They may not replace Air Jordan in the hearts of Chicago fans, but you might as well call Mike Ditka's entry in the NFL "Air Bear."
As the Bears try to wrap up their seventh NFC Central title in eight years, the Bears have totally changed the character of Ditka's offense, which has featured runners like Walter Payton, Neal Anderson and Brad Muster. This sason, they've gained more than 60 percent of their yardage in the air - 2,876 yards passing, only 1,672 rushing this season."If you had told me at the start of the season that we'd pass this much I'd have laughed at you," said quarterback Jim Harbaugh.
By comparison, the team rushed for 2,436 yards and passed for 2,827 last season when Anderson and Muster were healthy. Both Muster and Anderson have been bothered with hamstring problems.
But Ditka, who said Anderson will miss Saturday's game against Tampa Bay and could miss the regular-season finale at San Francisco, thinks the injuries to the running backs are not the only reasons for the team's increased passing yardage.
"It might never had happened with me calling the plays," said Ditka, who has turned the play-calling over to offensive coordinator Greg Landry, a former quarterback.
Ditka also credits Harbaugh's maturity for the change. He has completed 251 of 440 passes for all but 66 of the team's passing yardage.
The fifth-year pro from Michigan has already broken Vince Evans' 1981 Bears record of 436 pass attempts and Bill Wade's 1962 team mark of 225 completions. Wade's club-high of 3,172 yard in 1962 also is within his reach.
However, Harbaugh's interceptions, 16, outnumber his passing touchdowns, 14.
One of the few Bear QBs to go through a whole season unhurt, he also has rushed for 274 yards and two TDs.
His favorite aerial target this year has been Wendell Davis.
"Davis is having an All-Star or Pro Bowl-type of year, and all our receivers are doing a good job. I only hoped that we had Ron Morris to see what we could do with both our first-stringers healthy," Harbaugh said.
Davis has 54 catches for 797 yards, the most catches by a Bear since Dick Gordon's 71 in 1970. Tom Waddle (47-505) and rookie Anthony Morgan (12-203) have been filling in for Morris, who is out for the year with a knee injury.
Injuries at tight end have put Cap Boso out for the season and hobbled starter James Thornton.
Harbaugh looks forward to the time when everybody on the offense unit is healthy.
"We go with what we got each week," said the quarterback. "Maybe we will peak at the playoffs with everyone healthy."
Ditka thinks Harbaugh prefers the new Air Bears.
"I guess he's having his fun," said Ditka. "But the turnovers are out of whack and the rushing is out of whack."