Brandon Braasch | May 10th, 2020
The Bears did not hit very many bold predictions in 2019. David Montgomery didn’t rush for 1000 yards, Mitchell Trubisky didn’t take a step forward, and the defense regressed. They won four fewer games than they did in 2018. With that being said I expect that to change this season. Below are some bold predictions for the Bears 2020 season. Yes call me crazy but I see them as contenders to win the Super Bowl come February.
Mitchell Trubisky starts all 16 games
There has been plenty of controversy over the Bears quarterback situation. A lot of fans and media seem to be giving the job to Nick Foles already. However, the Bears have made it clear they will give Trubisky the chance to win the job. “Trubisky has been really really good in all of our meetings. He is in a really good place right now. I just really appreciate the way he has handled everything. He has been tested and is looking forward to the challenge”, said Bears’ head coach Matt Nagy. Trubisky has the opportunity to step up and keep his starting spot for the 2020 season.
The Bears schedule will allow Trubisky to get rolling early in the season. They face the Detroit Lions in the first game of the season. In two games against the Lions last year Trubisky threw for 511 yards and six touchdowns. His confidence will be as high as it gets after week one and then he gets a matchup against the New York Giants. Against the Giants, in 2019 he threw for 278 yards, one passing touchdown, and one rushing touchdown. Trubisky will start off strong and he will use that confidence to have a bounce-back season.
Anthony Miller goes for over 1,000 yards receiving
Miller is poised for a breakout season. Last year Miller had 656 yards receiving and that was with inconsistent quarterback play. He will be the Bears number two target this season. Last season he only started seven games but will likely start all 16 this year and should see some more opportunities in the slot. With Allen Robinson drawing double teams you can expect Miller to see a lot of one on one coverage. Miller is also very good at improvising and finding soft spots in the defense. Look for Miller to have a breakout season in 2020.
The Bears lead the NFL in Sacks
The Bears defense was banged up last season. In 2018 they were among the top three teams in sacks. They took a big step back in terms of sacks in 2019. Part of that was because Akiem Hicks, Danny Trevathan, Bilal Nichols, and Eddie Goldman all missed time due to injury. Khalil Mack also had a disappointing season for his standards. There were some reports that he might have been injured but either way, he just wasn’t as good as he has been in past seasons. That will change this season, and Mack will come out looking to put 2019 behind him along with everyone else on the defense.
The Bears made some great moves during free agency and the draft to improve the defense. They added a good pass rusher in Robert Quinn who had 11.5 sacks last season. Quinn’s presence will create less double team situations for Mack and free him up for one on one rushes to the quarterback. The Bears also added some depth in the draft, drafting Trevis Gipson, who had eight sacks during his senior season at Tulsa. They also drafted a great young cornerback in Jaylon Johnson. He and Kyle Fuller will make a great press coverage duo. With Johnson and Fuller in the secondary, this defense can burn you at all three levels and the sacks will start to add up all season long.
The Bears offense will be in the top 10 in total yards
The Bears improved at every offensive position. They added two tight ends by signing veteran Jimmy Graham and drafting Cole Kmet. The Bears got a new offensive line coach and signed some lineman that will greatly improve the offensive line. They added veteran wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. and drafted Darnell Mooney, which will greatly improve the speed at receiver. Montgomery will only improve with a good line as he still rushed for 889 yards behind the 29th ranked offensive line last season. I expect Trubisky. who is fully healthy. to improve with a good offensive line and better run game. This is the year Nagy’s offense is put together.
Eddie Jackson ties or breaks the record for pick-sixes in a single season
The record for most pick-sixes in a season is four. Jackson had two in his rookie season. Then during the 2019 free agency period, they lost Adrian Amos. That forced Jackson to play in a box and not let him free roam the secondary. That will change this season with the addition of Tashaun Gipson, who can play strong safety and let Eddie Jackson go back to free safety. That is Jackson’s strong suit and with an improved defensive line and improved corners, Jackson will be able to ballhawk all season long.
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