Chicago Bears: 5 Things They Must Do to Make Playoffs

The Chicago Bears think they have what it takes to make the playoffs. This group wants to be the one that ends one of the longest droughts in franchise history.

The second-longest drought to be exact. Currently, the number stands at seven-straight years without postseason play. The longest Chicago ever endured was a 14-year marathon from 1964 to 1976. Bears fans are praying they don’t have to live through something like that again. Thankfully their team back then looked way worse off from a talent perspective than the one that’s about to enter 2018.

Every sign points to the Bears being a sleeper this year. They have skill and depth at almost every position on both offense and defense. It’s a young group with lots of athleticism and speed. They’ve also taken steps to improve their coaching staff with the arrival of Matt Nagy to run the offense from the head coaching spot.

There’s plenty of reason for optimism, but the list of things they have to do in order to fulfill their mission remains long. Here are the five most important boxes they must check to finally get Chicago back into January.

Start fast

The Bears are a franchise that is often defined by trends. One of the most prominent when it comes to making the playoffs for them is determined by how they’re able to start the season. The majority of postseason years they’ve had involved a strong push out of the blocks, going 3-1 or 4-0 in the first quarter of their season. The last time they did this was in 2013 when they went 3-1. They finished that year 8-8, the last non-losing season they’ve had. Strong starts matter.

Challenge the NFC North

The NFL more than any other sport is geared around having success in the division. If you can’t beat the teams you see twice a year, it’s hard to make the playoffs. It’s not a coincidence the last time the Bears had a winning record in the NFC North (2010) was also the last time they made the playoffs. If they want to be the best, they have to beat the best. That means finding a way past Green Bay, Minnesota and yes even Detroit. All have had their number for years. That must change.

Keep Mitch Trubisky healthy

I went more in-depth on this particular subject not too long ago but its point remains vital. The Bears haven’t had a starter go all 16 games in a season since 2009 and they’ve only managed to do it as a franchise eight times since 1970. In those eight seasons, they had a record of .500 or better five times. There is something to be said for stability under center. Mitch Trubisky is the main man now. They must do everything in their power to make sure he doesn’t miss time. Chase Daniel is a smart veteran, but he has limits.

Rush the passer

Here’s the list of quarterbacks that the Bears will have to face in 2018:  Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, Matthew Stafford, Tom Brady, Jared Goff, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Eli Manning. All of those men are current or former Pro Bowlers. Four of them have Super Bowl rings. Beating men of that caliber come with only one solution. Find a way to get them on the ground or at least make them uncomfortable. That requires a pass rush. Right now the Bears aren’t entirely sure what they have in this department. Outside of Leonard Floyd and Akiem Hicks, it’s a lot of questions. They better find some answers soon.

Next: Ranking The 10 Greatest Chicago Sports Teams In History

Score

Okay, this might sound overly simplistic but it’s also true. If you want to win in this NFL today, you need to score points. The average total points scored for a division winner in 2017 was 432. That averages out to 27 points per game. The Bears over the past 10 years have been averaging 340 points per season. That’s just 21 per game. It’s little wonder they’ve struggled to make the playoffs. Put it this way. Only twice in franchise history have the Bears cleared that 432-point mark. One was in 2013 and the other…was in 1985.