After four straight last-place finishes, the Chicago Bears bounced back in a big way and won the NFC North in 2018. Are they capable of more this season?
By all indications, the Chicago Bears finally got it right. Back in 2010, the franchise not only won the NFC North but hosted the conference title game. They resulted in a tough 21-14 loss to the rival Green Bay Packers, who went on to win Super Bowl XLV. After moving on from head coach Lovie Smith following a 10-6 showing in 2012, first Marc Trestman (13-19) and then John Fox (14-34) led the club to a combined 27-53 record the next five seasons.
Enter Matt Nagy in ’18. And thanks to his leadership as well as more good work from general manager Ryan Pace prior to September, the Bears ended a four-year stretch of finishing last in the division by winning the NFC North with a 12-4 mark. The team was knocked out of the playoffs in the wild card round but there are plenty of expectations going forward.
So besides deciding on who will wind up being the placekicker for this talented club this fall (stay tuned), what are some other questions that bear asking when it comes to this Super Bowl contender?
5. Do the Bears have the NFL’s best secondary?
Is this a trick question? In all seriousness, when you consider that heady cornerback Bryce Callahan took the free-agent route to Denver this offseason and safety Adrian Amos is now a member of the rival Green Bay Packers, the Bears’ defensive backfield is certainly very much in the discussion when it comes to the better units in the league.
Talented Ha Ha Clinton-Dix takes over for Amos, while general manager Ryan Pace added veteran cornerback Buster Skrine to the mix. As for the incumbents, corners Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara are both in Pro Football Focus’ Top 10 at their positions (subscription required). And Eddie Jackson is the site’s number-one safety. It’s hard to imagine a better group these days. And that’s a major plus considering the caliber of quarterbacks and pass-catchers in the NFC North.