My Bears Preseason Predictions

Since NFL Training Camps have been underway for about a week now, I feel it is an appropriate time for my Bears season predictions. Coming off a 9-7 season in which they failed to make the playoffs, I believe that the Bears can both greatly improve on both offense and defense from last year. The Bears had the 21st ranked defense allowing 21.9 pts/game and the 26th ranked offense scoring 23.4 pts/game. I believe both sides of the ball can crack the top ten in total offense and defense. Jay Cutler will obviously be a great improvement on the offensive side of the ball. I know everyone questions the recieving core but I believe they will be a good, not great, group of recievers. I think Devon Hester is going to have a huge year as he continues to better understand how to play the position. I also think Earl Bennett is going to come out of nowhere and have a big year with his old Vandy teammate Cutler. Oh yeah, and Greg Olsen is gonna be a beast. In the running game, Matt Forte is gonna be huge again. I believe he will have a season equivalent to last year or perhaps better. The offense line has a couple new guys which hopefully will make them a little more athletic than last year. This should help in the running game although it might take a little bit for them to get clicking on all cylinders.

I think the defense will return to their dominance of 2005, 2006, 2007 with Lovie stepping back and calling the plays for the defense. Hopefully the D-line can stay healthy this year and keep Tommie Harris and Dvoracek big in the middle. The linebacking core will be huge as always with Urlacher, Briggs, and the new addition Tinoisamoa. I think the Hawaiian will make a huge impact this season on the strongside. The secondary is already a little beat up right now with Tillman out but hopefully he will return soon and they can get back to full strength. Look out for new guys, Zach Bowman, Kevin Payne, and Craig Steltz to come up big this season in the secondary. According to last years team records, the Bears play the easiest schedule this season. I'm not sure that stat actually means anything but it is what it is. That being said I think the Bears will finish the 2009-2010 season at 10-6 and win the NFC North in a tiebreaker over the Vikings.

My Five BOLD Predictions
1. Matt Forte will receive at least one MVP vote.
2. Jay Cutler will be a top five QB in the league.
3. Cutler, Forte, Olsen, Briggs, Urlacher, and Tommie Harris will make the Pro Bowl.
4. Earl Bennett will come out of no where and have 50+ catches.
5. The Bears will make it to the NFC Championship game, but lose.

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