MIAMI – As far as Jerry Angelo is concerned, the Bears haven’t reached Super Bowl XLI because of talent alone.

“You have to have chemistry on your team to win,” said the Bears general manager. “I know that sounds (like a) cliché. (But) I really believe this: If you don’t have a good locker room, you won’t have a good football team.

The Bears have won back-to-back division titles for the first time since claiming five straight in 1984-88.

“No team gets into the playoffs without good chemistry. That is very difficult to do in this new environment (in today’s NFL) because you are bringing in new people every year and the roster is rotating 75 to 80 percent every four years. That’s very hard to do because it is ongoing.”

In assembling the roster, Angelo sought players who shared one common trait.

“Guys must have passion for football,” he said. “That’s the key. They have to love football. Football is a tough game and they’ve got to be tough. Their work ethic is important. They’ve got to like to work and if they like to work, then they are working together.

“Then you’ll see your locker room galvanize. They don’t necessarily have to love each other, but they have to respect each other and they will respect each other if they have the same common goal. That’s the great thing about our sport. It’s not based on intelligence. It’s not based on color. It’s based on a common bond to be a great team.”

Health update: The only Bears player on the injury report for Super Bowl XLI is receiver Mark Bradley (ankle), who’s listed as questionable. However, Bradley was able to practice with the rest of his teammates Wednesday.

All three players on the Colts injury report are questionable: cornerbacks Nick Harper (ankle) and Bob Sanders (knee) and linebacker Keith O’Neal (rib). Of the three, only Harper did not practice Wednesday.

Third man in: Playing alongside Pro Bowlers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, strongside linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer doesn’t always receive the recognition he deserves.

“He’s great,” Urlacher said. “He doesn’t get enough credit for what he does. People say he’s a smart guy and not very athletic, but he is athletic and he is smart. He does make a lot of plays for our defense.

"He’s always in the right spot. We have a grade called “make the play grade” and he’s always the highest of all the linebackers. He makes plays when he has to and doesn’t get enough credit when he does.”

Be like Jerry: While growing up in northern California, Bernard Berrian was a huge fan of 49ers receiver Jerry Rice and would love to follow in his footsteps. Rice was named MVP of Super Bowl XXIII.

“It’s crossed my mind,” Berrian said. “I’ve thought about it a lot. It’s been a childhood dream to do that. I was a 49ers fan growing up, so I admired Jerry for the things he did on the field. It would be great to come home as the Super Bowl MVP.”

The real skinny: Apparently not everyone at the Bears hotel is impressed with meeting the players.

“People think that just because you are a football player, that you have to be 6-7 and 280 (pounds) and just so buff,” said 6-1, 196-pound cornerback Charles Tillman.

“I was in the elevator with a couple last night and (the woman) saw my name tag. She asked, ‘Do you play for the team?’ I said yeah and she said, ‘Kind of skinny, huh?’ I said, ‘It pays the bills and I’m kind of successful with it. I am kind of small, but I need to be small so I can run fast.’

She said, ‘Oh, OK, thank you.’ Then she got off the elevator and walked away.”