The Chicago Bears have experienced a few rocky years. The team’s last winning season came in 2012, Lovie Smith’s last year as the team’s head coach, and Marc Trestman’s reign saw constant declines. The disappointing 2014 season, in which the Bears saw only five wins and fell to last place in the NFC North, was more than enough to seal Trestman’s fate. Now under the direction of new head coach John Fox, the team faces a critical season. Will it climb out of its slump, or will it see further decline?
Based on the improved health of many of the Bears’ key players and a solid bench of offensive talent, including the team’s first-round draftee Kevin White, most experts are predicting a two-win improvement over last season, a modest bump that will still leave the team with a losing record overall. Others have suggested that the full accounting should include a mention of Adam Gase, the new offensive coordinator who’s considered to be an up-and-coming coach in the league, and the team’s reinvestment in special teams with new coach Jeff Rodgers. However, despite these bright spots on the roster and the coaching staff, the Bears remain an underdog, with some commentators even expecting the team to fall to the bottom of the NFL overall, an outcome the Bears haven’t suffered since 1969.
Based on the improved health of many of the Bears’ key players and a solid bench of offensive talent, including the team’s first-round draftee Kevin White, most experts are predicting a two-win improvement over last season, a modest bump that will still leave the team with a losing record overall. Others have suggested that the full accounting should include a mention of Adam Gase, the new offensive coordinator who’s considered to be an up-and-coming coach in the league, and the team’s reinvestment in special teams with new coach Jeff Rodgers. However, despite these bright spots on the roster and the coaching staff, the Bears remain an underdog, with some commentators even expecting the team to fall to the bottom of the NFL overall, an outcome the Bears haven’t suffered since 1969.