The Bears kicked off the season 2-1, losing to the Packers and beating the Seahawks and Cardinals. The Bears’ fans are excited and rightfully so, because the Bears haven’t started the year this well in four seasons. This early success is due to some key changes in the roster and overall team improvements.

The Offseason:

The Bears made some key moves to improve their squad this offseason: signing wide-outs Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel, tight end Trey Burton, head coach Matt Nagy, and drafting Roquan Smith and Anthony Miller. The most notable acquisition, however, was a trade for edge rusher Khalil Mack in which the Bears gave up 2019 and 2020 first round picks, a 2020 third round pick, and a 2020 sixth round pick right before week one. These lineup changes have obviously paid great dividends as the Bears kicked off the year 2-1.

The Offense:

The offense has not looked great despite the successful record. It has actually been the weak point of the team as Trubisky constantly fails to put throws on target. After a lackluster first season, fans were expecting a breakout year but now are left with a feeling that he has barely improved. His completion percent is up ten percent from 59 percent to 69 percent, but this number is not that impressive when considering he averages 5.7 yards per attempt because his throws largely consist of short, safe passes that amount to nothing. His lack of vision and deep accuracy have prevented him from making a positive impact on the offense. This begs the question of whether he was the right selection to take in the 2017 draft when other star quarterbacks, like Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson have emerged from the same class. Only time will tell as Trubisky is still young and is adapting to the coaching change this year. The receiving corps of Trey Burton, Allen Robinson, and Taylor Gabriel looks to be a large step up from last year but without a solid quarterback they won’t be able to put their talent on display. The run game remains electric with the thunder-and-lightning dynamic between Tarik Cohen and Jordan Howard.

The Defense:

The defense of the Bears is the highlight of the team, having forced at least one fumble and interception in each game. The front seven received a major upgrade this year with the addition of Khalil Mack. In three games he has forced three fumbles, returned an interception for a touchdown, and recorded three sacks. He also provides immense pressure on the opposing quarterbacks due to his pass-rushing ability. The secondary is still average at best due to lack of change in this section. However, this year they have much less responsibility due to the increased pressure applied from the line, which will hopefully compensate for the lack of skills in the defensive backs. As a whole, the defense appears to have the potential to end the year as top ten.

Conclusion:

The Bears seem to have a legitimate chance at making the playoffs this year despite the lack of a passing game due to how good the defense is. I project them to earn a record of 9-7 this year.

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