Peter King Ranks Bears at 17 in Latest Power Rankings

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17. Chicago (8-8)
Good on GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy to address the elephant in the room by trading for Nick Foles, who might have been the perfect veteran quarterback candidate for the Bears. Foles needs to be one of two things: a Josh McCown-type tutor/mentor for Mitchell Trubisky, or a 16-game starter who can lead the Bears to 10 wins and a playoff spot. Foles can be either—and he won’t be all mopey in any way if he has to sit and help Trubisky reclaim a foundering career. “We’re going to be very honest and open with them,” Nagy said of the QBs. That’s all Trubisky can ask in year four.

Regardless of the outcome of the QB competition—my money is on Foles—the Bears have to forget Trubisky’s head space and roar into a winnable, manageable season. Chicago doesn’t play a 2019 playoff team in its seven games before Halloween, and by the time a killer November (Saints, at Titans, Vikings, at Packers) rolls around, the quarterback dilemma should be solved. I’m more bullish on the Bears than many, in part, because the defensive front should be as good as it was in 2018, when Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks led a marauding front; now Robert Quinn (11.5 sacks in 14 Dallas games last year) is a third force to offense to worry about. In 33 games of the Nagy Era, the Bears have allowed 18.1 points per game, and there’s no reason to expect that production to go away. If the quarterback’s a B-plus player, the Bears could ride a favorable schedule to the playoffs. That’s a big if.

Discuss...

 

[PrideisBears]

Better than what I've been seeing

 

[kg1187]

If Foles can stay healthy the Bears make the playoffs.

My biggest fear heading into the season is a 2011 redux. The Bears are rolling with a awesome play making defense and opportunistic offense and then Foles get injured and misses the rest of the season. The season falls apart from there and the Bears miss the playoffs.

 

[nvanprooyen]

This sounds about right, and the commentary is fair.

 

[Jack Lantern]

If Foles can stay healthy the Bears make the playoffs.

My biggest fear heading into the season is a 2011 redux. The Bears are rolling with a awesome play making defense and opportunistic offense and then Foles get injured and misses the rest of the season. The season falls apart from there and the Bears miss the playoffs.

With your scenario and this defense the Bears won't even have a high round draft choice as compensation as the defense alone will get them 8 wins. The offense has to be the difference maker and do their part to eek out 2+ extra wins.

 

[wonky73]

That's kinda where I put them. Expect about 8-8 again. Hopefully some stuff goes right and we get into the playoffs at 10-6

 

[mattb78]

Right in line with how Vegas ranks us.

While its pretty popular to pin our offensive success on the quarterback, I don't see that as the real issue. Between Foles or Trubisky we are look at below average to at best average QB production.

Bears were 30th in the league in yards per carry last season. That is the real issue IMO. If the running game sees significant improvement the Bears will be competitive.

 

[msadows]

This sounds about right, and the commentary is fair.

This. The bears def. deserve to be in the bottom half of the league based on what happened last years and the offensive questions.

Somewhere between 14-22 is fair. Anything higher or lower is just dumb.

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

I largely agree with a lot of you and this. I projected 6 - 10 earlier but I figured on key injuries. Assuming health, 2 more wins is fine.

I actually think the defensive front will do better than 2018 not "get back to 2018". The key is running the ball and even IF Castillo takes this bad OL and makes it better, Nagy still has to commit to it enough for it to become something concerning to a DC. And no QB has much of a chance to do anything even if it is Foles and his superior reads and reactions and touch throws.

That is where I see either same as 2019 or even worse (don't argue. It IS in fact possible).

 

[msadows]

I largely agree with a lot of you and this. I projected 6 - 10 earlier but I figured on key injuries. Assuming health, 2 more wins is fine.

I actually think the defensive front will do better than 2018 not "get back to 2018". The key is running the ball and even IF Castillo takes this bad OL and makes it better, Nagy still has to commit to it enough for it to become something concerning to a DC. And no QB has much of a chance to do anything even if it is Foles and his superior reads and reactions and touch throws.

That is where I see either same as 2019 or even worse (don't argue. It IS in fact possible).

Yup, the key is a run game and oline play. If they get around average from both this is a playoff squad even with mitch at the helm. If its the same as 2019 this is a 7 win squad at best.

Hard to imagine any qb outside of a select few having success behind arguably the worst oline in football.

 

[Outlaw Josey Cutler]

The bears def. deserve to be in the bottom half of the league

I presume that is an abbreviation for "definitely" and not "defense". It has to be. I believe in you in this moment. I really do.

 

[Black Rainbow]

I'm usually criticized as being "half-empty," and I don't know why so many posters are luke-warm on this team. I guess ppl weigh last seasons' 8-8 finish more than I do.

I think a 10 win season is possible...kinda easy really. Foles can see the field, find the open man, and execute the throw. This is something Trubisky is miserable at. Even when I consider the run game still sucking, I still think Foles can put together enough points for this defense to win the game. There's not going to be any 10 or 11 games with no TDs in the first half...or whatever that pathetic stat was.

Foles will be able to find a way to sustain drives with way more consistency than Trubisky. We will not have to punt 5.1 times a game anymore. That was 2nd worst next to the Jets last year.

 

[Bearly]

This sounds about right, and the commentary is fair.

True but Nagy is 20-12 so far and 8-8 on a seemingly down year. I understand the question marks but they are better addressed than last year when the D was compromised as well. Would seem to me that the ratings would lean more toward the top 1/2 of the league as opposed to the bottom 1/2 as they have been.

 

[hebs]

There’s still too many “if’s” on the Offense for me to give them the top half nod.
I’m really hoping I can upgrade my 8-8/9-7 prediction to about an 11-5 based on even quasi-solid Oline and QB play...

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

If they would have fixed the run game I would say top ten for sure. But as it stands that offense is going to be hard to watch

 

[HearshotKDS]

Reasonable. I think the Bears could ride an easy schedule to more wins if everything goes right, but that's going to require a lot of luck in many areas.

 

[bamainatlanta]

Titans will be out of the playoff race by November and the Vikings will be an afterthought. Packers might have imploded by then as well.

 

[number51]

Peter King size predicts the season standings because that's his job. Fans of a team making season predictions in June is beyond meaningless.

So here is my meaningless know nothing prediction for the Cubs:

95 wins, playoffs, no world series trip, many Old Styles and hot dogs consumed at Wrigley. Fans will get a handy or blowie in a bar bathroom around Wrigley after every game.

 

[Noonthirtyjoe]

For me it comes down to the Oline and run game.

 

[hyatt151]

This. The bears def. deserve to be in the bottom half of the league based on what happened last years and the offensive questions.

Somewhere between 14-22 is fair. Anything higher or lower is just dumb.

I say 25 is fair, and just because you can't count that high does'nt matter if you think that's just dumb.