Chicago Bears: Third most talented team in NFL

Gil Brandt put out a top-10 ranking of teams he thought were most talented. The Chicago Bears came in at No. 3.

As a Chicago Bears fan, I find my views of the team somewhat biased. As someone who analyzes the team, I have to separate myself from that fandom. This is not always an easy task, especially after a fantastic 2018 season.

One area I struggle with often is how the national media portrays this team. This offseason has not been any different even after a 12-4 season and NFC North title. Just ask John Fox about how bad this offseason has been for the Chicago Bears. The crazy thing is many other national media personalities probably agree with him.

I am typically sticking up for the team and their actions, but I found myself pleasantly surprised when I read longtime football analyst Gil Brandt’s 2019 most talented team rankings. Brandt wanted to take a look at the teams before the season starts because he realizes talent does not always equate to wins.

Injuries and honestly bad luck can be involved when it comes to some NFL team’s records. He mentions how a ball can take a bad bounce and Bears fans can definitely relate. 2018 came with a few too many bad bounces, or should I say doinks, that cost them a chance to move closer to their Super Bowl aspirations. The team holds that feeling close to their hearts as they move forward to the 2019 season.

At first, I was like, wait a minute, the Bears cannot be the third most talented team in the NFL. However, after thinking about it, I am not upset with where Brandt has Chicago ranked. I do not agree with who he has as the number one or number two teams, but the Bears are easily a top-five talented team. Anyone who thinks otherwise is probably a fan of another NFC North team.

As far as the defensive side of the ball goes, I would not put any other team ahead of them. Not the Baltimore Ravens, not the Los Angeles Rams. No one has more talent on that side of the football. Khalil Mack might be the best OLB in the league. Eddie Jackson has made a case for being the top safety too. Now add in names like Kyle Fuller, Leonard Floyd, Akiem Hicks, and Roquan Smith. The list just keeps going. Even their defensive rotation guys are more talented than some teams’ starters.

Special teams is where this team takes a knock. We all know the kicking position is a big question mark, but I do not hate how Ryan Pace and the team have attacked the position this offseason. The hope is one of these guys can be the next great kicker in the league. Pat O’Donnell is not a bad punter and the team drafted Kerrith Whyte and brought in Cordarrelle Patterson to help in the return game.

The offense has a couple of question marks too, but the arrow is pointing up if you ask me. Many would say having Mitchell Trubisky under center is a cause for concern. My response is always the same. Watch what he does this season. He will either put up or shut up and honestly, I think he is going to prove he can be a top-five quarterback in the league this year.

Moving on from Jordan Howard and bringing in David Montgomery is another area some are concerned. Do not be. Montgomery is going to be a stud in the NFL. The offensive line and the wide receivers are overflowing with talent too. The tight end position could be a little suspect, but the hope is Trey Burton takes another step forward.

Looking at the teams as a whole, I really like the Chicago Bears as the third most talented team in the NFL. The Eagles at number one and the Cowboys at number two bothers me. I’d put the Patriots and Rams over both of those teams honestly. The Chiefs and Saints are both up there for me too.

As a fan, I’d easily rank the Bears number one overall. As an analyst who does my best to stay impartial when looking at things, I would have to put the Bears at number three overall. Yep, I’d rank them the same as Gil Brandt. I would just have the Saints and the Rams ahead of them instead of the Eagles and the Cowboys.

The keys to the Bears’ Super Bowl success in 2019 will be the same as many other teams in the NFL though. They will need relatively good health and no more doinks. Now give me a good Bear Down, Super Bowl, Super Bears chant as this team pushes towards greatness this season.