Will NFL Bear a Repeat Winner?

The Chicago Bears, attempting to become the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions in nearly a decade, begin the quest today when they host the Cleveland Browns.

The Super Bowl XX champions, who ran roughshod over the NFL last year with an 18-1 record, aim to become the first repeat winners since the Pittsburgh Steelers of 1978 and 1979.

The Browns are coming off a strong exhibition season. Cleveland and Houston were the only two NFL clubs to go through the exhibition season unbeaten.

The Bears went 4-1, but had a lackluster showing in their finale against Buffalo, despite a 31-17 victory. Some players grumbled at the extra week of exhibition season, due to an early game in London against Dallas, made camp more intolerable, a suggestion that angered Coach Mike Ditka.

“If they feel that after Sunday the regular season is too long, we’re in trouble,” Ditka said. “I don’t buy the idea that complacency is settling in on this team. There’s no reason we can’t be like the Steelers or the Packers and win it again.”

Chicago’s mediocre performance didn’t sway Brown Coach Marty Schottenheimer’s appraisal of the favored Bears.

“You start thinking about the talent they have--the most productive runner in the history of the game, a tough aggressive winning quarterback, and a world-class sprinter on the outside,” Schottenheimer said. “No, I’m not worried about how our players will react to this game. If we win, that doesn’t make us the champion, and if we don’t win, well, I don’t want to think about that anyway.”

Ditka returned the favor, praising the Browns as a young, hungry club.

“Sunday’s going to be a great game. They’re going to come in with all of their armor on,” Ditka said. “It’s going to be a war.”

The clubs operate similarly on offense, preferring to establish the running game, and using the pass on a spot basis.

Walter Payton, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher with 14,860 yards, returns for a 12th season.

Cleveland boasts two 1,000-yard backs in Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner.

“Marty won’t need a pep talk, because all he has to do is say ‘Chicago Bears’ to get our attention,” Mack said. “If we would beat the Bears, this game would mean as much to me as Clemson’s win over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl my sophomore year--maybe even more.”

Jim McMahon, who saw less than four quarters action in the exhibition games, will start for Chicago despite a hip problem. The quarterback, who had a well-publicized run-in with Ditka during the exhibition season, is glad the regular season opener is here.

“The preseason was extra long, particularly with us going to London,” McMahon said. “I’m anxious for the Browns to come in, and have the real season start.”

Bernie Kosar is the Browns starting quarterback in his second NFL season, despite a so-so exhibition season. Gary Danielson is out for the year with a broken ankle, and Kosar could get a lesson in a hurry from the Bears’ pass rush.

“Bernie is improving. He’s got a good, solid young line behind him, and with those two great backs to go to, the Browns are on solid footing,” Ditka said.

The game will mark the regular-season debut of Bears defensive coordinator Vince Tobin, who replaces Buddy Ryan, now Coach at Philadelphia. While philosophy may have changed, personnel is basically the same, and actually stronger with the return of 1985 holdouts Todd Bell at safety and lineman Al Harris.

“I don’t care what you call it, it’s still Bears defense,” Ditka said. “We’re going to do it the same way as last year. I think we will play just as good if not better defense this year than last.”

The Browns’ defense was strong in the exhibition season despite the absence of holdout linebacker Chip Banks. Al Gross will start at strong safety today in place of the late Don Rogers, who died of a drug overdose June 27.

Both clubs have solid kicking games, with Kevin Butler of Chicago coming off a fine rookie season in which he lead the league in scoring. Veteran Matt Bahr won the battle with veteran Uve Von Schamann for kicking duties for the Browns.

The teams haven’t met since Nov. 3, 1980, when the Browns won 27-21 at Cleveland. Chicago’s last victory in the series was Oct. 15, 1972, when the Bears defeated the Browns 17-0 in Municipal Stadium. Chicago’s only victory over the Browns at home came Dec. 10, 1961, when Ditka was a rookie tight end and the Bears won, 17-14.

In other games today, Cleveland is at Chicago, Atlanta at New Orleans, the Rams at St. Louis, the Raiders are at Denver, Detroit at Minnesota, Houston at Green Bay, Philadelphia at Washington, San Francisco at Tampa Bay, Miami at San Diego, the New York Jets at Buffalo, Indianapolis at New England, Cincinnati at Kansas City and Pittsburgh at Seattle.

The New York Giants play at Dallas Monday night.