Why the Bears' Ugly Win Should Provide Some Comfort to Fans

It was a win.

It wasn't pretty. It wasn't well-played. It was inconsistent. It was filled with stupid mistakes, but it was a win.

Come December, when the Bears are (hopefully) in the hunt for a playoff spot, the disputed Calvin Johnson catch won't matter. The terrible call by Lovie Smith not to kick a field goal on fourth down won't matter. What will matter is that on the first game of the season, the Bears walked away with a win.

The team is 1-0. They'll likely need nine more victories to make the playoffs, but it's better than needing 10. Considering how the Bears played, postseason play is a laughable thought, but it doesn't have to be.

If the Bears focus on what they did well, and learn from the mistakes they made, they don't have to fall to 7-9, or 9-7 again. The Bears are a big ball of potential, but just like what was written on your fourth-grade report card, the Bears are not working up to their potential.

Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Julius Peppers did, combining for 18 tackles and two sacks. If they continue to play as menaces, disrupting the other teams' offense, then playoffs are possible.

Matt Forte did. His 201 yards accounted for nearly half of the Bears offense. Sure, he made mistakes, but he also was a huge factor in the win. If he continues to play inspired football, the playoffs are possible.

There were plenty of players who did not live up to potential. Though Cutler was a fantasy football owner's dream -- passing for 372 yards and two touchdowns -- he was also responsible for half of the Bears turnovers.

With three fumbles, an interception and several dropped passes, the Bears need to learn to hold on to the mother effin' football. Early in the game, Devin Aromashodu dropped a beautifully thrown pass in the end zone. Had he caught that, the game would have unfolded very differently.

If the Bears continue to give away the football like a brightly wrapped birthday gift, then the playoffs are impossible.

Still, it's a win. A win that gives the team plenty to build on, plenty to learn from, plenty of -- as your fourth-grade teacher would say -- teachable moments.

Nonetheless, it was a win.