The Bears scored four first-quarter touchdowns. Charles Tillman forced four fumbles. Brian Urlacher took an interception to the house. And 51 points? The most since 1980. Even President Obama got into the gloating act.

In the Chicago Tribune, David Haugh heaped his praise on Urlacher. ESPN Chicago’s Jon Greenberg and the Sun-Times‘ Rick Morrissey focused their laudation on reigning Defensive Player of the Month, Charles Tillman.

Sunday’s curmudgeon/realist? That would be Morrissey’s colleague, Rick Telander, who had this to say:

“The score at that point was Defense 7, Offense minus-2. See where we’re going here? After seven passing plays, Cutler had completed two for 15 yards, thrown the rest incomplete, been sacked once and given up a safety.

Yes, the Bears’ offense did score a touchdown on Forte’s eight-yard run a couple of minutes later, but that was only because Devin Hester had returned Brett Kern’s punt 44 yards to, guess where? The Titans’ 8-yard line.

Before anyone knew it, the score was 21-2. Again, unless you believe the Bears’ defense and special teams could win a game by themselves, you know this is not the formula for long-term success. And at 7-1, success for the Bears has got to be seen as leading invariably to the Super Bowl. And not just there, but winning it.”

Do Telander’s words of warning ahead of a Sunday night showdown against the 7-1 Houston Texans have you quaking in your orange-and-blue booties? Or, are six straight wins against the dregs of the NFL enough to erase the painful memories of Monday night in Lambeau?

In short, despite a 7-1 record is your glass half-empty or half-full?