By Sean Gannon

May 16, 2020

The Bears had a disappointing 2019 campaign finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs, following a year in which they went 12-4 with a playoff appearance. They saw a regression in third year veteran Mitchell Trubisky, which led to really poor offensive play their defense couldn’t overcome. However, they had a great offseason and the Bears have put themselves in a position to not only take over the NFC North, but make a deep playoff run.

       Trubsiky took a step back in year three. In 2018 he was a pro-bowl quarterback posting a 66.6% completion, 3,223 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and averaging 230.2 passing yards a game. In 2019 Trubisky posted a 63.2% completion rate, 3,138 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and averaged 209.2 passing yards a game. Knowing this, the Bears decided that it would be in their best interest to get a quarterback to compete for the starting job. They did that by trading for Nick Foles. Not many people loved this move including Bears fans. But what makes this move brilliant is the fact that the Bears signed a quarterback who’s thrived with the new offensive staff just brought in. Newly acquired offensive coordinator, Bill Lazor, was Nick Foles quarterbacks’ coach in Philadelphia in 2013 when he had his best season as a starter. That season Foles posted an incredible 64% completion rate, 2,891 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and doing it all in only thirteen games (ten starts). The Bears also signed Jared Defilippo to become their quarterbacks’ coach. Deflippo was the Eagles offensive coordinator during the Superbowl winning season of the Eagles. People may not love Foles but he has found great success with this coaching staff and with the poor play Trubisky it might be the shakeup the Bears need offensively.

       The strength of this team is its defense and this offseason they only improved. The Bears defense is completely loaded featuring pro-bowl players Akiem Hicks, Khalil Mack, Eddie Jackson and Kyle Fuller. By signing Robert Quinn who’s coming off an 11.5 sack season, makes this arguably the best defense in all of football. They are focused on getting after the quarterback in their front seven and in the secondary be an absolute ball hawk. The Bears didn’t stop there though, with limited draft picks they were able to nab cornerback Jaylon Johnson out of Utah. Johnson is a physical corner, who loves man to man coverage and can track the ball well, he should be able to grow in this defense that values physical corners and could take over the starting roll alongside Kyle Fuller. The Bears are the monsters of the midway and defense is going to be the focal point of them again in 2020.

       Since 2018 the Bears are 9-3 in the NFC North sweeping both the Vikings and the Lions in that span, losing only to the Packers. The Vikings have a weak offensive line that won’t be able to slow down this pass rush and the same goes for the Lions. The Packers didn’t add any weapons to their offense, leaving it all on Rodgers again in 2020. The Bears can easily take the North with suffocating defense. You match that with a capable offense and quarterback who can move the ball efficiently there is no reason why this team doesn’t make a deep playoff run. Keep your eyes on the Bears in 2020 and look out for Nick Foles in the playoffs!