Alastair Grant/AP
When the Bears were flying high in 2012 under Lovie Smith — 7-1 after nine weeks, with an NFL-best +116 points differential — the critics said it wouldn’t last.
The Bears and Jay Cutler were the beneficiaries of a fortunate schedule and good timing. They faced the Colts and Andrew Luck — a Pro Bowl quarterback as a rookie — in Luck’s NFL debut, and won 41-21. Their other six victories came against teams with a composite 16-33 record.