Pete Prisco of CBS Sports predicts the Chicago Bears at 7-9

Last season the Chicago Bears were a 10-6 team, and their Mike Tice led offense averaged 23.4 points per game. That 2012 ppg was good for 16th in the NFL. To be fair, that number was aided by an opportunistic defense. Speaking of the D, they were led by Rod Marinelli, (and Lovie Smith) and they gave up an average of 17.3 points per game, good for 3rd best last year.

How much will those scoring numbers fluctuate in 2013?

Pete Prisco, senior NFL columnist on CBS Sports.com, predicted the outcome of every single game for the 2013 season. You can find that info by clicking here. The nuts and bolts of the article that would interest Bears fans is his final '13 season prediction of 7-9, and 2nd place in the NFC North. His points per game were also noteworthy.

Pricso has the defense slipping in the points allowed category, as he predicts them to give up 20.5 per game this season. That number would have been good enough for 7th in '12. I've been predicting a top 10 finish for the new Mel Tucker led D, so I can see that slippage. But, it's also possible that the new ideas added to the old Tampa 2 scheme will push them the other way.

On offense Prisco is predicting the Bears scoring to really take a tumble. He has them scoring a measly 19.1 ppg in 2013. That number would have placed them in 24th in the 2012 season.

Will the revamped offense led by Marc Trestman drop off that much?

The 306 points scored he predicts for the Bears in '13 would be their lowest output since the 2005 season, i.e. Kyle Orton's rookie year (260 pts.).

What do you guys think?

Will the Bears be better than a seven win team?

Will the Marc Trestman version of the West Coast Offense really score less than 20 points per game?