WCG predicts the 2019 Bears record (do-over)

With angst over the Chicago Bears unexpectedly high after their 3-2 start, we wanted to revisit some of our record predictions for the 2019 team. The Bears are off this weekend with their bye, so here’s how the season lines up after that.

Week 7: vs. New Orleans Saints - Sunday, Oct. 20, 3:25 p.m. FOX

Week 8: vs. Los Angeles Chargers - Sunday, Oct. 27, noon, FOX

Week 9: at Philadelphia Eagles - Sunday, Nov. 3, noon, FOX

Week 10: vs. Detroit Lions - Sunday, Nov. 10, noon, CBS

Week 11: at Los Angeles Rams - Sunday, Nov. 17, 7:20 p.m., NBC

Week 12: vs. New York Giants - Sunday, Nov. 24, noon, FOX

Week 13: at Detroit Lions - Thursday, Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving), 11:30 a.m., FOX

Week 14: vs. Dallas Cowboys - Thursday, Dec. 5, 7:20 p.m., FOX/NFLN/Amazon

Week 15: at Green Bay Packers - Sunday, Dec. 15, noon, FOX

Week 16: vs. Kansas City Chiefs - Sunday, Dec. 22, 7:20 p.m., NBC

Week 17: at Minnesota Vikings - Sunday, Dec. 29, noon, FOX

I originally had the Bears going 13-3, but now with the offense sputtering along and yet to show the firepower of the fully armed and operational Matt Nagy offense, I’m bringing my prediction down a little.

Since I didn’t think the Bears would start 3-2, I’ll have to adjust my new prediction down to 11-5, and my reason for remaining optimistic is I believe the offense will get things figured out starting with the Saints game. They simply showed too much promise in 2018 to be as bad as they’ve shown so far. And as for the offensive line issues that seem to be at the root of what ails them, I think that gets better after the bye too. The two biggest problems on the line are Kyle Long and Charles Leno Jr., and I think we’ll see a new right guard step in and I think Leno get’s his season back on track.

Now let’s check in on a few of my colleagues...

Whiskey Ranger - I wasn’t around for the pre-season record predictions (I was crazy busy this summer), but had I been, I would have predicted 13-3. Looking now, I think 11-5 is reasonable. They FOR SURE need to sort out the o-line issues, but the bye week comes at the right time for a team that is clearly hurting, and despite their uneven performance in London, the Defense still gives you a chance to win every single week. This is still a playoff team in my eyes.

Bill Zimmerman - While I wasn’t with WCG during the preseason, my preseason prediction was 11-5. That had them being 4-1 at this point. But truthfully the 2019 Bears don’t feel like the 2018 version. Last year, the team was 3-2 (eventually 3-3) and I felt they were better than their record. This year, they are 3-2 but feel worse than their record. I’m going to drop my prediction to 9-7. If the offense doesn’t improve, I fear the team could be in for an ugly finish to the season. But if the offense can improve, and that starts with better offensive line play (and unfortunately shutting down Kyle Long), I expect this team to be competing for a playoff spot well into December.

Bill and I talk about the Bears’ o-line and shutting down Kyle Long right here;

Erik Christopher Duerrwaechter - I’m going to stay put with my predictions. The Bears have only played 5 games, and their record is identical to the same time frame in 2018. Matt Nagy, for what it’s worth, has said all the right things. He just needs to actively fix his problems.

Jacob Infante - My prediction for the Bears before the season was 11-5. With way they have played so far this year, I’ll drop that record down to 9-7. Their defense has played at a high level in four of their first five games, but their offense still has a lot of improvement to make before I can trust them as anything more than a Wild Card team who gets knocked out right away. Their offensive line has been poor, and perhaps more importantly, the quarterback play has been subpar. Until the Bears take that next step offensively, I have trouble seeing them as the NFC North champions, and I’m starting to wonder if they have what it takes to come out of the division as a playoff team.

Sam Householder - I will hedge my preseason 10-6 pick a little bit. Looking at this schedule as of today, I see six remaining winnable games left on the schedule. Does that mean they’ll win them all? No. But I think they can beat the Chargers, Lions and Giants. The Cowboys and Saints are winnable games at home. They can beat the Vikings in Week 17. That’s the six winnable. At Green Bay, at Detroit, at Philadelphia and home against the Chiefs all appear to be losses as of today. Will they lose all of those? No.

The biggest 50/50 games, to me are the Saints and Cowboys at home and the road division games.

I think this team can still win nine games. If some things go against them, they’ll end up 7-9, but even then I don’t think anyone is getting fired.

Josh Sunderbruch - I can’t remember making a win-loss prediction, but I do know that I predicted them to be a Wild Card, and a sort of thought of them as a 9-7 team. I think they still make it to 9-7, but I can see them missing the playoffs because nine wins doesn’t get them in.

Robert Schmitz - I’ll be honest, I expected better from Trubisky than what he’s shown so far this year. I had predicted a 12-4 season predominantly because of that improvement, so now that he’s working through an injury I’m lowering my expectations to 9-7/10-6. If Nagy elevates the offense to even just average output, 10-6/11-5 feels very fair. If not, 9-7/8-8 becomes more realistic. But either way, I’ll be shocked if they hit my original 12-4 mark.

Ken Mitchell - I predicted 16-0. I think at this point in time that’s slightly unrealistic. I’m changing that to 14-2 for the regular season.

Patti Curl - 14 and 2.

Now it’s your turn, how do you think the Bears end up in 2019?