It's the NFL, and every week we see the parlay card busters. Especially in week one, where 92% of the predictions are based on last years record and a guess as to how new faces perform. That may be the first factor that could lean the Bears way this season. Yes, last year's 3-13 record was ugly and painful to bear (pun intended). BUT when you realize that the roster was less Chicago Bears, and more Guys-the-Bears-Picked-Up-Along-the-Way, thanks to a historic amount of injuries, it's a little more understandable.
Acceptable...no. Understandable.
This team has either proven performers (Howard, Hicks, Miller, Wright, Young, Demps, etc) or potential playmakers (White, Bullard, Cooper, Cohen, Shaheen, etc.) on every level, both sides of the ball. I don't think that they'll need a 'perfect storm' of performances from every player to be a very competitive team. The one constant that we saw in the preseason was a serious attitude (referred to as "viscious" by Pernell McPhee).
Fox and his staff seems to have the roster together, believing, and motivated. So how do they win game one?
First, Superbowl havgover is real. Go ahead and check every one of the losing SB team's record the following year. And no matter how much Atlanta says they're taking the Bears seriously, the truth is, they've likely already checked this one off as a W.
So you look at the rosters, the stats, record, etc. and you just KNOW the Bears should not even show up. But funny things happen once teams get on the field. Yep, upsets. Heck if the past performance accurately predicted the future we'd all be rich from betting the NFL.
A lot of "why nots" so far. How about some "ifs." If the team, and Glennon, play like they did in the most important preseason game and Atlanta's starters have a similar effort as their game three, this may be a bit closer than pundits predict.
If the defense plays with the same ferocity and unpredictability as preseason, Fangio might be high-fiving a lot of guys. And if Glennon plays turnover free, ball control, clock eating offense, it may become a battle of the running backs. It would be shortsighted to not expect at least a few new wrinkles with The Human Joystick. And I think Kevin White might surprise a few folks.
So I'll climb out there on the branch...Bears 23-Falcons 20. The orange Kool-Aid is quite refreshing. What do you think?