CHICAGO BEARS
Head Coach - Matt Nagy
Key Additions - Andy Dalton (QB), Marquise Goodwin (WR), Damiere Byrd (WR), Desmond Trufant (CB), Damien Williams (RB), Jeremiah Attaochu (LB), Angelo Blackson (DL), Christian Jones (LB), Elijah Wilkinson (OL)
OFFENSE - The Bears parted ways with quarterback Mitch Trubisky and will look to veteran Andy Dalton (2,140 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions with Dallas in 2020) as the starter, unless top rookie draft pick Justin Fields (Ohio State) can prove he is ready to go when the season opens. Journeyman QB Nick Foles provides depth as he passed for 1,852 yards with ten TD passes and eight interceptions a year ago in Chicago.
The running game has David Montgomery (1,070 rush yards with eight TD and a 4.3 ypc average along with 54 receptions and two more touchdowns) as the main back along with veteran Damien Williams, who sat out last year (COVID-19 pandemic) after a big Super Bowl performance for the Kansas City Chiefs two years ago. Tarik Cohen missed most of last season with a knee injury, but will look to get back to the form he showed in past seasons. The wide receivers include Allen Robinson (102 receptions for 1,250 yards and six TD), Darnell Mooney (61, 631, four TD), Damiere Byrd (47, 604, one TD with New England) and Marquise Goodwin, who comes over from San Francisco. The tight ends are Cole Kmet (28, 243, two TD), Jimmy Graham (50, 456, eight TD) and Jesse James.
DEFENSE - Up front will be Eddie Goldman, Akiem Hicks and Bilal Nichols (five QB sacks). The linebackers are Khalil Mack (team high nine sacks in 2020), Roquan Smith (team high 139 tackles in 2020 along with two interceptions) and Danny Trevathan, who was second on the team with 113 tackles a year ago. Robert Quinn is also at linebacker along with free agent Jeremiah Attaochu. The secondary features corner men Desmond Trufant and Jaylon Johnson along with safeties Tashaun Gipson (two INT) and Eddie Jackson.
The Bears defense slipped to 11th overall a year ago, allowing 345 yards per game while allowing 23.1 points per game. In addition, Chicago only had ten interceptions and 35 QB sacks, which is a far cry from the standard they set the two previous seasons.
2021 SEASON OUTLOOK - This could be a make-or-break season for Head Coach Matt Nagy, who has seen the team go 8-8 the last two years after winning the NFC North in his first season back in 2018.
The Bears will have a lot riding on the quarterback spot with Dalton the presumed starter while rookie Justin Fields will look to get his chance at some point. Fields is the highly touted player the team traded up in the draft for, which was what they also did back in 2017 when they selected QB Mitch Trubisky. They are hoping it will pan out this time around. The offense averaged 23.3 PPG a year ago while finishing 26th overall on offense, averaging 331 YPG (103 YPG rushing and 228 passing yards).
The defense has to show better as well after slipping to the middle of the pack against the run (113 YPG allowed) and not forcing the turnovers like in the past. With Goldman back in the fold up front, it should ease pressure on linebacker Khalil Mack and perhaps help him to get back to double digits in the sack total. Goldman opted out last year due to health concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a definite force on the front line for the Bears defense.
Playing in the NFC North, the Bears could finish second (or third) again and perhaps challenge for a wild card playoff spot as they earned a year ago. Green Bay is still the team to beat in the division and Minnesota will likely bounce back from a sub .500 season this year, so the Bears will have to improve their record this season. Most likely, a 9-8 record will happen for the Bears in 2021 and that could be enough to get them back into the post-season.
2021 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - at L.A. Rams
Week 2 - vs. Cincinnati
Week 3 - at Cleveland
Week 4 - vs. Detroit
Week 5 - at Las Vegas
Week 6 - vs. Green Bay
Week 7 - at Tampa Bay
Week 8 - vs. San Francisco
Week 9 - at Pittsburgh
Week 10 - BYE
Week 11 - vs. Baltimore
Week 12 - at Detroit
Week 13 - vs. Arizona
Week 14 - at Green Bay
Week 15 - vs. Minnesota
Week 16 - at Seattle
Week 17 - vs. N.Y. Giants
Week 18 - at Minnesota
No comments:
Post a Comment