ESPN's first 2020 power ranking has Bears at 19

[wazzupi]

Fair ranking.
Shit offense, elite defense.

Because elite defenses shit offenses have never made the playoffs superbowl and won so 19 is fair?!?

 

[Leomaz]

This.

Bears fans are ridiculous sometimes. We win 8 games and people here are claiming that 7 of those were flukes, or just plain luck lmao.

Its hard enough to win on a weekly basis. All the "experts" had people really believing that they were a Superbowl contender. I never seen it. They can blame everything they want but it was mostly that they are not experts at all.

 

[dabears70]

I don’t put much stock into power rankings but this is too low. Last years team went 8-8 with a incompetent QB and a toothless pass rush outside of Mack when Hicks got injured.

They added a competent QB and a legit third pass rusher and people still think this team is near the bottom third?

The only areas of regression that I see from last year are the secondary and health. Everything thing else should be equal or better than last season and in some cases much better than last season.

Who's the legit 3rd pass rusher? B.Mingo? I hope he is but not sure i'd call him a legit pass rusher as much as i'd call him a legit special teams player and legit 4th pass rusher.

 

[kerschbs]

Who's the legit 3rd pass rusher? B.Mingo? I hope he is but not sure i'd call him a legit pass rusher as much as i'd call him a legit special teams player and legit 4th pass rusher.

I think he’s using 1)Mack 2)Hicks 3) Quinn

 

[dabears70]

I think he’s using 1)Mack 2)Hicks 3) Quinn

Ah he's throwing Hicks in there. He can get to the QB for sure but i guess when i think pass rusher i always think OLB's or DE's depending on if they're playing in a 3-4 or 4-3.

 

[msadows]

Ah he's throwing Hicks in there. He can get to the QB for sure but i guess when i think pass rusher i always think OLB's or DE's depending on if they're playing in a 3-4 or 4-3.

Nah

 

[remydat]

The other teams are making moves and Bears moves have been marginal. At best we maybe get back to where we were in 2018 but a lot of teams have improved these past two years while Bears went under water and now trying to reach the surface again.

 

[BradyJay]

Seems a bit high imo..

 

[Chicago Staleys]

They were also only a play or 2 away from wining a few more. Much of what caused those problems has been addressed though we obviously don't know how well. Point is that last year, it all went to shit and that probably wont happen again.

why won’t it happen again?

 

[Chicago Staleys]

This.

Bears fans are ridiculous sometimes. We win 8 games and people here are claiming that 7 of those were flukes, or just plain luck lmao.

They still only had 1 quality win (Vikings 1st game). Dallas was a fun win but they were mediocre too.

An NFL win is never a fluck but yes luck does play into a lot of games.

 

[Chicago Staleys]

They should also have a easier schedule on paper since they finished third in the division.

They went 8-8 last season with the starting QB giving them a rate of 83. Foles has career rate 88.2 and has proven he can win big. I know people like to subtract Foles best season to torpedo is career numbers but then you have to be fair and subtract his worse season with the Rams. Post Rams Foles has posted a rate of 90 with a 4-1 playoff record.

People are still in denial at how much Mitch and Floyd held back last years team.

Rating mean shit when comparing QBs. Also if you are going to use Foles career rating then you have to use TRU’s. Its not much different.

Foles also has never thrown for 3k yards in his 8 seasons. never played 16 games and is less effective on early downs (1/2nd downs) then Mitch. Foles hasn’t won a NFL game since the double doink. Side note Mitch is still on the team.

Quinn is one of the best moves Pace has made in this Bears career. This will be a huge jump to the defense. Hopefully he stays healthy because the rest is hitting a cliff.

 

[Bearly]

why won’t it happen again?

I said probably and because we likely won't be as dinged this year at critical spots, we've corrected some coaching problems and have a proven to be viable QB. I don't know what was up with Mack last year but it was something and he now has a VG rusher on the other side. I'm not Nostradamus but then again I don't think you are either.

 

[sevvy]

We’ve never really seen the Nagy offense without Mitch at the helm so it tough to judge. Excited to see what it looks like with a competent QB liked Foles. I think it will be just good enough to win like 2018.

Yeah, can't wait to never run the ball except for the occasional Cohen up the middle. Bubble screens, and never a slant when you need to pick up a couple of yards. #NagyBall

 

[Leon Sandcastle]

The other teams are making moves and Bears moves have been marginal. At best we maybe get back to where we were in 2018 but a lot of teams have improved these past two years while Bears went under water and now trying to reach the surface again.

Not sure if we are allowed to bet cash here but ill bet any number you want up to 1k that we finish above 500. 8-8 is a tie. You win under 500.

 

[remydat]

Not sure if we are allowed to bet cash here but ill bet any number you want up to 1k that we finish above 500. 8-8 is a tie. You win under 500.

Not sure you red what I said. We were 12-4 in 2018 which I am saying is best case scenario in terms of getting back t that level. I then added the caveat that other teams have improved in those 2 years so wouldn't project that many wins even if we do get back to that level.

Right now I would consider us a 6-10 win team depending on how the draft shakes out. So essentially the Lovie Smith Bears where we hover around .500 year in and year out and pop up above that some years and below that some years.

We won't be a legit perennial playoff contender like say the Ravens, Steelers, Pats, etc. until we find a permanent solution at QB. Without it, there is just too much that has to break right in a given year for us to be a true contender.

 

[msadows]

Not sure you red what I said. We were 12-4 in 2018 which I am saying is best case scenario in terms of getting back t that level. I then added the caveat that other teams have improved in those 2 years so wouldn't project that many wins even if we do get back to that level.

Right now I would consider us a 6-10 win team depending on how the draft shakes out. So essentially the Lovie Smith Bears where we hover around .500 year in and year out and pop up above that some years and below that some years.

We won't be a legit perennial playoff contender like say the Ravens, Steelers, Pats, etc. until we find a permanent solution at QB. Without it, there is just too much that has to break right in a given year for us to be a true contender.

Don't have any idea how you see us as 6-10 considering we went 8-8(7-9 at WORST if you don't count the last vikings game). 8-8 which was basically the worst case scenario for that team last year. The defense got hurt, the offense was non existant.

I very much doubt the defense is going to drop off much if any. I can't see the offense being worse than it was last year, pretty hard to be....

This is at worse, IMO, an 8 win team. Their defense is too good to win only 6 games. We should at least get below average QB play from big dick nick, so that would already add a win or two to last years outcome.

Really all it's about is a run game. If this team can create holes for rik and Monty then we will be playing in January, and well into January.

 

[remydat]

No I said a 6-10 win team not a 6-10 team. Saying we we can win anywhere from 6 to 10 games depending in draft, injuries and QB play. Hence my comment about being the Lovie Smith Bears as he was generally in that 6-10 win range unless just about everything fell into place.

I would contrast that with a 10 to 12 win team which is a team you can pretty much count on always being in contention for the playoffs baring something catastrophic.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

Last years team also faced Sean Mannion, Jeff Driskel, Daniel Jones, Case Keenum. That was not an 8-8 team last season. Even in their wins, they looked absolutely awful.

LOL at “that was not an 8-8 team.” Are you going to tell us next 2+2=5?

 

[Chicago Staleys]

I said probably and because we likely won't be as dinged this year at critical spots, we've corrected some coaching problems and have a proven to be viable QB. I don't know what was up with Mack last year but it was something and he now has a VG rusher on the other side. I'm not Nostradamus but then again I don't think you are either.

There will be a multiple major injuries to critical spots again this year. Its inevitable. I could say the Bears were kinda lucky last year with injuries, in relation to key spots and timing of the schedule.

Most of the key “critical” injuries didn’t happen till the season was on life support or completely dead. Hicks was bad but 1 player (Except QB) should NEVER doom a contending team.

This is why depth and platoon players are so important to a team. Pace has mostly failed to get this key aspect to ALL championship teams.

 

[Bearly]

There will be a multiple major injuries to critical spots again this year. Its inevitable. I could say the Bears were kinda lucky last year with injuries, in relation to key spots and timing of the schedule.

Most of the key “critical” injuries didn’t happen till the season was on life support or completely dead. Hicks was bad but 1 player (Except QB) should NEVER doom a contending team.

This is why depth and platoon players are so important to a team. Pace has mostly failed to get this key aspect to ALL championship teams.

Mitch was obviously protecting his shoulder. Hicks was injured in week 5 and Long and Burton, who were supposed to be back to right, never were but it's sort of besides the point. You completely ignored the corrections I mentioned. It's football, we all know there will be injuries. Odds are they wont be in as critical of positions with better solutions.