NFL Power Rankings: Who has the power in the NFC North?

For the second consecutive week, the Chicago Bears sit alone atop the NFC North. The national analysts are starting to come around on the ferociousness of Chicago’s defense, and now after the offense broke out last week, could we finally see some praise getting heaped on the team?

Let’s take our weekly tour around some NFL Power Rankings to see where the Bears stand.

First up is the Mothership, SB Nation, and they have the Bears just outside the top ten at 11, up three spots from last week. After praising the Green Bay Packers, who are ranked tenth, SB Nation had this to say about Chicago. “The Bears also looked great last week with not only the defense impressing, but Mitchell Trubisky throwing SIX touchdown passes (and zero interceptions) in the win over the Buccaneers.”

You just know something is serious when it’s in all-caps.

Check out SB Nations’s Mile High Report.

10. Chicago Bears:

So is Trubiski the new Mahomes? C’mon 4 letter networks, get with the program!

I wonder if their misspelling of Trubisky is just some of their jilted-lover-syndrome still seeping out.

ESPN has it like this while spotlighting one rookie from each team.

10. Chicago Bears

Record: 3-1

Week 4 ranking: 18

Rookie snaps leader: LB Roquan Smith, 152 snaps out of 231 (65.8 percent). After being limited to just eight snaps in the season opener, Smith has averaged 48 snaps per game the past three weeks. He is second on the team in tackles with 18.

Here’s how SI’s MMQB has it.

12. CHICAGO BEARS (3-1)

Last Week’s rank: 19

Khalil Mack is the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year, and would be in the conversation for MVP at the quarter mark of the season if that award didn’t go to an offensive player every year.

NFL.com has the Bears flying up their power rankings, up 9 spots to number 8.

Now that was the performance Bears fans have been waiting for ... No, not the new Monsters of the Midway making the visiting Bucs look silly. Rather, it was their sophomore quarterback throwing for 354 yards. Mitchell Trubisky’s performance was legit. Consider that he accomplished that yardage total on a scant 26 attempts, which means he picked up a whopping 13 yards and change every time he cocked his arm. Trubisky also scurried for 53 yards on just three carries. That’s the type of performance that earned Deshaun Watson national acclaim as a rookie with the Texans last year. These fellas were in the same draft class, as most fans in Chicago are more than aware. Now they are also aware of their young QB’s potential ceiling, not just his floor.

The Sporting News has it like this.

11. Chicago Bears 3-1 (last week: 16)

The Bears got their breakout game from Mitchell Trubisky and it made it even easier for the defense to dominate. Matt Nagy has them legitimately in the NFC hunt, one quarter away from being perfect.

Yahoo Sports has them taking a big jump too.

9. Chicago Bears (3-1, LW: 17)

In a weird scheduling quirk, the Bears have four games in a row against the AFC East after their bye. The good news is the AFC East stinks, and the one tough game against the Patriots is in Chicago. I’m not expecting the Bears to win all four, but it’s not entirely crazy either.

I think winning the AFC East is a possibility for the Bears this year.

Check out how the USA Today has it.

14. Bears (18): Khalil Mack MVP train? Chicago’s newest transcendent linebacker has at least one sack and forced fumble in every game for first-place team.

The Washington Post is a believer too.

9. Chicago Bears (3-1) | Last Week’s Rank: 12

When they hired Matt Nagy as their coach, the Bears hoped he could do for Mitchell Trubisky what Sean McVay has done in L.A. for Goff. Suddenly, after Trubisky’s six-TD performance Sunday, that seems feasible. It has been clear since the Khalil Mack trade: the Bears are for real.

What do you guys think about the Power Rankers this week?