10 Reasons The Chicago Bears Will Overachieve In 2017

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Jordan Howard

Despite only starting 13 games and not being in true NFL shape last year, Jordan Howard was the second-leading rusher in all of football. That certainly bodes well for the 2017 Chicago Bears. Generally teams that feature a strong running game are able to keep games close. Even though they went 3-13 last season, six of their losses were by less than a touchdown. A big reason for that was Howard helping to sustain drives and control the clock. The trick this year will be capitalizing on that by scoring more touchdowns.

Interior offensive line

Often the best teams at producing yards and points in the NFL are ones that feature strong offensive lines. Especially along the interior. Just look at Dallas and Oakland as perfect examples. The Bears are also in this club now as well. They feature a pair of Pro Bowl guards in Josh Sitton and Kyle Long. Last but not least a promising young center in Cody Whitehair. Primarily thanks to their presence Jordan Howard was great last year and the team also allowed just 28 sacks. If Sitton and Long can stay healthy, it could be a better year than expected out of Mike Glennon at quarterback. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Chicago-Bears-sacks.mp4"][/video]

The front seven

People keep talking about the secondary and how improving it is absolutely critical for everything the Bears do this year. That's both true and false. The reality is the Bears fielded a top 15 defense in 2016 and a top 10 pass defense despite some very average players at cornerback and safety. Why? Their front seven is stacked. Indeed the defensive line and linebacker groups have playmakers. Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman and now Jaye Howard form an intriguing trio up front. Leonard Floyd and Pernell McPhee are healthy and reportedly in much better physical condition. Health permitting, this group is going to do some damage.

Experienced coaches

The record may not show it through the first two years, but make no mistake. Having an experienced coaching staff is a definite advantage for the Bears. They wouldn't have been in all those close games without John Fox in charge or Vic Fangio being able to adjust to an injury-riddled defense. Those men long since learned how to handle the mercurial shifts of an NFL season. Even Dowell Loggains is learning fast. He was much-improved as offensive coordinator towards the end of last season and is entering his second year. His confidence should only improve moving forward. [caption id="attachment_78093" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 02: Theo Riddick #25 of the Detroit Lions is brought down by John Timu #53 and Jacoby Glenn #39 of the Chicago Bears during the second half of a game at Soldier Field on October 2, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)[/caption]

Established systems

This might be the most underrated portion of the list. One thing that often is crucial to NFL success is finally getting a particular set of schemes and systems established. The saying goes once the players know their responsibilities and can start reacting on instinct rather than thinking about it, the results instantly get better. Jay Cutler said for years as offensive coordinator after offensive coordinator came and went. Well the Bears are getting to that desired point. Fangio's defensive system enters its third year while Loggains goes into his second. The roster may not yet be complete, but the execution should be crisper. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzYL0fScrVE

Speed

Bit by bit clarity has emerged as to what GM Ryan Pace has wanted from his new roster. Namely to be fast. Indeed the majority of his acquisitions over the past three years share this trait in common. Speed can kill in the NFL. Teams that have it tend to create more big plays, both offensively and defensively. Run down the list of notable free agents and draft picks and one is bound to find multiple players known for being able to cover lots of ground in a hurry. Just look at the most recent draft class for an idea. Mitch Trubisky, Adam Shaheen, Eddie Jackson, and Tarik Cohen are all known for their ability to run fast for their positions.

Better health

The Bears were ravaged by injuries in 2016. Just absolutely crippled. A total of 21 players on their roster ended up on injured reserve alone. This isn't counting the games missed by others who were able to return. It's really hard to win in the NFL. Not surprisingly the team has taken a more proactive approach this offseason to find ways on how they can keep more guys on the field. One truth about the league though is bad runs of health tend to let up at some point. The odds of Chicago repeating what happened last season are unlikely. If that's the case then they should be much better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz8rX0t4SC4&t=15s

Leadership at every position

For the first time in years it genuinely feels like the Bears have managed to stockpile a locker room filled with quality football character. Every position group on the roster has one player that can be called its leader. The voice who will speak up for the others. No seriously go through them and it's easier than you think.

• QB:  Mike Glennon
• RB:  Jordan Howard
• WR:  Cameron Meredith
• TE:  Zach Miller
• OL:  Kyle Long
• DL:  Akiem Hicks
• LB:  Pernell McPhee
• DB:  Quintin Demps

The best part is that most of those listed names are star players. History shows a team always ends up being better when the big names who have the big talent are also the leaders in the locker room.

Overrated division

Somebody needs to say it. So here we go. The NFC North is one of the weaker divisions in the NFL. Phew. That was so liberating. It's true though. Don't be fooled by the fact that two teams made the playoffs last year. The Detroit Lions were blown out in the wild card round and only made it that far thanks to a series of freak comeback victory. As for the Packers, they were 4-6 last season before a late run to sneak in. They were eventually crushed in the NFC championship. Neither team looks stronger than last year, nor do the Minnesota Vikings who still have Sam Bradford at quarterback. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEcMWJewPJQ

History

From a simple history perspective, it's fair to believe that the Bears will do much better than fans can to think. If one were to look back at each decade, they'd surprisingly find that Chicago followed their worst season with a considerably improved one.

• 1929:  4-9-2
• 1930:  9-4-1
• 1945:  3-7
• 1946:  8-2-1
• 1953:  3-8-1
• 1954:  8-4
• 1969:  1-13
• 1970:  6-8
• 1982:  3-6
• 1983:  8-8
• 2002:  4-12
• 2003:  7-9

They may not always be the worst-to-first turnarounds fans dream about, but there are plenty of examples that show the Bears tend to not repeat themselves with bad seasons too often. How much they're able to improve from 3-13 will of course depend on all the other factors listed prior.