It’s never fun for me when teams I cheer for lose.  The Cubs’ early playoff exit was brutal (I was going to write a blog or seven about the lack of heart the team showed, but I just couldn’t bring myself to relive it).  FSU’s homecoming loss to Boston College was disheartening.  But yesterday’s Bears loss to the rival Packers was embarrassing.  I realize that many fans play “Monday morning quarterback.”  My thing is, why doesn’t the Bears coaching staff do that?  The Bears’ defensive scheme has come under fire this season for losing late leads or allowing mediocre quarterbacks to have careers days.  The following are mini-letters to members of the Bears team, coaching staff, and front office.  I apologize in advance if I sound bitter, but in light of getting whipped 37-3 and Fox turning to another game with over nine minutes left because “the game [was] no longer competitive,” you guys had to see some of this stuff coming.  (For once, I don’t blame Fox for broadcasting another game.  I felt bad that their “A” team had to call such a pathetic contest.)

* To Defensive Coordinator Bob Babich…your defensive scheme does, in fact, stink.  And here’s why: it doesn’t utilize the players’ skills.  The cornerbacks are ballhawks, yes, but they can’t make plays on the ball when they’re nowhere near it.  Enough of this soft zone coverage with zero bumping at the line of scrimmage.  And please please please please please take Brian Urlacher out of the void between the line of scrimmage and the middle zone, when he gets clogged and taken out of plays.  He’s an athletic freak, blessed with size and speed.  Use him either like an underneath free safety, roaming and waiting, or as another lineman crashing through the line ready to take out the QB.  Is it any wonder that the lone defensive highlight yesterday was his check at the line, followed by his drop back into coverage and subsequent interception?  Briggs and Hillenmeyer and doing fine up front, backing the line.  Use Urlacher’s speed to its potential.  Without someone patrolling the middle, opposing offenses will pick apart that section of the field all game long.

* To the Bears cornerbacks…any time you want to tackle some, it would be greatly appreciated.

* To Head Coach Lovie Smith…please stop babying the staff and the team.  There are problems.  Lots of them.  It does no good to deny that fact.  Say it public, then make some changes.  Big ones.

* To the defensive line…wait, I forgot your names, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you guys.

* To Offensive Coordinator Ron Turner…Don’t forget about Matt Forte and the running game.  Only handing it to him 16 times yesterday was a huge mistake.  Offensive balance is key, but it’s also a matter of calling the right plays at the right time.  The sequence at the end of the second quarter was horrendous, and set the tone for the rest of the game.  The way I see it, Forte has proven he’s workhorse who’s capable of shouldering more than a few carries, despite his rookie status.  Let him do it.  Orton’s bum ankle will thank you, and it’ll open things up for the passing game.  You know this.  Everyone knows this.  So DO IT.  Oh, and use Greg Olsen more.  Lots more.  He’s big, strong, fast, and has great hands.  And another thing: the Devin-Hester-as-wide-receiver experiment isn’t working.  Either make him the centerpiece of the receiving corps or use him primarily on special teams.  Much like Urlacher’s speed isn’t being utilized on defense, Hester’s speed and agility aren’t being taken advantage of on offense.

* To General Manager Jerry Angelo…Talk to Lovie.  And I mean TALK to him.  Like, ultimatum talk.  And draft or sign a strong, fast, big-play wideout.  (By the way, I still haven’t forgiven you for the whole Thomas Jones/Cedric Benson debacle.)

* To President and CEO Ted Phillips…Talk to Jerry.  And I mean TALK to him.  Like, ultimatum talk.

* To Devin Hester…I miss the old Devin Hester.  Please come back.

Six games, three-way tie atop the NFC North division.  There’s still time, but not much.  The margin for error is about as skinny as I am (which is, sadly, very very skinny).