Making sense of the national media’s pessimism surrounding the Chicago Bears

Team One: The 2019 Buffalo Bills

You may remember this team, but in case you don’t let me remind you. It was Josh Allen’s second year. By the end of this first year, some were questioning whether he would develop and if, in fact, Sam Darnold would be the better second-year quarterback.

Josh Allen didn’t light it up in 2019 by any stretch of the imagination and was in fact rather pedestrian compared to what he’s doing these days. However, the Buffalo Bills won 10 games and made the playoffs as a wildcard team on the backs of their 2nd ranked defense.

If you looked at what Josh Allen had to work with on offense, you’d find a wide receiver room led by John Brown and Cole Beasley, a running back room spearheaded by Devin Singletary and TJ Yeldon, and a tight end room anchored by a rookie Dawson Knox. Not exactly, the best ‘support system’, but it was enough to complement their defense as Josh Allen still threw for 20 TDs and rushed for 9 more.

Between a sound scheme, disciplined football, and good defense, this team won 10 games and made the playoffs. However, where was this team in May of 2019? How did the media view the 2019 Buffalo Bills (who, by the way, spent their ninth overall pick on DT Ed Oliver instead of a wide receiver and drafted only one pass catcher with their eight picks).

Going into the 2019 season, the Buffalo Bills ranked:

• 25th per ESPN
• 23rd per NFL Network
• 21st per Sports Illustrated
• 25th per Bleacher Report

Furthermore, these were September power rankings, not even May. By year’s end, all of these outlets would have been proven wrong and Josh Allen would become one of the hottest names to watch for the following season.

The Chicago Bears wouldn’t be the first team to be disrespected in the power rankings and overachieve once the season begins – it happens every year.

Additionally, if you find yourself questioning that the Bills were at least ranked in the low 20s while the Chicago Bears hover around 30, keep in mind the Bills were onto year 2 of Sean McDermott’s tenure whereas the Bears’ coaching is an unknown variable with Eberflus entering year one.

Lastly, if this example doesn’t cut it because ‘Josh Allen is the exception and not the rule’, I encourage you to click next and see which other team drastically overachieved from their preseason expectations.