Chicago Bears: Biggest Reason They Will/Won’t Win NFC North
By Erik Lambert
It’s been almost a decade since the Chicago Bears won the NFC North division. That’s a long time. In fact, they haven’t even gone .500 since 2012.
It’s hard to have success in the NFL if you can’t beat teams in the division. Yet year after year the Bears have been at the mercy of Minnesota, Green Bay, and Detroit. Part of the reason for this was simple. They all had superiority at the quarterback position. Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Teddy Bridgewater and even Case Keenum. The Bears never could figure out how to put a stable scheme around the position.
That appears to be changing though. Optimism is high for this team going into 2018. Still, the division remains the big hurdle. Here is a breakdown of the biggest reasons they will finally win it and why they won’t.
Why they will: Outstanding 2018 off-season
The Bears went 5-11 last year. So it was going to take a strong push in 2018 for them to upgrade the roster enough to improve on that. Based on initial impressions, they did just that. It started in January with the firing of head coach John Fox. The goal moving forward was to find a way to keep the defense strong while upgrading the offensive staff. So the Bears hired Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy to run the show. His first act? Keeping Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator.
That was a huge win for the organization that should yield results from a schematic point of view. Then came free agency. Pace managed to secure a number of quality names, especially on the offensive side. Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel help revamp the receiving corps while Trey Burton adds versatility and depth at tight end. Last but not least was the draft.
This may have been the best first two rounds the Bears have had to date in the Pace era. Roquan Smith brings a leader and playmaker to the middle of their defense. James Daniels fills the void left by Josh Sitton at left guard and Anthony Miller adds even more skill to their receiving corps, particularly in the slot with his quickness and route running.
Mitch Trubisky is armed to the teeth. The defense, which was top 10 last year, has a field general in place now. This is a completely changed roster from top to bottom, in the best way.
Why they won’t: Loaded division
The obstacles in their way are substantial and may have gotten even tougher this year. Aaron Rodgers returns healthy now after missing most of 2017 with a collarbone injury. The Packers defense should also be improved after notable additions like Muhammed Wilkerson, Jaire Alexander, and Joshua Jackson.
The Minnesota Vikings were 13-3 last year and reign as division champs. Not only that but they may have upgraded at their most key position of quarterback by signing Kirk Cousins, a man who has never lost to Chicago. They also added nice depth pieces on defense and at wide receiver and will be getting Dalvin Cook back at running back.
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As for the Lions, despite being the underachieving franchise they’ve been they still haven’t had issues beating the Bears frequently the past few years. Matthew Stafford remains a top quarterback and now Matt Patricia could elevate their defense as well. The last time the Bears made the playoffs they went 5-1 in the NFC North. That’s asking a lot of this young team.