Chicago Bears: 3 story lines to watch out for this offseason

The Bears, as mentioned, went into 2018 with mixed expectations. The highest ceiling some people predicted was 10-6. They well surpassed that to 12-4 and a NFC North Crown. That also was with an 0-1 and 3-3 start. To say they finished strong would be an understatement and they were still finding themselves early on.

Well going into next season, the expectations are going to be so different. It isn’t necessarily Super Bowl or bust, because they have not won a playoff game since 2010. People outside Chicago still need to be proven wrong about this team considering. Those who pay attention know how good this team can be and that they can compete with any team in the NFL, now they just have to do it in the postseason.

Now the common misconception is that anything in the NFL is guaranteed. The Bears are not a lock to make the playoffs next season or any season, just ask the Minnesota Vikings or the Jacksonville Jaguars. Both of them played on Championship Sunday last year and missed the playoff festivities this year. They have to work from the bottom to get back to the level they were at this season. They have the guys to do it no doubt, but now there are expectations. They also need to have some of the same luck with health.

They will also be given a first place level schedule next season. The dates are not confirmed obviously but the opponents are. Of course, there are six games against the division rivals in the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and the Vikings. One each at home and in their buildings. They also have home games against the New York Giants, Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys. Then throw in road games at the Rams, Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins, Eagles and Denver Broncos. That is a schedule loaded with 2018 division winners and other very good teams.

Most are expecting them to at least be 12-4 again but that will be a tall task, especially with the expectations that will be placed on them. There will be a good amount of people who predict the Bears to win the division again, but they are going to have to handle the pressure and take care of business. They are going to have to defeat some very good teams in order to do so because their strength of schedule appears to be one of the tougher ones.

The thing about the Bears is their defense. This was the best defense in the NFL in 2018 and there is no reason to believe they can’t hang with anyone in the league and do what they need to do to win football games. It will be fun to see if Mitch Trubisky takes an even bigger step and follows up his Pro Bowl worthy season with something even better.