(source)--Sports Illustrated’s print preview of the 2019 NFL season, writer Andy Benoit projects the Bears to finish last in the NFC North. He doesn’t even have the Bears at .500, predicting a 7-9 record for the defending division champions.
“The Bears are still better than they were before Nagy arrived last year,” Benoit writes, “but the defensive slip and improvements by the NFC North’s other teams result in a pre-Nagy-like record.”
Benoit has the Minnesota Vikings winning the division with an 11-5 record, good enough for the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. He has the Green Bay Packers finishing second at 10-6, good enough for a wild card berth. He even has the Detroit Lions finishing ahead of the Bears at 9-7.
First things first, this is a terrible take from Sports Illustrated. Are you kidding me? I'm all in on the Bears this season, I have my concerns like any real fan should but LAST?! Have you SEEN our defense?! We cruised into the playoffs last year, now we have bulked up on both sides of the ball and SI has the AUDACITY to say we won't even be a .500 team?! 7-9?! What is this, 2014?! Marc Trestman and John Fox put this team in the dumps but in just ONE year, Matt Nagy led the charge to (what should have been, if it weren't for that f**king BUM, Cody Parkey) a very deep playoff run. All the experts expect the Chicago Bears to relapse this season and fall apart week 1 and never recover and I won't stand for it. Packers look rough, Minnesota is full of surprises sometimes but The Lions?! The Detroit freaking LIONS are predicted to beat us in the division!? I can't and won't believe it. When we send all the other teams in the NFC North home early for the year, I'll be right here to say I told you so. Bear Down.