Are the Chicago Bears Coming Out of Hibernation?
The Chicago Bears have finished 4th in the North four years in a row. They haven't made the playoffs since 2010, they're only trip since their Super Bowl XLI loss. Their record since that 2010 season, 45-67. But could this team finally be on the path to success? They may be, and I'm gonna tell you why.
As indicated by the numbers above, the years have been rough in the Windy City. Their struggles particularly lie in a few absolutely crucial positions, QB and Head Coach. since the turn of the Millennium, the Bears have had 22 QB's start at least one game. Since 1995, they have only played two season in which one man started all 16 games at the position. And by the way, none of them were any good.
The revolving door has been a little slower for the Head Coaches. They've had five men occupy the position since Mike Ditka was fired in 1992. However, that doesn't mean they were much better. Lovie Smith is far and away the most successful of the five, boasting the only .500+ overall record and 3 of the 4 playoff wins between them.
After many years of searching, they may finally have a QB-HC pairing that's here to stay. Although many fans would not agree with that statement. Trubisky and Nagy aren't gonna draw any Brady and Belichick comparisons, but I do think that the Bears are taking a step in the right direction with both. You see, this team has seemed to be stuck in the past for quite some time now. They've always been about hard-nosed defense and a steady running game. Those things are great, but they aren't going to win you as many games on their own as they did back in 1985. This is a passing league filled with no-huddle, spread offenses that dominate the game. That's exactly what they can expect with these two at the helm.
Of course, if Nagy and Trubisky are going to last, they need some help. Fortunately, the Bears roots, running game and defense, have stayed strong. Jordan Howard is the next in line of a rich history of Chicago runners, and Tarik Cohen is a great gadget for Nagy in the backfield. These two could tear up opposing defense for years.
This defense is not the best we've seen from this franchise, but it is a very good one. Just about any way you look at it, this was a top 10 defense in 2017. They ranked in the top 10 in total yards allowed, passing yards allowed, points allowed, and Sacks. The only number I hoped would be better was takeaways. This year, they have top 5 potential. The most obvious change was the major trade for 2016 DPOY winner, Khalil Mack, just a day ago. Before that, they had also added a lot of depth to the front seven through the draft. Vic Fangio can do great things with these additions. Vic can make those rookies look real good when they do get playing time, and clearly he can make good use one of the most dominant pass rushers in the game. The secondary could be better, but a strong front will make any defensive backfield look good.
There's a lot to be happy about with this team and the direction they area heading right now. However, there are a lot of obstacles facing them. First of all, the first year of a new coaching staff is likely to have some bumps in the road. In the long run, I like this staff, but I don't expect incredible things right off the bat. Secondly, injuries have been a major issue in recent history. It's hard to see that going away all of the sudden. The last major obstacle is their competition. The NFC is overflowing with great teams, and a few of them are with the Bears in the North. I believe this team could make the playoffs in the AFC. It still wouldn't be easy, but I think it would be reasonable. A lot has to go just right for them to sneak in this year.
All things considered, I'm expecting a .500 season. That isn't much, but it's a step in the right direction. If I am right about that, that means they have another off-season to add a couple more wins to this team, and get them to January. They really don't have a ton of holes to fill to make this a playoff-caliber roster. It's completely possible that they make it in 2019. I can't guarantee that will happen, but I can just about guarantee another thing. This team will be fun to watch. We've seen a lot of ugly, boring football recently in Chicago. The thought of what this team could do on any given week is a breath of fresh air. I'm more excited for Bears football than I have been in quite sometime. Are you?
