In the eyes of some, the Chicago Bears represent a sleeping giant that is currently flying under the radar. But some see the team’s offseason overhaul as still not being enough to compete in a hard-hitting NFC North.
Pro Football Focus previously named the Bears among the potential darkhorse teams that could make a surprise playoff push in 2018. But more recently, the site – in conjunction with ESPN Insider – ranked the Bears’ overall talent 22nd in the NFL.
And if the Bears are going to be better, it will have to be on the strength of some improved quarterback play:
Mitchell Trubisky needs to show improvement in a number of areas this season, one of them being against the rush. His 48.7 passer rating when under pressure ranked 34th out of 40 quarterbacks last season.
While Trubisky certainly needs to be better under pressure, the Bears’ offensive line needs to be better in pass protection. Last year’s unit allowed 152 pressures, 109 hurries, and 26 quarterback hits on the fewest number of passing snaps. The run-blocking could use some help too, specifically with Dion Sims. PFF isn’t crazy about the idea of leaning on Dion Sims for run-blocking purposes. Running behind Sims must not have been a nice time as the tight end ranked 62nd of 69 players at his position with a 38.4 grade on run blocks.
With that in mind, perhaps that’s an inkling to why PFF doesn’t think too highly of the overall talent this team possesses.
The Bears have done everything to put Trubisky in the best position to live up to the billing of being a franchise quarterback. It should go without saying that – on an individual level – Trubisky needs to perform better in various areas if the Bears are going to be that Cinderella story. But as a believer in the idea that you win as a team and lose as a team, it’s going to take a 53-man effort to turn this thing around.