Longtime Chicago Bears Critic Admits They Look Like A Playoff Team

The Chicago Bears finished 3-14 last season, the worst record in the NFL. Nobody would blame people for expecting them to still not be good this year. Their star power remains well below the NFL's top teams, and depth is a concern at multiple positions. That said, GM Ryan Poles has done a good job of stacking the roster with young, athletic talent. Justin Fields flashed tons of potential last season. New arrival D.J. Moore looks like a hit. The defensive is deeper across the board and much more aggressive. It feels like they're better on paper.

Of course, there is still plenty of proving to do. They haven't beaten the Green Bay Packers since 2018. Even with Aaron Rodgers gone, it's hard to feel like the Bears are ready to end that streak. That mentality won't change until they start getting the job done. Even so, this hasn't stopped some people from having high expectations for them. One of them is Bill Barnwell of ESPN. He's been one of the Bears' more consistent critics over the past several years. Yet he seems optimistic that they're in line to be the most improved team in football.

The Chicago Bears need two things to happen.

One is Justin Fields has to be a better passer. His efficiency must go up along with more yards per game and a better touchdown-to-interception ratio. It's not unreasonable to expect this. This will be his third season and second in Luke Getsy's offense. The weaponry is better, and his protection can't be worse than it was last year. If the running game remains among the NFL's best, that should lead to more points. Then there is the defense. It's hard to win games when you're giving up the most points in the NFL.

They have to get more stops this season. A big part of that will be an upgraded pass rush headlined by Yannick Ngakoue and DeMarcus Walker. Then there is an improved run defense spearheaded by star linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. More than anything, what the Chicago Bears need is health. No fewer than 23 players had stints on Injured Reserve last season. They need that number to come down. Consistency along the depth chart is vital to success. If they get that, their odds of making Barnwell correct go up.