Follow the Bears through the rankings...

To follow the Bears as they ascend the rankings:

After Week 10 beating of the Gints:

ESPN's NFL Power Ranking: Bears strengthen hold at Number 2: Weird, didn't hear Plaxico Burress talking too much after the game. Now it seems pretty safe to say that the NFC's road to Super Bowl XLI will end up going through Chicago.

CBS Sportsline NFL Power Ranking: Bears at Number 2: They answered some of their critics from the Miami loss by beating the Giants in impressive fashion. Be careful with the Jets this week.

Fox Sports NFL Power Bears at Number 4?: The Bears beat up the Giants in the rain Sunday night, knocking around New York in typical Chicago fashion. Defense and special teams led the way, as the offense did just enough to ensure a Bears win. The 2006 Bears are beginning to look more and more like the 2000 Ravens as the weeks go by — Brian Urlacher playing the Ray Lewis role; Rex Grossman as Trent Dilfer; Robbie Gould as Matt Stover; and "run-back guy" (Al Michaels' term, not mine) Devin Hester wearing the Jermaine Lewis hat. Can Desmond Clark play the Shannon Sharpe role? Well, I haven't seen Desmond Clark's work as a studio show analyst yet. If he can laugh uncontrollably at things that aren't that funny, well, then yes, yes he can.


Dr. Z's Power Ranking: Bears are still listed at number 2 No, I wasn't all fluttery in my praise, mouthing such phrases as, "The road to the Super Bowl runs through Chicago," etc., after the crippled Giants stuck it to 'em in the early going Sunday night. They had the Bears on the run in every phase, but the lack of manpower killed 'em. It's like saying the Texans had the better of the early going at the Alamo. (They did, didn't they?)

- Slim Tim