2017 Record - 5-11-0
Head Coach - Matt Nagy
2017 Offensive Ranking - 30th (287 ypg, 16.5 points per game)
2017 Defensive Ranking - 10th (319 ypg, 20.0 points allowed per game)
OFFENSE - Mitch Trubisky (2,193 yards passing, seven touchdowns, seven interceptions) is the quarterback after an up and down rookie season. Chase Daniel or Tyler Bray will be the backup.
Jordan Howard (1,122 yards, nine TD) and Tarik Cohen (370, two TD and 53 receptions for 353 yards and one TD) form a strong running back tandem.
The wide receiving corps gets a makeover this season as Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel (33, 378, one TD with Atlanta) look to be the starters. Rookie draft pick Anthony Miller (Memphis) has gained a lot of attention in pre-season training camp. Also in the mix is Kevin White, who has played just a handful of games in his first three seasons after a wide variety of injuries.
The tight end is Trey Burton (23, 248, five TD with Philadelphia) and Dion Sims (15, 180, one TD) and Adam Shaheen (12, 127, three TD) provide depth.
DEFENSE - The front line has Akiem Hicks (8 1/2 QB sacks), Eddie Goldman and Jonathan Bullard along with linebackers Danny Trevathan (two sacks), Leonard Floyd (4 1/2 sacks), Sam Acho (three sacks) and top rookie pick Roquan Smith (Georgia), who finally signed a contract with the team recently.
The secondary is manned by corners Kyle Fuller (two interceptions) and Prince Amukamara. The safeties include Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson, who had two picks. Bryce Callahan also had two interceptions. The Bears had just eight total interceptions in 2017 while getting 42 sacks, which did rank them among the top ten in the league.
OUTLOOK - After four consecutive seasons finishing in last place in the NFC North division, the Bears have nowhere to go but upward.
New Head Coach Matt Nagy comes along with a fresh approach and has given the offense a new look with Trubisky at quarterback. The second year signal caller has a solid backfield with Howard and Cohen and a plethora of (new) different wideouts to target this season.
The defense gets a shot in the arm with the addition of rookie linebacker Roquan Smith, who was an All-America standout at Georgia. If he lives up to the hype, it will take pressure off some of the veterans in a solid unit. The Bears ranked in the top ten a year ago defensively, including seventh overall against the pass.
If Trubisky can make strides this season in the more aggressive system Nagy is implementing and the running game continues to do well, the offense should improve from the anemic 16.5 points per game average of a year ago.
Whether that adds up to more victories remains to be seen, but the defense should keep the team in games. The Bears must improve in the divisional battles, where they were winless last season. Look for a 7-9 finish this season from the Bears as they aim for improvement and future success.
2018 TEAM SCHEDULE
Week 1 - at Green Bay
Week 2 - vs. Seattle
Week 3 - at Arizona
Week 4 - vs. Tampa Bay
Week 5 - Bye
Week 6 - at Miami
Week 7 - vs. New England
Week 8 - vs. NY Jets
Week 9 - at Buffalo
Week 10 - vs. Detroit
Week 11 - vs. Minnesota
Week 12 - at Detroit
Week 13 - at NY Giants
Week 14 - vs. LA Rams
Week 15 - vs. Green Bay
Week 16 - at San Francisco
Week 17 - at Minnesota
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