The Chicago Bears begin their season against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, but it brings as many questions as it does excitement. The Bears' defense was easily the biggest weakness through the 2025 season, and with several key departures, it still remains the biggest wild card.
The Carolina Panthers are not the opponent they've been in years past. Dave Canales has been their head coach since 2024, and he's done a fantastic job of changing the reputation of the team. With former 1st overall selection Bryce Young, they've earned a reputation of going for it on fourth down.
The Bears cannot treat third down as the finish line
The Panthers attempted fourth-down conversions more than almost any other team in the league last season with 40 attempts, and they succeeded 27 times, leading the league. Only the Jets tried more, with 41. That doesn't sound like a lot on paper, but when you put it into perspective, that's actually a crazy number. The league averaged just under 28 attempts, with the Seahawks attempting the least with 12.
Coach Canales transferred playcalling duties this offseason to his offensive coordinator Brad Idzik. While this may seem a significant shift, it's worth noting that Idzik has been with Canales for his entire tenure in Carolina, and moved with him during his stints in Tampa and Seattle. Don't expect the fourth-down attempts to ease up just because playcalling has shifted.
In 2025, the Bears defense saw 23 fourth down conversion attempts, and they allowed 11 to pass. All things considered, given how the Bears defense ranked last season, that's pretty good. But these are numbers from last season, and they can't reliably be used as an indicator of the future.
Dennis Allen's defense should have ample preparation given that their coordinator has expansive experience against Carolina, including against Canales and Idzik's time there. The best way to remove the aggressive fourth downs is to win out on first and second, making the closer plays impossible.
The Panthers will challenge Chicago to finish drives defensively rather than viewing third down as the end of the battle. If the Bears win early downs and force Idzik into uncomfortable situations, they can take one of Carolina's greatest strengths off the table.
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