last year, but Chicago was worse.

The Bears, who went 5-11, were last in the league with 238.5 yards per game. The offense set records for sacks allowed (66) and penalties (124), and had more fumbles lost (21) than touchdowns (19).

Like Washington, Chicago made major changes to its offense.

The Bears drafted running back Cedric Benson with the fourth overall pick, signed receiver Muhsin Muhammad and selected quarterback Kyle Orton in the fourth round.

Quarterback Rex Grossman is expected to miss the first three months after breaking his left ankle in the preseason, and Orton beat out Chad Hutchinson for the starting job.

Benson was the last first-round pick to sign a contract, agreeing to a five-year deal Aug. 28 after missing more than five weeks of training camp. He didn't practice until Aug. 30 and did not suit up for Chicago's preseason finale.

Benson said Monday he expects to play against the Redskins, but second-year coach Lovie Smith was noncommittal, saying ``it's too early to tell'' if Benson will be on the field Sunday.

``We have a long ways to go,'' Smith said. ``We have time to get him in more game shape. Right now, he's missed a lot of time, but he's a lot better than he was.''

With a rookie at quarterback, establishing the run ``would be huge for us,'' Bears offensive tackle Fred Miller said. ``You put that eighth man in the box. Kyle can go out there and play catch with Muhsin all day.''

Muhammad led the NFL with 1,405 yards and 16 touchdown catches last season with Carolina.

2004 STANDINGS: Bears - 4th place, NFC North. Redskins - 2nd place (tied), NFC East.

2004 BEARS LEADERS: Offense - Hutchinson, 903 passing yards and 4 passing TDs; Thomas Jones, 948 rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs and 56 receptions; David Terrell, 699 receiving yards; Bernard Berrian, Bryan Johnson and Jason McKie, 2 receiving TDs. Defense - Alex Brown, 6 sacks; Nathan Vasher, 5 INTs.

2004 REDSKINS LEADERS: Offense - Ramsey, 1,665 passing yards and 10 passing TDs; Clinton Portis, 1,315 rushing yards and 5 rushing TDs; Coles, 90 receptions and 950 receiving yards; Chris Cooley, 6 receiving TDs. Defense - Cornelius Griffin and Shawn Springs, 6 sacks; Springs, 5 INTs.

2004 BEARS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense - 101.5 yards per game (T-25th in NFL); Passing Offense - 137.0 ypg (32nd); Total Offense - 238.5 ypg (32nd). Rushing Defense - 128.1 ypg (25th); Passing Defense - 208.8 ypg (15th); Total Defense - 336.9 ypg (21st).

2004 REDSKINS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense - 110.3 ypg (21st); Passing Offense - 164.5 ypg (29th); Total Offense - 274.8 ypg (30th). Rushing Defense - 81.5 ypg (2nd); Passing Defense - 186.1 ypg (7th); Total Defense - 267.6 ypg (3rd).

LAST MEETING: Oct. 17; Redskins, 13-10. At Chicago, Portis pounded the Bears with 171 yards on 36 carries to lead the Redskins to their first victory after four straight losses.

STREAKS AND NOTES: Bears - Muhammad has 32 catches and 533 yards in five games against Washington. He had nine receptions for 189 yards in his last appearance against the Redskins on Nov. 16, 2003. ... Chicago needs four wins to become the first team with 650 in the regular season. ... WR Mark Bradley, a second-round pick from Oklahoma, led the NFL with 17 receptions and 331 yards in the preseason. Redskins - Gibbs is four victories away from joining San Diego's Marty Schottenheimer and Dallas' Bill Parcells as the only active coaches with 150. ... RB Portis has rushed for over 1,300 yards in each of his first three seasons. ... WRs Moss and Patten were second and third in the NFL in yards per catch last year, respectively.

2004 ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Bears - 3-5 on the road; Redskins - 3-5 at home.

INJURIES: Bears - OUT: QB Grossman (ankle). PROBABLE: CB Jerry Azumah (hip). Redskins - DOUBTFUL: LB Chris Clemons (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: S Ryan Clark (knee); WR Taylor Jacobs (toe). PROBABLE: T Jansen (thumb); DT Brandon Noble (knee).

[Stu_Padasso]

Bears haven't won a season opener on the road since 1970.

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=7614

"The Bears last opened a season with a win on the road in 1970 with a 24-16 triumph over the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 19."