Some Cold Comfort for Bears

It was a night for bears. Polar bears.

And Chicago Bears.

The temperature dropped to 8 below zero with the wind-chill factor Sunday night at Soldier Field, but the night could not have been better for the Bears. With the combination of the harsh weather and their harsh defense shutting down the NFL’s best rushing offense and making Atlanta Falcon quarterback Michael Vick look at times as if he were running on skates, the Bears defeated Atlanta, 16-3, to move to 10-4 and expand their lead in the NFC North to two games over the Minnesota Vikings.

But equally important for the Bears, it turned out to be a night when they rediscovered the key element they have been missing: a quarterback.

With rookie Kyle Orton again struggling, Bear Coach Lovie Smith called upon former No. 1 draft pick Rex Grossman for the second half.

It was a call Grossman has dreamed about for more than a year, through two major injuries and month after month of rehabilitation. After starting the last three games of his rookie season, Grossman’s second season ended after only three games because of a torn knee ligament.

This season, he didn’t even get that far, breaking his left ankle in the preseason.

“It’s been a long road to get to this point,” said Grossman after the game. “It feels amazing to get out there.”

Grossman seemed dazed by the situation, saying he thought he might be dreaming.

“I’m afraid I’m going to wake up,” he said.

Grossman probably didn’t even know it was cold out there.

Even though Orton was horrendous in the first half, completing two of 10 attempts for 12 yards, the Bears were in front, 6-3, in a battle of field goals. Robbie Gould was successful from 35 and 29 yards. The Falcons’ only points came on a 30-yarder by Todd Peterson.

Still, even with his team in front, Smith made the quarterback switch.

“I just felt like we needed a spark,” Smith said.

The difference was immediately obvious. Taking over at his own 29-yard line after a Falcon drive fizzled, Grossman completed his first pass to Muhsin Muhammad for 22 yards. He completed three of his first four attempts in a drive that reached the Falcon eight-yard line.

Then, the bubble seemed to burst. A Grossman pass was picked off near the goal line by Atlanta defensive back Keion Carpenter.

But Carpenter was immediately tackled by Chicago tight end Desmond Clark. The ball came loose, coming to rest in the arms of Chicago receiver Justin Gage.

End result: The Bears had the ball on Atlanta’s one-yard line.

“It was a 7 1/2 -yard gain,” said a smiling Grossman. “I deserve a little luck.”

Thomas Jones, who rushed for a game-high 91 yards, ran the ball in from there, and the Falcons, who dropped to 8-6, weren’t heard from again.

While Grossman was nine for 16 for 93 yards in half a game, Vick, who had left last week’s victory over the New Orleans Saints early because of bruised ribs, was 13 of 32 for 122 yards with two interceptions.

He had his problems on the ground as well, rushing for only 35 yards in six carries.

“It was cold,” Vick said, “but it was something we should have been able to work through.”

Overall, the Falcons, who came into the game leading the NFL in rushing with 173.2 yards per game, wound up with only 114 yards.

The Bear defense, led by linebacker Brian Urlacher’s 11 solo tackles, remains on pace to break the record for fewest points given up in a season, set by the 1986 Bears. That team gave up 187 points. This team has given up 151 with two games to go.

Defense and a solid running game have kept Chicago on top of its division.

Add a quarterback and the results could be chilling to the rest of the division.